Up to 59% of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) experience
Brenda Golianu, MD, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine
significant pain and discomfort that may decrease their quality of life. The research we are conducting at Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, generously funded by the Tracie Lawlor Trust for CF, is investigating whether acupuncture can help teens and young adults with CF improve their pain and sleep. Our overall goal is to determine if acupuncture is a safe, feasible and effective integrative medicine approach that may improve CF patients’ pain and quality of life.
We, Dr. Brenda Golianu, an anesthesiologist, and Dr. Ann Ming Yeh, a gastroenterologist, are leading this pilot study, with a larger cross-disciplinary team. We are both physicians and certified medical acupuncturists, and have completed fellowships in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Medical acupuncture has been used for many years to help alleviate chronic pain in various parts of the body. However, few studies have been conducted to examine the efficacy of medical acupuncture in reducing the pain or other symptoms of discomfort experienced by teens and young adults with CF.
We are investigating whether a regimen of one medical acupuncture treatment per week for four weeks could be effective in improving young CF patients’ pain, sleep, and quality of life. Using a randomized placebo-controlled crossover study design, study participants were assigned to initially receive either traditional medical acupuncture or sham (pretend) acupuncture. After the first cycle of true or sham treatment, the patients had a 2-week waiting period. Then those who had received sham acupuncture received true acupuncture, and those who had received true acupuncture received sham acupuncture. Thus, all participants had a chance to benefit from the therapeutic approach.
To help us determine acupuncture’s efficacy in improving CF patients’ pain, we measured each participant’s pain before and after each treatment and on each day of the study between treatments. We also measured participants’ sleep duration and sleep quality. To more broadly evaluate important quality of life measures, such as fatigue and energy level, we used the Cystic Fibrosis Quality of Life Questionnaire. We are now in the data analysis phase and anticipate our pilot study’s completion at the end of summer. We greatly appreciate the support of the Tracie Lawlor Trust for CF and its many wonderful supporters and hope our work will contribute to the well-being of young people with CF.
Ann Ming Yeh, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics–Gastroenterology
*The opinion(s) expressed herein are the sole opinion of the author are not necessarily the opinion(s) of the Tracie Lawlor Trust. Always consult your physician and healthcare team before making any changes to your medical regime. For information purposes only not to be considered medical advice. Please see Disclaimer
– See more at: http://www.tracielawlortrust.com/category/complementary-intergrated-medicine/#sthash.lRiauVIk.dpuf
*Sam’s journey toward CF complementary and integrative medicine is told here in her own words, be sure to check out her blog for more updates and news http://dutchmagicfactory.blogspot.ie/ We at the TLT4CF are grateful for Sam for letting us share her story to inspire other parents to empower themselves with knowledge and work together and you never know…. 🙂
How it all began
J was born through a C-section and was fed formula from birth as I was unable to breast feed due to complications and a large amount of antibiotics I was receiving. During this period J was progressing fine weighing about 8 kg and then at 6 months we changed formula and almost immediately he began to lose weight, began getting regular colds and general running nose, along with diarrhoea, his doctors prescribed him asthma medication and allergy meds but still his weight was not maintained.
Sam
After about the year mark finally he reached his original 8kg again. I switched to Soy Formula and he gained 2 kilos within the month, I noted his airways started to clear, his runny nose decreased and amazingly we were able to stop all asthma and allergy meds. I personally had suspected a food allergy to the other cow’s milk based formula and I began to cautiously add regular foods. The less soy he was getting the more we began to notice strange smelly diapers or oily stools with orange spots and they just looked very strange, nothing I’d ever seen before. Of course I immediately searched the net and consistently came across Cystic Fibrosis which began to ring alarm bells so I brought J to visit our paediatrician where a blood sample was taken for CF mutations and a stool sample test was done for Giardia infection (an infection known to cause malabsorption).
The Giardia tests came back positive and I was for the moment relieved, in a way to hear it wasn’t CF and just treatable infection. After some time visiting J’s doctor for a check-up to see if the Giardia infection had cleared, the test results were back on the CF mutations. Only one mutation had shown in the test (delF508) and I was told if no clinical symptoms of CF were present, then further testing was not needed. At that moment I was somewhat relieved but also confused could he still have CF? At the time my knowledge of CF was sparse and I began (again) to search on the internet to find out all I could. I found common symptoms J had such as salty skin and sweat crystals in his side burns after all the heat as we lived in Aruba at the time. It appeared to be sand but on further inspection they were actually salt crystals. The paediatrician thought it not necessary to do further testing, but I still had a mother’s instinct that something just wasn’t right and I needed to be sure, so we made an appointment in Miami Children’s Hospital for further testing, where we then learned that J had CF… He was two years old at the time.
Genistein
We were in shock and devastated and like all parents. I went through a range of emotions: fear, anger, despair but quickly I decided the best route was to learn all I could about this disease and try as to the best of my ability to keep my son as happy and healthy as possible until some kind of medication would become available.
I took in information on his genetics learning he had a “gating” mutation of S1251N and another common mutation delF508. I made a conscious decision to keep an open mind to all possibilities, to learn and garner all the knowledge I could and maybe I could put something together, after all knowledge is power but an open mind to this knowledge is even more powerful!
I began to rack my brains on what had helped J over the years so far to keep him well or improve him when he had gone through a bad patch, one notable thing was the soy formula (Nutrilon brand). So I began to investigate further, what was in there that could help so much? What made him so healthy and gain weight within that month we switched? Then I read about Genistein and CF and it was almost one of my eureka moments where in my mind it was clear this must have had an effect and I began to give him Genistein, in the form of a food supplement.
Curcumin
Further hours of research I came across Curcumin for CF and taking the safety profile of any supplement I gave J into consideration, I added this to his regime. We mixed Curcumin and Genistein everyday with applesauce and added his enzymes, which he was not a huge fan of the taste but he took it for us.
Sam & J
In 2012 the Curcumin the manufacturer changed the packaging of the brand of Curcumin we always bought and I accidentally and unknowingly ordered the wrong Curcumin which contained no piperine (a black pepper extract added to enhance absorption, thereby making Curcumin more bio-available). Within a day or two J’s stools were very bad and we had no idea why. We racked our brains and went through everything from his food, enzymes to the timing of his enzymes and even increasing them but nothing we tried worked over the next few weeks, until one day we gave a second capsule of Curcumin and the stools improved within the day. At the time we were certain Curcumin was doing wonderful things for him. It wasn’t until three months later (I know for all my observational skills this one slipped!), I was facing the packaging and while eating a bowl of cereal I decided to read the packaging (as you do) and I suddenly noted that the capsules we had been using had no piperine with the Curcumin!
Almost immediately when he was back on the Curcumin with piperine things improved tremendously and we were more reassured that this combo was doing something for him. We noted something new happening which was a “wet cough” which we thought had to get treated with antibiotics and it made us wonder if for the period he didn’t have piperine with Curcumin did this leave him susceptible to infection? Or it may just have being coincidence but over time and through my blog I’ve learned from others taking and giving the combo of Curcumin and Genistein that they too reported a typical “wet cough” with every typical dose increase, which may be caused by better hydration of the lungs and perhaps a balance of the CFTR within the lung? Thankfully it also subsides within a few days or weeks depending on the amount of increase or the amount of “old mucous” the particular CF patient has to clear from their lungs. To my amazement and strangely the only journal I have a subscription to published an article of the synergistic potentiating effect of the combo by TC Hwang, which again reaffirmed my belief that this was the way forward. Of course this was in G551D mutation not the S1251N that J has but by that time, I’d done enough research to understand that the S1251N defect is similar to G551D and likely the combo would work well for S1251N mutation also.
We have noticed that dissolving Curcumin in hot (soy) milk improves absorption. We microwave about 30ml to boiling point, take it out of the microwave, open one Curcumin capsule, poor it into the milk. Stir, strain a few times, and stir some more until all is dissolved, than mix it into 200ml of chocolate milk (hot or cold). If a seven year old drinks it without complaints, it must be palatable for most everyone. Another idea might be dissolving Curcumin in a cup of hot soup. But this pre-dissolving is not necessary. Just taking a little more Curcumin would give you the same added effect.
Results –!!! —!!!
Finally the results so far are amazing!!
All the family
The latest sweat test came back at 59mmol/L!! We’re below the magic 60!
How the sweat test is used for diagnosis of CF:
Less than 40 = no CF
Between 40 and 60 = inconclusive
More than 60 = CF
Our sweat test history:
At diagnosis in Nov 2008: 118mmol/L (no Curcumin or Genistein)
May 2013: 90mmol/L (1000 mg Curcumin and 50 mg Genistein)
Feb 2014: 59mmol/L (3600 mg Curcumin and 150 mg Genistein)
Some might think a drop in sweat chloride levels could be a coincidence or something that can happen spontaneously. It doesn’t. I did not pay attention in Statistics class on how to calculate the chance that this is a coincidence, but if I’d had to guess it would be p=0.000andalotmorezeros1. This doesn’t just ‘happen’ in CF. Below are some graphs from scientific research articles on the new medication (Kalydeco/VX770)) for CF that corrects the underlying defect. You’ll see that the drop in sweat chloride we have found (minus 59mmol/L) is even greater than what is seen on 150mg of Kalydeco. (Please note that the drop from 118 to 59, is coincidentally the same as the absolute result of the sweat test, which is also 59)
All in all, it’s completely experimental. Yes, there is scientific evidence it works in a laboratory setting (‘in vitro’) and on living human cells (‘ex vivo’), but we absolutely don’t know what happens in the CF body (‘in vivo’) after taking this combination of supplements. There is nothing I can say about safety, except for my son taking no more than the daily recommended dose of both supplements (adjusted for his weight) for the last 5 years and noticing no ill effects. Only recently, after discovering the fact that Curcumin and Genistein can really can correct the underlying defect in CFTR function, we have gone up to a much higher dose, while keeping a close eye on J for any side effects.
What else do we do?
Of course we don’t solely rely on a single thing to keep J healthy we also do multiple other things such as a no shoe policy in the house and a laughing policy!! Big belly laughs as much and as often as we can!
We don’t do physical therapy or airway clearance we prefer to do lots of exercise as a family and have a trampoline outside, along with many other toys which we all play with, all of which involve active participation and when it’s cold out we have the X-box kinect for indoor exercise with lots of encouragement and activity that involve movement and breaking a sweat! We also had a mattress upstairs in J’s bedroom we would all jump around and dance like a mad house to music for hours but once we noticed the ceiling below the room cracking we thought we better all stop jumping in the same spot, just in case! All in all we believe our healthy lifestyle and eating habits play another large role in keeping J healthy and of course the whole family. In a sense we all learned and benefit from the disease in a way…
Sam
The most fantastic news has just come in! We have received funding for a clinical trial with Curcumin and Genistein for S125N patients in Holland! I am proud to be able to tell you that as ‘the spiritual mother’ of this supplement combination (that’s what they called me…), I have been invited to become a member of the Patients’ Advisory Board of the trial alongside a number of the specialists (adult and paediatric) and a representative of the Dutch CF Foundation. Of course this story is ‘to be continued’ when the results are in! Fingers crossed it will show the same efficacy for other patients as it done for J!
If anyone has tried, or is going to try these supplements, I would love to hear from you! Please send me an e-mail at curcumingenistein@yahoo.com
*The opinion(s) expressed herein are the sole opinion of the author are not necessarily the opinion(s) of the Tracie Lawlor Trust. Always consult your physician and healthcare team before making any changes to your medical regime. For information purposes only not to be considered medical advice. Please see disclaimer
Mika, a 26 year old ecologist and student of herbalism shares in her own words, her journey with Cystic Fibrosis and integrative medicine.
In many ways, CF has been a great gift, though one with many struggles and hardships. I have gained so much intellectually and spiritually from this disease, and there is no question that it has given me the motivation to live my life to the absolute fullest. This life may be short, but I am going to make the most of it!
– Mika –
Hello there! My name is Mika. I am 26 years old and live in Vermont (in the U.S. … kinda). I have Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and was diagnosed right after birth via a meconium ileus surgery and subsequent sweat test. So CF has been a part of my reality since my beginning. Although CF has been challenging and frightening at times, I am so grateful for the lessons it has taught me, and continues to teach me. I have been profoundly deepened and humbled by my experiences with this disease, and have become a wiser, more insightful person as a result. I have never “fought” CF. Why would I fight a natural aspect of myself? I strive to understand why I was given this challenge, and to learn these lessons as best I can so that I may share my discoveries with others. I struggle to survive day to day, yet I am all the stronger for it.
My journey towards empowerment has been long with many obstacles and switchbacks, yet I finally found the healing path that I am on now. I began to walk this path in earnest at age 24, after a frightening bout of hemoptysis triggered an awakening of sorts. I realized that although I had been “compliant” and even pro-active with my health for my entire life, my mental world had been stuck in victim-hood. I had given my power away to the modern Western medical institution. Without being consciously aware of it, I had believed that if I was to be healed, helped, or cured, it could only come from this institution; and if this institution could not provide me answers, then none existed. My awakening shattered this paradigm that I had been drowning in. The institution I had given my power away to began to run out of answers. What they offered was not enough. It was no longer working for me. So I took my power back and invested it in myself – my true healer. Amazing things began to happen then.
The first part of this journey related to a rediscovery of the necessity of exercise. I had been an active and athletic kid, but starting in college, exercise and sports took a back seat to my academics and my blossoming career in environmental policy. After my awakening, exercise became the foundation of my treatment plan. Being outside in nature is my favorite way to exercise, and it serves another and arguably more important purpose – it is also how I experience the spiritual aspects of the world. I spend at least an hour in the woods everyday, come rain, snow, sun, or bitter cold (and we have plenty of that in Vermont). Hiking keeps my lungs clear and my mind centered. I also began jogging occasionally and taking yoga classes regularly. Becoming very strict about exercising everyday has improved my life immensely. Although my FEV1 has declined in the last few years, my physical endurance, strength, and energy levels have dramatically improved. I can do more with less lung capacity because my muscles are so much stronger and more efficient with the energy and oxygen that they receive. I now pay less attention to the test results (which only measure a small aspect of my overall lung health) and more attention to how I feel and what I can accomplish. This has made me feel so much more empowered and in control of my own life. It has done wonders for my mental and spiritual health!
Mika practicing Yoga on her sister's farm
The second part of my journey was an exploration of and experimentation with different healing arts and health practitioners. Through much trial and error, I finally discovered a handful of highly skilled health practitioners in my area and most of them are covered by my state health insurance (Vermont is the best). I currently see a Doctor of Osteopathy who also performs cranial-sacral energy healing, an herbalist who is now also my professor, a network-chiropractor, and an incredible acupuncturist. I feel extremely blessed to have landed in a town overflowing with exceedingly talented complementary practitioners. It seems I was drawn here for many reasons.
A third aspect of my healing journey has been diet, and much of my website (www.cfnaturalhealth.weebly.com) is dedicated to my research and experiences with nutrition. I’ve devoted most of the last year and a half to the very close study of nutrition from a variety of different perspectives (from macrobiotic to Paleo, and lots in between). I have found a diet that works pretty well for me, yet I am constantly tweaking it as I make new discoveries and as my disease symptoms change. I control my CF-related digestive problems and my diabetes very well with my diet, and thoroughly understand the connections between my gut, my lungs, and my immune system. I am constantly scanning the latest scientific research on nutrition, as well as perusing many nutrition/Ancestral health websites, and reading many books on topics ranging from digestive health to Chinese Medicine to evolutionary biology. Health research and education is my passion and my calling. It is my goal to cultivate a deep and holistic understanding of how nutrition relates to all disease (including CF) and how to use food as medicine. The nutritional advice given to us by our CF clinics is often scientifically outdated, inappropriately dogmatic, incredibly reductionist, and can be very harmful. With my website, I strive to provide the CF community with an alternative source of nutrition and health information based on the latest scientific research, ancient healing wisdom, and personal experience. I also have begun to lecture on nutrition, digestive health, and herbalism at conferences and food coops in Vermont.
The most recent leg of my journey has been experimentation with and research on supplements and herbs for the treatment of the many complex facets of my cystic fibrosis. To deepen my knowledge of these issues in a more structured educational environment, I decided to study at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. I find it quite funny (and also totally revolutionary) that I declined admission to graduate school at the Yale School of Forestry to instead enroll in herbalism school! And I am so happy with my decision! Recently I have made some incredible improvements in my health using inhaled essential oils to combat my MRSA and Pseudomonas lung infections. I am continually reading through clinical research and talking with other smart CF revolutionaries about the latest herbal and nutraceutical experiments folks are trying. It is such an exciting time to be a CFer!
Living with CF is difficult, and often painful and frustrating, yet it is an undeniable part of my destiny; it is a central part of my role on earth and my spiritual path. I am following my dreams, making exciting discoveries, improving my health, and helping people along the way. What more could I ask for? 🙂
From doing tai chi I have noticed many things that have changed in my life and in my body and mind. The most important is that I have become more aware of my breath and breath deeper then I would have previous. My body is much stronger arms, legs, core, shoulders, and chest. From a physical point of view, having a stronger upper body helps when I get chest infections and a lot of coughing. The muscles get less sore as they are used to being worked. I am learning to live in the moment especially in times of stress like when I get an exacerbation. It helps with dealing with stress and also to slow down in my life where is not needed. I am taking the lessons from class and bringing them into my life when needed. It is a working progress but I know the knowledge is there whether I choose to use it or not!
When I get run down or sick I’ve noticed my body fights it much quicker and my recovery time is shortened so my immune system is stronger than ever. When I get a cold it doesn’t necessarily go onto my chest now so I don’t have as many antibiotics. Since my late teens, I get tired a lot of the time but I have noticed that the more I practice the more alive I feel and the more energy I have for doing more in my life and get through a day or night out with friends.
*How do you think tai chi has helped you to manage your CF?*
The major thing I have noticed is that my immune system is much stronger. I fight colds, sinus infections and chest infections much better and quicker. I haven’t had a chest infection in a year thankfully. It also helps with my digestion. I have CF related bowel disease and IBS that in the last 6 years has been crippling. Over the last 12 months I have increased my tai chi practice and I’ve literally had half the bouts of blockages. Can I put it down to tai chi alone? Probably not but I do believe it’s a factor. In relation to stress in my life, by practicing and reducing the stress and getting the parasympathetic nervous system into play, it helps my body to calm down and relax. This then aids my bowel and reduces the chance of an IBS episode and leading to blockages.
*Overall do you feel this has helped improve your mental health? *
As far as mental health goes, I am still learning and gaining the benefits of tai chi. It is a great calming tool. A huge struggle in my life would be accepting my limitations and the feeling self worth. Tai chi is teaching me acceptance in my Tai chi practice what I am and am not able to do right now. I am bringing this lesson into my life to help me accept my situation, my illness and my life. I made a choice not to work the last few years to get my health on track. I struggle every day with guilt of my choice and what is my purpose without a job to go to? We are programmed to work to live and I have always been involved in society, school and college. To suddenly stop after that is a shock to the system. I think that society has expectations of a person and a job or lack of does play a part in people’s perception of an individual. I am learning to accept that I have limitations in my condition and it is okay to be where I am. People work their entire lives and would do anything to be in my position of not working. So I pull myself back to how fortunate I am and see that my quality of life is much better.
In times of being unwell or feeling a bit down in the dumps or stressed like we all do, I practice my tai chi or even practice it in my head. It is a great calming tool. It is like mediation the way it clears your mind and brings you into the here and now. Life is tough for everyone no matter if they have an illness or not so we need tools to give us perspective or get us through a rough day. That is what Tai Chi does for me.
*Was it difficult to learn?*
Tai chi is not difficult but it is an art. It is something that if you want you can progress through your whole life. For example I have been doing the 24 yang style now since I began and every time I do it I learn something new. Whether it’s a style thing or becoming aware of something different like foot work or hands position or using more waist/dentine to drive you.
It could take a year to learn one form and you build on it and improve on it over time. E.g. learning to use your waist more. Once you become comfortable with it and can do it without thinking that’s when it really deepens and you begin to feel the energy flowing and the full benefits. (In my experience) Once you have learned the basics you learn more forms but it’s NOT a race. Even outside of forms there are different basics and exercises which are as enjoyable that do not take long to learn and are as beneficial.E.g. silk reeling.
*Was it easy to integrative into your current regime?*
With tai chi you need no equipment bar a room that has enough room or outdoor space to move around in. that is a huge plus!
It is easy to work into daily routine as you can do as much or as little as you want. You can do a full form (yang 24 takes just over 6 mins) you can chose a part of the form to work on, you can spend hours doing whatever forms and exercises you want , it’s down to how you are feeling on the day. You can do it anywhere too so even if you’re out for a walk on a beach or park, sure you can just takes a few minutes to relax and do some.
*Do you think others could benefit from its use?*
I have met many people in the last 4 years and I am one of the only ones with a chronic illness. It is for everyone any age in every walk of life. Whether you struggle with coping with stresses in your life, if you have emotional problems, if you have an illness or complaint, if you want to do light exercise or if you simply want to learn a new art form. It is enjoyable, beautiful and hugely beneficial. I cannot imagine my life without it in it.
Ava Li was diagnosed in 2008, a week before I turned 40. She was our first and only child and although the news broke our hearts at the time, there was some element of relief to know that we had been correct all along in feeling that something was awry. Because there was no new born screening in Ireland then (it has since been introduced); she was 14 months old at her diagnosis. In those 14 months we had been in A&E twice; she had been on several courses of antibiotics and once we had been sent home by a ‘relief’ doctor with a pat on the head and told to buy a honey and lemon mixture to ease her cough.
I had always been a firm believer in alternative remedies and whilst I was content to give the first couple of antibiotics I got increasingly upset when I saw they were not working and I felt they were potentially damaging her young immune system.I recall introducing Vitamins C and D and probiotics and noting a marked improvement in her health during that time. However, when the diagnosis came, I was shocked into doing everything the doctors said and because I knew very little about cystic fibrosis in the early days, I looked to them entirely for guidance and answers.
However, in the following 16 months, I felt increasingly powerless and depressed; Ava Li was hospitalised twice with a total of three different sets of IVs and she was prescribed a further ten courses of heavy strength antibiotics for infections of varying grades. Breaking point for me was the tenth antibiotic course which was for – as I discovered midway through the course – a scanty growth of staph aureus. At that point I realised I could not continue on the path we were on. I felt that her immune system had to be capable of and allowed to fight some battles itself, and I realised I could not put her health entirely into the hands of prescribed antibiotics.I had read, researched and cross examined all information relating to cf I could get my hands on. I realised that I had to regain control of my child’s health and steer a different course for our family. I would gratefully accept modern medicine at appropriate times, whilst utilising the generations of natural medicine, therapies and knowledge that had always been my basic instinct.
From the moment I made that conscious decision our lives changed for the better. I felt empowered and alive again. I reintroduced various vitamins, minerals and supplements that I would have used previously, I researched dosage, I googled cf with the words ‘good news’ attached, instead of ‘life expectancy’ or ‘severe mutations.’ I made contact with scientists who ha
Lou and Ava Li
d done research on various promising therapies e.g. silver and glutathione. I worked intuitively again and believed in my ability to make a positive difference.
Following these initial changes, Ava Li remained off antibiotics for 10 months until evidence of infection showed up on a chest x-ray. She was then antibiotic free for a further 23 months until a scanty growth of pseudomonas and, is currently 11 months hale and healthy. I usually dislike discussing or comparing periods without antibiotics as I understand everybody is different and nothing is certain or guaranteed – everything can change.I use it here purely to display what I firmly believe was the difference my approach and attitude had on our daughter’s health and outlook.
The specific changes I made at that time are as follows:
Diet: I began daily juicing organic fruit and vegetables, included daily portions of raw, unprocessed food, kept sugar intake to a minimum and removed most dairy (we still do limited amounts and try to veer towards goat dairy whenever possible).
Supplements: we added daily Vit C, D, selenium, probiotics and glutathione.
Exercise: We make a huge effort to incorporate elements of fun exercise. Currently Ava Li has running, swimming, dance and dog walking incorporated into her week!
Attitude: This is arguably the most vital element of all for me. I believe we are truly lucky and have an immense debt of gratitude. I also believe that we have control over our bodies, minds and health. It is not that I think we will not suffer or become ill at times. Rather, it is a belief that we have more ability to deal with those challenges that we often give ourselves credit for, and that our physical, emotional and spiritual bodies have an immense healing capacity which we need to nurture and develop.
Of course I still have times of worry, doubt and anxiety, but I attempt to recognise those times as a human condition rather than weaknesses!I gratefully recognise western medicine and the benefits and advances it brings to our world. However, I also feel that western medicine owes much of its foundations and many future endeavours to nature, yet it often displays little respect or awareness of this and is too often solely profit driven. In Karmic terms alone this can’t continue; it is not possible to continually take from one source and repay with disrespect and self-serving greed. It is therefore unthinkable for me to allow my daughter’s future to be entirely in the hands of western medicine.
I truly believe that as a global community we need to begin to see the natural healing and life giving properties of our universe, and ourselves, and gratefully recognise the benefits that a holistic approach to health and living brings.
I believe that by raising our daughter with a healthy awareness, empathy and respect towards all living things, she will be well armed to rise to whatever challenges she may meet along her path.
I see her as a strong and healthy child. I make a conscious effort to believe in the power of myself; so that she can believe in the power of herself.
This story was kindly re-published with the consent of our Uk friends at http://dearcf.com/. Louise Byrne has authored two books specifically for children with Cystic Fibrosis, in particluar she has received notable media attention from her book “Can you see what I see?”, which she decidated to her mother, a book that no doubt encapulates Louise’s own ‘Zen’ positive philosophy. Read more on her book here! The information contained herein is for information purposes only and is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your doctor or healthcare professional before making any changes to your medical regime. Notice Disclaimer
So my life began much like anybody else on Aug 5th 1980. I am the youngest of 4 siblings. My parent had me vaccinated at 6 months old for measles, mumps & rubella. Everything changed from that point on. I became ill, very ill. Hospitalised for 3 months, they diagnosed me with Cystic Fibrosis. Doctors said I would not make it through the night, then Sr Carmel blessed me with Holy water from Lourdes. I was Baptised, Confirmed & given the last rights all at once by Fr Doherty. Enter the first miracle of my life!! Over night I was sitting up & smiling for the first time since becoming sick. the doctors told my parent to go place bet’s at the races because they had never seen anything like this before!
From this time on was the usual routine of colds & flu, medications & hospital admissions most children with CF have to endure. I was not a mild case. Until the age of three, when my mother finally thought to herself, ‘there has to be a better way??’. Then her journey of research started. She learnt the impact of diet and how much of a difference it can make. She looked at the hospital CF diet which consisted of high sugar, bad fats, bad salt, processed foods, lollies, lots of dairy all in the name of calories. Which was meant to equate to weight gain. However she noticed the more patients at these foods, the more enzymes they needed, the more sick they became. She decided to take another course and put me on a modified macrobiotic diet. When I say modified I was allowed a limited amount of chicken, rye bread, yogurt, carrot and apple juice, these are not things that are usually allowed in macrobiotic protocol, but given I have CF (and not Japanese!), it needed to be adjusted.
Guess what? It worked!! From the age of 3 to 15 I was hospital free!! I lived a very normal life & had a happy childhood. I didn’t even hear the words ‘Cystic Fibrosis’ until I was a teen! For this childhood I am forever grateful (I just thought my mum was full on about diet! haha!).
Integrative medicines played a major role in keeping me out of hospital, normal weight, on minimal enzymes, normal appetite and cough free. I think I must have consulted with every integrative doctor in Adelaide, but some of the things that really made a difference growing up are as follows (I hope I haven’t missed anything!): Vitamin C – oral & IV’s Garlic – Oil caps, Kyolic Garlic liquid & cooked in every main meal! Zinc – immune booster & responsible for many digestive enzymes Vitamin A – In very high doses to thin mucus & help mucus membranes Vitamin E – Protects lungs from oxidative damage Vit D – helps calcium absorption & assists with maintaining good lung function Selenium – maintain elasticity of the lungs Cod liver oil – essential fatty acids (I have since replaced with flax oil which helps the respiratory enzymes function) Probiotics – maintained healthy digestion & strong immunity B Vitamins – for energy & appetite Herbs Juices!!!!
*Note all the supplements I took and Take are all natural, never synthetic
Another important factor that kept me well was keeping active. I never did formal physio (percussion, pep, nebulizers etc. until the age of 15). I had no chronic cough because I was always active and on a diet that was made to reduce and move mucus, this is how I kept my lungs clear. I was always outside, like Forrest Gump… ‘I was running’! Ocean swimming tennis netball soft ball walking my dog table tennis gardening trampolining golf sailing bike riding running badminton trail riding (horse riding) bush walking I was not allowed to watch TV much at all, so this was a good way to get me thinking outside the box! (pardon the pun!)
Unfortunately when I was 16 things took an abrupt turn for the worse. A combination of a family crisis/stress and I caught a killer virus (it was an really bad flu season that year) it hit me HARD. I ended up with pneumonia, in intensive care. I flat lined, I remember feeling my body floating above me and I was thinking, praying ‘no no no no no, please God I don’t want to die now’, suddenly a surge of energy came back into me and the heart monitor started beeping again… second miracle! As a result of this bought I was told that I should be listed for a double lung, heart and liver transplant.
Say what?! NO!!!! It was all they could offer me at that point, so in my mind I had one of two choices, ‘roll the dice’ so to speak and go to an integrative hospital in Mexico or have these transplants?… hmmmm. Nothing could be scarier at that age tan to make this choice. But I said to my parents I would rather die trying than go through the transplants.
Hospitals sacred me. I looked around at what they had to offer, the life they offered. I saw the ultimate end. It was not for me, I didn’t want to live that way (particularly since I had experienced a life without hospitals, I wasn’t prepared to give that up so easily) I am a long term thinker!! I also was not prepared to give up on the dream of having my own family some day, this and the love of my parents, were the motivation behind all the effort I put in over the next five years.
In this five year period I went to Mexico four times, Brazil twice and through Europe once, on physical and spiritual journeys to heal my body and Soul. To the do the Gerson therapy hospital I went four times. This therapy single handedly saved my life at the time, and my organs! But it was tough, certainly not for everyone. I did it full time, sacrificed my life to it. Much like an athlete, I dedicated all my time into getting better. During this period I also kick a four year, drug resistant infection I caught in hospital; MRSA and Aspergillus at Dr Bradford’s hospital in mexico.
In 2004 I was married to the man of my dreams, we have had four sons together; Charles 8, Marcel 6, Gabriel 4 and Sebastian 2. All natural conceptions, full term, natural births (Sebastian was even breech! and yes, I caved and had an epidural with him which was THE best birth choice I ever made! haha! The other births were full on! No pain relief at all.. Never again!). Our boys are all happy and healthy, no CF.
For me, I have no regrets, only gratitude and hope, for the life I have and still lead using integrative and nutritional therapies as the foundation to my well being. It’s freed me mentally, emotionally and physically from the fears that CF can cause. Of course I have bad days, CF is a challenge. I still need medications now too, Kalydeco has brought a relief like nothing else, but fundamentally, you cannot stay well long term if you only rely on drugs and bad diets. Somethings gotta give! It’s all about balance and hopefully it is more heavy on the natural side than the artificial side.. because after all, we are natural beings CF or not! I wish you the very best of health to you! Never give up!! xo
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Faye, a 32 year old mother blogs regular columns on her site http://cfmudda.blogspot.ie/ where she shares her journey and experience using integrative medicine, it is a massive resource full of life and insite from a highly experienced Cystic Fibrosis patient, we at the TLT4CF are very grateful to Faye for sharing her journey with us and allowing publication. Please note always consult your doctor or healthcare professional before making any changes to your medical regime, for information purposes only see disclaimer
As a 20 year old CF sufferer, I have spent my fair share of time in and out of hospitals from a young age. I was diagnosed, later than normal, at the age of 5. I was wrongly diagnosed with asthma by my GP at the age of 3 and attended an asthma clinic until further tests were done to rule out other conditions and unluckily my sweat test came back positive for Cystic Fibrosis. It was obviously a shock to my parents as I was a very healthy child. I never had any problems with my digestive system or gaining weight and I never needed pancreatic enzymes. My only problem was my lungs which got infections every few months.
Like any other child with CF, I didn’t understand it at first. I knew I had to take nebulisers and tablets everyday but of course I didn’t really know why. I hold my hands up and say I sometimes wasn’t always as compliant as I should have been. By the time I reached my teenage years I only ever had two admissions for IV antibiotics so I was doing pretty well. When I reached 15 I noticed some changes in my CF. I was struggling to go to school regularly and my breathing was getting worse by the day it seemed. Eventually, after my Junior Cert, I hit a brick wall and I was admitted into hospital for IV antibiotics. Three days into my admission I suffered a very severe pneumothorax (collapsed lung). It was a medical emergency as the air in my chest built up so quickly that I didn’t make it to the operating theatre on time so my consultant had to make an incision in my chest wall while I was in my hospital bed. I ended up having 3 chest drains and 3 pleuradesis procedures to mend my lung. I ended up spending nearly 4 months in hospital, 2 of which were spent in the ICU. My health was at rock bottom and I had shrunk down from 9st to a tiny 6st.
After seeing the reality of CF and what it can do to you if it’s not properly managed was a serious wake-up call. I became extremely compliant with all my medications and did my physiotherapy regularly. It was very hard to start from square one. I went from having 70% lung function to 28% and I had also gone from being pancreatic sufficient to insufficient so I was started on Creon enzymes. I built myself back up slowly with healthy eating and light exercise. I had to leave school at the beginning of 6th year as I found it too exhausting and unfortunately my school weren’t the most accommodating to somebody with my condition.
I began researching alternative and complementary remedies in my spare time to see if there were any that could help heal the lungs. To my surprise, I got really into it and found myself looking up new remedies everyday. I then decided I wanted to try some and experiment with my own health to see if I could possibly get some benefits of an alternative medication or supplement. I started with the basics and something I suffered with regularly. Inflammation. This is common with a lot of different illnesses, conditions and infections. I decided to research natural anti-inflammatory agents to see if I could replace my constant supply of paracetamol and ibuprofen with something that was more gentle on the body. I looked for something that had proven to reduce inflammation rather than something that was thought to reduce it. I then began looking at herbs and supplements that could work as a natural antibiotic and help strengthen my immune system. After very careful research, here are some of the best remedies I have found that worked for me:
1). Ginger (Zingiber Officinalis)
Known benefits may include:
Reduces inflammation
Combats nausea
Improves digestion
Helps control chronic pain
Eases the muscle & joint pains of arthritis
Minimises symptoms of the common cold, allergies and other respiratory symptoms
Ginger comes in the form of a tablet, capsule, raw or tea. I chose the tea as I’m a massive tea drinker. It tastes more or less the same as regular tea so it’s very easy to drink and I find now that instead of taking an iBuprofen or any other painkiller I’ll have a cup of ginger tea and the pain and inflammation subsides in a few minutes. I have found this extremely beneficial.
Shown to kill bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites
Reduces inflammation
Very effective pain killer
Improves respiratory health
Aids digestion & calms upset stomach
Excellent for nasal congestion
I find Oregano Oil to be one of the best natural remedies out there. It has so many benefits and some of which I have experienced first hand. I feel it has helped me fight off infections and also dampened down the severity of the infections themselves. I haven’t found it to be a good pain killer though. As for nasal congestion, it is unbelievable. Anytime I have very congested sinuses I hold the bottle of oregano oil under my nose and gently breathe in. In less than 5 minutes my sinuses are completely drained. The only pitfall of this oil is the taste. As it is highly potent, it doesn’t taste very pleasant and sometimes the taste itself can make you feel a bit sick. I found a little trick to getting it down without tasting it. I break open a creon capsule, empty out the contents, pour 5 drops of the oil in and put the capsule back together. It works great, I take it as a normal capsule and I don’t taste the oil itself.
3). Garlic (Allium Sativum)
Known benefits may include:
Has natural antimicrobial properties
Strong antioxidant
Lowers blood sugar levels
Lowers cholesterol levels
Anticoagulant (Blood thinner)
Fights respiratory diseases
Inhibits cancer cells
Strengthens immune system
To me, Garlic is one of the miracle workers when it comes to health. It also works as a natural antibiotic and helps remove harmful toxins from the body. There are currently more studies being done on garlic and the effect it has on the growth of cancer cells but research so far says that it can inhibit the growth of abnormal cells.
As a CF patient, I rely heavily on conventional medicine to treat my condition and the secondary problems that come along with it but I now believe that a balance between conventional and complementary medicine is the key to good mental and physical health. Since I began using complementary medicine about 18 months ago, I feel the best I have felt in a long time. I feel more in control of my own health and I learn more and more each day about what agrees with me and what doesn’t. I don’t think complementary medicine should replace important medications for anybody but I think it should be explored more by both patients and their Doctors as I don’t think complementary medicine is a considered option as much as it should be. I think some people in the medical profession nowadays are so reliant on books and drugs that they become closed off to the thought of natural remedies. Although more is known about conventional medicine, complementary medicine has been around for much longer and proved effective for hundreds of years. Of course there are some remedies that don’t work for everyone but I believe there are some that shouldn’t be underestimated.
As for me now, I’m in my second year studying Biomedicine and Nutrition at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in Dublin. It is a 3 year diploma course with the option of an extra year to obtain a degree. I absolutely love this course and I know this is what I’m meant to do. I attend every second weekend, Saturday & Sunday 10am – 6pm, so it’s very manageable for me. I most recently aced my first year exams which I’m hugely proud of. I never thought I’d make it to college but really there’s no reason for somebody with CF to be any different. If you want something enough, you’ll do anything you can to make it happen. I have enjoyed learning more about natural ways to heal your body and I really have reaped the benefits from it. My next goal is to complete the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon in Dublin in June 2013. It’s always going to be a struggle for people with CF but it’s the struggle that makes everything so worth it and when you accomplish something, you feel on top of the world.
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The Tracie Lawlor Trust does not endorse any particluar product herein nor receive any monies for displaying the said products. The information is not medical advice and should not be used as such. Disclaimer
Cystic Fibrosis is a condition that mainly affects the respiratory and digestive systems in the human body. The CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) is a protein found in the human body that regulates the movement of salt ions and water across membranes in the body. The CFTR gene is responsible for the expression of the CFTR protein. A mutated gene sequence of the CFTR gene results in the expression of a mutated CFTR protein – resulting the creation of a mucus layer in the respiratory tract and the digestive system which in turn results in a blockage in the movement of ions and water mainly in epithelial cells that line the lungs and pancreas of the digestive system – the condition known as Cystic Fibrosis.
One of the main complications involved in Cystic Fibrosis is the difficulty in breathing and general lung function due to the layer of mucus that lines the airways. Up to the present day, many studies have been conducted into various mechanisms of improving the gas transfer capabilities in people with cystic fibrosis. These mechanisms are physical, chemical and enzymatic. To date there have been minimal studies of using natural methods to improve lung function in people with Cystic fibrosis. In recent times however, a new breathing technique – Buteyko breathing, has come to the fore in the alleviation of symptoms of different respiratory conditions. This paper will discuss and present a case for the employment of the Buteyko breathing method as an aid in the improvement and management of lung function in people with Cystic Fibrosis. Click here for more!
Groundbreaking new research into the potential health benefits of a martial art could help improve the lives of youngsters who have one of the most common hereditary lifethreatening diseases in Britain and Ireland. The study will explore how tai chi can help people with cystic fibrosis to manage their condition and enjoy a better quality of life. Professor Nicola Robinson, an academic Press Release
Ever find yourself in the produce section at the supermarket staring down two colorful apples wondering which one is worthy of making its way into your grocery cart? Both apples look the same but one has that familiar USDA Organic sticker plastered on it. One things for sure they definitely aren’t priced the same.
With an average cost of 10%-40% higher[1] are organic foods worth it? Do they have more nutritional value? And does this make a difference to your overall health? I invite you to read further as I help you get to the bottom of all this organic talk so that you can make the decision that feels the best for you.
What Deems a Food To Be Organic?
The U.S. government establishes strict standards to be met for farmers before they can use the USDA Organic seal on their food products. A product can use the USDA Organic seal if it contains at least 95% organically produced ingredients.
The following chart shows the differences between organic vs. conventionally farmed food:
organic vs. conventional
Does Organic Food Contain More Nutritional Value?
This question has created a lot of controversy over the past few decades as organic food has become increasingly more popular. More and more studies have been conducted in recent years factoring in things like farming methods, climate variability, food formulations, and harvest rates among other things to assess the nutritional content of our food in terms of its vitamin, mineral, phytochemical, antioxidant, and toxin load. Here’s a few of the findings below.
● A study looking at organic and conventionally grown pears and peaches found that the organic fruits had an improved antioxidant defense system (higher levels of polyphenols, PPO, vitamin C, & vitamin E) in comparison with their conventionally grown counterparts [2]. Another study found that organically grown strawberries have more antioxidant activity and anti-cancer effects than conventionally grown strawberries [3]. Scientists suggest that this data shows that organically grown food is in effect “beefing up” its own defense mechanisms to protect itself in the absence of pesticides.
● A review in 2006 showed that organic foods had significantly higher amounts of antioxidants (vitamin C, polyphenols, & flavanoids) and minerals in addition to lower levels of pesticide residues, nitrates, and some heavy metal contaminations than conventionally grown crops. They concluded that because of this organic crops had a higher nutritional value and a lower risk of causing disease due to contamination [4].
● A number of studies have shown that organically grown food contains more dry matter (less water) than conventionally grown fruits and vegetables [5,6]. An increase in dry matter means that there are more nutrients per unit weight of food.
● One study looked at the nutrient content of eggplants cultivated over two successive years by both conventional and organic methods. The study found that the organic crop was higher in potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, and phytochemicals called phenolics [7].
● Whole wheat production was studied over a 3 year period comparing organic and conventional crops. The study found that there was no difference in concentrations of the phytochemicals (carotenoids & phenolic acids) between the two groups. Instead, improved climate factors produced a 55% increase in phytochemical composition in year to year production [8].
The best overall review to date of the nutritional value of organic vs. conventionally grown crops was published by The Organic Center in March of 2008. In this review they assessed the results of 97 peer-reviewed studies published over a 27 year period comparing the nutrient levels in organic and conventionally grown foods [9]. To determine the nutrient quality of the food they focused on 11 different nutrients using matched pairs which is defined as “crops grown on nearby farms, on the same type of soil, with the same irrigation systems and harvest timing, and grown from the same plant variety”.
What they found was that organically grown crops had a 25% overall higher nutrient content than conventional crops. A little over 60% of the organic crops had higher levels of a disease fighting flavonol named Quercetin. Vitamin C was found in higher concentrations in approximately 50% of the organic crops compared to conventional crops. And to top it off they also found that 80% of the organic crop samples had a higher total antioxidant capacity than conventional crops!
The organic world is not without its critics though. An article titled “Nutritional quality of organic foods: A systemic review” published in 2009 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that there was no evidence suggesting organically grown foods were nutritionally superior to conventionally grown foods. Come to find out this article originated as a report commissioned by the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) out of the UK. According to Paula Crossfield (co-founder and managing editor of civileats.com) the report was heavily biased and heavily tied to special interests of agribusiness, the dairy industry, Sarah Lee Corporation, and one of UK’s biggest grocery chains. You can read Paula’s full review here about the misleadings in this article.
Does Organic Food Significantly Improve Your Overall Health?
It is clear from the scientific literature to date that organic food is certainly more nutritious and less toxic than conventional food but does this equate to better overall health and a lower risk of chronic diseases? You might be surprised by the answer to this as you’ll soon find out.
Much of the published data on pesticide exposure and disease does show an increased risk in some cases. The biggest fear of many people is cancer. The National Cancer Institute states that “studies of people with high exposure to pesticides, such as farmers, pesticide applicators, manufacturers, and crop dusters, have found high rates of blood and lymphatic system cancers; cancers of the lip, stomach, lung, brain, and prostate; as well as melanoma and other skin cancers”. Another study performed a meta-analysis on 40 case-controlled studies and found that exposure to pesticides for greater than 10-20 years was associated with a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease but several other risk factors such as rural living, well-water consumption, and farming played a part as well [10]. Another study showed an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease in occupational workers exposed to pesticides [14].
So while there is a link to pesticide exposure and disease it appears that the highest risk is in those who have the greatest exposure (farmers, workers, etc.) and only after being exposed to high amounts over long periods of time. The amount of pesticide residue left on the food you buy is much lower than what these studies elude to.
An even more important aspect of this topic in regards to pesticide exposure and your overall health is what you can do to prevent the risk of disease from occurring. A large body of evidence points to the fact that consuming a nutrient dense, plant-based diet and avoiding processed and animal-based foods reduces your risk not only of cancer due to pesticide exposure but also many other chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, dementia, etc.).
The CDC actually reported in 2009 that the primary source of exposure to organochlorine pesticides was from fatty foods such as dairy products and fish [11]. So just by avoiding fatty animal-based foods you are already decreasing your exposure to pesticides.
The most influential evidence to date concerning diets relation to cancer has been conducted by Dr. T Colin Campbell who has spent over 40 years in nutritional research. Dr. Campbell conducted several studies on a known potent carcinogen called aflatoxin. In animal studies he was able to show that the cancer causing effects of aflatoxin could be “turned on” and “turned off” simply by how much protein was consumed. When more than 10% of the total calories were consumed as casein (animal based protein found in dairy) then cancer growth was ignited and tumors began to form [12]. He then conducted a similar experiment testing both animal protein (casein) and plant proteins (wheat and soy). This time he fed 3 different groups of lab animals a 20% protein diet (far exceeding the 10% needed to cause cancer growth) that consisted of either casein, wheat, or soy protein. Remarkably, the 20% wheat and soy groups had no signs of cancer growth while the 20% casein group all developed cancer [13].
Dr. Campbell’s work is further validated by Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s review of the scientific data on the benefits of eating a plant-based diet to reduce your risk of cancer as seen in the video below.
Organic foods have clearly been shown in a large body of scientific studies to have a higher nutritional value than their conventionally grown counterparts. However, even though eating non-organic foods increases your exposure to pesticides it doesn’t mean that you’re on the fast track to develop cancer and other debilitating diseases. What is more important is that you eat a diet that contains large amounts of nutrient dense, health promoting foods such as fruits & vegetables as well as legumes, whole grains, & nuts/seeds. By doing this you are arming yourself with an excellent defense mechanism against so many of the chronic diseases that we’re experiencing today in our society. You’re best bet is to eat a diet that consists 100% of these foods with the highest emphasis on fruits and vegetables. You can learn more about how to do this by visiting my website.
I’d also like to mention an excellent resource from the Environmental Working Group which publishes a list of foods from best to worst in relation to their pesticide exposure. I think you’ll find their list very helpful if you’re wondering which foods have higher amounts of pesticides compared to others.
In the end, I would say that if you can buy organically grown food products and they are readily available at a price that you can afford then you should absolutely do it. But more importantly, you should eat a nutrient dense, plant-based diet and stay away from processed and animal-based foods regardless of their organic or inorganic nature if you want to do what’s best for your overall health.
Now I’d love to hear from you…
Do you buy organic?
If so, what are the reasons for doing so?
Do you have any other resourceful information for your fellow readers on this topic?
References:
1 Winter, C. K. and Davis, S. F. (2006), Organic Foods. Journal of Food Science, 71: R117-R124. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00196.x
2 Carbonaro M, Mattera M, Nicoli S, et al. Modulation of antioxidant compounds in organic vs conventional fruit (peach, Prunus persica L., and pear, Pyrus communis L.). J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Sep 11;50(19):5458-62.
3 Olsson ME et al. Antioxidant levels and inhibition of cancer cell proliferation in vitro by extracts from organically and conventionally cultivated strawberries. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Feb 22;54(4):1248-55.
4 Györéné KG, Varga A, Lugasi A. A comparison of chemical composition and nutritional value of organically and conventionally grown plant derived foods. Orv Hetil. 2006 Oct 29;147(43):2081-90.
5 K Woese, D Lange, C Boess, KW Bogl, A comparison of organically and conventionally grown foods: results of a
review of the relevant literature, Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture, 74, 281-293, 1997.
6 V Basker, Comparison of taste quality between organically and conventionally grown fruit and vegetables, American
Journal of Alternative Agriculture, 7, 129-135, 1992.
7 Raigón MD, Rodríguez-Burruezo A, Prohens J. Effects of organic and conventional cultivation methods on composition of eggplant fruits. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jun 9;58(11):6833-40.
8 Stracke BA, Eitel J, Watzl B, Mäder P, Rüfer CE. Influence of the production method on phytochemical concentrations in whole wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): a comparative study. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Nov 11;57(21):10116-21.
9 Benbrook C, Zhao X, Yáñez J, Davies N, Andrews P. State of Science Review: Nutritional Superiority of Organic Foods. 2008 March. Available: http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/5367_Nutrient_Content_SSR_FINAL_V2.pdf. Accessed 7 Jan 2011.
10 Brown TP et al. Pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease-Is There a Link? Environ Health Perspect 114:156-164 (2006).
11 United States Center for Disease Control Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals: Organochlorine Pesticides.
12 Dunaif GE, Campbell TC. Dietary protein level and aflatoxin B1-induced preneoplastic hepatic lesions in the rat. J Nutr. 117 (1987): 1298-1302.
13 Schulsinger DA, Root MM, Campbell TC. Effect of dietary protein quality on development of aflatoxin B1-induced hepatic preneoplastic lesions. J Natl Cancer Inst 81 (1989): 1241-1245.
14 Hayden KM, Norton MC, Darcey D. Occupational exposure to pesticides increases the risk of incident AD. Neurology.2010 May 11;74(19):1524-30.
