Grains & soyabeans: more bad news.

Jamie Scott (THAT PALEO GUY) has been doing some digging and found more dirt on...

From http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Various_grains.jpg

See Wheat amylase trypsin inhibitors drive intestinal inflammation via activation of toll-like receptor 4.
"We identify the α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) CM3 and 0.19, pest resistance molecules in wheat, as strong activators of innate immune responses in monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. ATIs engage the TLR4-MD2-CD14 complex and lead to up-regulation of maturation markers and elicit release of proinflammatory cytokines in cells from celiac and nonceliac patients and in celiac patients' biopsies. Mice deficient in TLR4 or TLR4 signaling are protected from intestinal and systemic immune responses upon oral challenge with ATIs. These findings define cereal ATIs as novel contributors to celiac disease. Moreover, ATIs may fuel inflammation and immune reactions in other intestinal and nonintestinal immune disorders."

See Impact of antinutritional factors in food proteins on the digestibility of protein and the bioavailability of amino acids and on protein quality.
"Examples of naturally occurring antinutritional factors include glucosinolates in mustard and canola protein products, trypsin inhibitors and haemagglutinins in legumes, tannins in legumes and cereals, gossypol in cottonseed protein products, and uricogenic nucleobases in yeast protein products."

"Among common food and feed protein products, soyabeans are the most concentrated source of trypsin inhibitors. The presence of high levels of dietary trypsin inhibitors from soyabeans, kidney beans or other grain legumes have been reported to cause substantial reductions in protein and amino acid digestibility (up to 50 %) and protein quality (up to 100 %) in rats and/or pigs."

"Normally encountered levels of phytates in cereals and legumes can reduce protein and amino acid digestibility by up to 10 %. D-amino acids and LAL formed during alkaline/heat treatment of lactalbumin, casein, soya protein or wheat protein are poorly digestible (less than 40 %), and their presence can reduce protein digestibility by up to 28 % in rats and pigs, and can cause a drastic reduction (100 %) in protein quality, as measured by rat growth methods. The adverse effects of antinutritional factors on protein digestibility and protein quality have been reported to be more pronounced in elderly rats (20-months old) compared to young (5-weeks old) rats, suggesting the use of old rats as a model for assessing the protein digestibility of products intended for the elderly."

I eat grains, also peas, beans & lentils, but not as a dietary staple. I make sure that they're thoroughly cooked at 100°C.

The usual suspects.

On Facebook, on message boards and in conversation, I often see and hear:-

1. I'm down in the Winter/I keep getting infections/I have allergies/I have aches & pains.

2. I'm up & down a lot.

3. I'm down/I'm anxious/I can't sleep/I get restless legs/cramps/menstrual cramps/muscle spasms/lung spasms/migraines.

4. I've got inflamed or painful joints/skin/guts/lungs/w.h.y.


1. Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency is widespread by the end of Winter (~90% of people have serum 25(OH)D less than 75nmol/L or 30ng/mL) due to insufficient sun exposure (or sun exposure through glass) during the Summer. A safe & effective dose is 50iu of Vitamin D3 per kg weight per day. See Vitamin D.

2. Modern diets are lacking in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA), as many people don't eat any/enough oily fish. Tinned tuna is not an oily fish! See Omega-3 fatty acids and major depression: A primer for the mental health professional. Women of reproductive age can take flaxseed oil, if they can't/won't eat oily fish or take fish oil capsules. Women not of reproductive age & men need to supplement with vegan DHA in addition to flaxseed oil, if they can't/won't eat oily fish or take fish oil capsules.

3. Diets low in greens are low in magnesium. Excessive stress increases loss of magnesium in urine. Magnesium deficiency can cause all of the above symptoms. Epsom Salts are a very cheap source of Magnesium. 4g/day of Epsom Salts provides 400mg/day of Magnesium. See Magnesium and the Ketamine Connection , Magnesium and the Brain: The Original Chill Pill , and Magnesium: Just as important as Calcium.

4. Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory.


Difficult-to-treat health problems such as depression are often multifactorial (with physiological AND psychological causes), so it's advisable to try 1. 2. and 3. (with your GP's consent). If you get improvement, you can discontinue supplements one at a time with a washout period of two months for 1. and 2. to see which supplement(s) was/were effective.

Here's a picture to go with the title.


And finally...
I'm so glad that I don't work with David Thorne.

Inflammation: Is omega-6 really to blame?

Take a look at Tripping Lightly Down the Prostaglandin Pathways.

Omega-6 pufas result in the production of Series 1 prostaglandins (anti-inflammatory) and Series 2 prostaglandins (inflammatory). Omega-3 pufas result in the production of Series 3 prostaglandins (anti-inflammatory).

Now, see Are diets high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids unhealthy?

"Insulin sensitivity might be the common factor relating disease to fatty acid metabolism — both within and between the fatty acid pathways. A high linoleate to arachidonate concentration occurs in insulin resistance, in diabetic complications and also in some tumours."

"Current epidemiological and clinical evidence supports the regular consumption of cold-water fish as part of a balanced diet, in which attention to lifestyle and the quantities eaten (to prevent obesity and the insulin resistance syndrome) may be more critical than the nature of the fatty acids consumed."

Do you see where I'm going with this? If you have insulin resistance, don't change your diet (low in carbs & avoiding omega-6) to suit the insulin resistance. Tackle the insulin resistance!

This isn't an open invitation to start guzzling high-pufa oils. Stick to oils that have been squeezed out of things that grow in hot climates. I include Extra-Virgin Olive Oil in this category. Check the label, as the pufa contents of different EVOOs vary. Solesta from Aldi contains only 6.6% pufas.

EDIT: In addition, your brain depends on omega-3 to function properly. Too much omega-6 can "fry" it. See Mental Health and Omega 3/6 Ratio, A New Review.

Vitamin D is anti-inflammatory. Fish oils are also anti-inflammatory.


I just spotted this on Anthony Colpo's Blog: The Adventures of Chris “Razzi” Razwell and Other Assorted Internet Psychos. Oh, my!


And finally: I made mum a CD of "Dare" by The Human League (I bought it in vinyl years ago) and played it on the CD/Record player in the lounge at the nursing home. She loved it and was moving her arms in time with the music. This is her favourite track from that album.