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Dr. Herbert wrote a book about autism for parents and general readers

“The Autism Revolution” is available in paperback form on Amazon and more information is also available at the website http://www.autismrevolution.org/ . I haven’t read the book yet but it was recommended by a neuroscientist who has attended a conference held by Dr Herbert which was for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. He said it was quiet the entire time as the audience paid such close attention.

Children with more severe symptoms can hurt themselves banging their heads on the wall or by tearing the curtain rods off the wall or by wandering away and getting lost outdoors. Having a child with autism can mean that society loses the productive work of at least one parent if not both – someone needs to sleep some of the time. Improving nutrition and changing lifestyle routines can sometimes make an enormous difference in the severity of symptoms – normal is likely not possible but less severe symptoms may be possible — with guidance.

The metabolic issues that can be due to genetic defects underlying autism symptoms can be complex to try to cope with through changes in diet and supplements – but with guidance, symptoms can improve with better nutrition and health of the gastro intestine tract (and our good guy bacteria which help protect us against the more harmful microbes in our microbiome).

  • The Autism Revolution: Whole-Body Strategies for Making Life All It Can Be, by Dr Martha Herbert, MD, PhD and Karen Weintraub, Paperback – March 12, 2013 [link]

/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

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Glyphosate, a consensus statement; a link

The following link is to a long but very thorough paper regarding the herbicide glyphosate and what has been discovered about its potential risks to health:

In my last post (on my other website) I described glyphosate and glycine as being similarly shaped puzzle pieces on one side but not the same on the other side. Another way to visualize the possible way glyphosate may be substituting for glycine would be to consider a lock and key. If the lock is being built with glyphosate instead of with glycine then the shape of the keyhole changes and the normal ‘keys’ will no longer fit in the lock in order to activate the desired function of the protein (a protein that normally contains glycine would be the lock in this example, an enzyme or other type of messenger chemical that activates it might be the key).

/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

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Updates regarding glycine, health, and glyphosate

9/20/2016 Updates to a couple previous posts [1, 2]: See the following post on my other website, lpaad.org  for more about use of dimethylglycine as a supplement and the gene defect that can affect its metabolism:

A recent post included details from Professor Seneff’s talk on dietary and lifestyle tips for reducing exposure to glyphosate and which nutrients might be affected by the chemical and food sources. Increasing intake of a substance that is being inhibited can sometimes help overcome the inhibitory effect. Roughly, the theory being suggested is that glyphosate acts as a puzzle piece that can fit in one side of the puzzle but won’t fit with the other pieces, as it is partially filling the remaining open spot on the piece. Glyphosate also does not provide methyl groups as glycine would. Methyl groups help protect against cancer among other important functions such as re-methylating molecules of vitamin B12 and  folate.

The presence of glyphosate in vaccines almost confirms that theory being presented by Professor Seneff. If it was being built right into the animal collagen  that was used in the Petri dishes for culturing the vaccine microbes, then they would be building their own growing microbe bodies out of glyphosate too.

A building block is a building block, a puzzle piece is a puzzle piece —  whether they fit well together or not, is an important question to ask before strewing them all over the landscape and food supply, and injecting them straight into tiny infants and pregnant women.

/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./

 

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Looking up an itch found a synthetic cannabinoid in clinical trial for four diagnoses; Resunab

Cannabinoids are the active phytochemicals found in marijuana which include the euphoric THC and many, many non-euphoric types. A synthetic version of one of them has reached trial stages for autoimmune and skin related diagnoses and for the life shortening genetic condition Cystic fibrosis.

I stumbled across the information while looking up whether marijuana has been found helpful for preventing or treating eczema or the autoimmune skin condition psoriasis, [link] – yes was potential answer and a specific synthetic cannabinoid was mentioned: Ajulemic acid.

A 2007 study published in the Journal of Dermatological Science found that Cannabinoids, having anti-inflammatory properties, work to inhibit the proliferation of skin cells called keratinocytes, which play a role in causing psoriasis. [link]

Its Wikipedia page led me to the company and the clinical trials. The synthetic molecule is being purified and called Resunab by the company Corbus Pharmaceuticals. They have already been approved for Phase Two trials for the drug for four different serious diagnoses: Cystic Fibrosis, Systemic Sclerosis, Dermatomyositis, Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus. The synthetic cannabinoid activates the CB2 receptors and does not cause symptoms of euphoria as does THC, the euphoria promoting chemical found in marijuana. [Read more regarding Resunab and the clinical trials by Corbus Pharmaceuticals]

And why was I looking up eczema and psoriasis and cannabinoids? – the incredible itchiness I’ve been experiencing since only a few days off of my medical marijuana. Some autoimmune symptoms are worse and a previously tiny itchy spot is now raised scabby patches over a large area of my back – arrgh. (It’s talk like a pirate day.) My genetic study and personal life experience has proven to my satisfaction that my body needs an external source of cannabinoids — and a non-euphoric source would be nice but a euphoric source in the meantime is less itchy than having no source – for me at least and maybe for the other psoriasis patients who participated in previous research studies.

Take home point for patients with one of the four diagnoses in Stage 2 trials – contact the company for more information regarding whether they are still looking for patients to participate.

Take home point for me – I’m not 100% sure but my back is itchy, and I think the take home point is that my body needs an external source of cannabinoids and I should just accept that and adapt my life to the current realities of limited legality, limited access, difficulty traveling legally, etc. Marijuana has been found to help promote brain cell growth, prevent cancer, and help reduce inflammatory symptoms associated with autoimmune disease. And previous reading had suggested that I have a genetic problem in my keratinocytes that may be associated with, drum roll,  migraines, TMJ, IBS, and eczema. I have had all of those problems for many years of my life, decades of discomfort, hours of lost time with my children, hours of reduced productivity at work.

But marijuana is a powerful drug and the strains and quality of what is available to medical patients varies greatly. It is safest when the strain has a good balance of euphoric and non-euphoric cannabinoids — both types have medical properties and affect the neurotransmitters in the brain and throughout the nervous system.

Previous (very messy collections of notes) posts on keratinocytes:

  1. Substance P, neuropathic pain, migraines, and the cannabinoid system

  2. An article on Morgellons; a link, and a comment I added re keratinocytes

Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes.