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By Dr. Jurgelewicz

Gluten can lead to many health problems and cause many chronic disease states. It can contribute to anemia, acid-reflux, autoimmune diseases, depression, migraines, bone loss, IBS, chronic fatigue, gas and bloating, skin rashes, and even unexplained infertility.

Gluten sensitivity/intolerance is a major cause and contributor to disease in the U.S. Unfortunately, it is one of the most under diagnosed conditions. Most doctors dismiss gluten as a problem unless a person develops celiac disease. Because of this, millions suffer needlessly with a multitude of health problems.

To find out if you gluten is a problem for you then you need to get the right testing. The best testing available now is genetic testing.

Traditional diagnostic testing has focused on blood antibody tests and or intestinal biopsies.

Unfortunately traditional tests for gluten sensitivity are often incorrect!

Why? They only measure a fraction of how a person’s immune system can react to gluten. Add to the problem that different grains contain different types of gluten. Blood tests only measure the gluten found in wheat (gliadin). The other problem is that people react to gluten in different ways. Some people have immune reactions, some have intestinal problems, some develop psychological problems, some suffer with migraine headaches, psoriasis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis… The list is over 200 diseases long. I can’t even begin to tell you how many patients have come to my office after they were already biopsied or blood tested and told that they did not have gluten intolerance only to find out that their gene DNA tests were positive.

Unfortunately, the traditional definition of gluten is not 100% correct!

Why? Most of the research regarding gluten is directly linked to celiac disease, and most of the research on celiac disease focuses only on 3 grains (wheat, barley, rye) and sometimes a fourth (oats). There are a number of studies that have linked the gluten in corn to adverse reactions! But wait, there is more… Almost half of the people diagnosed with celiac disease do not get better on a traditionally defined gluten free diet! So the big question is…Why?! The answer – The traditionally defined Gluten Free Diet is not really gluten free.

There is usually a 30-50 year gap in medical research and its application in actual practice. Point being don’t expect your gastroenterologist or other specialist to start discussing gluten with you. Fact is many doctors are on cue with the research curve, and many are not.

If you are interested in more information about testing or would like a clinical consultation with Dr. Michael Jurgelewicz, please call our us at 215-504-7200. 

References
www.glutenfreesociety.org

Most people don't know that food sensitivities can cause any or all of these symptoms:

• Inability to lose fat and weight
• Bloating and indigestion
• Congestion, allergies and sinus issues
• Skin issues such as acne and rashes
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Joint pain and stiffness
• Food cravings for sweets and specific foods

If you have any of these symptoms or compliants, it's important to determine if food sensitivities are causing the problem.  

How can you be sure if food sensitivities are causing the problem?

By taking a Food Sensitivity Profile. This test is measures levels of IgG4 antibodies specific to 30 or 90 different foods. These antibodies can cause inflammatory reactions at various sites in the body, including the large and small intestines, kidneys, skin, sinuses, head, joints, and lungs. Since IgG4 antibodies a delayed response, there does not have to be an obvious association between a particular food and an adverse reaction. This test tells you exactly which foods are causing the problem as well as if it is a mild, moderate, or severe reaction.

This test changes people's lives. I personally had some food sensitivities that were not causing me any specific symptoms but were affecting my current state of health. Food sensitivities can occur at any age, triggering many symptoms and can cause a variety of disorders if left undetected.

If you are interested in more information about food sensitivities or would like a clinical consultation with Dr. Michael Jurgelewicz, please call our us at 215-504-7200.

I recently gave a presentation to my patients about blood pressure and cholesterol myths. It is unfortunate that many primary care doctors mainly focus on treating cholesterol as a way to prevent heart attacks. The truth is heart attacks are still a leading cause of death because the majority of the time the underlying cause is never being addressed.

Statins are the number one selling class of drugs in the nation. We all know these drugs lower cholesterol, however, the studies don’t show that it is reducing the number of heart attacks. Researchers followed 114 patients with heart problems who began taking Cholesterol lowering drugs. They found that every point of decrease of the serum Cholesterol, there was a 36% increased risk of death! In addition, many of the researchers reporting the results happen to be on the payroll of these drug companies.

Drugs don’t treat the cause of chronic illness. You have to remember the drug companies are in the business of disease maintenance and symptom management. If they wanted to cure anything, they would put theirselves out of business.

The more important question we must ask is, why is your cholesterol high or at the level it is? What is it compensating for? Cholesterol is required to manufacture hormones, bil acids, and vitamin D. You can’t make estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, cortisone, and a host of other vital hormones without cholesterol.

Statin drugs work by inhibiting a vital enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) that manufactures cholesterol in the liver. This enzyme also stops the production of CoQ10. This means if your on a statin, you must be supplementing with CoQ10.

Some of my tips would be: First get the right cholesterol testing done. Have your doctor order you the VAP cholesterol test or the NMR LipoProfile from Labcorp. These tests are performed like other blood lipid tests, but they go way beyond the four standard lipid tests.

Lipoproteins are not discrete homogenous molecules but are composed of a mixture of particles that vary in size and density. Each particle or lipoprotein subclass has a unique role in increasing or decreasing the risk of heart disease. A regular cholesterol test won’t tell you this. Note: the standard LDL result is a mathematical calculation and not a direct measurement. Individual lipoprotein tests have been around for years but has been underutilized due to cost and availability of the test. You definitely want to know if you have safe or artery damaging cholesterol particles.

Second, eat a healthy diet. You don’t have to go crazy with the organic stuff, but you should with any meats (grass fed).

Choose heart healthy supplements. A quality multivitamin, 2-3g of fish oil a day, and 2000 IU of vitamin D as maintenance dose (make sure you get your levels checked first). In my experience I have found most of my patients to be deficient, so I would recommend 10,000 IU daily for 3 months and then retest. CoQ10 is another supplement to consider, but a must for patients on a statin.

Finally, exercise. This isn’t optional. If you are doing cardio I would recommend doing interval training raising your heart rate up to your anaerobic threshold for 30 seconds, and then you recover for 90 seconds. You would repeat this cycle eight more times for a total of 20 minutes. It has been my personal experience that using this approach is far more effective than traditional cardio exercises.

I would like to hear from you. Do you take statins? Have you experienced muscle pain or any other effects? Leave a comment below. Thanks.

References
Clark AL and others. J Am Coll Cardiol 2003;42:1933-1943.

By Michael Jurgelewicz

Vitamin D has been a popular topic the past few years and seems to be getting more and more attention. Scientists are discovering that more and more diseases are being related to deficiencies in Vitamin D. It practically reducing your risk of dying from almost any disease.

A big misconception is that Vitamin D is just a vitamin and you need it for strong bones. Vitamin D is not really a vitamin, they just thought that's what it was when they discovered it, so its name does not do it justice. It is actually a substrate for a repair and maintenance steroid hormone that acts upon thousands of genes and regulating their function throughout the body.

There are 30,000 genes in your body, and vitamin D influences more than 2,000 of them. Vitamin D deficiencies has become more and more of a problem since dermatologists and sunscreen manufacturers have installed fear in the public and scaring them away from the sun.

Studies have shown that people living in higher latitudes have significantly higher cancer rates. Since getting adequate sun exposure daily is not always practical, almost everyone should be supplementing with D3. I personally only use Biotics Research and Designs for Health as my suppliers for D3. They pay special attention to their quality practices.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble so some people may have been told to avoid certain amounts due to toxicity. More and more research is showing those fears of toxicity have been overly cautious.

Vitamin D Toxicity from The Merck Manual states, the synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D (the most active metabolite of vitamin D) is tightly regulated, vitamin D toxicity usually occurs ONLY if excessive doses (prescription or megavitamin) are taken. Vitamin D 1000 ìg (40,000 IU)/day produces toxicity within 1 to 4 mo in infants. In adults, taking 1250 ìg (50,000 IU)/day for several months can produce toxicity.

That said, the way to proceed is to get your vitamin D levels tested before you begin, and then at regular intervals so taht you can tell when you reach the optimal level, because the amount of vitamin D required (whether from sun exposure or supplementation) to reach this level is different for everyone.

It's thought that 85 percent of the American public is deficient in vitamin D and over 95 percent of African American or deeply pigmented individuals. And, in the United States, the late winter average vitamin D is only about 15-18 ng/ml, which is considered a VERY SERIOUS deficiency state.

You can find out what your levels are by asking your doctor for a blood test called a 25(OH)D, also called 25-hydroxyvitamin D. (Please note, there are two typles of vitamin D tests, and this one is the one you want).

The OPTIMAL value of vitamin D that you're looking for has recently been raised to 50-65 ng/ml with even higher recommended levels required for more serious disease prevention.

By Dr. Michael Jurgelewicz

When going to the grocery store it is important to know how to properly read food labels, so I decided to share my thinking process when I go the store. I like the quote by Hippocrates that says, "Let thy Food be thy Medicine and thy Medicine be thy Food."

My first recommendation is to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store and buy mostly fresh produce and organic meats. I know it can be a little more expensive, so just cut your portion size down a little.

I realize most of you buy packaged items as well; this is where reading food labels can become confusing. It is always important to read the first ingredient listed on the label because ingredients are listed by the most predominant and so on. Many food manufacturers disguise sugar under several different names: sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, malt, fructose, glucose, carbitol, mannitol, lactose, evaporated cane juice, or concentrated fruit juice. Sugar makes your body very acidic and can be detrimental to your health.

Watch out for MSG (monosodium glutamate). It is a common ingredient in almost all processed foods. It is a flavor enhancer that has many toxic effects. Look for it disguised as one of these: glutamate, yeast extract, glutamic acid, hydrolyzed proteins, autolyzed yeast, natural beef flavoring, whey protein, maltodextrin, soy protein isolate, soy sauce extract, natural flavoring, and anything with "seasonings" in the ingredients.

Gluten is a protiein found in many grains that is difficult for many people to digest and cause digestive and immune stress. Many whole grains wtih wheat, barley, bran, rye, and oats, and the flours or cereals made from them, contain gluten.

It is also hidden in many foods as a binder, starch, or filler and can be hidden as one of the following: soy sauce, garlic salt, onion salt, some mustard powders, flavored teas and coffees, hydrolyzed proteins, colorings, flavorings, anything with msg, modified food starch, malt, or graham flour.

Know your oils and fats. Thanks to the media and large food manufacturers they have brainwashed you to think fats are bad, so here are some general guidelines. Bad fats are inflammatory and include grain fed meat, vegetable oil, hydrogenated oils (trans-fats), deficient of omega-3's. Good anti-inflammatory fats are extra-virgin olive oil (not for cooking), avocados, coconut oil  (the only oil to cook with), raw nuts and seeds, real butter (raw best), grass fed meats, organic cage free eggs, fatty fish- wild salmon, sardines, anchovies, etc.