Letter from the Publisher

Whitaker Debunks Food and Diet Myths

Julian Whitaker, MD’s November 2018 issue of Health & Healing, a newsletter, headlined the issue with “Debunking Food and Diet Myths.” Whitaker’s monthly provides easy-to-understand writing palatable for the consumer. Much of what he writes about takes aim at big medicine. His clinic in southern California oftentimes recommends patients discontinue prescription medications thought to pose more risk than benefit. Dr. Whitaker is a dedicated nutritional interventionalist, advising healthy dietary and lifestyle change and use of supplementation. He is an advocate of doctors involved in integrative and functional medicine and has promoted chelation as a treatment for cardiovascular disease. However, some of the headlined myths he was debunking in the recent issue gave me pause—was he advocating for conventional dietitian menus or whole food nutrition?

Here is a listing of some of the food and diet myths his newsletter claimed to have been “debunked” that I hesitated to agree with:

1. “HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) is worse than sugar.”

2. “Carbohydrates make you fat.”

3. “Gluten should be avoided.”

4. “Fresh food is better than frozen.”

5. “Organic foods are more nutritious.”

6. “Processed foods are bad.”

7. “Microwaves kill nutrients in food.”

Other myths that had been debunked seemed more reasonable to me:

1. “Salt is bad for you.”

2. “Eggs raise cholesterol.”

3. “Saturated fat causes heart disease.”

4. “Chocolate causes acne.”

5. “Soy has no place in a healthy diet.”

6. “Diet soda helps with weight loss.”

7. “Turkey makes you sleepy.”

The chief concern I had with his myth-busting list was the tacit approval given to HFCS, a chemical that we are consuming in ever greater quantities in our processed foods and beverages. His two-paragraph explanation makes the point that the fructose in HFCS is not directly comparable to the fructose in fruit. The two do not have an identical effect on our metabolism and cellular functioning. The former is a chemical and must be considered as such physiologically while the latter isn’t. To treat a chemical and natural compound identically may be okay from the food manufacturer’s viewpoint, but it certainly is not from a nutritionist’s.

Furthermore, many health problems can be attributed to eating or drinking foods and beverages processed with HFCS.¹ We have greatly increased our consumption of HFCS while decreasing table sugar over the past thirty years. Food manufacturers found that using the liquid sweetener facilitated a much greater diversity of food products compared to using cane or beet sugar, not to mention a reduction in costs. Farmers benefited with the limitless growth and harvesting of genetically modified corn (GMO) needed to manufacture HFCS. Fructose, as compared to glucose, impairs the affinity of insulin for its cell receptor, causing metabolic dysfunctioning leading to pre-diabetes.

Nancy Appleton, PhD, has detailed in her articles and popular books, such as Lick the Sugar Habit, the deleterious effects of fructose. Fructose readily converts into fat, leading to excess circulating triglycerides and obesity. Daily consumption of HFCS damages cellular liver functioning and leads to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Other physiologic disturbances such as excess mineral losses and increased uric acid production have been observed with increased consumption. An increased risk of developing hypertension, heart and cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal permeability, and cancer have also been associated with its use. Some studies have found unacceptably higher amounts of mercury in the sweetener.

There is a definite difference between HFCS and table sugar. Excesses of both can cause the aforementioned pathology but the former is more damaging. Unfortunately, our diets now are laden with it.

“HFCS is worse than table sugar” is not a myth and has not been debunked.

1. Price, A. High fructose corn syrup dangers and healthy alternatives. Dr. Axe Food is Medicine. www.draxe.com. Sept. 29, 2016.

David Quig, PhD, on the Gastrointestinal Barrier System

How do we diagnose gastrointestinal permeability or, colloquially, leaky gut syndrome? Dr. David Quig, Vice President of Scientific Support at Doctor’s Data Laboratory, makes the case in this issue that the GI barrier system is complex—that there can be many different aspects of permeability allowing the unwelcome absorption of antigenic, inflammatory, and undigested foods, chemicals and microorganisms. Quig refers to the passage of these materials through the GI barrier as breaches. (One cannot help visualizing openings permitting easy access for invasive organisms or entry of toxic chemicals and metals.)

Assessment of gastrointestinal permeability is best accomplished with the comprehensive stool analysis. This laboratory test not only diagnoses “abnormal” bacterial dysbiosis but also determines “insufficiency dysbiosis” meaning that the “good” microorganisms needed for intact barrier functioning are missing and gut permeability ensues. Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, is critical for “microorganism-host cross-talk.” A low butyrate level will contribute significantly to leaky gut syndrome. Secretory IgA is a vital component of the mucus barrier; a low sIgA not only is a marker suggesting inadequate mucus in the mucosa but may represent overgrowth of Candida organisms. The stool analysis is a tool that we should implement more routinely in our practices.

Cover: Peter D’Adamo, ND, Invites Townsend Letter Readership to Use University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine’s Genomic Database

Doctor Peter D’Adamo is well known to our readership as well as health professionals and consumers through the US and internationally; he is the author of Eat Right 4 Your Type. While there has been criticism of his book, D’Adamo maintains that limiting the diet based on one’s blood type is a sound approach to one’s personal nutrition. His current work lies in the development of clinical “bioinformatics,” which may transform naturopathic diagnosis and treatment into precision medicine. He is distinguished professor of clinical medicine and bioinformatics at the Center of Excellence in Generative Medicine (COEGM) at the University of Bridgeport, College of Naturopathic Medicine. In August the COEGM released “Circuits” which he describes as “a gene-based open source platform combining genomic data in a variety of robust dimensions. Circuits is web-based, has an imaginative and intuitive user interface, and is free to use.” So, for readers seeking to know more about what their patient’s genetic testing means, it may be an invaluable tool to expand diagnostic and therapeutic understanding.

D’Adamo explains that the COEGM has been in partnership during the past five years with Datapunk Bioinformatics LLC. The collaboration has led to development of “computational tools for precision medicine using generative-based algorithms.” These include the proprietary “genomic development platform, Opus23” as well the “analytic modules, Utopia, for the microbiome, and Icarus, for the metabolome.” These computational databases are open- source and without charge, enabling practitioners and public to use them for research and clinical exploration.

D’Adamo encourages readers to “surf Circuits and explore target genes that seem more interesting.” As he was the primary individual who coded it, he is planning to expand the platform to permit exploring microbiota data to optimize organism applications and therapeutics. He looks forward to hearing about reader investigations using Circuits.

Jonathan Collin, MD