THE DIET

This post is a copy of the email I sent to the nutritionist at our hospital. I am planning on starting it next week.

Dear Linda
As you read this mini protocol – please know that I am aware that lots of these studies are potentially riddled with less than reproducible results – however, my strategy is – if it doesn’t hurt why not try it. And from what I can tell, none of this will be detrimental. I am also making 2 assumptions: 1 – James will tolerate these foods/supplements. 2 – James will eat these things. So there are unknown elements at work in these areas.

Presently I am supplementing James with 1 tblspoon of cod liver oil. I have read some things that high vitamin A increases Th2 leaning, as does vit D, and even Omega 3’s. I am reducing our dosage to probably 1 tblspoon every other day or every 2 days. I also give James a digestive enzyme with his meals (1/2 of Enzymedica Digest Gold), approx 65mg of Magnesium Citramate (which did reduce the daily coughing), approx 125mg of Quercetin and 50mg of Bromelain (1/2 of Quercenase from Thorne Research). He also takes a couple times a week 1 Super Nutrition Perfect Kids multi-vitamin. I say approx on dosages of some vitamins because I open the large capsule and pour into a smaller capsule – so I am approx based on large capsule dosage. I have given probiotics – but am thinking about stopping because from what I can tell – they most likely increase Th2 leaning of immune system.

My goals are simple and challenging all at once and I do believe there are nutritional approaches, supplements… that can make a positive difference for us.

Goal 1 - rebalance his immune system towards Th1. My thinking is that if we are achieving this we should see the Ige levels drop. So I’d like to take a blood draw after 3 months of maintenance on this plan. I’ve discussed this with our pediatrician and will discuss with allergist.
Goal 2 - reduce the asthma. He had an asthma attack earlier this week and was in ER. He was given lots of albuterol and daily dose of oral steroids (5 days) and we are starting daily flovent. So I want to strengthen his body in this respect.
Ultimately, I want James to be able to safely eat any food he wants - as well as live, work, travel without any need for any meds - emergency or otherwise.
I have other ideas that I am exploring, but this seems to be a good place to start.

Thank you for your input


Plan:
1. Focus Fruits and Vegetables
2. Fermented veggies (home made)
3. 24 g protein/day (Is this within limit of RDA?)
4. Parsley juice* – 2 to 3 oz daily, mixed with fresh apple and celery juices.
5. Amaranth** – 1 – 2 servings a day
6. Spirulina*** – 2500 mg/day
7. Brosco Broth – as much as possible – couple times week/daily

Other possible supplements I am exploring: L-acetyl Cysteine, Beta 1-3, Glucan, Brewer’s Yeast, possibly probiotics (he has taken Jarrow Allergen Free and Culturelle for Kids – but probiotics have mixed results, and are strain specific. So far the only probiotic that I can find that would be helpful is Lactobacillus Casei Shirota and it is only in milk product)…

I have begun to implement more fruits/veggies, fermented foods (in process of fermenting), and lowering protein (he eats lots of meat. For example I calculated and 1 day he ate nearly a pound of pork meatballs – that worked out to about 160 g of protein and 1200 calories just of meat. I am not worried about the calories because he is not at all over weight, but the high protein taxing his organs. Also, I read a study (albeit on mice) and they linked high protein diets with higher IGE levels. So I want him to get max animal protein a day of 15-20 g and the rest to come from other sources).


Phase I – Introduction –
Parsley juice – start week of Oct 3 – Oct 14 to get to full dose
Amaranth – Oct 14 – 24
Spirulina – Oct 24 – Nov 15 ( 3 weeks)

Phase II - Maintenance
November 15 – February 20 (12 weeks approx)

Phase III – Evaluation
Blood draw to measure IGE levels
Fecal samples? To determine bacteria present in gut



SOURCES

*Parsley Juice (source of luteolin)
Allergol Int. 2007 Jun;56(2):113-23. Epub 2007 Mar 1.
Flavonoids and related compounds as anti-allergic substances.

Kawai M, Hirano T, Higa S, Arimitsu J, Maruta M, Kuwahara Y, Ohkawara T, Hagihara K, Yamadori T, Shima Y, Ogata A, Kawase I, Tanaka T.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Allergy and Rheumatic Diseases, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
Abstract

The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased all over the world during the last two decades. Dietary change is considered to be one of the environmental factors that cause this increase and worsen allergic symptoms. If this is the case, an appropriate intake of foods or beverages with anti-allergic activities is expected to prevent the onset of allergic diseases and ameliorate allergic symptoms. Flavonoids, ubiquitously present in vegetables, fruits or teas possess anti-allergic activities. Flavonoids inhibit histamine release, synthesis of IL-4 and IL-13 and CD40 ligand expression by basophils. Analyses of structure-activity relationships of 45 flavones, flavonols and their related compounds showed that luteolin, ayanin, apigenin and fisetin were the strongest inhibitors of IL-4 production with an IC(50) value of 2-5 microM and determined a fundamental structure for the inhibitory activity. The inhibitory activity of flavonoids on IL-4 and CD40 ligand expression was possibly mediated through their inhibitory action on activation of nuclear factors of activated T cells and AP-1. Administration of flavonoids into atopic dermatitis-prone mice showed a preventative and ameliorative effect. Recent epidemiological studies reported that a low incidence of asthma was significantly observed in a population with a high intake of flavonoids. Thus, this evidence will be helpful for the development of low molecular compounds for allergic diseases and it is expected that a dietary menu including an appropriate intake of flavonoids may provide a form of complementary and alternative medicine and a preventative strategy for allergic diseases. Clinical studies to verify these points are now in progress.

PMID: 17384531 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Food source high in Luteolin: parsley and celery, artichoke. Hence parsley celery juice.

** Amaranth Grain
Cytotechnology. 2003 Nov;43(1-3):33-40.
Amaranth Grain Inhibits Antigen-Specific IgE Production Through Augmentation of the IFN-gamma Response in vivo and in vitro.

Hibi M, Hachimura S, Hashizume S, Obata T, Kaminogawa S.

Research Center, Morinaga & Co. Ltd., Yokohama 230-8504, Japan, m-hibi-ig@morinaga.co.jp.
Abstract

Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. (amaranth) is a nutritionally protein rich plant with a good yield, but there has been no research concerning its immunological effects in vivo or in vitro. In the present study, we examined the effects of amaranth grain on cytokine and IgE production using in vitro helper T cell development and IgE production assays and an animal model of an orally-induced, allergen-specific IgE response. First, we examined the effect of orally administered amaranth on serum IgE concentration which reflects the immune response during allergic disease. We observed significantly decreased (p <>

PMID: 19003205 [PubMed - in process]

***Spirulina
J Med Food. 2005 Spring;8(1):27-30.
Effects of a Spirulina-based dietary supplement on cytokine production from allergic rhinitis patients.

Mao TK, Van de Water J, Gershwin ME.

Division of Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California at Davis, School of Medicine, Davis, California, USA.
Abstract

Spirulina represents a blue-green alga that is widely produced and commercialized as a dietary supplement for modulating immune functions, as well as ameliorating a variety of diseases. We have previously shown that the in vitro culture of Spirulina with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) modulated the production of cytokines. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of a Spirulina-based dietary supplement (Earthrise Nutritionals, Inc., Irvine, CA) on patients with allergic rhinitis by assessing the production of cytokines [interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and IL-2] critical in regulating immunoglobulin E-mediated allergy. In a randomized double-blinded crossover study versus placebo, allergic individuals were fed daily with either placebo or Spirulina, at 1,000 mg or 2,000 mg, for 12 weeks. PBMCs isolated before and after the Spirulina feeding were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) prior to determining the levels of cytokine from cell culture supernatants. Although Spirulina seemed to be ineffective at modulating the secretion of Th1 cytokines (IFN-gamma and IL-2), we discovered that Spirulina, administered at 2,000 mg/day, significantly reduced IL-4 levels by 32% from PHA-stimulated cells. These results indicate that Spirulina can modulate the Th profile in patients with allergic rhinitis by suppressing the differentiation of Th2 cells mediated, in part, by inhibiting the production of IL-4. To our knowledge, this is the first human feeding study that demonstrates the protective effects of Spirulina towards allergic rhinitis.

PMID: 15857205 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Dangerously High Levels of Mold

We went out to play on Saturday and within forty five minutes my son was congested and teary eyed. This turned into a full out asthma attack with a visit to the E.R.
Each time we end up in a situation like this and I watch the med staff going through their process I feel like I'm watching myself on the job. You know a human riddled with doubts, habits, judgements, and errors - it's an uneasy feeling to say the least. It's like I feel at the mercy of someone running down the list of protocol options in their mind until they get to the thing that works. Don't get me wrong - having an emergency room to go to is valuable - it's doing everything in my power to stay away. That's where the real victory lies.
So needless to say, lots of albuterol and steroids later - we have rounded the corner. This has further entrenched my obsession with healing.
In hindsight - I discovered that Saturday Sept 25 had "dangerously high levels of mold" in the air. Thank goodness for a culprit. Because otherwise I've been looking into the sky wondering what else I don't see that's going to send us to the ER. It's actually a relief.