Two C elegans Articles and Two Success Cases With The 7-Steps To Cure SIBO

Appears Just Like Human Dysbiosis/SIFO/SIBO
Worms need microbes too: microbiota, health
and aging in Caenorhabditis elegans
Cabreiro, Gems, 2013

Worms need microbes too: microbiota, health and aging in Caenorhabditis elegans.
Cabreiro F, Gems D.
EMBO Mol Med. 2013 Sep;5(9):1300-10.


Worms as Human Aging Models and Worm SIFO/SIBO

Humans are one of the highest form of eukaryotes and worms, the simplest, most elegant.  C. elegans nematodes have nearly the full suite of homolog nuclear receptors, IGF, insulin, and  AMPK pathways. They have a gut microbiota as well and mutualistic health of the microbiota mirrors their longevity.  Careiro and Gems discuss in the above article how bacterial proliferation of the nematode gut highly correlates with reduced immunity and aging.  While the relationship is mutualistic, both microbes and host benefit.  The microbes have a happy home, warmth and food.  For the worm host, the gains are immeasurable -- happy immunity, vitamins/minerals and longevity. One of the best growth media for C elegans is B subtilis, the soil based organism I talk a lot about. When growth media are switched out to bacteria which are less mutualistic (like pure E. coli), the nematodes have a very short life. Blockages of the lumen occur; worm constipation and something analogous to mammalian SIFO/SIBO.  When the media has a natural SBO like B subtilis, the nematodes thrive, have no signs of aging or bacterial proliferation and demonstrate notable worm longevity.  Any intervention in fact that prevents bacterial proliferation (SIFO/SIBO) extends lifespans they reveal.  Makes sense, no?

Two of my favorite probiotics contain B subtilis (Prescript Assist and AMD Syntol). Foods that contain B subtilis include any ancestrally prepared and fermented foods that include both protein and starch: gochujang, natto, fermented black bean sauce, Thai shrimp sauces, etc.

Prior Animal Pharm:

• Cure SIBO Step #1 Eat Fermented Foods (Guest Post by Tim Steele 'Tater')
• Korean Pepper Paste [B. subtilis etc] Burns Body Fat, Soil-Based Organisms (SBO), Gut Microbiota -- New Study 'Kochujang, fermented soybean-based red pepper paste, decreases visceral fat and improves blood lipid profiles in overweight adults'
• Gut I.Q. and the Distal Gut Microbiome as a Driver of Health and Disease
• Why We Are Sick and Fat: Calories In (SUPERORGANISM) = Calories Out (MICROBIOTA) + Calories Out (HUMAN) + HEAT*Fluxxx

Gut microbiota as a candidate for lifespan extension: an ecological/evolutionary perspective targeted on living organisms as metaorganisms.Ottaviani E, Ventura N, Mandrioli M, Candela M, Franchini A, Franceschi C.
Biogerontology. 2011 Dec;12(6):599-609.


Worms, Change in Hunter-Gatherer Existence and Extended Families

The second article discusses how in the Neolithic only 10,000 years ago, humans were faced with even more pathogens than ever by living in close quarters with both other humans and livestock.  Without a resilient immune system and evolving gene polymorphisms, we could not have survived.  "With the introduction of agriculture and animal husbandry, food resources became more abundant and constant and, for the first time in human history, the population size dramatically increased." The authors theorize that if it were not for improved immunity via the gut microbiota humans would not have been able to the endure the high antigenic and pathogen load.  I think this is true.  The lectins and phytates from dietary sources were one challenge and the pathogens like worms, malaria, plague, mites, and other fun things were yet another hurdle. Hemochromatosis, cystic fibrosis, increased salivary alpha-amylases might have been some of the adaptations that survived.

"The support of grandmothers in the nourishment of children allowed more pregnancies in the daughters, and thus a greater reproductive fitness."   Having two children myself, I can support their theory that post-menopausal female longevity was certainly favored for perhaps many reasons including processing grains (soaking, fermenting), preparing fermented vegetables and foods, farming and other tasks for feeding young, dependent children.  There were so many tired nights raising the little kiddies. Certainly, I would not have been able to survive the post-natal years without my children's grandparents from BOTH SIDES. LOL

"Furthermore, symbiont intestinal microorganisms provided a strategic fitness advantage for the human beings living the Neolithic agricultural revolution by protecting the host from pathogen colonization and enhancing the plasticity of the immune system. Finally, dietary change in the Neolithic agricultural societies due to agricultural practice likely induced a substantial re-adaptation of GM [gut microbiota], favouring microbial communities capable to ferment these new complex polysaccharides to short chain fatty acids (Hehemann et al. 2010)."

Who are your symbionts? Are they extinct? Do you respect them? Are you doing things that favor their growth?   Have you weeded? Seeded your gut microbiota? Feeding and breeding your symbionts in luxury and abundance?






Success Cases with SBO Probiotics and the 7-Steps
I'm grateful for Tim and Richard at FTA for starting the conversations on gut ecosystems, fiber and health optimization.  Thanks for directing people over here to the 7-Steps To Cure SIBO/SIFO.

Happy New Year to my kind readers~!!  Thank you for sharing your wonderful stories.  I love U and love hearing them all.


Case A: After 3 weeks of SBO + FIBER/RS + Gut Rehab -- Reversal of Sjogren's Auto-Antibodies (Chromatin, SSB-LA, ANA)
Anonymous was taking 3 months of PS but no changes until SBO probiotics were taken. In only 3 weeks with taking Primal Defense and Prescript Assist three times per day, she reported her autoimmune Sjogren's disease to be completely 100% 'cured'.  Three noxious auto-antibodies (SSB-LA, Chromatin, ANA) normalized or returned to near normal.

"My fingernails are clear and my cold fingers are gone. Oh, I didn't want to tell you this just yet. But my Sjogren's antibody (SSB-LA) turned negative last week! That's after being on the RS/Probiotics regimen for only 3 weeks! I was on RS since August, however. Also, one of the incipient lupus antibody that I tested positive (Chromatin) turned negative this time! My ANA is positive but with very low titer (1:40). That's the lowest I ever tested and even normal people test at that level. My rheumatologist will be confused!

If this holds up, and I'm hoping it does, I have cured an autoimmune disease. No symptoms and no antibody: that's a 100% cure. Not just remission. Being antibody-negative is not supposed to be possible, right? Whither molecular mimicry and eternal damnation, I mean, eternal autoimmune tissue attack? You mean, that's contolled by the microbiome, too? So much for Dr. Fassano and leaky gut (which I now realize seem to have been a foil ... it happens but the underlying condition seems to be gut dysbiosis and bacteria).

Wow, I gotta try this on my aunt who also has Sjogren's and my cousin who has Lupus. Thanks so much guys. This is not what modern medicine says is possible!"
--Anonymous 

Case B:  After SBO, Fermented Food + FIBER/RS + Gut Rehab -- Reversal of Pain, Poor Mood, and Fibromyalgia
From Alexander Hardy (Ajmhardy)

"Just thought I’d add to the noise here- I’ve had a set of health problems that differs from most people using RS on this site, namely persistent and intense anxiety, as well as adrenal and sleep problems due to going VLC for a few months. I’ve also had fibromyalgia for the past year now, and I could not get it to go away for the longest time. After reading Richard’s and Tim’s posts here, I added RS to my diet (which already included fermented foods, good meats, and lots of vegetables), and my symptoms have started to improve for the first time since I started feeling the pain.

They have not gone away completely yet, but my mood and the pain have gotten so much better that for the first time in a year, I completely forgot I had fibromyalgia yesterday for almost the entire day. I cannot thank you guys enough for putting in the tremendous amount of work that you do to spread the word about resistant starch... 

A note to anyone who may be reading this in hopes of helping their fibromyalgia- it took me a solid month of having dr bg.’s bionic RS and straight potato starch (total 8 TSP potato starch a day) to finally feel the pain subside, and I would guess it could take some people many months to get the same relief I got, depending on the state of their gut.

So don’t give up if this doesn’t work within a month, and make sure to include the things that I consumed before I added the potato starch- dulse (for iodine), vitamin d and K supplements, as well as N-acetylcysteine , sauerkraut, kimchi, gochujang, variety of greens and other veggies, sweet potatoes and potatoes, magnesium and zinc supplements, prescription assist, and fish oil pills."
--Ajmhardy // Dec 24, 2013 at 23:31

Gut I.Q. and the Distal Gut Microbiome as a Driver of Health and Disease

I'd add 'HOW THE DISTAL GUT MICROBIOME IS A 

DRIVER OF HEALTH AND DISEASE'

Source: theberry.com

Human Distal Gut Microbiome

I've been reading this cool article by Marchesi titled 'The Human Distal Gut Microbiome' that summarizes the effects of our distal gut (butt-end) microbiome on longevity, metabolism, disease and mental health.  Naturally having had SIBO, I can't decide if the proximal gut (front-end) or the distal gut is more important. Perhaps it depends on which is more ravaged and broken?  If I had diarrhea or chronic constipation, I guess I'd say distal. But since I've had neither, for me, it's the proximal gut.  When I had SIBO, I couldn't function or digest at my optimal. I was bloated after celery. Looking at water made me fat. This clearly sucks.  

A Few Updates: Post-Parasite Eradication

My family and I just returned from a sunny holiday in Macau and Hong Kong. We've all just finished our anti-parasite courses and the first I noticed is that we can eat dairy and gluten without almost no damage...full restitution of digestive function.  It's been 3 years.  Prior, I couldn't even eat peanuts or drink beer without waking up with ankle edema and abdominal bloating to 7-8 months preggers status for several days. I gained no weight on this trip of daily buffets, pervasively excellent feasting, and endless oral delights... I lost maybe half a pound. We ate some foods that were restricted forever -- Portuguese egg tartlets, ice cream, gelato, cheesecake, and cappucinos.  (TMI -- no fartage, no fatigue, no fat bloated belly).  

Gastrointestinal IQ: What's Your Gut I.Q.??

I'm into testing, not guessing.  Biohackers like fixed numbers and objective metrics.  These give data to track, follow and fix, rather than fuzzy logic or haphazard subjectives like 'I feel better' or 'I have more energy'.  

Body temperatures are alright... OTOH some urine cortisol 4 times a day plus full thyroid panel (rT3, FT4, FT3, antibodies) and full steroid panel (DHEA-S, anabolic progesterone, testosterone, and excess fat-inducing estrogens, E2) are more comprehensive and provide a fuller metabolic profile. 

Fasting or post-prandial glucoses are meh... But give me a darn HgbA1c (or fructosamine), fasting insulin and post-prandial insulin, then we can begin talking.  

What I'd really love to see are the mechanics of the mitochondria, fatty acid intermediaries and the gut dysbiotic end-products and organic acids. (Genova ONE= optimal nutri eval by urine; GI fx stool test; my samples here). What is living in the gut? Do you have the good spikes in Prevotella? Balanced Firmi/Bacteroidetes?? Viruses, CMV, adenoviruses? Mycobacteria? Pathogenic fungi and candida? Worms? Parasites? Protozoa? Pathogenic, opportunistic bacteria that were selected and fostered after those ten rounds of Z-paks from the primary medicine clinic or prophyactic Amoxicillin from the ol' dentist, which extinguished all manners of the soldier microcritters?

 (I'm sorry -- parasites are not paleo...Have you watched Planet Earth??! Even elephants and wild chimps hunt and seek out clay and other zoopharmacognosy to rid themselves of pathogenic parasites...) 

What is the microbiome in the proximal or distal gut? Guessing doesn't get you anywhere... You can speculate for a hundred million years and yet one won't know. I certainly didn't. I had pathogenic overgrowths and an allergy to heavy metals (mercury, titanium) which explains why despite perfect paleo and attempts at GAPS or SCD diets or FODMAP avoidance, nothing worked completely or brought a full, sustained return to normalcy.  Have you been there? Done that too?? 

I remembered what normal was (endless energy, flat tummy) but I think a lot people do not know because either they've never known normal or simply forgot because it was too way way way long ago... Some just have never had normal hormones, normal digestion, or normal mental function.  Yes these are all related to the gut because the gut microbiome is the major driver of all health and disease.  Perhaps this was not quite the case 10,000 - 25,000 years ago.  Certainly now with so many gut-disrupting factors that play into our epigenetics and core health, the gut cannot be ignored.  Fortunately the literature and technology are all catching up to clarify and highlight...

Why We Are Sick and Fat: Calories In (SUPERORGANISM) = Calories Out (MICROBIOTA) + Calories Out (HUMAN) + HEAT*Fluxxx

Source: Marchesi 2011.

Centenarians and the Microbiota

I'll go over this one below soon -- BIG THANK YOU TO TATER/TIM AND M.O. FOR THE PDF!!! What is it about healthy, long-lived centenarians? I dunno... Their immunity? Their guts? let's delve deepper and find out more...

Cultivable and pyrosequenced fecal microflora in centenarians and young subjects.

The above diagram is from the Marchesi piece (adapted from Biagi et al).

Biagi et al studied the microbiota of centarians (C), elderly (E) and young (Y).  Distinct differences were noted.  The microbiota of centenarians were distinctly unique and different from both the young and the elderly groups. Less Clostridium cluster XIVa, higher Bacilli and rearrangement of the Clostridium cluster IV composition were noted in the centenarians. Some things were expected in centenarians -- lower diversity, less of the good butyrate producers, less Bifido, and more pathogenic strains.

Quite unexpectedly, special characteristics of the gut ecosystems of the long-lived were discovered in this Biagi et al 2010 study which may define what an elite microbiota with a high G.I.Q. looks like.

(a) Enrichment of special butyrate producers Anaerotruncus colihominis et rel. (Clostridium cluster IV), and Eubacterium limosum et rel. (Clostridium cluster XV). Biagi et al concluded in a 2012 followup 'The increase of E. limosum is high (approximately 15- fold), and could point to a group of bacteria characteristic of the long life.'  E. limonus is a soil strain which lives in ruminants like sheep and cow. Its very good at converting METHANOL. In one in vitro colitis model experiment, E. limonus had positive outcomes.

(b) Increase in facultative anaerobes, such as bacteria belonging to the groups Bacillus. Does this include my favorite soil based organism Bacillus licheniformis or Bacillus subtilis?  Does B licheniformis and B subtilis produce supercharged bionic Gut I.Q....?!  What are foods that contain these?  ANSWER here.


Biagi et al also found the connection between "The decrease of both Clostridium cluster XIVa and F. prausnitzii group members was also correlated to frailty condition, hospitalisation, antibiotic treatment and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy."  Clostridium cluster XIVa is also referred to as the Clostridium coccoides/Eubacterium rectale group which are potent cross feeders of resistant starch and raw potato starch in clinical experiments.  E rectale are poor RS fermenters but they live symbiotically with keystone gut species that eat and ferment RS to secondary food (substrates) which E rectale consumes like a hog on fire. Hattip: Tater/Tim.

Smart, Young and Resilient Gut I.Q.
Intestinal IS (Immune System) = HOMEO- and ALLOSTASIS

Source: Biagi et al, 2012

Smart Gut I.Q.

There are a couple of elements that I believe are fundamental in a stable, homeostatic gut ecosystem that will take one to advanced longevity:
--genetics (respect your ancestry... don't mess genetic expression with synthetic hormones, vitamins, endocrine-disrupting pollution, pesticides, GMO food/products, lifestyles, thoughts or people)
--super tight junctions and intestinal IMPERMEABILITY
--balanced flora
--special 'keystone leaders' like E. limosum, B subtilis, B licheniformis, and many others
--seed (return to the earth and intake healthy earth -- soil based organisms in fermented organic vegetables, fresh salads, and supplements if necessary (list here I like))
--weed (avoid mercury, toxins, food allergens/gluten and detox/chelate safely)
--feed with fiber (resistant starches, heirloom and native tubers, organic whole non-gluten grains, lentils, chana dal, legumes)
--exercise daily to move the gut (peristalsis), e.g. 10,000 steps or one hour mild to mod intensity. SIBO causes impaired gastric and intestinal peristalsis (and vice versa, sitting/atrophy can affect SIBO)
--misc (avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, CDAD (iatrogenic or antibiotic-induced C. difficile-associated diarrhoea), antibiotics, and other gut irritants like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) -- ibuprofen, motrin, aleve, excedrine, etc)

Resistant Starch Study Results and Positive Outcomes

Source: Conway 2001

Benefits of High-Saturated Fat Diets (Part V): The Traditional Okinawans

Goya Chanpuru dish courtesy of TastyIsland

According to Dr. Willcox, Principal Investor for the Okinawa Centenarian Study that started in 1975, "Among the entire population, which takes a sparing approach to food, there is 90 percent less coronary artery disease than in the wider world, a third less incidence of cancer, and breast cancer is virtually unheard of." HERE. In long-living Okinawan and Japanese, their dietary intake as surveyed in the 1970s was higher in both protein and dietary saturated fatty acids (see below abstract) compared to their shorter-lived peers at that time. When Okinawans move away (like to Brazil) heart disease risk factors appear (see last abstract). Diet is 80-90% of our health I believe because our bodies are designed to express what is dictated by our environment and food macro- micronutrients (foraging/hunting v. lounging; fecundity v. fasting). (These are the PPAR alpha gamma and delta receptors; their role is to 'sense nutrients' and to 'sense energy demand' in order to ultimately balance our energy needs). To me, the observations from blue zones and centenarian data always seem to reinforce that the physically active, low carb mod-high fat Paleo/TYP approach is the most optimal at this time, as it was for centenarians studied in the 1970s.


Protein and Fats?

Dietary Protein and Fatty Acids activate PPAR alpha gamma delta. (Like drugs but no adverse effects and gosh so yummy...)
(a) PPAR Delta: Omega-3 PUFAs, Fish Oil, Grassfed Beef
(b) PPAR Delta: Dagger in the Heart of CAD
(c) PPAR Delta: Prevent Sarcopenia, Poverty of the Flesh
(d) PPAR Delta: Saturated Fatty Acids Are Anti-Atherogenic


Okinawan culture not only embraces one of the most heart-healthy diets (high seafood, animal meat, milk, eggs, saturated fats, high minerals and low carb) but also a very physically active lifestyle. Additionally, like other long-living societies, they display a distinct community spirit and lifestyle that values every members' contributions including elders, daily prayer, frequent festivals honoring ancestral spirits, playing/dancing (Bali, Polynesian style) regularly, exercising/tai chi together, working diligently until the day they pass away, hot baths (sweat out toxins) daily, avid music listening, folkmusic singing, instrument playing (sanshin) and is tied around all generations of extended families yet promotes self-sufficiency and self-reliance. Traditional Okinawan livelihoods and common activities are still farming, fishing and gardening.


Internet? I am not sure if it would be embraced by these happy, busy, peaceful inhabitants of this subtropical semi-Paleo-fantasy island... They are too busy LIVING. *ahaa*



Carbohydrate intake (less than mainland Japan, ALL GLUTEN-LESS):
--sweet potato
--rice
--mochi (sticky rice dessert)
--buckwheat noodles
--raw goat milk (alkaline, more similar casein profile to human milk)




Here are some 'secret' foods from this ancient society:
--goya (twice the vitamin C as citrus) Okinawan version of Chinese bitter melon known to lower blood glucoses and inflammation; the above pictured dish goya chanpuru is a staple (goya, eggs, pork, lard, bonita shaved taurine/fish)
--nigari (more Magnesium and Calcium than trad'l tofu)
--sweet potatoes (anti-inflammatory, rich in carotenoids and hormone precursors)
--fish fish fish seafood seafood seafood (taurine, iodine, omega-3s, carotenoids, krill oil, astaxanthin)
--goat meat: stewed, stir fried
--raw goat sashimi which is considered a delicacy (taurine, omega-3s, CLA, and other muscle building/fat-burning fatty acids)
--raw goat milk (plant sterols, short and medium-chain saturated fatty acids, CLA)
--LARD LARD LARD (anti-inflammatory, lowers sdLDL-particles and %-sdLDL, increases particle buoyancy like other saturated fatty acids like lauric acid)
--BOAR PORK BOAR PORK BOAR PORK (pork belly, stews, stock, etc)
--miso (centenarian Okinawans have ME-SO-PRETTY skin and coronary arteries! ..."source of vitamin E, saponin, isoflavones, lecithin, choline, and dietary fiber from soybeans; vitamin B2 from koji mold; and vitamin B12 from lactic or propionic acid bacteria" ...fermented foods and probiotics that promote longevity are staples Japanese food)
--fermented fish sauce (source of vitamins B12, K2, MKs) Ishiru/squid, Ishiru/sardine, Shozzuru (pickled juices of mackerel-sardines-anchovies)--red tofu (fermented source of vitamin K2 MKs)
--seaweed (iodine, marine minerals and antioxidants like FUCOIDAN/ fucoxanthin)

Nutrition for the Japanese elderly.
Shibata H et al Nutr Health. 1992;8(2-3):165-75.

The present paper examines the relationship of nutritional status to further life expectancy and health status in the Japanese elderly based on 3 epidemiological studies.

1. Nutrient intakes in 94 Japanese centenarians investigated between 1972 and 1973 showed a higher proportion of ANIMAL PROTEIN to total proteins than in contemporary average Japanese.

2. High intakes of MILK and FATS and OILS had favorable effects on 10-year (1976-1986) survivorship in 422 urban residents aged 69-71. The survivors revealed a longitudinal INCREASE in intakes of ANIMAL foods such as EGGS, MILK, FISH and MEAT over the 10 years.

3. Nutrient intakes were compared, based on 24-hour dietary records, between a sample from OKINAWA Prefecture where life expectancies at birth and 65 were the LONGEST in Japan, and a sample from Akita Prefecture where the life expectancies were much shorter. Intakes of Ca, Fe, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and the proportion of energy from PROTEINS and FATS were SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER in the former than in the latter. Intakes of CARBOHYDRATES and NaCl were LOWER.

PMID: 1407826

Impact of diet on the cardiovascular risk profile of Japanese immigrants living in Brazil: contributions of World Health Organization CARDIAC and MONALISA studies.
Moriguchi EH et al. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2004 Dec;31 Suppl 2:S5-7.

1. Japanese immigrants from Okinawa living in Brazil have a higher mortality from cardiovascular diseases and have their mean life expectancy shortened compared with their counterparts living in Japan.

2. A cross-sectional study comparing Okinawans living in Okinawa (OO) and Okinawan immigrants living in Brazil (OB) was designed to characterize the dietary factors that could interfere with the profile of cardiovascular risk factors and with this reduction on the life expectancy when Okinawans emigrate to Brazil.

3. In total, 234 OO and 160 OB (aged 45-59 years) were recruited to the present study to undergo medical and dietary history, blood pressure measurement, electrocardiograph (ECG), blood tests and 24 h food/urine collection.

4. In the present study, OO subjects presented with 37% less obesity and 50% less systemic hypertension than OB. The OB subjects used threefold more antihypertensive medication than OO. Meat intake was 34% higher in OB than OO, whereas fish intake was sevenfold higher in OO than OB. Serum potassium levels were 10% higher in OO than OB. Urinary TAURINE (an index of seafood intake) was 43% HIGHER in OO than OB. Urinary isoflavones (an index of the intake of soy products) were significantly lower in OB than in OO. Of (OMEGA-3 PUFAs) acid (20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) were TWO- TO THREE-FOLD HIGHER in OO than OB, respectively.

5. The rate of ischaemic ECG changes in OO subjects was only 50% of that of OB subjects.

6. There were no differences in the smoking rate between OO and OB subjects.

7. The results of the present study suggest that coronary risk factors and cardiovascular health are not only regulated by genetic factors, but that the impact of LIFESTYLE (MAINLY DIET) can be large enough to modulate the EXPRESSION OF GENES.

PMID: 18254187



The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage

By Rachel Laudan (Kolowalu Books, 1996) HERE






Read more about Okinawan food, culture and lifestyles:

Diary of Local Okinawan TASTY Dishes *YUMM* Goat sashimi, boiled testicles with miso and vinegar, slow cooked stews (fatty pork), goya chanpuru
Children of Heaven Interview: Live SLOW Live LONG
Okinawan 'Lard' Recipes *ahhhha*
The Way of ChoJu: Consuming Longevity in a Rural Japanese Village (Masters Thesis by J. Busch)
Mashed Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato Recipe (americanized)
Goat Meat and Milk Productivity in Subtropical Okinawa for last 80-130+ years
Goat Meat and Pig Rearing in Okinawa Prefecture
Traditional Yagi (Goat) Dishes and changes in modern Okinawan youth -- Yagi-jiru Goat soup, stir-fried goat, raw yagi-sashi goat sashimi, etc
Raw Grassfed Goat Milk in an Okinawa Study Tolerated due to different type of non-allergenic beta-A2 casein and better saturated fatty acid profile (butyric, propionic, lauric, caprylic, etc)
Okinawan Goat Milk
Traditional Japanese Condiments: shoyu, miso, ishiru, preparations
Truth About Saturated Fats by M. Enig and S. Fallon: "In Okinawa, where the average life span for women is 84 years—longer than in Japan—the inhabitants eat generous amounts of pork and seafood and do all their cooking in LARD (Franklyn D, Health, September 1996, 57-63 .)" This is not apparently the case currently... as canola and other refined omega-6 oils which oxidize super rapidly increased to predominant use after the 1980-90's; canola is not great but less omega-6 compared with corn, soybean, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, grapeseed, or peanut oils.
Okinawa Centenarian Study and Genetics
Ex-Pats in Okinawa and Crossfit Asia/Okinawa
Bizarre Food's Andrew Zimmern checks out: traditional Okinawan sea snake soup, raw goat ball and testicles, yako-gai (giant sea snail), squid ink soup, and giant tuna eyeballs, stewed in mirin, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar
"Blue Zone Okinawans formed moais to support each other in good times and bad" HHhmmmmm.... sounds like... our TYP forum? our Paleo blogoshere? our Xfit gym networks?
Goat's Milk, Blue Zones and Longevity: "Goat's milk - 80 percent of all people over 90 have consumed goat’s milk many times per week throughout their life. It is rich in blood-pressure lowering tryptophan and antibacterial compounds."
Blue Zone concordance: Ikaria, Greece similar to Okinawa, Japan in lifestyles, hot baths (?Magnesium, Iodine), raw goat milk consumption, wild greens, tea-drinking, relaxing, embracing community and family closely, etc

Benefits of High-Saturated Fat Diets (Part II): Centenarians, CETP, TYP Diet Part 3

We've been talking a lot of about increasing dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs) at TYP. The Part 3 Track Your Plaque Diet was published approximately half a year ago and I've been remiss in not promoting it more sooner.

The NEW Track Your Plaque Diet:
Part 3 Special Issues
-- Lp(a)
-- Apo E
-- Diabetes
-- Pre-diabetes
-- Metabolic Syndrome (MetSyn)

Key Summary from Dr. Davis:
--Liberal fat intake of some saturated fats from eggs, meats (non-cured and processed), dairy; monounsaturated; fish oil
--Completely avoid hydrogenated, “trans,” fats
--Wheat and cornstarch reduction or elimination
[Edit: I don't agree with Davis' remaining 'edicts' because they do not appear to work and raise inflammation per clinical trials... =< 200mg cholesterol per day, =< 20 grams saturated fat per day and 15+% omega-6 vegetable PUFAs daily and LDL =< 60 mg/dl]

The Track Your Plaque Basic Diet Principles

Diet Principle #1: Eliminate wheat and cornstarch, limited dairy
Diet Principle #2: Don’t limit fats, but choose the right fats
Diet Principle #3: Unlimited vegetables, some fruits
Diet Principle #4: Unlimited raw nuts and seeds
Diet Principle #5: Unlimited healthy oils
Diet Principle #6: Foods should be unprocessed

Regression or Stabilization

Pioneering the field of cardiovascular research, regression and plaque tracking, Dr. Davis has been promoting (the below) seven TYP goals for Y E A R S . . . light years ahead of the common conventionalist/ interventionalist. New recent observations made by both researchers investigating atherogenic dyslipidemias and by those conducting long-lived healthy centenarian research are, in fact, aligned with several of these seven TYP goals. Maximixation of plaque control and regression have been observed when these seven goals are optimized (TYP 2.0).

For carotid arteries, achievement of any of the below factors will likely induce entire resolution of atherosclerotic plaque. However for the coronary arteries, regression is slightly tougher for a variety of reasons and achievement of all or nearly all seven will support dramatic coronary calcification regression.

Coronary arteries are thinner and more affected by systemic inflammation and the shearing forces secondary to high blood pressure (whether during physical exertion or at rest).

On the other hand, for stabilization and complete elimination of coronary events (angioplasty, stent, MI, bypass or death), gaining control of only three out seven is right on the money... imo.

We define stabilization as EBT CAC score progression of less than 10-20% annual increase.

The average American increase is 30-60% annually (of course faster in Lp(a), apo E4, diabetes and MetSyn).

Wouldn't you like your investment portfolio to grow as fast as American plaque?



So...Easy. To gain control.

Choose any 3.



1) Small-Dense-LDL =< 10% of total LDL particles (imo irregardless of total LDL on NMR or VAP) (Dr. Davis' TYP Goal)

2) HDL > 60 mg/dl (Dr. Davis' TYP Goal)

3) HDL2 (Large-HDL) > 50% of total HDL particles (Dr. Davis' TYP Goal)

4) Large-LDL > 60% total LDL particles (soft goal)

5) vitamin D = 60-80 ng/ml (Dr. Davis' TYP Goal)


6) Sufficient omega-3 ALA and EPA DHA (fatty acid profile, AA:EPA ratio of 1.5-2.0:1; if we flip the ratio around to EPA:AA, in other words omega-3 to omega-6 ratio of 1:1.5, then we're talking 60% of our RBC/cellular membranes being enriched with omega-3 PUFAs content versus omega-6 PUFAs. We really like 60% for some reason at TYP...go figure.)

7) control of inflammation (unfortunately few 'markers' to TRACK):

• dietary (avoidance of gluten, food allergens, casein, etc; adequate ADE K1 K2 MK4-9 vit C B-vits the right ones and minerals Iodine Mg Zn Se, fiber (if tolerated), saturated fatty acids, CLA, GLA, cholesterol, CoQ10/quinones, plant sterols (esp stigmasterol), etc)
• environmental (stay away from plastics/bisphenols/ heavy metal exposure/ pollution/ pesticides, etc)
• mental /psychosocial (stress, excessive physical training, etc)
• hormonal (optimization of thyroid, vit ADEK1K2, omega-3, SFAs, E T P DHEA preg, insulin, cortisol, melatonin, etc)
• pharmaceutical/xenobiotic (adequate intake of antioxidants/ omega-3/ phytochemicals/ FOOD to thwart toxins; avoidance of synthetic hormones, certain drugs (excessive statins), synthetic vitamins (eg, Lurotin, D2/Ergocalciferol, etc), omega-6-PUFA seed/legume oils, etc))
  

Original TYP Goals for Regression: 60-60-60

HDL = 60 mg/dl or higher
TG = 60 mg/dl or lower (#9)
Vitamin D [25OHD] = 60 ng/ml or higher

Am I a *haa* h e r e t i c . . . ?

(LDL = 60 mg/dl is #8 and IMO optional -- this is the easiest with synthetic drugs but unfortunately it prevents #1-4 for some low chol/low fat folks)




VLCD + Cholesterol + SFAs Support 'Super-TYP' Goals #1 through 4

Dr.Volek has published numerous articles on nutrition and metabolism in regards to the benefits of VLCD (very low carb diets) and ketogenic diets in controlling insulin and other hormones. He has shown in various studies how very low carb diets shift small dense LDL particles (atherogenic) to large, fluffy, buoyant LDL particles (regressive). Cholesterol and SFAs (saturated fatty acids) from eggs were demonstrated by Volek to be particularly effective at promoting larger HDL particles, the 'good' cholesterol associated with plaque regression, longevity and cancer protection.

Below is a diagram illustrating the proposal how low carb diets reduce insulin and how high fat/cholesterol diets increase Large-HDL (HDL-2) particles and increase LDL-receptors on adipose cells (and presumably the 'cholesterol core' of atherosclerotic plaque in diseased coronary, carotid, renal and peripheral arteries).

Again, obtaining the lowest proportion of small dense LDL is the holy grail of plaque victims (eg, anyone with a positive (+) EBT coronary calcification score).

Modification of lipoproteins by very low-carbohydrate diets.
Volek JS, Sharman MJ, Forsythe CE.
J Nutr. 2005 Jun;135(6):1339-42. PDF here.

Eggs distinctly modulate plasma carotenoid and lipoprotein subclasses in adult men following a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Mutungi G, Volek JS, et al. J Nutr Biochem. 2009 Apr 13.

Dietary cholesterol from eggs increases plasma HDL cholesterol in overweight men consuming a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Mutungi G, Volek JS, et al. J Nutr. 2008 Feb;138(2):272-6.








Healthy Centenarians Attain ~4 of 7 TYP Goals

Long-lived centenarians, also known as probands, had lipoprotein analyses performed via NMR. Of the markers tracked, four out of seven TYP goals were achieved. Interestingly, centenarian data shows that they still display vitamin D deficiency like the rest of us.

See picture (top)

Figure 2 displaying the Percentage of Large and Small HDL and LDL Particle Sizes in Long-Lived Probands, Offspring, and Ashkenazi and Framingham Controls HDL indicates high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein. *P less than .001 for probands vs Ashkenazi and Framingham controls and P less than .001 for offspring vs Ashkenazi and Framingham controls for both large and small HDL and LDL particle sizes.

1) Small-Dense-LDL =< 10% of total LDL particles (irregardless of total LDL on NMR or VAP) (TYP Goal)

2) HDL ~ 60 mg/dl (Table 1: women HDL=56 (SD 15); men HDL=50 (SD 17)) (TYP Goal)

3) HDL2 (Large-HDL) > 50% of total HDL particles (TYP Goal)

4) Large-LDL > 60% total LDL particles (soft goal)


Barzilai N et al. JAMA 2003. Oct 15;290(15):2030-40. Unique lipoprotein phenotype and genotype associated with exceptional longevity.


Apparently this sub-population of Ashkenazi Jewish have a genotype variation on the CETP gene which regulates and controls HDL-particle sizes. HDL-cholesterol is an antioxidant and they have the genetic ability to upregulate Large-HDL particles more than the rest of us. Their offspring may have version as well. The offspring (and controls, who were the spouse of the offspring) who were free of any chronic conditions (no hypertension, no metabolic syndrome, no cardiovascular disease) incidentally displayed similar high HDL particle counts, large HDL and LDL particle sizing and buoyancy, and reached the TYP goals of greater 60% Large-LDL and greater than 50% Large-HDL. Their counterparts with chronic conditions failed to meet these goals.



Polymorphism in CETP Gene and Phenotype of Exceptional Longevity

Can we exert control on our gene expression? We already know by altering omega-3 and vitamin D blood levels, we can alter gene expression of the various components of our immunity and cardiovascular health (Weaver KL J. Biol. Chem 284: 15400-15407; Biocarta; DeLuca HF PNAS 1993 90(20):9257-9260).

Volek et al have demonstrated how one can achieve control of small dense LDL via inhibition of CETP activity by a very low carb diet/HIGH-FAT DIET with additions of dietary eggs/cholesterol/SFAs.

Can we obtain similar sd-LDL less than of 10% lipoprotein profiles as long-lived heart-disease-free, cancer-free centenarians? We may not have the genetic programming/genotype but I certainly believe with our current understanding and technology, achievement of the centenarian phenotype is a definable undertaking.


Previous animal pharm posts:

• Saturated Fats as Potent Anti-Atherogenic Drugs: Lauric Acid Diets Decrease CETP, Increase PLTP
• Lauric Acid Diets (Sat Fat) Reduce Small Dense LDL (atherogenic) MORE THAN Oleic Acid Diets (Olive Oil)