Herbal Steam Inhalation

Steam inhalations are a powerful and inexpensive form of hydrotherapy. Adding herbs to a steam inhalation make an already helpful tool, an even greater ally in decreasing respiratory congestion which accompanies colds or sinus infections. Herbal steam inhalations are easy to use. At one time it was a process that most families used in their home during the winter months.

I will share my quick method for making a steam inhalation using water and essential oils.  A slower method involves making an infusion (type of tea) first. I will share how to make infusions with you in the coming week.

Implements:

•    4-6 quart pot   

•    Stove

•    Table       

•    Towel or blanket

•    Pot holder

•    Essential oil (Could also make an infusion of dry herbs)

Any volatile, antimicrobial oil or herb capable of opening the nasal passages can be used in a steam inhalation for respiratory congestion. The opening of the passage way via a steam inhalation is due to both the steam of the water and the menthol in the herb. Two herbs with menthol that are easy to find and inexpensive are peppermint and wintergreen. The menthol in these herbs is what gives it that refreshing brisk coolness to our mouth or on our skin when we ingest them or put the herbs on our skin.  In addition to herbs with menthol, I also want a strong antimicrobial herb to be added to the water such as thyme,  or oregano.

My favorite two herbs to use in the inhalation are peppermint and thyme essential oil.  Both are carried in health food stores and are generally easy to procure. If you live some place where you have trouble buying herbs or if you simply wish to purchase them online you can trust the herbs at this link: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/index.php?AID=098951

Additionally, Mountain Rose Herbs donates 15% of their sales purchased from clicking on this link to Wise Acres Herbal Educational Center.

Directions:

•    Pour 2-4 quarts of water into the pot.

•    Bring the water to a boil.

•    Take the water off the heat.

•    Prepare an area at a table where the head can be positioned above the pot without getting burnt by the pot.

•    Place the hot pot on the table, using a potholder to protect the table.

•    Drape a blanket over the head and pot, creating a vapor cocoon.

•    Sit over the pot with the head directly over the pot of tea & inside the blanket cocoon.

•    Add 1-2 drops of essential oil to the pot. (Most essential oil bottles have a dropper top.)

•    Breathe in the vapors. Keep your eyes closed so they don't get irritated.

•    If the vapor cocoon gets too hot or too intense:

         Remove head from under the blanket.

         Rest a moment.

         Return when ready.

•    The essential oil will disappear as vapor very quickly so you will need to add 1-2 drops more of each essential oil when the oil vapor is gone. Do not add too much essential oil.

Adding more essential oil than suggested can cause irritation of the lungs and eyes. It has been known for a person to put the essential oil in before getting inside the blanket cocoon. By the time they are inside the blanket cocoon the essential oil has vaporized off. The full strength  of the essential oil only lasts for 20 seconds and then disappears. If the person does not know the essential oil is short lived,  they may think they did not put enough in. Now they put in 4 drops of each oil and it is over-powering. I make sure when giving this procedure to a patient that I have made sure they will not use more than I tell them and they will follow my directions. If I am concerned about them following directions, I alternatively give them teas to use rather than essential oils. The tea simply necessitates the extra step of making an infusion from the tea. The infused tea is then put on the hot pad and you have a continuous supply of vapors coming off the pot until the tea runs out of essential oils. It is not as intense as straight essential oil. Teas are also better for children.

For my child patients whose parents want to use a vapor inhalation, I give them the following instructions. I have them make a tent house over a card table. Make it as small as possible, but with enough room for themselves and the child. They then get inside it with the pot of tea and make a game out of inhaling the vapors. If they make the tent too big, the vapors will disappear into the large space and not be as available.

Glyphosate - RoundUp® Inhalation May Go Direct to Your Brain

Glyphosate is finally getting a lot of attention. It is about time. It has been wreacking havoc here on planet Earth for way too long. Now that many people know about the health and planetary hazards or at least have an idea it is unsafe, they think they can simply eat organic and be done with the glyphosate. However, this is not true. Glyphosate has been found in our water, in our air, tainting some organic foods and even in the breast milk of mother's who are only eating organic. Sadly, it can bioaccumulate in all the organs and tissues of the body. At least this is what animal research has shown us.  If we were dissecting humans to look for it in their organs and tissues, I am sure we would see it there too. In humans, it is found in urine, feces and mothers milk.

So why can't you simply eat organic and forget about it?

Well, you can severely limit your body burden, if you eat organic. This has been shown when you compare the urine of people who eat conventional foods with those of folks eating organic foods. So eating organic is definitely helpful. However what about the fact that we know it is found in the water and in the air. This is probably where some of  the smaller amounts of glyphosate come from in those organic eaters that were tested.

Although the glyphosate in the water is a problem, what I really want to focus on here is an aspect of glyphosate that is mostly ignored. That is the glyphosate in the air we breath. It appears from recent research that some of the inhaled glyphosate may go directly to our brains. (There will be more on this research further down in the article.)

Glyphosate Spraying

I know the smell of glyphosate all too well. I can easily identify it if glyphosate has been sprayed in areas around me.  It would behoove you to learn what it smells like so you can avoid it. It is sprayed heavily in cities as well as on conventional and GMO farms. Driving down the freeway or country road with your car window open in the spring can be a health hazard due to the heavy spraying and volatization that goes on at this time of year. It is around at other times of the year, especially in the fall, but the spring is when it lies heavy in the air.  

Volatilized Glyphosate

I have found that the time of spraying is not the only time it is in the air. If they spray on a cloudy or somewhat cool day and then a few days later the sun comes out in all its glory, the glyphosate on the plant or on the ground, volatilizes into the air. The hotter it is, the more it volatilizes quickly and thickens the air. If not as hot, less glyphosate goes into the air, but then I have noticed the smell  can linger for many days.  There is data on glyphosate volatilization and therefore it is recommended to spray at certain temperatures to keep the glyphosate on the plants. However, these people who write up these directions for use of glyphosate seem to ignore the fact that it can linger for many days on plants while the temperature is low. If not washed off by longer periods of rain it will volatilize into the air as soon as the air becomes hot enough.

Besides roadways, the other area to be aware of it is around your neighbors yards who spray it. Also be cautious around most apartment complexes and most city businesses where they spray weeds. This is a huge problem my friends. 

Research on Glyphosate Absorption into the Nasal respiratory and olfactory tissues

I read a frightening research article this summer that showed glyphosate can be absorbed through the nasal mucosa via amino acid transporters and could end up in much higher concentrations in the brain than would be predicted. Monsanto has claimed all along that glyphosate is not absorbed into the body. Well we know that statement is not true since glyphosate is found in tissues and organs. However,  this research showed that it is not just passively absorbed in the gut. It appears to be actively transported into the body.  The large amino acid transporters are picking it up and actively transporting it into our tissues. This is probably since the body appears to be thinking it is glycine. (Glyphosate is an analogue for the amino acid glycine. I will write about this very soon. You can also read Samsel and Seneff's research review about this.) The researchers in this wonderful study theorize that since it is transported in the nasal respiratory and olfactory tissues (these were the tissues they were examining in the lab,) by large amino acid transporters, that inhalation of it may lead to high nasal mucosal tissue concentration and the potential for glyphosate associated with the olfactory epitehlium to transfer along the nose to brain pathways directly to the Central Nervous System (Your brain)! They think this is the reason for the occurrence of reported neurological toxicities.  Reading this made me so happy I had proof that inhalation of glyphosate was dangerous. Up until now, my concerns had pretty much been ignored by everyone I talked to. Unfortunately, the news also gives you that creepy feeling of wanting to go hide in the closet.

What To Do

So, although eating organic will certainly help protect you to some degree and it will route your dollars away from support of conventional food growing, into support of organic growing, we ultimately have to stop using glyphosate on the planet ASAP. Education is key. Tell everyone you know why they should grow organic and eat organic. Show them this article. Show them other articles about glyphosate. (There are many, but see my articles below for easy access.) If we all do it, no more glyphosate will be sprayed. Also tell your representatives you want to stop all GMO farming and all use of glyphosate. However, we have to be careful here as the companies selling glyphosate are getting ready to simply use other herbicides in its place. Don't let them fool you into thinking they are safer. Remember, they told us glyphosate was safe, did not accumulate in the soil, did not absorb in the body etc. etc. Liars, liars, pants on fire! Ok, that is enough of my Donald Trump/Hilary Clinton moment. 

Phone App to Boycott GMOS

Glyphosate May be Causing Tissue Damage by Replacing the Amino Acid Glycine

GMO Death Fields

Glyphosate effects Honeybee Navigation

Glyphosate, the Cause of Autism, Inflammatory Gut Disease and More

Review of Glyphosate Study and the Disease It is Linked To

RoundUp® Tolerance Levels Raised by EPA

RoundUp® Kills Beneficial Gut Bacteria While Harmful Bacteria are Resistant

Review of GMO Research on Long Term Toxicty of RoundUp® 

RoundUp® Associated with a New Pathogen

Preventing Colds and Flu, Plus Alternative Treatments For Them

Ten Things You Can Do to Prevent Colds And Flu
 
•  Stay away from sick people - seems simple but needs to be said. If you have to be around them, wear a mask. Consider a mask when out shopping during cold and flu season. They work great.

•  Wash your hands regularly.

• Use an antiviral herbal spray on phones, door knobs or

other devises and instruments that are shared with people at work. Use a lavender spray or another antiviral essential oil spray made for this application.  See directions below on how to make your own antiviral spray.

 
•  Eating antioxidant rich, organic foods, (lots of colorful fruits and vegetables), which is also a diet rich in Vitamin C, beta-carotene, polyphenols and essential minerals, which will help your body protect you from viruses. 

Health Tip For Colds & Flus

I like to squeeze 1/4 - 1/2 a fresh lemon (depends on size of lemon) into a large tea cup, add the leftover lemon peel and pulp to the cup (just drop it all in), then add hot water and a tiny bit of honey. I mush up the lemon pulp and peel a bit with the back of a spoon while mixing the honey in. This is a great way to get your vitamin C and other antioxidants. It keeps both colds and flus away and is helpful if you have a sore throat and/or cough. Both lemon and lime help decrease colds and flus as well as reduce mucus.

 

• Increase immune system supportive nutrients such as vitamin C with bioflavonoids 500 mg in the AM and PM at minimum. If someone is sick they usually take vitamin C up to bowel tolerance. (This is the amount that causes your stools to become slightly loose.) Once they reach bowel tolerance they lower the dose slightly so they don't have loose stools. Also zinc, about 15-30 mg per day. If taking zinc for more than 3 months you should take copper in a ratio of 8 parts zinc to one part copper. So if taking 15 mg zinc per day you would take 2mg copper also. Last but not least consider vitamin D (sunshine, supplements (needs to be D3-check lab levels to decide on amount to take-see below), cod liver oil) . A multiple B vitamin can be helpful in addition for general cellular energy production.

• Getting a 25-hydroxy-vitamin D test is a good idea as many people do not have adequate levels of vitamin D, and often these people find they can prevent flu by enhancing their low vitamin D levels. Research shows that low levels of vitamin D predispose one to getting the flu as well as the common cold. The vast amount of new research has shown we need much more vitamin D than thought previously. People who test low in vitamin D usually need to use D3 supplementation to raise their levels to within normal limits.  One should not take large amounts of Vitamin D without testing  occasionally. Although it is best to work with a professional health care worker, many cities have independent labs that will let you order this test without a physicians order. (When taking vitamin D, make sure you have adequate amounts of K2 and magnesium first. Many people are deficient in magnesium and K2 should be taken with D to avoid calcification.) The D needs magnesium to be able to make it active.
 

• Immunomodulating herbs such as Echinacea and Garlic help prevent colds and flu. I use a lot of fresh as well as cooked garlic in my food during flu season. If I am around others who are sick or if I feel I am starting to get sick I take one teaspoon to one tablespoon of Echinacea every few hours for 2-3 days to keep from getting sick. This works well for me. Yes it is a lot of Echinacea, but I find for myself this is what is necessary. 

• Congestion of tissues decreases the ability of your cells to take care of business in that area. Nipping congestion in the bud at the first signs of it can turn around the situation. So, do everything you can to keep from getting congested or attempt to keep it down to a low roar. You can do this with salt water gargles in the throat, nasal washes in the nose (use either a neti pot or snort the salt water from your hand), or saline nasal sprays. Use 1/2 teaspoon of salt in one cup of water, 4 times per day. To reach congestion in the sinuses and lungs you really need to use an herbal inhalation. You will find directions for an herbal inhalation here. If you are using a neti pot for the first time, see directions below for how to use a neti pot.
 
• Get as much sleep as possible. This is necessary for your body to stay healthy. It also needs to be quality sleep to allow your body to rest and recuperate.

• Homeopathic flu solutions called Dolicoccil  or Occilococcinum are helpful in preventing flus also.

Health Tip For Nasal Congestion

When you need to get rid of nasal congestion short term, using Yarrow tea or tincture can do just the trick. A few drops of tincture under the tongue will start to clear up your nose and decrease the congestion in your tissues quickly. Yarrow can be used safely short term, but should not be used continuously over a long period of time. People use it orally and in the nasal passages. The tincture will irritate the nasal passages, so a tea is best for snorting it or spraying it in the nose.

An Antiviral Spray to Use on Phones

How to Make it: You can make a simple antiviral spray by starting with a water/alcohol base of 40% rubbing alcohol and 60% water or a Base of 20% grain alcohol and 80% water. Once you make your liquid base put the base into a spray bottle. For each 1 oz of  base add 40 drops of lavender essential oil. 
 
How to Apply it: Spray this on items you are sharing with others such as phones. Make sure you don’t spray it on anything you think will be damaged by the essential oil or the alcohol. (I spray this on most things with no problem, but it can damage wood and may damage some fabrics etc. You can test an area first to make sure it will not harm the item.) I usually spray a paper towel or rag with the liquid and then wipe the phone or other item down to ensure I get it everywhere.

How Neti pots are Used

Fill the neti pot with sterilized isotonic water. Lean over the sink and turn your head 45 degrees, so one nostril is above the other. Gently insert the tip of the pot into the upper nostril. Breathe through your mouth and raise the handle so the water enters the upper nostril and then drains from the lower nostril.

When the neti pot is empty, exhale through both nostrils to remove excess solution and mucus. Gently blow your nose.

Repeat with your other nostril.

 

Health Tip For Colds & Flus

Yes, chicken soup really is healthy, especially when cooked low and slow for a long time to get all the collagen out of the bones. I add a lot of cilantro, and parsley at the end to give me beta carotene and vitamin C. I also add Garlic at the very end as partially cooking the garlic, keeps it's antimicrobial activity more intact and helps ward off bacteria that can attempt to take advantage of your respiratory tract when you have a viral cold or flu in process. (Pressing a Garlic clove and throwing it into your bowl right before consuming the soup is the best way to gain it's antimicrobial action.) You can also add Ginger or Astraglaus earlier on, making sure it simmers for some time.  You can get really creative with adding herbs that support the immune system and/or help with cold and flu symptoms. Just make sure the soup still tastes good. Luckily Astragalus does not change the flavor much and Ginger adds to the flavor. Astragalus is used to prevent colds and flu, and in research with chickens, Astragalus has been shown to decrease the replication of the H9N2 virus. 

There is also something to be said for comfort food which makes you feel you are being cared for. Comfort food carries a placebo effect,  that is VERY powerful.

You can easily send this article to family or friends who might benefit from it by clicking on the symbols immediately below for email, twitter, facebook, pinterest, etc.

Hay Fever Treatment Alternatives, The What, How and Why – Part III

Diet & Supplements
In part I and II we discussed how both the local inflammation in the upper respiratory tract as well as whole body inflammation adds to a hay fever sufferer’s burden. Decreasing inflammation through lifestyle and dietary measures is of prime importance. In this chapter of the series, we will examine diet and supplements in more detail.

Dietary Measures in General

In general a focus on whole, fresh organic foods is the foundation of a healthy diet. In most cases, raw foods should be a part of every meal. A focus on a variety of brightly colored vegetables along with fresh fruits helps promote vitality. Healthy fat is important. Butter should be from grass fed, organic animals.  Focus should be on fats high in essential fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are especially important and are low in the western diet. An excellent source can be found in cold water fish.  Other sources of healthy fats come from extra virgin, organic coconut oil and extra virgin, organic olive oil, as well as fresh nuts and seeds as well as free range, grass fed animals and animal derived products. Some individuals with hay fever react to milk and milk products, in which case they should abstain from them. Other sources of protein include organic, whole grains and legumes. They are also a source of fiber. Some individuals with hay fever react to grains, in which case they should abstain from them also.

Specific Dietary Measures

Hydration
We will start with hydration. The first thing to remember is to stay adequately hydrated. Respiratory tract mucous membranes depend on being hydrated and they can not function well without adequate water. Most individuals need about 8 glasses of water every day. Some people have different needs and may need more or less due to a medical condition, exercise or the environment they live in.

Resting the Digestive Tract
Letting your digestive system rest is helpful. Try to let your digestion rest for at least 12 hours between dinner and breakfast. Longer is even better. This of course can change from person to person. It may not work for some lifestyles or health issues.

Bright Colored Organic Vegetable and Fruits
Eat a diet high in fresh organic fruits and vegetables which will provide numerous healthy anti-inflammatory substances and fiber. Raw fruits and/or vegetables should be a part of the diet at each meal. Eat a great quantity of vegetables and as great a variety as possible. Diversity of colors in your vegetables and fruits represents a vast range of anti-inflammatory substances.

Leave the refined sugars, all additives and other chemicals out of the diet.

High Nutrient Foods
Focus on foods that are high in vitamin C, E, carotenoids flavonoids, B vitamins, healhty fats, healthy proteins and minerals. 

Antioxidants such as carotenoids will decrease inflammation and support upper respiratory tract function. These can be found in bright colored vegetables and fruits where you find alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein/zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Eat them all day long. This includes dark leafy greens such as kale and collards, carrots, sweet potatoes, and fruits such as tomatoes, plums and apricots. If histamine is a concern, eat low histamine foods high in carotenoids and minerals. See hay fever part II for more information on histamine and diet.

Foods high in flavonoids are able to assist in decreasing mast cell activation and reduce histamine in the body. These flavonoids include quercetin and catechin which are found in herbs such as Green tea, Chamomile, Hawthorne and Gingko. Quercetin is found in many foods and some good food choices for quercetin content are garlic, onions, capers, fruits with dark red or blue colors such as blueberries and cranberries.  Elderberries are high in quercetin as well as Lovage and kale. Quercetin’s anti-inflammatory activity appears to be due to its antioxidant effects and inhibition of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase, which in turn regulate the inflammatory mediators leukotrienes and prostaglandins. Quercetin also stabilizes mast cells, which inhibits release of histamine.

Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids are helpful in alleviating hay fever symptoms in some scientific studies. Many people find this to be true in their daily lives. Certainly all the epithelial cells that line the respiratory tract depend on these fatty acids to to build new, stable, healthy cell membranes on a daily basis. Cold water fish are high in omega 3 fatty acids. Salmon is one of my favorites. 


Alcohol
Alcohol causes the release of histamine and some wines, especially red wines have a high concentration of histamine themselves. Additionally alcohol consumption inhibits diamine oxidase (DAO), one of the enzymes that metabolizes histamine. It appears people who drink alcohol have double the risk of allergic symptoms even in people without prior allergies. Beer also contains histamine. In research that examined Canadian beer, porter contained the highest amount of histamine, followed by malt liquor, ale, lager, and low-alcohol beer, in descending order. Apparently, the higher the malt, the more histamine is formed.  Unusually high amounts of histamine were found in some bacteria-infected beers. Therefore, I would expect the sour lambic beers to have more histamine in them. Besides the histamine, most wine contains sulfites which can also cause reactions in people without an adequate amount of the enzyme sulfite oxidase which is necessary to change the sulfite into sulfate. Additionally, there is the issue with dehydration caused by alcohol which is not at all helpful to maintaining healthy upper respiratory tract mucus membranes. So, drinking alcohol is not a great idea for someone with hay fever.


Supplement the Diet With Nutrients

There have been a lot of different supplements used with hay fever. I am going to give you some ideas of useful nutritional supplements that have shown benefit in research and clinical settings.

Vitamin C
Mixed results have been seen in research with vit C and vit E. However, many hay fever sufferers have found larger doses of vitamin C up to bowel tolerance can be of use.  2 – 5 grams per day have been helpful. Vitamin C is maintained in phagocytes and lymphocytes at 100 times greater concentration than the plasma and inhibits histamine secretion by blood cells. As plasma ascorbic acid levels decrease, histamine levels increase significantly. Oral dosing of vitamin C has been shown to lower blood histamine levels.

Seaweed & Mineral Supplementation
A study in Japanese pregnant females showed an inverse relationship with hay fever and the dietary intake of seaweed, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.  This is not surprising as it is my belief that most people are lacking enough minerals in this day and age and minerals are absolutely necessary to prevent all disease including hay fever. 

In looking through the research and integrating it with what works clinically, zinc, vitamin C, P-5-P (active B6) and magnesium appear to be the most useful in supporting the respiratory system in hay fever. Magnesium dietary intake has been shown to be inversely related to asthma also. Since some hay fever suffers can have a hay fever attack turn into an asthma attack, magnesium is especially important in this subset of individuals. Many people are found to have low mag levels in general. I find most individuals are missing magnesium in their diet or simply not absorbing it. Magnesium can be taken with food and can be used up to bowel tolerance (when it causes loose stools) and then back off. I usually suggest a vitamin B complex with P-5-P in it as well as pantothenic acid and other B vitamins, rather than P-5-P by itself.  Zinc can be taken up to 50 mg per day short term. No more than a few months. If a situation necessitates zinc be taken longer, it has to be taken with copper in an 8:1 ratio. As mentioned before, Vitamin C can be taken up to bowel tolerance same as magnesium. Most folks use 2-5 grams per day during hay fever season. These can all be taken with meals. To know which nutrients an individual might be missing, they should see a local naturopath or a functional medicine practitioner. Make sure there is pantothenic acid in the b-complex as it helps decrease histamine and supports the adrenals. People need varied amounts of pantothenic acid. More is not necessarily better. It is hard to find a low dose B vitamin on the market, but Bio-B 100, made by Biotics Research has low dose tablets. This low dose option is helpful for many folks rather than the high dose B vitamins generally found on the market.

Myer’s cocktail
There is an intravenous infusion given by some naturopathic physicians called the Myer’s cocktail. This intravenous mix of nutrients was created by John Myers, MD, for the treatment of a wide range of clinical conditions. The modified “Myers’ cocktail,” which consists of magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin C, has been found to be effective against hay fever symptoms.

Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA)
If an individual has inadequate omega 3 fatty acids in their diet, this can be taken as cod liver/fish oil. Make sure the mercury has been removed and it is refrigerated. It should not smell rancid. Omega 3s are found in cod liver oil, sardines, wild salmon, herring, mackerel and anchovies.

Sulfur
Sulfur is important in maintaining the normal properties of the mucous membranes. A person can get plenty of sulfur from the mustard family plants such as broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts etc. and the Allium family plants such as garlic and onions. However, some people have trouble transforming it into sulfate that the body uses through a process called sulfoxidation. These people have trouble converting cysteine to cysteinesulfinic acid and or from cysteinsulfinic acid to sulfite and/or finally transforming the sulfite to sulfate. If a person has too much cysteine:sulfate or sulfite:sulfate in the urine, this points to an issue in one of these areas and cysteine and/or sulfite can build up to a toxic level and be toxic to the nervous system or over-exciting. Therefore I often suggest people lower their sulfur foods/supplements and take epsom salt baths to enhance their body sulfate if they seem to be reacting to sulfur containing foods. These people will also have trouble with sulfate conjugation (Phase II biotransformation/detox process) due to a lack of adequate sulfate.  This becomes especially important if they are under toxin load that requires sulfate for conjugation of toxins. (Which is why I have them take epsom salt baths.) Besides sulfation, sulfur is also important in the conjugation pathways called glucuronidation and glutathione conjugation. If  these biotransformation pathways are not working up to par, this will add another layer of inflammation upon the body and add to the overall reactions of the person experiencing hay fever.  For science geeks the next section will help you understand this situation a little better.

More on making sulfate - warning: this is very scientific and if you don’t like that, skip this section: Cysteine is changed into cysteinesulfinic acid, then  sulfite and finally from sulfite to sulfate. (Please realize this is just one route cysteine can take, as there are others.) This process requires cysteine dioxygenase, cysteinesulfinate decarboxylase and sulfite oxidase. These enzymes need iron, tyrosine, B6 B2 and molybdenum to undergo this process. Note that cysteine is also used to make other compounds such as glutathione or taurine. Cysteine can be consumed in the diet, made from methionine or taken as supplements. (N- acetyl cysteine or NAC). If the process does not proceed normally, excess cysteine may build up and act on NMDA gluatmate receptors and thus can have an exitotoxicity effect such as seen without enough cysteine dioxygenase or overabundance of cysteine. Researchers have noted depressed levels of sulfate in plasma, elevated fasting plasma cysteine concentrations, elevated cysteine to sulfate ratios and lower sulfation, to be associated with impaired cysteine oxidation. Cysteine toxicity reactions include gas, bloating, mental dullness and fatigue in individuals after eating sulfur containing foods. Low levels of cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) has been associated with general inflammation and specifically cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b) which are both seen with long term allergenic reactions. IL-1β, TNF-α and TGF-β down-regulate CDO mRNA level. Branch chain amino acids can  help protect the CDO1 gene transcription. DNA mutations coding for CDO appear to be involved. 30% of the population has been found to have lower CDO activity than the norm. Adrenal dysfunction may also decrease CDO. Low B-5 levels (panothenic acid) which is necessary to make cortisol has also been shown to up-regulate CDO.

Anyone with a CDO down-regulation may note symptoms of cysteine toxicity if they take glutathione, NAC, alpha lipoic acid or have a high intake of foods with cysteine or methionine. 

So as a recap, cysteine is converted to cysteinesulfinic acid and cysteinesulfinic acid is converted to sulfite and  sulfite is converted to sulfate. To make sulfate with sulfite oxidase, the co-factors molybdenum and vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) are needed. Without adequate functioning of sulfite oxidase, sulfites will build up in the body. These people have trouble with the sulfites used to preserve foods, but can also react to inhalation, and injection or skin contact with sulfites.  These people have sulfites in their urine when tested with sulfite strips. Normal people usually do not as it is usually sulfate that is removed in the urine. Serum levels or urinary sulfite can be checked. Molybdenum is high in beans, peas and dark leafy vegetables. Grains and nuts are also a decent source. Besides low molybenum and B-2, additional considerations associated with low sulfite oxidase are excess boron, decreased B12, excessive ingestion or inhalation of sulfites and heavy metals. Lead, mercury and tungsten all interfere with molybdenum.

I realize this focus on sulfur is long but sulfur is very important in the body and largely ignored. This data can be an important part of assisting any allergenic person who is dealing with excess body inflammation including hay fever. Additionally if someone is not processing sulfur appropriately the reactions can look similar to a histamine reaction. I am working on adding the sulfation page to my website of biotransformation activity. When it is available you will find a link here. There will be an extensive diagram to make this easier to understand.

I mentioned the need for sulfate to transform toxins by sulfation or sulfate conjugation. Sulfation is also needed to make intestinal mucins, glycosaminoglycans, some peptides and proteins. Sulfate is most known for its activity during sulfation in which it detoxifies drugs, food additives, steroid hormones, thyroid, hormones, some neruotransmitters and toxins from intestinal bacteria. Sulfate is in the form of 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS) when it is used for sulfation. This requires magnsium and most individuals do not have adequate levels of magnesium. PAPS also needs sulfotransferases to assist. Sulfation transforms two big classes of compounds called phenols and amines. Phenols are found in  herbicides, pesticides, plastic containers fungicides, germicides, and some essential oils contain phenols. Many plants contain polyphenols. Individuals with hay fever who also note reactions to essential oils, or other items containing phenols or amines (the amines could also be a histamine response), may have a problem making sulfate.

Bamboo salt
Bamboo salt has been shown in research to reduce inflammatory responses in hay fever. (mix of sundried sea salt and bamboo. It is higher in minerals and slightly lower in sodium than other salts. It is used in a nasal wash and on food. However, I would mention that bamboo salts may contain traces of arsenic and dioxins.

Liver & Adrenals

Besides supporting the respiratory tract, the liver and the adrenals should be supported if needed. The liver is a powerhouse when it comes to biortransformation processes and it is heavily involved in degrading histamine with the intracellular enzyme histamine-N-methyltransferase (HNMT). We discussed HNMT in part II of this “Hay Fever Series”.

Biotransformation Pathways of the Liver
When I see an individual has multiple sensitivities to things in the environment, I consider their phase I and phase II biotransformation pathways. General support of the liver will often help some of these pathways. For more details on biotransformation systems, see my website page on biotoxins. Dietary and lifestyle changes will support many of these biotransformation pathways. If you want to consider some herbs and supplements that will aid in normal function of these biotransformational systems, I would suggest the herbs Milk thistle and Turmeric. They also enhance glutathione levels as does 500 mg per day of vitamin C. Epsom salt baths, adequate protein in diet, and B vitamin complex (only folate, no folic acid in it) are also supportive of various biotransforamation pathways.

Biotransformation systems (BS) are hampered when you are under excessive onslaught of toxins. Some people have genetic reasons for their BS not working up to par. Sometimes they are both genetically deficient and have an excessive amount of toxins.  Nutrients are needed  to make the necessary substances used in phase I and phase II. If the diet lacks adequate nutrients  or lacks the protein to make enzymes for these substance to be made, this will also interfere with the BS. If the individual is around toxic substances such as living/working in a newly built building that is off-gassing or a moldy building, or working with toxic substances such as herbicides, pesticides, selling products that are off gassing, have heavy metals such as mercury from silver fillings in your mouth etc. this will add to the inflammatory load of your body. Also consider that much of the mainstream food supply has toxins from industrial farming used on it. Additionally there are GMO foods that make their own pesticide.

Saunas
Some toxins can also be removed with saunas. Saunas are often helpful for people with hay fever.  Saunas can help as far as general healthy tissue support, prevention of hay fever, diminishing hay fever response to pollen and as temporary aids to get through an acute situation.


We will examine herbs used for hay fever in our next chapter of this hay fever series. 

The Other Hay Fever Blogs
Hay Fever, The What, How and Why - part I
Hay Fever, The What, How and Why - part II
Hay Fever and Diet 
Prevention with herbs
Treating The Acute Situation 

Glyphosate (RoundUp active ingredient) Injecting Itself Into the Very Structure of Our Bodies Proteins

Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff provided us with another amazing review article this year. I have written up a synopsis of their fantastic article and tried to introduce some of their material in a less scientific manner. (At least I try to. Sorry, some of it is just out-right scientific mumbo jumbo.) 

They reviewed a vast quantity of research to support the theory that glyphosate is being substituted for glycine and ending up incorporated into proteins and other places in the body where it should not be. It is a logical idea and explains many of the correlations seen between glyphosate use/ingestion/inhalation and associated diseases.

Please see their actual article for all the details, including the references to support the claims listed below. Their actual paper is lengthy and goes into very specific detail. I have written this short review of their paper for folks to get an inkling of what they have uncovered as this is a VERY IMPORTANT article.

The issue:

Glyphosate is the number one herbicide sold in the world. It is used everywhere. Both on farms, in apartment complexes, on the side of roads, perhaps in your own yard. Previous articles by Samsel and Seneff have reviewed the  myriad health effects that appear to be associated with glyphosate use. I have listed the links for their other articles below as well as a link to another earlier review I did on one of their prior articles. 

Their current review, looks at the possible mechanism that appears to be the method behind how glyphosate can be associated with so many disease states. Some of these health conditions they examined were inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease, kidney disease, various cancers, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. For a full understanding of the connection between glyphosate and these and other diseases, I suggest you read all of their research reviews on glyphosate.

In prior papers they examined the chelating effect of glyphosate and how it can rob the body of minerals, the negative effect glyphosate has on our intestinal microbiome (gut bugs), how it interferes with production of key nutrients and suppresses one of the major biotransformational (detoxifying) systems of the body called cytochrome P450 enzymes, as well as examining the correlation between glyphosate and many different diseases.

In this article they asked themselves if there was something more insidious and fundamental than these known methods of action taking place with glyphosate. What they realized was that glyphosate, which is a synthetic amino acid analogue, may be substituting for glycine in peptides incorporated into our bodies. Think of what this would mean if glyphosate was pretending to be glycine and incorporating into the peptides and proteins that make up our tissues. If glyphosate incorporates into our cells and tissues it could cause self-destruction of these same cells and tissues when the body recognizes them as abnormal.  Our body has a normal process called apoptosis that is used to destroy old or "bad" cells. As tissues are destroyed, it effects the function of those tissues and ultimately the organ those tissues are a part of. This would cause many varied negative effects and would explain how one toxin could cause so many different diseases.

Glyphosate is an N-substituted glycine. Researchers have said that N-substitued glycines can be viewed as amino acids. This would make glyphosate a glycine analogue. The evidence presented by Samsel and Seneff lead you to believe that indeed glyphosate’s deleterious biological effects may  largely be due to it being an analogue for glycine.

Basics of how this works in plants:

Glyphosate disrupts chlorophyll synthesis in plants – the main reason is probably due to it’s inhibition of omega aminolevulinic acid synthesis. Aminolevulinic acid synthesis is the rate limiting step in the synthesis of the pyrrole ring. There is also the added disruption of the shikimate pathway. It is thought that Glyphosate competes with glycine and with succinyl coenzyme A for aminolevulinic acid synthesis.

Specifics of what glyphosate does biologically in mammals that supports it being a glycine analogue:

Glyphosate has been shown to activate NMDA receptors in rat hippocampus. (Thought in part to be due to it acting like glycine.)

Over expression of glutamate is induced by glyphosate.

Glyphosate can suppress the growth of some tumor cells. This is probably due to its suppressing glycine synthesis.

It appears glyphosate is  interfering with glycine’s activity at cell receptors (as a substance that binds to that receptor and induces biological changes). It also appears to act as a substrate in the place of glycine and suppresses glycine synthesis. It appears it could be taken up in place of glycine in protein synthesis. This has been shown to happen with other analogues of amino acids. Although, not yet proven for glyphosate, the research should be undertaken to study this since other amino acid analogues have shown this behavior. There is some research on plant root microbiomes that points in the direction of possible glyphosate substitution of glycine based on the protein changes in the bacteria found on the roots of the plants.

With these basic ideas in mind, Samsel and Seneff reviewed research literature to see how glyphosate posing as glycine is correlated with and may be a causative factor in many of the diseases that are currently becoming epidemics on our planet since the advent of using RoundUp and other glyphosate containing herbicides.

Why we care about glycine

Samsel and Seneff give a brief statement on how glycine works in the body, but I want to expound on that just a bit here, so people will get an idea as to how important glycine is in our bodies.

• As a neurotransmitter, it is mostly thought to be inhibitory.

• It is a substrate for glutathione. Glutathione is made from three amino acids (glycine, L- cysteine and L-glutamine). Glutathione is very important for our biotransformational system (detox system).

• It is a substrate for heme which is an component of hemoglobin which is the main element of our red blood cells.

• It is a substrate for creatine which combines with phosphate in the body to make phosphocreatine or creatine phosphate which is found in muscle and serves as a storage of energy used for muscle contraction.

• It is a substrate for nucleic acids which as deoxynucleic acid and ribonucleic acid serve as carriers of information and are needed to synthesize proteins. 

• Glycine acts as a cell protecting antioxidant

• Glycine plays a part in regulation of the metabolism

• Samsel and Seneff point out that due to glycine's special properties, its most important role is as a residue in many proteins. Especially proteins that require flexibility and mobility such as cellular ion gates that need to open and close.

The destruction of glycine affects every gland, organ and tissue and thus pre-disposes life to mitochondrial dysfunction and disease. Any glycine analogue has the potential to also cause mitochondrial dysfunction and disease.

The Monsanto and Dupont carbon-14 radio-labeled studies show that the glycine analogs incorporate into every gland, organ and tissue at a molecular level. 

Considering the fact that glyphosate is an antibiotic and was originally patented as an antibiotic, we know it destroys our gut bacteria. I heard Samsel suggest that the mix of killing of our gut microbiome and its ability to chelate our minerals with the addition of posing as glycine is enough to create a "perfect storm".

I have to warn you that the rest of this article gets a bit more scientific. However, don’t let it stop you from reading it. I try to explain things as much as possible. Sometimes I just need to list scientific data though.

What happens if glyphosate substitutes as glycine in the body

For a starter all the things I just mentioned above that glycine is involved with will be altered and alteration is usually a bad thing. Our bodies are set up to use specific types of amino acids, not amino acid analogues that have slight differences.

Glyphosate research on animals using a single radio-labeled dose of glyphosate orally or intravenously, showed metabolites from glyphosate in the urine (This means the body transformed the glyphosate.), and radioactive CO2 was found in the expired air (shows that it was absorbed into the body and metabolized and part of it expired at CO2). Additionally it was found in all tissues, glands and organs. (Oh my goodness!)

They go on to talk about how glyphosate has been shown to bioaccumulate in other research performed on animals. They look at additional research on chickens, eggs, and goats as proof of this.

They then move on to looking at genetic damage. Yes, we are talking about damage to the blue print of our bodies, DNA. They explain the role of glycine here and how early research by Monsanto showed DNA damage in bone marrow of mice exposed to glyphosate.

They examine the association of glyphosate and obesity. The explain that a substitution of glyphosate for glycine in lipase can be at the root of obesity as well as adrenal insufficiency. They continue on through many disease processes explaining how specific substitutions can increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer. They note that insulin receptors can be effected by glyphosate posing as glycine, leading to a defective insulin receptor and ultimately diabetes.  They mention the role of glycine in hormonal releasing hormones, that are needed for proper thyroid and adrenal hormone release.

There is a section on how glyphosate may be involved in impaired cholesterol and fat metabolism. Although, the makers of statins would have you believe cholesterol and fat are evil, all your cells need good fats and cholesterol to function. You need cholesterol for hormones. You do not want to impair your natural ability to make healthy cholesterol and fats. They go into detail on hormone sensitive lipases necessary for lipid (fat) hydrolysis (breaking apart with water) and cholesterol ester hydrolysis. Hormone sensitive lipases are also necessary to release fatty acids from tissues for fuel. Hydrolase disruption leads to lipotoxic effects that can induce mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation amongst other things. They note that impaired hormone sensitive lipase function is linked to obesity, atherosclerosis and type two diabetes. 

Glyphosate has been linked to a new disease  of birds called ‘avian keratin disorder’ which is widespread in some parts of the United States and seems to be increased in areas of agricultural runoff. You see crossed beaks and other malformations in the birds. It is especially noted in chickadees who frequent bird feeders with sunflower seeds. (Are you purchasing the GMO sunflower seeds and feeding them to birds. If you are, all I can say is stop! Buy organic sunflower seeds as you can’t trust the rest of it.) Many of the other pesticides have been studied in regard to this disease issue and they do not seem to be the cause, but glyphosate has not been studied in relation to it. The reason Samsel and Sennef think glyphosate is implicated in the bird disease is that it is a disease of hyperkeratosis. It is thought that glyphosate is substituting for KEAP1, causing constitutive expression of Nrf2 leading to hyperkeratosis. If you want details, check out Samsel and Seneffs super duper research review.

Inflammation is a part of many if not most chronic disease processes. They go into a lengthy explanation of how glyphosate has been shown to cause acute inflammation.  They give the example of acute poisonings with glyphosate by Indian farmers who commit suicide by drinking glyphosate. They also go into a fascinating explanation of how it may be related to the fourth largest cause of death in the United States, which is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD. They support their reasoning with  Monsanto research that until recently, the EPA had kept sealed and away from the public. (Thanks to Anthony Samsel for his requests for these documents under the Freedom of Information Act we now know about this research.) Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are seen in people with more severe forms of COPD. Samsel and Seneff mention Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the very few microbes known to metabolize glyphosate and use it as a source of phosphorus.  Glyphosate is also known to disrupt normal bacterial activity leading to overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria. This could lead to a lack of healthy bacteria and increased Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  This would make me concerned about people with COPD eating or inhaling glyphosate. (OK, I am concerned about all of us really, not just the folks with COPD.) In fact it leads me to wonder if the rise in COPD has something to do with the vast amount of glyphosate being sprayed on our planet.

 Samsel and Seneff mention the fact that the USGS has found glyphosate to be present in our atmosphere and therefore people could be inhaling glyphosate directly into their lungs.  (I have written a prior article on inhalation of glyphosate.)  Glyphosate is sprayed heavily in cities as well as on conventional and GMO farms. Driving down the freeway or country road with your car window open in the spring can be a health hazard due to the heavy spraying and volatilization that goes on. Please read this article I wrote and check out the link to research showing glyphosate may be directly absorbed into the brain from the olfactory mucosa.)

And now back to their rocking article. We can’t leave out hypothyroidism. They explain how the substitution of glyphosate for glycine in the conserved CAGYC region of the beta-subunit of thyroid stimulating hormone could be taking place. They further note this could take place in adrenocorticotropic hormone also.

Next they talk about endothelia nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) which plays a variety of roles in our bodies. The family of NOS enzymes are important for vascular tone, insulin secretion, airway tone, and peristalsis as well as angiogenesis and neural development. They go into some lesser known theories expounded by researchers of how eNOS is acting in the body which are very interesting and I suggest you take a look at the original article for the details. They explain the necessity of glycine for eNOS  activity. They note that eNOS is not the only enzyme that contains a conserved N-terminal glycine that supports myristoylation. They mention a number of other important enzymes. If glyphosate is substituted for glycine on eNOS, depending on where it is replaced, it will either have an issue with producing sulfate or nitric oxide. They note that this could cause many effects such as anemia, a decreased supply of cholesterol sulfate to tissues, vascular constriction leading to hypertension. They also mention a substitution on iNOS could lead to impaired immunity.

They next examine neurodegenerative diseases and the relationship of glyphosate to Prion disease, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. (Remember that prion diseases are those new and scary diseases that we call Spongiform Encephalophathies and are due to misfolded proteins. In cows we call it “Mad Cow” or “Bovine spongiform encephalopathy. In  people it is called “Creutzfeld Jacob Disease”. In deer it is called “Wasting Disease”. They point out that Bovine spongiform encephalopathy first appeared in the United Kingdom in 1986 after glyphosate had been used to control weeds in the process of growing animal feed, for about ten years. This was the original appearance of this disease which is not usually discussed. We hear how it is spread from eating tissues from these diseased animals, but never is the original cause of this disease examined. Guess what Samsel and Seneff point out. That prion proteins contain lots of glycine. I bet you already guessed this.

Now they move onto Alzheimers. Samsel and Seneff point out that amyloid beta contains conserved glycines at two positions. They think that glyphosate takes the place of glycine here, increasing the solubility and preventing proteolysis. So ultimately they say that this substitution interferes with removal of residues 41 and 42 by gamma-seretase which damages the beta42 peptide. They also explain how the chelation of magnesium, copper, zinc and ferrous iron by glyphosate may be involved with amyloid formation. (Glyphosate chelates these minerals.) Now, don’t think they stop here. They go on to explore the binding of aluminum by glyphosate and the formation of fibrils that may be related to the neurofibrillary tangles of phosphorylated tau protein seen along with the amyloid beta plaques. Lastly they link Alheimers plaques and cataracts. It seems the same amyloid plaques seen in Alzheimer's brains are seen in cataracts. Hmmmm.  Monsanto found a link between rat exposure to glyphosate and cataracts. They go over this research.

If this was not enough, they next wade into the link between Parkinson’s disease, ALS and glyphosate. This is followed by information on glyphosate and microbes regarding glycine activity. They also mention glyphosates inherent toxicity to microbes. Many people don’t seem to know it was first patented as an antimicrobial agent. So, of course it damages the gut microbiome. However, Samsel and Seneff explore the fact that it disturbs the shikimate pathway in the microbes and  the other possible disruptions it may be involved with surrounding glycines relationship with the microbiome.

They additionally discuss the disruption of human tyrosine phosphatase vaccinia H1- related (VHR) which is found in high amounts in immune cells called T lymphocytes. VHR may play an important role in protection from HIV due to its expression in T-cells. VHR is disrupted by glyphosate. For full explanation of VHR and how it relates to HIV and glyphosate disruption of VHR, read their wonderful review.

They make a good case for glyphosate substitution in protoporphyrinogen oxidase leading to a non-genetic porphyria and the substitution in KEAP1 would enterfere with KEAPS’s ability to suppress the overexpression of Nrf2. This would lead to protoporphyrin-induced fatty liver disease, cholelithiasis and end stage liver disease and liver failure.

There has been an epidemic of kidney disease and kidney failure in agricultural workers around the world. This has been associated with glyphosate use and some countries have restricted its use due to the kidney failure associated with it. Samsel and Seneff explain how the tubular necrosis seen in the kidney is linked to simultaneous iron deficiency and iron toxicity due to defective uptake  from siderophores in the proximal tubes. They examine the details of glyphosate causing this, as well as how it may be involved in additional kidney damage as a glycine imposter.

We then come to the big cytochrome P450 effect.  Research on rats has shown glyphosate suppresses Cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver. They explain how glyphosate substitution of glycine in CYPs can cause mutations that enterfere with the proper folding and binding of the CYPs.  

Glycine is the most common amino acid in collagen. They point out that osteogenesis imperfecta is a disease wshere there is genetic mutations in collagen. These mutations are often due to substitutions for glycine. They go into a case of a child born with tryptophan substituted for glycine and how it caused the child to be born with numerous fractures at birth and many more after birth. He suffered from generalized osteoporosis. They think that random replacements of any of the glycines molecules in collagen with glyphosate would also disrupt the collagen structure leading to osteoporosis and increased bone fractures. The mention the “shaken Baby Syndrome” that may be relted to this as well as the fact that Osteoporosis has become a modern epidemic.

They go on to link non-hodgkin’s lymphoma and neural tube defects as well as autism to a glyphosate substitution for glycine. I will leave you in suspence and let you read about the lymphoma connection when you read their article.

Glyphosates ability to pass through the placental membrane to the fetus enables it to cause birth defects. Samsel and Seneff mention microcephaly, anencephaly, cleft palates and facial defects as an issue in areas where there is extensive use of glyphosate on crops in S. America. In Yakima Washington in an area where there has been extensive use of glyphosate to control waterway weeds, the number of anencephaly births are 4 times the national average. Samsel and Seneff mention research on zebrafish embryos where they used glyphosate to induce microcephaly in the zebrafish.

They provide extensive data on various studies regarding neural tube defects and how glyphosate disrupts folate production in plants and gut microbes. They also link glyphosate substitutions of glycine at multiple key points to neural tube defects, large ratios of grey matter to white matter in the brain (features of autism), and vanishing white matter disease. Their data is riveting.

This research article is a labor of love as is all the glyphosate reviews that Samsel and Seneff have offered up to the public. I am very thankful to them for the immense amount of time they have spent on this project and highly recommend you read all their research reviews on glyphosate and its relationship to various diseases.

Article on Inhaltion of Glyphosate Effecting the Brain

I reviewed the Samsel and Seneff first article on Glyphosate and CYP450 and you can find that synopsis here. Their full article is linked below also.

Samsel and Seneffs Review Articles

Glyphosates Suprresion of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome

Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance

 Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases III: Manganese, neurological diseases, and associated pathologies

 Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases IV: cancer and related pathologies

  Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases V: Amino acid analogue of glycine in diverse proteins