My own blog

http://www.foodfit.com/fitness/kitchenYoga.asp

Kitchen Yoga: Mellow Moves to De-Stress Cooking And The Cook
by Carol Krucoff

A good friend calls it "arsenic hour" that frazzled window of time after work and before dinner when the kids are cranky, the adults are exhausted and everyone's bite-your-head-off ravenous. If you're like me, the last thing you feel like doing during this volatile period is cooking. What I really crave is to shut myself in a quiet room, light a scented candle, turn on soothing music and do 20 minutes of yoga to unknot the physical and mental kinks of my day. Sometimes I do just that, then begin cooking dinner in a much brighter state of body and mind.

But all too often, other priorities prevail: The kids have a lesson or sports event to attend, my husband or I have a meeting, or everyone myself included is too darn hungry to wait an extra 20 minutes for dinner. We could eat out or bring food in, but that carries its own stress, not the least of which is the cost. Someone else in the family could cook, but let's not even go there.

After years of struggling with this dinner dilemma, I recently hit upon a solution that's altered my attitude toward cooking. I call it "kitchen yoga," a practice that integrates the components of yoga with the tasks of preparing dinner.

A Headstand While Stirring Peas?
Before you picture me doing a headstand while stirring the peas, let me explain. Yoga means "union," and this ancient Indian art seeks to unify body and mind, with the goal of uniting mortal humans with the eternal divine. The physical discipline that has become so popular in our stressed-out society is called hatha yoga and was created, in part, to help release bodily tension so practitioners could sit still to meditate. Hatha yoga is just one of eight distinct yoga practices with the same goal to achieve enlightenment.
Hatha yoga has many health benefits including stress reduction, weight control, increased flexibility and strength. But to think of this spiritual discipline as merely physical training is a common Western mistake that I realized I was making when I felt forced to choose between yoga and cooking. The healthier approach is to combine the two.

"Yoga once or twice a week for an hour or so is certainly better than no yoga at all," write Georg (CQ) Feuerstein and Larry Payne in their excellent, if unfortunately titled, guidebook "Yoga for Dummies" (IDG Books, 1999). "But you unlock the real potency of yoga when you adopt it as a lifestyle. This means living yoga. . .(and) applying the wisdom of yoga to everyday life."

Practicing Kitchen Yoga

For me, applying yoga to cooking requires a little preparation. I change into comfy clothes, kick off my shoes (or wear wool clogs if it's cold), drink a glass of water and put on soothing music.

Then I'm ready to practice kitchen yoga. The first step is "sink centering." I wash and dry my hands, then rest them lightly on the edge of the sink while focusing on the three central elements of hatha yoga:

1. Posture. Good alignment reduces the stress on muscles and joints and allows deep, full breathing. Proper standing posture means keeping the weight equally distributed on both feet, relaxing the shoulders and arms, slightly tucking the pelvis and extending the spine so that the head floats gently upward on the neck.

2. Breathing. Yogis have known for centuries--and modern studies confirm--that breathing provides a powerful link between body and mind, uniting them and helping establish a state of physiological calm. Proper breathing expands the abdomen, allowing the deepest part of the lungs to fill. To practice "belly breathing," I place both hands on my abdomen, with index fingers touching each other near the navel. I inhale deeply, so that my abdomen expands and pushes against my hands. On exhale, I tighten my abdominal muscles to push air out of the bottom of my lungs.

3. Attitude. Yoga seeks to cultivate a positive mind-set characterized by two qualities-- awareness, which means being consciously present in the moment, and relaxation, which means releasing unnecessary tension. I continue belly breathing for a few minutes and do a quick scan of my body, using my breath to help release any tension I feel. Now I'm ready to cook. As I go about the varied tasks of dinner preparation, I try to retain good posture, breathing and attitude. And whenever I have a few minutes--say, while waiting for water to boil--I do a yoga stretch.

While it's true that kitchen yoga is no substitute for a yoga class or practice session, it sure beats cooking with the poisonous spices of tension and resentment. It also helps build flexibility, not just of body but of mind.
True fitness isn't about going to the gym a few times a week. It's a matter of staying in touch with your body and honoring its needs for movement and for rest throughout your day.
Kitchen Yoga Poses
Here are a few kitchen yoga poses you can try, whether you're just preparing a quick dinner or slaving over an extravagant holiday meal:
* Counter Dog Pose: Rest your palms lightly on a counter top or shelf. Walk your feet back so that your upper body straightens, forming a right angle with your lower body at the hips. Inhale, then exhale and feel the stretch running from your hands to your tailbone. Keep your knees soft and also feel a stretch in the backs of your legs.
* Shoulder Opener: Raise your arms overhead, then drop your hands so that you're holding the elbow of your right arm with your left hand and your right hand is lightly touching your back. Gently pull the elbow behind your head. Breathing normally, hold the stretch for 15 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
* Prayer Hands: Place your palms together, fingers pointing upward as if in prayer, with your thumbs lightly touching your breastbone. Keeping your wrists in this position, gently rotate your hands away from your body as far as you comfortably can, then return to prayer position.

http://www.inciid.org/immune.html

Immunology May Be Key To Pregnancy Loss

By Carolyn B. Coulam M.D. and Nancy P. Hemenway

Until the last decade, there was little a couple could do if they suffered from recurrent pregnancy losses. Miscarriages that couldn't be attributed to chromosomal defects, hormonal problems or abnormalities of the uterus were labeled "unexplained," and couples would continue to get pregnant, only to suffer time and again as they lost their babies. New research, however, indicates that as many as 80 percent of "unexplained" losses may the attributable to immunological factors-and some new therapies are enabling up to 80 percent of those affected to carry a baby to term.

About 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies result in miscarriage, and the risk of pregnancy loss increases with each successive pregnancy loss. For example, in a first pregnancy the risk of miscarriage is 11 to 13 percent. In a pregnancy immediately following that loss, the risk of miscarriage is 13 to 17 percent. But the risk to a third pregnancy after two successive losses nearly triples to 38 percent.

Many doctors do not begin testing for the cause of pregnancy loss until after three successive miscarriages. However, because the risk of loss to a third pregnancy after two successive miscarriages is so high, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) now recommends testing after a second loss-especially for women over the age of 35.

There are two major reasons for recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), or miscarriage. One is that there is something wrong with the pregnancy itself, such as a chromosomal abnormality, that curtails embryonic development. (A fertilized ovum is an embryo until 10 weeks gestation, and a fetus thereafter. Most miscarriages, though not all, occur between six and eight weeks, with expulsion taking place four weeks later, between 10 and 12 weeks.)

The best way to find out if the pregnancy itself is the problem is to test the chromosomes of the aborted embryo. While in many cases this is not an option, requesting genetic testing after a dilation and curettage (D&C) for a missed abortion can often give couples some definitive answers about what went wrong. An alternative is genetic testing for the couple, called "karyotyping." This involves a blood test for each partner so that both sets of chromosomes can be evaluated for abnormalities which may cause RSA, or which may be passed on to children.

The other cause of RSA, and the category into which immunological problems fall, is an environmental barrier to pregnancy-something wrong with he environment in which the pregnancy grows. In addition to immunological problems, other possible environmental causes of pregnancy loss are hormonal (not enough of necessary hormones to sustain the pregnancy) and anatomic (such as structural abnormalities of the uterus).

Anatomic problems may be detected with a hysterosalpinogram, hysteroscopy or hysterosonogram. Assessment of the hormonal environment looks at hormone levels and uterine response at the expected time of ovulation and implantation, usually through an endometrial biopsy or high level ultrasound examination.

The final way to determine an environmental cause of multiple miscarriage is through immunologic testing.

Immune System

The immune system, one of the most intricate and complex systems in the body, functions as the first line of defense against disease. It works by identifying proteins as normal or foreign. The immune response to a foreign protein is to neutralize or destroy the antigen. An antigen is a protein marker on the surface of a cell that identifies the cell as "self" or "nonself" An antigen can cause the production of antibodies. Antibodies are complex compounds made by the white blood cells (WBCs) that combine with specific antigens to destroy or control bacterial infections. As bacteria enter the body, WBCs produce antibodies to provide protection against illness.

Immune Causes of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

The immunologic causes for pregnancy loss and implantation failure are the result of abnormalities in antibody responses. These responses fall into two categories: autoimmune and alloimmune.

Contributions to a pregnancy represent the pairing of genes from both man and woman. Autoimmune represents the immunologic response of the mother to a pregnancy ("self-immune" problems). Autoimmune disorders that can cause rejection of a pregnancy mean the woman is rejecting her own proteins-in other words, treating them like they are an invading illness. Autoantibodies are antibodies which attack one's own antigens.

Alloimmune problems indicate a mother's response to the man's genetic contribution to the pregnancy ("other-immune" problems). Alloimmune disorders are the rejection of a protein from the man. Both kinds of immune disorders can be determined with blood tests.

AUTOIMMUNE FACTORS

There are four different autoimmune problems that can cause RSA. A woman may have one or more of these underlying problems: antiphospholipid antibodies; antithyroid antibodies, antinuclear antibodies and lupus-like anticoagulant. Thirty percent of women with "unexplained" RSA will test positive for an autoimmune problem.

Antiphospholipid Antibodies

In pregnancy, phospholipids act like a sort of glue that holds the dividing cells together, and are necessary for growth of the placenta into the wall of the uterus. Phospholipids also filternourishment from the mother's blood to the baby, and in turn, filter the baby's waste back through the placenta.

If a woman tests positive for any one of variety of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA), it indicates the presence of an underlying process that can cause recurrent pregnancy loss. The antibodies themselves do not cause miscarriage, but their presence indicates that an abnormal autoimmune process will likely interrupt the ability of the phospholipids to do their job, putting the woman at risk for miscarriage, second trimester loss, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and pre-eclampsia.

While testing for anticardiolipins (cardiolipins are a kind of phospholipid) is standard in some infertility clinics, this test alone cannot identify the presence of all underlying autoimmune processes that causes RSA. A panel of tests for antibodies to six additional phospholipids is recommended to determine the presence of APA. Testing positive for one or more kind of antiphospholipid antibodies indicates the woman has the immune response that can causes RSA. (See the full range of APA tests in the accompanying chart.)

The markers tested for each of seven phospholipids include IgM, IgG and IgA. These are circulating immunoglobulins (proteins that ward off potential harmful invaders). In some patients, measuring these 21 markers can identify elevations of immunoglobulins to unknown proteins, and signal some as-yet-unidentified process exists that can trigger RSA.

About four percent of women with recurrent miscarriage test positive for lupus-like anticoagulant, and nine percent of individuals diagnosed with SLE have a positive lupus anticoagulant test, or activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). APTT is an adequate screening test for lupus-like anticoagulant antibodies, but there is a high incidence of false positives. Women who have a positive APTT should also have more specific tests, such as Kaolin clotting time, Russel viper venom assay and the platelet neutralization assay a to confirm the presence of lupus anticoagulant antibody activity. And, since some women do not test positive until they are pregnant or have suffered a pregnancy loss, repeat testing during early pregnancy is highly recommended when there is a history of RSA.

Because some circumstances can cause false positives for these tests, it is important to determine persistent positive levels by repeating the tests in six to eight weeks.

The live birth rate for a patient with untreated APA ranges from 11 percent to 20 percent. Individuals with recurrent pregnancy loss and/or implantation failure, venous or arterial, thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, elevated APTT or a circulating lupus-like anticoagulant are among those at risk for development of APA. Also at risk may be women experiencing infertility associated with endometriosis, premature ovarian failure, multiple failed in-vitro fertilization, and unexplained infertility. With treatment, the live birth rate for women with APA increases to 70 to 80 percent.

Antinuclear Antibodies

Antinuclear antibodies react against normal components of the cell nucleus. They can be present in a number of immunologic diseases, including: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or Lupus), progressive systemic sclerosis, Sjorgen's syndrome, scleroderma polymyositis, dermatomyositis and in persons taking hydralazine and procainamide or isoniazid. In addition, ANA is present in some normal individuals or those who have collagen vascular diseases. The presence of ANA indicates there may be an underlying autoimmune process that affects the development of the placenta and can lead to early pregnancy loss.

Histones are proteins which combine with the DNA of the cell nucleus to govern the development of tissues. Histones are the smallest building blocks of DNA. Antibodies to these histones mean the mother is developing an immunity to histone components of DNA. The mechanism by which ANA cause pregnancy loss is not known. (See the accompanying chart for specific ANA tests.)

Antithyroid Antibodies

Women with thyroid antibodies face double the risk of miscarriage as women without them. Increased levels of thyroglobulin and thyroid microsomal (thyroid peroxidase) autoantibodies show a relationship in an increased miscarriage rate, and as many as 31 percent of women experiencing RSA are positive for one or both antibodies. Chances of a loss in the first trimester of pregnancy increase to 20 percent, and there is also an increased risk of post-partum thyroid dysfunction. Therefore, antithyroid antibody testing should be routine in women with a history of two or more losses or thyroid irregularities.

It is important to note that when only the hemagglutination blood test is used, one out of five women with thyroid antibodies will not be correctly screened. More sensitive tests, enzyme linked immunosorbant assays (ELISAs), or gel agglutination tests, have become the standard for thyroid antibodies associated with recurrent pregnancy loss.

Autoimmune Treatments

Treatments for autoimmune risk factors include preconception administration of low-dose heparin (an anticoagulant produced naturally by the body), aspirin and prednisone (a steroid to decrease inflammation ). Heparin is administered (at 5,000 10,000 units) every 12 hours, subcutaneously, and is used to treat women with APA syndrome and to combat possible clotting problems. Prednisone (40-60 mg. per day) is given to decrease autoantibody levels, provide blood-thinning and anti-inflammatory reactions, and reduce the risk of clotting. Aspirin is a prostaglandin inhibitor which decreases agglutination of the platelets (clotting), and has some anti-inflammatory action.

Aspirin therapy, sometimes in concert with heparin and prednisone in severe cases), can increase blood flow to the placenta by inhibiting the tendency for clotting in women with abnormal levels of autoantibodies. Because of complications of pregnancy are significantly higher with prednisone, however, it is usually recommended for women who do not respond to aspirin and heparin therapy.

Another successful method for treatment of autoimmune factors is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), a process which infuses the mother with antibodies from thousands of donors in the general population. The basic effect of IVIg is like neutralizing a large military force (the mother's dangerous antibodies) armed with weapons. The army is still present after administering the IVIg, but it is disarmed. The donor immunoglobulin keeps the attacking antibodies busy and away from the developing fetus.

Among women with the combined problems of APA and elevated NK cells who achieve pregnancy with preconception treatment, the subsequent live birth rate is about 70 percent. The initial treatment of choice is usually low-dose heparin and aspirin therapy because obstetrical complications, such as preterm birth, premature rupture of the membrane and gestational diabetes, are more common with prednisone. IVIg, while very effective, is also quite costly --- roughly $10-30,000 for treatments throughout pregnancy ($39 to $145 per gram, depending on the distributor). However, among women for whom pregnancy loss occurred even with preconception use of heparin and aspirin, IVIg remains an alternative that may allow them to carry a pregnancy to term.

ALLOIMMUNE FACTORS

There are two possible reasons that women with alloimmune problems lose their pregnancies in miscarriage: Either her immune system does not recognize the pregnancy, or she develops an abnormal immunologic response to the pregnancy.

Successful pregnancy has been associated with the presence of circulating "blocking antibodies." These are antibodies that are formed by a woman's immune system when she is pregnant, and they "mask," or disguise the pregnancy so it is not recognized as "foreign." Pregnancies that end with RSA have been associated with the absence of these blocking antibodies.

Recently, an antigen identified as R80K has been identified on the surface of syncytiotrophoblasts, the outer layer of cells covering of the chorionic villi of the placenta. These cells are in contact with maternal blood. R80K is a kind of protein marker to which the blocking antibodies respond during a successful pregnancy. The antibodies to this antigen react in a specific way to the antigens from the father's genetic material in the developing embryo, and thus create the protective, blocking antibodies.

For some women who lack the blocking antibodies, immunization with their husband's white blood cells may be an effective treatment. However, a leukocyte antibody detection assay (LAD) should be performed prior to initiating this treatment.

Also, IVIg treatment may be effective for some women who lack blocking antibodies because the immunoglobulin, which comes from thousands of donors, appear to contain small amounts of antibodies to R80K.

Leukocyte Antibody Detection Assay

Performed after a series of suspected losses when a woman is not pregnant, the Leukocyte antibody detection (LAD) test indicates a woman's physiologic response to pregnancy. Women who test for high levels of leukocyte antibodies have a history of carrying pregnancies longer than women who exhibit low levels. Women who have low levels of leukocyte antibodies generally had pregnancies that ended by week 12, or their immune systems did not respond to the stimulus of pregnancy by creating blocking antibodies. Only women with low levels of LAD are candidates for immunization with their husbands' white blood cells (leukocytes), so it is recommended that this assay be done prior to initiating an immunization protocol.

Natural Killer Cells

WBCs that belong to the innate or primitive group of cells that kill anything perceived as foreign . They kill abnormal invaders, including virally-affected cells. Some types of NK cells produce a substance called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which might be described as your body's version of chemotherapy, and is toxic to a developing fetus. Patients who have high levels of these cells are at risk for implantation failure and miscarriage.

The proportion of NK cells is determined by a reproductive immunophynotype (RIP) test, which looks for cells that have the CD56+ marker. An NK (CD56+) cell range above 12 percent is abnormal. A patient with high NK cell activity will respond very well to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy. In fact, the live birth rate with preconception IVIg is more than 90 percent, compared to 20 percent without treatment.

Embryo Toxicity

Cells make proteins called cytokines. Different cytokines do different things. Some stimulate growth of cells, some inhibit growth. The proinflammatory cytokines stimulate inflammatory response, while others inhibit inflammatory response of cells. The embryo toxicity assay (ETA) is looking for cytokines which kill embryos.

Embryotoxic factors have been identified in as many as 60 percent of women with recurrent, unexplained miscarriage, and also reported among women endometriosis-associated infertility.

For the ETA, blood serum from the woman is incubated with mouse embryos. If the embryos die, a toxin (to the embryo) cytokine is present. IVIg therapy controls these cytokines and allows a pregnancy to progress.

Alloimmune Treatment

For a women who exhibits low levels of LAD, immunization with her husband's white blood cells results in about a 10 percent increase in the chance of live birth (to 60 percent) over the live birth rate without treatment. And risk of complications for these women, such as intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), preterm birth and birth defects, are generally diminished with treatment.

Immunization can also be performed with seminal plasma vaginal capsules, inserted twice weekly from preconception to the 28th week of pregnancy. There is about a 15 percent increase in the live birth rate with this treatment compared to no treatment.

IVIg is also an effective, though more costly, treatment for women with low LAD levels. Research shows that there is a 28 percent increased live birth rate among women in this category who received IVIg, compared to women given a placebo.

For women with elevated LAD levels, IVIg is the recommended treatment. The dosage is 500 mg. per kg (2.2 lbs.) of weight per month. When treatment is started prior to conception and continued through 28 weeks of gestation, the overall success rate of IVIg is 70 percent. IVIg is also recommended for treatment of elevated circulating natural killer (CD56+) cells, circulating embryotoxins and unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

SUMMARY

As much as 40 percent of unexplained infertility may be the result of immune problems, as are as many as 80 percent of "unexplained" pregnancy losses. Unfortunately for couples with immunological problems, their chances of recurrent loss increase with each successive pregnancy.

Certainly, couples with RSA (two or more) would benefit from the full range of available immunological testing, especially if a woman is older than 35. And, because immune problems are often the cause implantation failure, couples with good embryos that fail to implant during IVF procedures are also good candidates for immunological screening.

Medical researchers have begun to pay attention to the problems of recurrent pregnancy loss, and ongoing genetic and immunologic research will continue to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this heartbreaking problem.

The following chart includes the full range of Autoimmune and Alloimmune Risk Tests and their "normal" ranges as conducted by Dr. Coulam at the Center for Human Reproduction in Chicago, Ill. Other labs and doctors may use different norms. The full range of tests is about $1,300.

Autoimmune Risk Tests

Antiphospholipid Antibodies (APA) Each of three markers, IgM, IgG and IgA, are tested for the following phospholipids, for a total of 21 different markers.

Anti-Phospholipid Antibodies (APA) IgM IgG IgA
Anticardiolipin (ACA) .131 - .173 .209 - .254 .192-.212
Phosphoethanolamine .362 - .478 088 - .222 .046-.073
Phosphoinositol .136 - .178 .175 - .236 .093-.122
Phosphatidic Acid .137 - .214 .104 - .132 .131-.155
Phosphogylcerol .168 - .242 .143 - .185 .102-.139
Phosphoserine .101 - .134 .082 - .188 .123-.143
Phosphocholine .152 - .198 .131 - .170 .092-.219

Alloimmune Risk Tests

Natural Killer Cells

Reproductive Immunophynotype (RIP) 3-12%

Leukocyte Antibody Detection (LAD)

Embryo Toxicity Assay (ETA). <37% Artesia
Lupus - LikeAntibodies
Lupus-like Anticoagulant Antibodies (APA) 33.5 - 44.5 seconds
Kaolin ClottingTime 33.5 - 44.5 seconds
Platelet Neutralization Assay 33.5 - 44.5 seconds
Dilute Russel viper Venom Time 33.5 - 44.5 seconds
Antithyroid Antibodies (ATA) Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA)
Thyroglobulin <1:7

ssDNA 99
dsDNA 89
Sm 40
RNP 83
SSA 91
SSB 73
Histone 96
Sci-70 32

Thyroid microsomal (thyroid peroxidase) autoantibodies <1:72
ELISAs Gel agglutination tests <1:72

Carolyn B. Coulam, M.D. is Medical Director at the Sher Institute in Chicago, Ill., and has served as a member of INCIID's Advisory Board since the organization's inception. Nancy P. Hemenway is an INCIID cofounder and serves as the INCIID Executive Director
Other links:
* Clinical Trial: Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Treatment of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

* National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement re: IVIg Treatment of Disease and Safety

I Want a Baby!
Infertility Questions and Answers At least one of six couples are affected by infertility. An infertility expert answers your questions about fertility problems, testing, and getting pregnant....read more http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/infertility/a/infertilityqa.htm

Infertility Questions and Answers

How many people are affected by infertility?

Estimates are that one in six couples are affected by some degree of infertility. However, that number may be very misleading. Many couples opt to lead child-free lives rather than seek treatment for their infertility, and we believe they are rarely included in infertility estimates.

Others suffer recurrent pregnancy losses which are, in a way, a form of infertility---and are not technically considered "infertile" because they are able to conceive.

INCIID is in the process of creating a survey designed to provide new insights about who is infertile, what kinds of infertility they are experiencing, what kinds of treatments have been successful for specific diagnoses, and much more. This survey will be conducted online, and is expected to be a source of important clinical information for practitioners as well as consumers.

When should a woman/ couple become concerned about not becoming pregnant?

When a couple has failed to conceive after one year of well-timed intercourse, they should seek expert care. In cases where the woman is older than age 35, treatment should be sought after six months of well-timed intercourse. If a woman knows that she has endometriosis or polycystic ovarian disease, the couple should move immediately to expert care. If the husband has known male factor infertility (low or no sperm count, poor morphology or motility, etc.), the couple should move immediately to expert care. If a woman has had two consecutive pregnancy losses, the couple should move to expert care.

Are there any symptoms a woman/ couple may notice which might indicate an inability to conceive?

Women who have extreme pain associated with ovulation or menstruation may be at risk for endometriosis and should seek expert care. Women who are annovulatory (don't ovulate) or who have very irregular cycles may be at risk for polycystic ovarian disease and should seek expert care. Unmanaged, these diseases can cause serious barriers to fertility. However, early treatment and expert management can preserve a woman's fertility.

What are the most common causes of infertility?

Some of the more common causes of infertility are diminished ovarian reserve (older women or women with premature ovarian failure), blocked fallopian tubes (sometimes because of endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and STDs), endometriosis and polycystic ovarian disease. Low sperm count, poor sperm morphology (the shape of the sperm) and poor motility (the ability of the sperm to swim in the right direction) are also major contributors to a couple's infertility. The estimates are that overall fertility problems are 50 percent female and 50 percent male.

What are some less common causes of infertility?

Although still considered "uncommon" by many practitioners, evidence is mounting that many cases of "unexplained" infertility are actually the result of an immune system malfunction. There are many variances of immune problems--- ranging from antisperm antibodies to an outright rejection of a developing fetus. The good news is that there is greatly improved testing now available to screen for these problems, and new treatment protocols are netting unprecedented success rates.

http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/infertility/a/infertilityqa_2.htm

How is diagnosis made?

A standard infertility workup is included in INCIID's fact sheet "Basic Infertility Testing." The short answer is that specific hormone tests are done on day three of a woman's cycle and again on the day of LH surge.

Additional tests for the woman include a transvaginal ultrasound to confirm follicle development and release, a hysterosalpinogram to determine that the uterus is normal and fallopian tubes are clear and open, and possibly a laparoscopy in cases where endometriosis is suspected. For men, a full sperm work-up is essential before any treatment protocol is initiated for the woman.

In cases of recurrent pregnancy loss or known implantation failure (after two unsuccessful ivf transfers), the couple should have a complete immune work-up, which includes about 30 specific tests available at only a few labs in the U.S. For more information on this subject, read INCIID's fact sheet on immune issues.

How long will it take after testing, before diagnosis is made and treatments begin?

There is no universal answer to this question except, "it depends." In some cases, surgery may be required---to remove endometrial lesions, to repair a septate uterus, to repair a man's varicocele. In other cases, treatment may begin the very next cycle. Couples can hasten the process by timing their first visit with a fertility expert to coincide with the woman's cycle. The first round of hormone tests should be done on day two or three of her cycle. If that first appointment is on day 10 of her cycle, she'll have to wait until the next cycle to complete the testing process.

What are the most common treatments for infertility? Please describe the treatment procedures.

Unfortunately, the most common treatment prescribed by non-experts is Clomid, or clomiphene citrate. This is unfortunate because there is a 12-cycle lifetime maximum recommended use of Clomid, and many physicians prescribe this drug without first testing the male partner. Further, failure to monitor the woman using Clomid often makes its use highly questionable. In fact, in about one third of women who use it, Clomid is counterproductive, causing hostile cervical mucus which can kill sperm on contact.

This is not to say that Clomid is not a wonderful and effective drug for many couples suffering from infertility. However, Clomid use should always be administered and monitored by a practitioner who is experienced at treating infertility patients.

Only about eight percent of couples with a barrier to pregnancy move to IVF as their treatment protocol. This means that more than 90 percent are assisted with other, lower tech and less expensive treatments. Such treatments range from ovulation induction drugs to IntraUterine Inseminations (IUIs) to combos of the two.

What are some less common treatments?

Immunotherapy with IntraVenous ImmunoGlobulin (IvIg) is a "less common" treatment that is becoming more recognized and utilized.

What is the cost of treatment?

The cost of treatment varies depending on the diagnosis and resulting treatment protocol. Clomid alone can be about $100 a month, plus another $150 for an ultrasound and $75 for a progesterone level blood test. InVitro Fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), including meds, can be anywhere from $12,000 to $15,000.

How effective are various treatments?

Effectiveness of each treatment depends on its appropriateness for your diagnosis. If you're being treated with Clomid and no one ever checked to see if your tubes are open, you will have zero effectiveness. The same is true if the woman is being treated and no one ever checked to see if the husband has any sperm whatsoever. Also, untold women are being treated with intrauterine inseminations (IUIs) that are timed so outrageously that their only chance of getting pregnant is if they have normal intercourse and get lucky! If you are the first couple for which the embryologist is trying ICSI, you're chance of success is dwarfed compared to an embryologist who's done 1,000 cycles of ICSI.

Also, if you have an undiagnosed immune problem, you can have failed IVF cycle after failed IVF cycle. So, IVF for couples with immune problems will be wholly ineffective, yet it is extremely successful for couples with tube problems.

http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/infertility/a/infertilityqa_3.htm

What should women look for in a provider of infertility services?

Experience, experience, experience. Your practitioner should be available seven days a week, 24 hours a day if your protocol requires monitoring---and most of them do.

If your practitioner is always closed on weekends, even if your are doing IUI and are ovulating on a Saturday, you need to find a new practitioner. If you need ICSI, you should find the embryologist in your area who has done the most ICSI cycles. Ask questions of other couples in your area, and don't be afraid to ask the hard questions (like what are your success rates for couples with our diagnosis or couples in our age group). Also, check out INCIID's chart on how to evaluate an ART Clinic.

Is there anything women should beware of?

Beware of "fertility specialists" who deliver babies. Beware of doctors who dismiss your concerns or take the attitude that he/she knows best what's best for you. Beware of doctors who don't respond to your questions or return your calls. Beware of doctors who focus on the services offered their clinics even though your reading has alerted you to a treatment appropriate for your diagnosis that isn't mentioned.

Most of all, beware of being complacent. You are your own best advocate, and it is your responsibility to educate yourself. There are so many sources of good information about the treatment and prevention of infertility--- use them. Ask your doctor questions. Participate in your own treatment plan. Be in charge of your own fertility.

How long should a woman continue to try fertility treatments before choosing another option?

This is a personal decision based on each couple's needs and resources. Drs. Yakov Epstein and Helane Rosenberg offer some excellent advice on making this decision in their book, "Getting Pregnant When You Thought You Couldn't." They introduce an exercise called "moving the line." At each phase of treatment, you draw a hypothetical line about how far you'll go, and then focus on treatment to that point. But you give yourself permission to move the line should it be appropriate. This enables couples to focus on where they are right now without worrying about next steps that may never need to be taken.

How does fertility treatment and the resulting birth of a child affect the possibility of conceiving again, either, with or without treatment?

I don't know the answer to this, but I suspect it depends on what the initial diagnosis was. If the original problem was blocked tubes that were repaired, chances are they will be fine the next time around. However, if the cause was male factor that required ICSI, chances are ICSI will be required the next time around, too.

What looks promising, in the future, for the treatment of infertility?

There are many new and exciting studies underway. Cytoplasmic transfer, in which the cytoplasm from a donor's egg is used with the mother's own genetic information, looks very promising for women with premature ovarian failure or otherwised diminished ovarian reserve. There are new treatments for women with polycystic ovaries, and much hope for women with endometriosis.

What advice do you have for young women to prevent possible future fertility problems?

Sexually transmitted diseases can be a major cause of future infertility---so young women should ALWAYS have protected sex. Also, women should consult with their Ob/Gyns if they have irregular menstrual cycles or have painful periods or ovulation. If your doctor is dismissive and does not offer to find a cause and solution to your problems, find a physician who will. Unfortunately, many couple's biggest barrier to conception is an Ob/gyn who is unfamiliar with the latest technology to treat the causes of infertility even though the woman may not presently be trying to conceive.

What else should women should be aware of regarding infertility?

Mostly, beware of doctors who bill themselves as "fertility specialists" but are really not qualified to treat most infertility patients.

A special thanks...

I would like to thank Theresa V. Grant, President of INCIID, for her valuable time answering my questions. If you are experiencing infertility issues, be sure to visit INCIID for the latest infertility information and support.

More About Fertility

~ Tracee Cornforth

Hi Valerie,

I think your meds could be the prob...I always schedule my bloodwork for first thing in the am and then wait to take my meds until AFTER the appt...this way I know the numbers do not come out artificially high...because the only dose I am missing gets taken an hour or so later than usual...

Also, the weight loss could be that you need a smaller dose...they do say that the less you weight, a lot of times, you need a smaller dose...it is hard to tell...you might ask about going to 100 mcg of the unithroid and see what happens from there...

Do you feel hyper?...or drop one (or 1/2 of one) of the cytomel per day and see how you feel? Did they do a tsh?

How are you feeling? Do you have heart palps at night? Feel shaky? feeling high strung? Go by those answers in deciding what your next step is...

Take care, Bee
"V. Rae Garner" <rgarner722@...

Hi,

I just had bloodwork drawn because I was having a pretty bad autoimmune response after a cold I had caught and wanted to see what was up. I'm on 112 mcg unithryoid & 5 mcg cytomel 2X daily. I believe my last cytomel dose was about 45 min. before the test. The other thing is I've dropped 15 pounds (purposely) in the last month and wondered if that weight loss caused my body needs to be different.

T4 11.0 (labs 4.5-12.0)

Free T4 1.65 (labs .70-1.70)

Free T3 4.3 (labs 2.3-4.2)

TPO 148 (I've gone over last few labs and this is the highest mine has been yet).

I also got tested for Celiac antibodies, but can't make sense of those results and go to the doc Friday. Also had him test female hormones and same thing, can't seem to determind those either except to confirm I'm not postmenopausal.

Prior to my cold, this has been the best I've felt. I feel good again now as well since the autoimmune flare up stopped. It lasted about 3 weeks. I may need to drop 1 dose of cytomel, but I don't know if the high lab was due to just having it. It seems scary to go down in meds.

Valerie
You are cordially invited to my Online Candle Party! Very high quality products! If you would like to book a party off of mine please contact them at candlescentsations@... for further details. I can earn more credits this way too! Please go to ww.candlescentsations.z3z.net Please remember to give me credit for your order by typing 1304VRG in the special notes section.

Hi,

I just had bloodwork drawn because I was having a pretty bad autoimmune response after a cold I had caught and wanted to see what was up. I'm on 112 mcg unithryoid & 5 mcg cytomel 2X daily. I believe my last cytomel dose was about 45 min. before the test. The other thing is I've dropped 15 pounds (purposely) in the last month and wondered if that weight loss caused my body needs to be different.

T4 11.0 (labs 4.5-12.0)

Free T4 1.65 (labs .70-1.70)

Free T3 4.3 (labs 2.3-4.2)

TPO 148 (I've gone over last few labs and this is the highest mine has been yet).

I also got tested for Celiac antibodies, but can't make sense of those results and go to the doc Friday. Also had him test female hormones and same thing, can't seem to determind those either except to confirm I'm not postmenopausal.

Prior to my cold, this has been the best I've felt. I feel good again now as well since the autoimmune flare up stopped. It lasted about 3 weeks. I may need to drop 1 dose of cytomel, but I don't know if the high lab was due to just having it. It seems scary to go down in meds.

Valerie
You are cordially invited to my Online Candle Party! Very high quality products! If you would like to book a party off of mine please contact them at candlescentsations@... for further details. I can earn more credits this way too! Please go to ww.candlescentsations.z3z.net Please remember to give me credit for your order by typing 1304VRG in the special notes section.

Wow...that's great!!! It seems that doctors can be very closed
minded about things. From what I've seen they tend to stick to what
they learned back in med school and don't even want to hear anything
different.

Here is a collection of topics I thought you might be interested in...but the first one, just remember that if you think yeast/candida might be a problem for you, fermented foods are on the lists of foods to avoid...Hugs, Bee

The Incredible Health Benefits to You of Traditionally Fermented Foods - Do you really want to prevent disease including cancer and heart disease, and increase your daily energy while you are at it? Then this article on the powerful but not widely known health benefits of traditionally fermented foods is a must-read. Written by the co-author of my new book who created the over 150 brand-new recipes you'll find there, you'll learn what fermented foods to eat and why, and those you should avoid. http://mercola.com/2004/jan/3/fermented_foods.htm

Natural Vitamin A Found in These Foods is Superior to Synthetic Form - Vitamin A supplements, including those that are often part of multi-vitamins, are less effective than naturally occurring vitamin A, and can even be toxic if taken in excess. Find out which foods to add to your diet to ensure you are getting enough beneficial vitamin A without risk of overdosing. http://mercola.com/2004/jan/3/vitamin_a.htm

Achieve Your New Year's Weight Resolutions - If you are one of the two out of three people in the United States who are overweight, here are some tips on how to really lose weight in 2003. These tips will also help you achieve any other goal you are interested in. http://mercola.com/2003/jan/1/weight_goals.htm

Questions Arise on U.S. Drug Policy - A comparison of international and United States drug prices conclude that U.S. citizens pay more than anyone else for drugs. Drugs will never treat the underlying cause of disease, but if you have to use a drug as a temporary Band-Aid, find out how to get it for less. http://mercola.com/2004/jan/3/drug_policy.htm

Modify Your Diet So You Feel Terrific - We all have our own unique biochemical needs, and some outstanding health foods might make you feel worse. You can use this simple diet checklist to change your diet so you instead feel good. http://www.mercola.com/2003/feb/26/metabolic_typing.htm

Six Foods That Will Give You the Most Health "Bang" for Your Buck - When you purchase food you are making an investment into your health and the health of your family. These foods are so packed with nutrients that they will pay off big time in the form of health and a high quality of life for you and your family. http://www.mercola.com/2003/nov/15/healthy_foods.htm

Hi all!

This is a newsletter that I get regularly...most of the newsletters are based on things around the home, cleaning tips, recipes, first aid and all kinds of topics along those lines...Lizzy is funny and the newslettters are enjoyable...Happy New Year! Hugs, Bee

I'M NOT MARTHA - Friday, January 2, 2004

Reminder Reminder from the Calendar of ThyroidFitness
Group Chat in the ThyroidFitness chat room
Sunday January 4, 2004
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
This event repeats every week.
The next reminder for this event will be sent in 22 hours, 4 minutes.

http://mercola.com/2004/jan/3/carbohydrates_age.htm

Scientific Proof Carbohydrates Cause Disease

By Kent Rieske

Carbohydrates cause nearly all age-related diseases. Age-related diseases are thought of as unavoidable. Many people consider it normal to get one or more of these diseases as they age. They rationalize that they are simply unlucky or that others have "better genes," neither of which is true. Their health problems are most likely caused by their belief in the many popular myths and distortions about nutrition. Most likely they got hooked by the low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet craze and are now suffering as a result.

The most common excuse used instead of identifying the real culprit, carbohydrates, is heredity. People flippantly say, "It runs in my family," or "My mother also had diabetes," or "My father also had high blood pressure and heart disease." Age-related diseases could best be described as "Excessive Carbohydrate Consumption Syndrome."

The scientific evidence is clear. Carbohydrates are a sinister, sly food category that has been getting away with murder. Carbohydrates have powerful allies. They grow, manufacture and market thousands of different carbohydrate products made from fruit, grains and starchy-vegetables. The supermarket floor space allotted to these manufactured carbohydrate foods is about 80 percent of the store, and yet the scientific minimum requirement for carbohydrates in the diet is ZERO.

Carbohydrates are not an essential element for health. In fact, optimal health lies in keeping the amount of carbohydrates in the diet to a minimum. The supermarket departments that contain the healthy essential proteins and essential fats are the fresh meats, fresh fish and seafood, dairy and non-starchy vegetables. Everything else in the store is very high in carbohydrates, which turn to glucose, hype the metabolism and trigger the release of disease-causing hormones like insulin, cortisol and adrenaline.

A low metabolism is ideal for long life and good health. A high metabolism excites hormones in the body that eventually cause age-related diseases. A low metabolism is analogous to diesel engines that are known for longevity and high mileage without a breakdown. Diesel fuel is an oil that the engine uses for energy similar to fats in the diet. A high metabolism is analogous to a nitro-methane drag racer that gives a tremendous burst of energy but explodes after a few races. The nitro-methane fuel is fast burning similarly to sugar in the diet.

The pathogenic effects of carbohydrates are slow but sure. The "20-year rule" was coined to describe the length of time between the start of the high-carbohydrate diet and the onset of disease. The number of diseases, severity and time to develop are directly related to the percentage of carbohydrates in the diet. In the advanced stage many diseases are prevalent in the sufferer before death occurs.

Carbohydrates displace essential protein and essential fats in the diet to cause a double health reversal. The carbohydrates themselves cause disease, and the deficiency of protein and fats contribute or cause other diseases.

The consumption of carbohydrates generally begins showing the disease effects in either one of two directions.
* Body fat accumulation leads to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, gallbladder disease, degenerative bone diseases and many others.
* Damage to the intestinal tract leads to leaky gut syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases and a medical textbook listing of autoimmune diseases. These illnesses generally make the sufferer underweight and deficient in vitamins and minerals caused by poor digestion.

The primary high-carbohydrate foods to avoid are sugars, honey, flour, grains, legumes, fruit, milk and starchy-vegetables.

Whole grains cause disease in both humans and animals. Whole grain breads and bagels are not the healthy food as people are lead to believe. All grains have a very high level of omega-6 fatty acids, which are pro-inflammatory. Grains are a poor source of protein. Grains are the most allergenic of all foods. Multiple sclerosis, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are rare in populations where no grain products are consumed such as the Paleolithic (hunter-gatherer) diet.

The Awful Truth About Eating Grains

Grain fed to feedlot steers makes them fat and causes intestinal diseases. The feedlot diet given to steers is almost identical to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. Both diets are very high in grains. The feedlot operator is deliberately making the steers fat. Fatty beef is given higher grading, receives the best price and has the best flavor. The time in the feedlot is short and the steer is sent to slaughter prior to developing any serious health problem. People get fat and develop disease for the very same reasons. Grains are worse for humans because we are omnivores. Steers are herbivores, but the grains still make them fat and give them diseases.

Primitive cultures that primarily ate meat from the hunt lived in relative good health. Those people who switched to a grain-based diet obtained from the cultivation of grains suffered poor health, diseases and a smaller stature.

Fruit is Not as Healthy as Many Claim

Fruit is not the healthy food many claim. Fruit is mostly fructose sugar with some vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Those vitamins and nutrients are easily obtained from meat and non-starchy vegetables without the fructose. The body processes fructose from fruit in the same way as it processes fructose from soft drinks. There is no difference. Fructose is fructose no matter what the source. Fructose causes insulin resistance as proven in scientific tests. Fructose is highly addictive and most people simply refuse to give up fruit no matter how sick they become. This is identical to lung cancer patients who continue to smoke cigarettes. See links below for more information:
* Fructose, weight gain, and the insulin resistance syndrome.
* Tissue-specific impairment of insulin signaling in fructose-fed rats.

Carbohydrates Trigger Disease-Causing Hormones

The hormones involved in the carbohydrate disease loop are not the sex hormones but rather metabolism hormones. The process starts when carbohydrates are eaten in the form of sugars such as sucrose, fructose, lactose and others. Simple carbohydrates are molecules made by chains of glucose that are short. Longer glucose chains form carbohydrates that are classified as complex. The body breaks the chains apart until individual molecules of glucose are released into the blood stream. Then the problems start. The body is very sensitive to the amount of glucose in the blood, commonly called blood sugar. A small part of the brain called the midbrain that is about 1 inch (25 mm) long and red blood cells require glucose as they lack mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell) and cannot use fatty acids for fuel.

The lack of glucose (hypoglycemia) as energy for the brain can cause symptoms ranging from headache, mild confusion and abnormal behavior, to loss of consciousness, seizure, coma and death. The body can maintain an ideal level of glucose by creating it in the liver from amino acids derived from protein and/or from triglyceride fatty acids in a process called gluconeogenesis. The low-carbohydrate diet results in a perfectly controlled and stable blood glucose level in this way. On the other hand, the high-carbohydrate diet results in the body's constant attempt to prevent blood glucose swings both to the low-side (hypoglycemia) or the high-side (hyperglycemia). This control is regulated by the hormone insulin to reduce the glucose level and the hormone adrenaline to act as an emergency method of raising the glucose level.

Hypoglycemia is the train whistle signaling the diabetes train is coming down the track. The diabetes engine is powered by carbohydrates and gaining speed. Nibbling complex carbohydrates throughout the day to control the blood sugar swings will do nothing more than slow the train a year or two. The diabetes train can be stopped dead on the tracks only by avoiding all carbohydrates. The condition of uncontrolled blood sugar swings is called diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes, and has become epidemic in all English-speaking countries. It will soon become a catastrophe. (Experts: World Facing Diabetes Catastrophe.)

Younger people appear to handle carbohydrates without a problem because the cells of the younger body readily accept the glucose with a small insulin response and turn the glucose into energy. However, the cells get resistant to this constant bombardment of glucose, and increasing levels of insulin are necessary to maintain a normal blood glucose level. As the cells become resistant, the insulin assists in the conversion of the extra glucose into triglycerides, which raise the triglyceride level in the blood and are deposited as body fat. Carbohydrates cause obesity, not fat. The high carbohydrate diet is a natural killer for many reasons.

Insulin is a Disease-Causing Hormone

Insulin is a hormone made by the beta cells in the islets of langerhans in the pancreas. Body cells require insulin in order to use blood glucose.

A high level of blood insulin causes many unhealthy body reactions, which eventually lead to diseases of all types. Glucose from the excessive consumption of carbohydrates is turned to body fat by the high insulin level and is also deposited in the arteries and organs causing arterial diseases, heart disease, strokes, blood clots and other diseases. High blood glucose signals increasing insulin production until the pancreas becomes fatigued after many years, making the disease seem age-related. Glucose rises uncontrollably when insulin production drops. The result causes diseases of the eyes, kidneys, blood vessels and nerves.

Carbohydrates drive insulin production that causes cardiovascular heart disease (CHD). Many heart attack patients first learn they are diabetic in the hospital emergency room, but they may not be told about the close relationship between their two conditions. Blood insulin reaches high levels and remains high as one progresses from hypoglycemia to Type II diabetes where insulin production collapses. Insulin is a very strong anabolic hormone. It pushes blood glucose into cells. It turns blood glucose into triglycerides and stores them as body fat. This sudden appearance of heart disease has been described by the author as the "Instant Atherosclerosis Cycle" (IAC).

Insulin also pushes small dense LDL molecules into the artery wall to start the atherosclerosis process. Animal research with insulin has proven many years ago that the artery will plug with atherosclerosis just downstream from the point of injection.

Carbohydrates cause the LDL molecules to be the unhealthy small, dense variety. The high-fat, low-carbohydrates diet causes the LDL molecules to the safe large fluffy light density variety. Higher LDL blood levels on the low-carbohydrate diet do not present the same CHD risk as do LDL levels on the USDA Food Guide Pyramid diet of 60 percent carbohydrates.

High-Insulin (Hyperinsulinemia) Increases Cancer Risks
* High-Carbohydrate Diet Implicated in Pancreatic Cancer
* Low-Fat, High-Carbohydrate Diets Contribute to Hyperinsulinemia and Hypertriglyceridemia
* Diet and Colorectal Cancer: The Possible Role of Insulin Resistance
* Fasting Insulin and Outcome of Early-Stage Breast Cancer
* Diet, Lifestyle, and Colorectal Cancer: Is Hyperinsulinemia the Missing Link?

Carbohydrates drive blood insulin production that causes cancer. There are strong associations between a high-carbohydrate diet and many diseases that present a secondary cancer risk. Cancer risks are greatly increased with diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and many other unhealthy conditions caused by the high-blood glucose and high-blood insulin levels.

High-Insulin (Hyperinsulinemia) Increases Cardiovascular Disease Risks
* Insulin Resistance is an Important Determinant of Left Ventricular Mass in the Obese
* Insulin Resistance Syndrome Predicts the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke
* Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Risk: Plasma Insulin Level Is a More Sensitive Marker Than Hypertension or Abnormal Glucose Tolerance
* Hyperinsulinemia as an Independent Risk Factor for Ischemic Heart Disease

The only way to prevent diseases caused by insulin spikes and plunges is to eat a low-carbohydrate diet. Many primitive societies have lived with very few carbohydrates in the diet and have proven diabetes and all the diseases of consequence do not exist. A great example is the Eskimos of the far north prior to the introduction of white-man food.

The bad effects of insulin do not end here. High insulin spikes signal the body to release cortisol and adrenaline hormones, which also contribute to disease.

Cortisol is a Disease-Causing Hormone

Cortisol is the major stress hormone of the natural glucocorticoid family, which regulates metabolism and provides resistance to stress. Glucocorticoids are made in the outside portion (the cortex) of the adrenal gland and are chemically classified as steroids. Glucocorticoids increase the rate at which proteins are catabolized (broken down) and amino acids are removed from cells, primarily muscle fiber, and transported to the liver.

Glucocorticoids cause amino acids to be synthesized into new proteins, such as enzymes. They also raise blood pressure by constricting vessels, which is a benefit in case of injury. They are also anti-inflammatory. All of this is well and good in a healthy individual with normal glucose and insulin levels. Unfortunately, high cortisol levels cause many unhealthy reactions.

Understanding Adrenal Function

"An excessive ratio of carbohydrates to protein results in excess secretion of insulin, which often leads to intervals of hypoglycemia. The body, in an attempt to normalize blood sugar, initiates a counter-regulatory process during which the adrenals are stimulated to secrete increased levels of cortisol and adrenalin. It follows that an excessive intake of carbohydrates often leads to excessive secretion of cortisol."

Excess cortisol:
* Diminishes cellular utilization of glucose
* Increases blood sugar levels
* Decreases protein synthesis
* Increases protein breakdown that can lead to muscle wasting
* Causes demineralization of bone that can lead to osteoporosis
* Interferes with skin regeneration and healing
* Causes shrinking of lymphatic tissue
* Diminishes lymphocyte numbers and functions
* Lessens SIgA (secretory antibody productions). This immune system suppression may lead to increased susceptibility to allergies, infections, and degenerative disease

High-cortisol levels caused by excessive carbohydrate consumption and high-insulin levels cause the body to extract high-tensile strength collagen protein fibers from bones, remove the mineral matrix by demineralization and weaken connective tissue at the joints. The protein loss is accelerated by a low-protein diet, and the bone minerals are lost in the urine. One is literally peeing his/her bones away. The result is a rapid and shocking diagnosis of osteoporosis and degenerative disk disease where the spine can lose as much as one inch (25 mm) in height in as little as one year. Bones fracture more easily, and the dreaded hip fracture is much more likely to occur.

Women are told to drink lots of milk and eat plenty of yogurt to get additional calcium with the promise it will prevent bone loss, but the advice is based on faulty logic. The additional lactose in the milk and yogurt plus the additional sugar and fruit added to yogurt only serve to increase the dietary carbohydrate load. The net result is harmful to the bones as many are discovering.

All of this can be prevented by eating a high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.

Adrenaline is a Disease-Causing Hormone

Adrenaline (epinephrine) is the "fight-or-flight" stress hormone. Epinephrine is a neurotransmitter secreted by the adrenal gland that is associated with sympathetic nervous system activity. It prolongs and intensifies the following effects of the sympathetic nervous system.
* Causes the pupils of the eyes to dilate
* Increases the heart rate, force of contraction, and blood pressure
* Constricts the blood vessels of nonessential organs such as the skin
* Dilates blood vessels to increase blood flow to organs involved in exercise or fighting off danger, skeletal muscles, cardiac muscle, liver, and adipose tissue
* Increases the rate and depth of breathing and dilates the bronchioles to allow faster movement of air in and out of the lungs
* Raises blood sugar as the liver glycogen is converted to glucose
* Slows down or even stops processes that are not essential for meeting the stress situation, such as muscular movements of the gastrointestinal tract and digestive secretions

All of these effects are great if one is being chased by a lion or attacked by an intruder into the home. However, these effects are unhealthy to a person sitting in an office, watching a football game or simply going about his everyday life.

The last item on the above list is very disruptive to the intestinal tract and leads to intestinal diseases. People are advised to eat more high-fiber whole grains and high-fiber fruit to overcome the constipation resulting from this slow down of the intestinal system, but this advice is backward. These are very high-carbohydrate foods, which cause a surge in insulin and adrenaline that shut down the digestive processes. (Bowel Diseases and Candida--News You Can Use.)

High-insulin and hypoglycemia (low-blood sugar) cause adrenaline to increase when no fight-or-flight stress situation exists and thereby causes unhealthy body changes. The helpful body responses to adrenaline become a health hazard when adrenaline is elevated over a period of time. The long-term elevation of adrenaline is very unhealthy and leads to many diseases.

These changes include effects to the cardiovascular system that increase the risk of coronary heart disease. The low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet as recommended by the USDA Food Guide Pyramid is disease causing because it promotes hypoglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperadrenalemia. Prolonged elevated adrenaline has the following effects on the cardiovascular system:
* Increases in the production of blood cholesterol, especially the undesirable LDL
* Decreases the body's ability to remove cholesterol
* Increases the blood's tendency to clot
* Increases the deposits of plaque on the walls of the arteries

Adrenaline addiction is very common. Type-A personalities become addicted to their excessive activity by the stimulation and arousal of adrenaline. People who are constantly angry, fearful, guilty, or worrisome arouse their adrenaline hormone even though they may sit around doing nothing else. People who are excessive in their participation in jogging, exercise, bodybuilding, aerobics, sports, skiing, mountain climbing, car racing or flying aerobic airplanes become addicted because of the adrenaline rush from their activity. They describe the "rush" they get from their activity and feel depressed when they can't participate for some unexpected reason.

James F. Fixx was addicted to running and wrote the famous jogger's book, The Complete Book of Running. He was a marathon runner and vegetarian on a diet of high-carbohydrates and low-protein. These were a perfect setup to arouse and maintain a high level of adrenaline. He died on his daily run of a massive heart attack proving to the world that exercise does NOT prevent coronary heart disease. Fixx admitted in his book that his own research showed the athletes from his university alumni had a shorter life span than the "couch potato" students. This difference may have been caused by the difference in adrenaline between the two groups. Hypoglycemia and stress are a deadly combination.