Why Do Roses Have Thorns
A New Theory of Disease
I am proposing a new theory that says that man’s chronic and acute diseases and associated inflammation are caused by a clash between the “opposites” (the opposites that are the essence of the design of nature itself) related to the design of nature and “thorns” in our diets, both of which tend to enforce the balance of nature.
Things to keep in mind:
- Nature employs the use of opposites in its design, for instance
- Even and odd numbers of things
- Male and female
- Th1 and Th2 immune responses
- Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
- Double-helix
- There are two divisions in the plant kingdom
- Dicots
- Monocots
- There is balance in nature that is enforced by what I call “thorns”, as on the rose bush
- Our bodies’ enzymes are paired and have thresholds. When thresholds are exceeded they can begin to reverse the ratios
The Anti-Inflammation Zone, a book by author Dr. Barry Sears, suggests that, “The culmination of decades of research points to one thing: inflammation that you can’t feel (silent inflammation) may be the dark force responsible for many of the most feared diseases of middle and old age”. He goes one to suggest that we can alleviate this inflammation, first and foremost, by modifying what we eat.
It is not too much to suggest that this continuous level of inflammation is prima facie evidence that the immune system of the body is at war and, and, according to Dr. Sears, food is at the root of the problem. What is it about food that is causing this human misery? As our immune systems become worn down does it lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)? Could HIV be a method by which one individual informs others that I have found the enemy?
In his book, Give Your Dog a Bone, Dr. Ian Billinghurst writes: “Dogs that eat grains as the major part of their diet suffer premature ageing and the early development of degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and other pancreatic problems. Many skin problems, allergic problems and arthritic problems respond to the withdrawal of grains from a don’s diet.”
Chemokines are essential for the inflammatory process in autoimmune diseases. The chemokine receptor-5 mediates chemotaxis by CC-chemokines and is expressed by lymphocytes with the Th1 phenotype and monocyte/macrophages. Those of us that have a 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 (CCR5-delta 32 allele) abolish receptor expression in homozygotes, while CCR5-delta carriers express less receptor than wild-type homozygotes. Zapico I, et all did a study on a total of 160 rheumatoid arthritis patients (71 and 89 with severe and non-severe phenotypes, respectively) and 500 healthy individuals from the same Caucasian population (Asturias, northern Spain) were genotyped. Carriers of the CCR5-delta 32 allele were at a significantly higher frequency (P = 0.012) in non-severe compared to severe patients (17% vs. 4%). The authors suggest that the CCR5-delta 32 polymorphism is a genetic marker related to the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.
This polymorphism is also related to the resistance to HIV-1 infection and progression towards AIDS. An elevated IgE level and increased production of Th2 cytokines are factors associated with poor prognosis in HIV infection. Consequently, both (Th1 and Th2) responses by our immune system are involved with HIV/AIDS and neither is totally effective. AIDS result from a problem of the opposites.
Understanding Nature – Matters of Consequence
Why do roses have thorns?
“The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns, which are never of any use to them? Is the warfare between the sheep and the flowers not important?”
From Antoine De Saint-Exupery’s book entitled, The Little Prince
translated from the French by Katherine Woods
The rose has thorns because thorns are part of nature’s way of enforcing what we call the balance of nature. Thorns on flowers allow animals to eat a little of the new growth that has immature thorns, whereas, mature thorns prevent the wild animals from destroying the rose plant itself.
If my theory is true, we should run into “thorns” in most, if not all, of nature’s plants and creatures. So, part of the balance is enforces by “thorns” and part is enforced by nature’s design.
Chinese Philosophy say that the universe is run by a single principle, the Tao, or Great Ultimate. The principle is divided into two opposite principles, or two principles, which oppose one another in their actions, yin and yang. Since no one principle dominates eternally, that means that all conditions are subject to change into their opposite.
The principles of yin and yang show how it is possible for Type B to change into Type A.
The dichotomy of nature is all around us. The human specie is composed of both male and female and our continued existence requires the mating of these two opposites. But, just as some species require sexual reproduction on the one hand, there are other species that reproduce asexually. Looking at the principles of mathematics, one notes that some numbers are even, devisable by two, whereas, others are odd and cannot be divided by two. It was recently discovered that our very DNA is composed of a double helix. The plant kingdom is divided into dicots and monocots.
Another important dichotomy for humans, at least, is the fact that the body can use both glucose oxidation and fatty acid oxidation as a source for fuel.
Dr. Barry Sears in his book, The Anti-Inflammation Zone, notes that, “…eicossanoids (eye-KAH-sa-noids) control inflammation, and that is becoming recognized as the underlying cause of many, if not all, chronic disease states that now threaten to destroy our health care system”. Many diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s all have a strong inflammatory component. Dr. Sears notes that if we control the inflammation, we can minimize, if not reverse, the symptoms of these chronic diseases.
If that is the case, then we can find “thorn-like” defense mechanisms and examples of “clashes of the opposites” in most, if not all, of nature’s life forms. Speaking of the latter, let’s look at blood transfusions. Doctors found out the hard way that transfusing blood from someone with Type A blood into a patient with Type B blood can cause death.
The Laws of Manu says that the pairs of opposites were ordained by the world-creator. The Ramayana says: “This world must suffer under the pairs of opposites for ever”.
In his book, The No-Grain Diet, Dr. Joseph Mercola notes, “In your body, grains, grain products, starches, and sugars have one thing in common: they rapidly turn to glucose, promote addictive eating habits, and trigger insulin release, all of which contribute to weight gain and other health problems”.
Let’s see how this causes problems. We call ourselves omnivores, meaning that we can eat anything. This says that man can exist on glucose and/or fatty acid metabolism. However, nature expects animal species in general to be either herbivores or carnivores, not both. Different, or, opposite pathways of oxidation is involved, so, it is one or the other.
Until we learned to master fire and invented agriculture, humans, by necessity, were primarily vegetarians – eating what they could chew.
Remember two things. 1) the Yin Yang principle states that one can change into the other, and, 2) the body can use glucose oxidation or fatty acid oxidation for energy.
The following shows that there is a switch (I call it a reversal of the opposites) from glucose to fatty acid metabolism as a result of too many fatty acids in the body.
“Recent findings: Recent studies have concentrated on inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by free fatty acids as the primary cause of insulin resistance, particularly in muscle, a major site of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal”, per Internet article entitled, Over expression of muscle lipoprotein lipase and insulin sensitivity, at http://www.co-clinicalnutrition.com/pt/re/conutrition/abstract.000751.. . In general, the more excess body fat you have, the more insulin resistance you have.
According to my theory, Type II diabetes is caused by first, an overabundance of glucose brought on by consumption of grains, grain products, starches and excess sugars. Type II diabetes is a process whereby the body is in the process of switching from glucose oxidation to fatty acid oxidation for energy. Type I diabetes represent a complete switch from glucose to fatty acids as an energy source.
Let’s look at the plant kingdom opposites of monocots and dicots. The cereal grasses such as wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, etc., are monocots. Cereals such as wheat have a unique form of defense (“thorns”) insuring the balance of nature. Two protein molecules, glutanin and gliadin, combine when chewed by animals or worked over and over as dough is kneaded in the bread-making process. Gluten forms a network that traps air bubbles, primarily from carbon dioxide, created by baking power or yeast giving bread its characteristic texture and air bubbles.
The herbivores that that live on grasses are called ruminants. They are especially equipped to handle grasses and avoid the inherent “thorns”. The ruminants have multiple chambers in their stomachs with the first part of the stomach being the rumen. According to an Internet article entitled, Do cows chew gum?, at http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~twig/animals/html/022397.html , “Each new mouthful of food goes directly into the rumen”. In the rumen, microbes partially digest the grasses and then the ruminant regurgitates and chews the cud. Consequently, the ruminants avoid masticating the glutanin and gliadin protein molecules that in turn activate gluten.
Scientists say that blood Group A resulted from the introduction of the agricultural diet. It seems to me that such a low-glucose/high starch (fatty acid) diet, caused the reversal of blood Group B to the opposite blood Group A.
For humans, gluten appears to be the ultimate Trojan horse. The “thorns” – the ability to make dough rise, (gluten) in wheat and other cereals is the special attribute that humans value. In fact, we believe that the more gluten in the flour the better the flour.
“Dairy products, wheat and its close relatives, oats, barley, and rye, have proved to be a major problem in the diets of our patients. There are many possible reasons for cereal grains to become pathogenic”, according to the Celiac.com Internet article, Arthritis and Celiac Disease, posted at http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=87 . This article suggests that hypersensitivity mechanisms triggered by grain proteins and this is the likely cause of the illnesses related to the consumption of cereal grains.
So, this is key - the human body which lacks the multiple chambers in the stomach, and, does not chew the cud, becomes hypersensitivity to the presence of the “thorns” found in cereal grains. Let’s see some of what happens.
A wheat gluten mechanism has been studies in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The clinical observation is that wheat ingestion is followed within hours by increased joint swelling and pain. Dr. Barry Sears in his book, The Anti-Inflammation Zone, notes that, “…eicosanoids (eye-KAH-sa-noids) control inflammation, and that is becoming recognized as the underlying cause of many, if not all, chronic disease states that now threaten to destroy our health care system”.
A pair of opposites is evident in the eicosanoids in the body’s cells. One the one hand, we have the pro-inflammatory ones that promote inflammation and tissue destruction, and, on the other hand, we have the anti-inflammatory ones that stop inflammation and promote healing. Dr. Sears notes that if these opposites are out of balance, for instance, if the pro-inflammatory eicosanoids aren’t called back to the barracks, inflammation runs amok and your immune system starts attacking your body. He suggests that we can move from pro-inflammatory eicosanoids toward anti-inflammatory eicosanoids first and foremost by modifying …”what you eat”.
There is another pair of opposites in human anatomy called secretors and non-secretors.
Secretors reverse their Lewis antigens from a+b- to a-b+. Secretors, between 80 and 85 percent of the population, also secrete their blood type antigen in their bodily secretions such as saliva and semen.
So, how does the human body respond to an enemy that it can hardly identify? The answer is that it does what it can to keep the varmint out.
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a severe intestinal intolerance to wheat or gluten. People whose body can recognize gluten as the enemy require an absolute wheat/gluten restriction for their entire lives. Their immune systems will go so far as complete destruction the villi, the tiny, fingerlike protrusions, that line the small intestines in an effort to prevent entry of gluten into their bodies. Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed into the bloodstream. People of blood Type O, having antibodies against both Type A and Type B antigens seem better at identifying gluten containing cereals as the enemy.
The human immune system, having identified the culprit, considers this valuable information and passes it along to offspring. Consequently, celiac disease is a genetic disease. It is also considered an autoimmune disease because the immune system seems to be attacking itself, when, in fact it is attacking the Trojan horse gluten which is the cause of the problem. I think that this is the nature of many, if not all, autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases should be called idiopathic immune diseases.
Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of The No-Grain Diet, says, “I am convinced all blood Type O individuals should not eat wheat. I suspect that most of us would benefit from a similar restriction”.
In a study published in the Lancet (July 17, 1999;354:222-223), researchers in Rome, Italy examined 52 patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy (heart disease with no known cause) for celiac disease. Three of them had celiac disease, suggesting that prevalence of celiac disease in idiopathic cardiomyopathy patients is increased.
According recent research published in the journal Hematology-Oncology Clinics of North America, “Celiac disease is a risk factor for the development of both adenocarcinoma and T-cell lymphoma of the small intestine. The development of lymphoma accounts for the majority of the increased mortality in celiac disease,” according to P.H.R. Green and al, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.
It seems to me that in Small Intestinal T-cell Lymphoma the body tries to adapt to the gluten diet. Laboratory diagnosis shows the following partial
morphology.
- There is full thickness replacement of the wall of the intestine by large highly pleomorphic lymphoid cells
- The adjacent mucosa often shows vilous atrophy. There are large number of intra-epithelial lymphocytes that may show cytological atypia
The tumor cells have an abnormal peripheral T-cell phenotype. It is reported that in some cases there is absence of CD4 and CD8 expression.
Again, as the body’s immune system tries to protect us from gluten, it ends up on the short end of the stick - The development of lymphoma accounts for the majority of the increased mortality in celiac disease.
Some people react to gluten in the diet with eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia are linked to celiac disease and therefore gluten intolerance. Many celiac patients say that they avoid eating for long periods to avoid the inevitable uncomfortable (and even painful) symptoms in the stomach. Many celiacs also automatically vomit after meals in which they have consumed gluten-containing foods or anytime their symptoms are nauseating or painful.
Cystic fibrosis is the most frequent lethal genetic disease of childhood. It affects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands, and male fertility. CF affects approximately 30,000 children and young adults in the United States and about 3,000 infants are born with CF every year. CF is caused by a deletion (delta-F508) in the so-called CF gene.
The normal role of the CFTR protein is to allow chloride ions to exit the mucus-producing cells. When the chloride ions leave these cells, water follows, thinning the mucus. Two hallmarks of the disease are the secretion of thick mucus and dead white blood cells.
I am speculating that CF is a mutation in the gene due to the presence of gluten in the diet for increased mucus protection.
The defect causing CF cause the lungs and pancreas to secrete thick mucus, blocking passageways and preventing proper function, according to researchers. This action also prevents the digestion of cereals and it protects the intestinal tract from the ravages of gluten. The major contents of mucus are 1) bacteria, 2) the regular contents of mucus, and 3) dead white blood cells, which are present in CF’ers in a concentration about 1,000 larger than in normal people. To me, this indicates that the white blood cells in the CF patient tangle with the “thorns” of cereals.
According to Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo in his book, Live Right For Your Type, non-secretors are more prone to generalized inflammation than secretors, although their immune responses are not as efficient. Evidently, secretors have adapted or otherwise found a way to reduce the inflammatory response generated by “thorns” not only in cereals, but also in other foods such as legumes and beans. It appears as though IgE-mediated food allergy is somewhat avoided by secretors. And, this is not the case for the non-secretors.
The “thorns” in cereals are opposite to what the immune system of human can handle. Our immune system is used to presenting one antigen to helper cells ______________ for help in fighting the enemy. Gluten is composed of two proteins and I assume two antigens. Consequently, our immune system can only attack one-half of the gluten problem.
According to a PubMed article entitled, Different profiles of wheat antigens are recognized by patients suffering from celiac disease and IgE-mediated food allergy, located at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16…, “Dietary intake of wheat can cause tow distinct immunologically mediated diseases with severe gastrointestinal manifestations, celiac disease (CD) and IgE-mediated food allergy. The pathomechanisms underlying these diseases are different…”. The authors conclude that, “This study thus demonstrates that wheat contains antigens/epitopes which are preferentially recognized by CD patients, whereas others elicit IgE-mediated food allergy.
Chemokines are critical for the inflammatory process in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The chemokine receptor-5 (CCR5) mediates chemotaxis by CC-chemokines and is expressed by lymphocytes with the Th1 phenotype and monocyte/macrophages. A 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 (CCR5-delta 32 allele) abolishes receptor expression in homozygotes, while CCR5-delta 32 carriers would express less receptor than wild-type homozygotes.
Non-secretors are more prone to both type I and type 2 diabetes than the secretors are.
Non-secretors have a higher rate of alcoholism over secretors. They are also the group that moderate alcohol intake is most likely to have protective effect.
Non-secretors have an increased prevalence of a variety of so-called autoimmune diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthropathy, Graves disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, etc.
The human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) maps to the short arm of chromosome 6 and contains the polymorphic HLA genes. These genes are fundamental for the acquired immune response. HLA class I products bind to endogenous antigenic epitopes and present them to CD8+ CTLs, while HLA class II products present exogenous antigenic peptides to CD4+ helper T-cells.
“Numerous diseases are associated with the HLA loci and a number of them are autoimmune diseases. HLA-B27 is associated with the spondyloarthropathies (SpA), including ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Reiter’s syndrome, reactive arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriatic spondylitis. HLA-B27 is highly associated with AS (98% is positive), whereas the prevalence in other forms of SpA varies between 50-80%. The B27-antigen is present in 8-20% of healthy Caucasians, depending on their geographic distribution, with the highest prevalence being in the northern zones
HIV/AIDS
There are two kinds of helper T cells.
- Th1 – These participate in cell-mediated immunity. They are essential for controlling such intracellular pathogens as viruses and certain bacteria, e.g., Listeria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the bacillus that causes tb)
- Th2 – These provide help for B cells and, in so doing, are essential for antibody-mediated immunity. Antibodies are needed to control extra cellular pathogens (which – unlike intracellular parasites – are exposed to antibodies in blood and other body fluids).
Like all T cells, Th cells arise in the thymus.
- When they acquire CD4, they are called pre-Th cells
- When they are presented with both
- An antigen and
- Appropriate cytokines, they begin to proliferate and become activated
It is the nature of the stimulation that determines which path they enter: the path leading to Th1 cells or the path leading to Th2 cells.
The antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are called dendritic cells (DC). They
- Ingest antigen by phagocytosis or pinocytosis
- Degrade it, and
- Present fragments of the antigen at their surface
- Secrete cytokines
There are two kinds of dendritic cell
- DC1 – these are descended from monocytes
- DC2 – these appear to be derived from lymphocytes
Th1 Cells
Th1 cells are produced when DC1-type dendritic cells and pre-Th cells form an immunological synapse in which the dendritic cell
- Presents antigen to the T cell’s receptor for antigen (TCR);
- Secretes interleukin 12 (IL-12)
The paracine stimulation by IL-12 activates (through JAK-STAT pathways) the Th1 cells to secrete their own lymphokines:
- Tumor-necrosis factor-beta (TNF-B) (also known as lymphotoxin) and
- Interferon-gamma (IFN-y)
These
- Stimulate macrophages to kill the bacteria they have engulfed;
- Recruit other leukocytes to the site producing inflammation
Th2 Cells
Th2 cells are produced when DC2-type dendritic cells present antigen to the T cell’s receptor for antigen (TCR) and, presumably, one or more paracrine stimulants. The identity of the cytokine(s) is still uncertain
The major lymphokines secreted by Th2 cells are
- Interleukin 4 (IL-4). This
- Stimulates class-switching in B cells and promotes their synthesis of IgE antibodies
- Acts as a positive-feedback device promoting more pre-Th cells to enter the Th2 pathway
- Blocks the IFN-y receptors from entering the immunological synapse on pre-Th cells thus inhibiting them from entering the Th1 path
- Interleukin 5 (IL-5). Attracts and activates eosinophils
- Interleukin 10 (IL-10). Inhibits IL-12 production by DCs thus inhibiting pre-Th cells from entering the Th1 pathway
- Interleukin 13 (IL-13). This also promotes the synthesis of IgE antibodies
-
The following info was taken from the Internet article entitled Helper T Cells located at http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/T/Th1_Th2.html .
A Th1 response inhibits the Th2 path in two ways:
IFN-y and IL-12 inhibit the formation of Th2 cells;
Ifn-y also inhibits class switching in B cells
A Th2 response inhibits the Th1 path:
IL-4 and IL-10 suppress Th1 formation
Negative feedback of Th1 and Th2 cell formation
There is evidence that late in the immune response, negative feedback mechanisms come into play to dampen the response.
IL-4 kills the precursors of the DC2 cells (by apoptosis) thus inhibiting the Th2 path and further production of IL-4
IFN-y may eventually turn off the Th1 response that produced it.
Th1 and Th2 cells have different chemokine receptors.
Chemokines are cytokines that are chemotactic for (attract) leukocytes. Because they are chemotactic cytokines, chemokines are designated by the initials CC.
Chemokines bind to receptors on the responding leukocyte. The receptors are transmembrane proteins with the chemokine-binding site exposed at the surface of the plasma membrane. Chemokine receptors are designated CCR.
Th1 cells and Th2 cells have opposite functions.
Th1 cells express the chemokine receptor CCR5 (but not CCR3).
Th2 cells express the chemokine receptor CCR3 (but not CCR5).
CCR3
One chemokine that binds to CCR3 is called eotaxin. It is secreted by epithelial cells and phagocytic cells in regions where allergic reactions are occurring.
CCR3 is found on
· Th2 cells
· Eosinophils
· Basophils
All cells implicated in allergic responses (e.g., asthma).
CCR5
CCR5 is found on
- Th1 cells, especially those in the lymphoid tissue of the intestine
- Macrophages
CCR5 also acts – along with the CD4 molecule – as a co-receptor for HIV-l, the retrovirus that causes AIDS. This fact may explain
· Why destruction of the lymphoid tissue of the intestine occurs soon after HIV infection;
· Why certain HIV-infected men
· With inherited mutations in CCR5 or
· Who produce high levels of the natural ligand for CCR5 (a chemokine designated CCL3L1). CCL3L1 presumably competes with HIV for access to CCR5.
· Can tolerate their infection for long periods without progressing to a full-blown case of AIDS;
· The collapse of cell-mediated immunity in the late stages of AIDS.
CCR5 cytokine levels correlate with disease activity of Wegener’s Granulomatosis patients.
Chemokines are critical for the inflammatory process in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The chemokine receptor-5 (CCR5) mediates chemotaxis by CC-chemokines and is expressed by lymphocytes with the Th1 phenotype and monocyte/macrophages. A 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 (CCR5-delta 32 allele) abolishes receptor expression in homozygotes, while CCR5-delta 32 carriers would express less receptor than wild-type homozygotes. This polymorphism is related to the resistance to HIV-1 infection and progression towards AIDS. We hypothesized that the CCR5-delta 32 allele may modulate the severity of disease in RA. A total of 160 RA-patients (71 and 89 with severe and non-severe phenotypes, respectively) and 500 healthy individuals from the same Caucasian population (Asturias, northern Spain) were genotyped. Carriers of the CCR5-delta 32 allele were at a significantly higher frequency (P – 0.012) in non-severe compared to severe patients (17$ vs. 4%). Our results suggest that the CCR5-delta 32 polymorphism is a genetic marker related to the severity of RA.
As stated earlier wheat contains antigens/epitopes, which are preferentially recognized by CD patients, whereas others elicit IgE-mediated food allergy. In other words, the human immune system is incapable of recognizing the “thorns” in the gluten proteins. Also, as a problem of the opposites, the human immune system is incapable of defending against the “thorns” in cereals.
“An elevated IgE level and increased production of T(H2) cytokines are factors associated with poor prognosis in HIV infection”, per PubMed article entitled, Cytokine profile of a long-term pediatric HIV survivor with hyper-IgE syndrome and a normal CD4 T-cell count, at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=20.. .
I have read that the DNA double-helix of monocots is different from the one of humans and dicots. Apparently, one strain of the DNA of monocots is the same as ours and one is different. Gluten and other monocots present “thorns” that our immune system cannot handle and are, therefore, likely responsible.
HIV Is Another Way of Saying Eurica
Breastfeeding passes on crucial antibodies to infants that protect them against allergies. It is reported that half of the children with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa today were infected with the disease through breast milk from their HIV-positive mothers. Could the transmission of HIV be a way of one human informing another that the enemy has been identified and what it looks like?
Could HIV/Aids result from humans finally becoming able to recognize the villain in cereal grains and stimulating the body to begin a war against an enemy (gluten) that it cannot win? Or, is it that late in the immune response against HIV, a negative feedback mechanisms come into play to dampen a Th response?
It is estimated that 59% of LGBT youth smoke, whereas the prevalence rate in the general youth population is only 37%.
Of all stimulants, users of crystal methamphetamine take fewer years to enter treatment; the average use is 3.7 years. It is reported that 91% of crystal users are HIV-infected, whereas only some 33% of users of other stimulants are infected. Sexual activity occurs in 91% of crystal users and in 56% of other stimulant users. Crystal users are almost three times more likely to consider recent sexual behaviors as compulsive (64%) compared to other stimulant users (22%), and to have more sexual partners in the last 30 days (crystal users, 5.5 partners; users of other stimulants, 2.1 partners). Crystal users have more than three times the number of sexual partners (19) in the previous six months than other stimulant users (6). Users of crystal describe it as pushing sexual extremes, pushing sexual intensity, prolonging sexuality and increasing thoughts about sex.
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center – Report From The Third Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health Roundtable – June 6 – 7, 2002.
Depression and chronic hopelessness is frequently seen with those in long-term substance abuse treatment facilities and those living with HIV, as well as their care providers. By 2010 depression will be the number one mental health diagnosis for LGBT people.
Gay men are more likely to be extroverted, use alcohol, and, be single or in short-term relationships according to Internet article Introduction to Gay Male Domestic Violence at http://www.psychpage.com/gay/library/gay_lesbian_violence/dv_gay…
Why Do Roses Have Thorns
A New Theory of Disease
An important dichotomy for humans is the fact that the body can use either glucose oxidation or fatty acid oxidation as a source for fuel. In the presence of glucose in the diet from vegetables and fruits, as designed, the body works wonderfully. The lack of sufficient glucose in the diet triggers the body to fall back, default, or, in other words, go to the opposite energy source – fatty acids, for survival. However, this energy pathway results in destructive metabolism, but, helps insure the continuation of the specie.
Part of our problem is that there are “thorns”(a euphemism for lectins) in wheat and other seeds, and, vegetables for that matter, that activate our immune system as these “thorns” represent a danger to our well-being. The cereals utilize gluten as their “thorns”. Cereals such as wheat have a unique form of defense (“thorns”) insuring the balance of nature. Two protein molecules, glutanin and gliadin, combine when chewed by animals or worked over and over as dough is kneaded in the bread-making process. For the cereals, this is a great secret weapon. Most of our immune systems cannot detect gluten as being an enemy. Then, once it is targeted by the immune system, as in celiac disease, it is recognized as the formidable foe that it is. Gluten represents an opposite as to what our immune system can defend us against. In my opinion, that is why grass herbivores have multiple chambers in the stomach and chew the cud or masticate the grains after the “thorns” have been disabled or neutralized by microorganisms in the rumen.
Gluten forms a network that traps air bubbles, primarily from carbon dioxide, created by baking power or yeast giving bread its characteristic texture and air bubbles. For humans, gluten appears to be the ultimate Trojan horse. The “thorns” – the ability to make dough rise, (gluten) in wheat and other cereals is the special attribute of wheat that humans value in bread making. In fact, we believe that the more gluten in the flour the better the flour.
As the ratio of starch to glucose increase, the more there is of a tendency to switch or migrate to the opposite form of energy. The complete migration to fatty acids oxidation is reflected in Type 1 diabetes. According to Diabetes – UK, prior to the advent of insulin, Type 1 diabetes were placed on a milk diet, which allowed them to live up to two years. Type 2 diabetes, in my opinion, represents a “switch to the opposite” in progress. As the body migrates from glucose to fatty acids, the body’s cells become less sensitive to insulin. In fact, the beta cells of the pancreas switch function from the production of insulin to the production of amylin as first noted by Eugene L. Opie and Leonid Sobelev somewhere around 1902. According to the book, The Diabetic Male’s Essential Guide to Living Well, by Joseph Juliano, M.D., Opie and Sobelev identified that change in function of the beta cells resulted in diabetes.
In order to fight cancer, one needs to determine just what cancer is. Tumors represent a way of altering or adapting the functions of the body’s organs and tissues to a different environment. Cancer results when the body cannot control the tumor or adaptation process, in my opinion, sometimes due to the influence of peptides from gluten.
As the ratio of starch to glucose increases, there is increased pressure on the body to make adjustments. Linus Pauling, the chemist and biologist that is among the few people awarded two Nobel Prizes, advocated that it was the lack of vitamin C in the diet that caused cancer. He was partially correct. It is the lack of a glucose-providing, vitamin C providing diet that naturally comes with the consumption of fruits and vegetables that cause cancer. Keep in mind, humans do not manufacture vitamin C, therefore, it must come from the diet. This vegetarian diet is tuned to provide all of the requisite nutrients in their correct ratios from a vegetarian diet. For instance, prior to the advent of farming, the Neolithic man spent most of his days eating herbaceous materials. Of course, there were some editable seeds during the seed-bearing part of the year. It is easy to surmise that they didn’t get a lot of energy from such a diet. However, that was the status quo until the advent of farming and domestication of animals. Subsequently, man body has had to adjust to excess nutrients in the diet. For example, the body needs iron for hemoglobin. The body absorbs 10 times more iron from meat than it does from fruits and vegetables. Consequently, the body needs to make adaptations. In many cases, these changes are made by mutations of genes and many of these mutations result in tumors, some of which go out of control and form cancer. This is to be expected when the “opposites of the body” are out of control.
Why Do Roses Have Thorns
A New Theory of Disease
I am proposing a new theory that says that man’s chronic and acute diseases and associated inflammation are caused by a clash between the “opposites” (the opposites that are the essence of the design of nature itself) related to the design of nature and “thorns” in our diets, both of which tend to enforce the balance of nature.
Things to keep in mind:
- Nature employs the use of opposites in its design, for instance
- Even and odd numbers of things
- Male and female
- Th1 and Th2 immune responses
- Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
- Double-helix
- There are two divisions in the plant kingdom
- Dicots
- Monocots
- There is balance in nature that is enforced by what I call “thorns”, as on the rose bush
- Our bodies’ enzymes are paired and have thresholds. When thresholds are exceeded they can begin to reverse the ratios
The Anti-Inflammation Zone, a book by author Dr. Barry Sears, suggests that, “The culmination of decades of research points to one thing: inflammation that you can’t feel (silent inflammation) may be the dark force responsible for many of the most feared diseases of middle and old age”. He goes one to suggest that we can alleviate this inflammation, first and foremost, by modifying what we eat.
It is not too much to suggest that this continuous level of inflammation is prima facie evidence that the immune system of the body is at war and, and, according to Dr. Sears, food is at the root of the problem. What is it about food that is causing this human misery? As our immune systems become worn down does it lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)? Could HIV be a method by which one individual informs others that I have found the enemy?
In his book, Give Your Dog a Bone, Dr. Ian Billinghurst writes: “Dogs that eat grains as the major part of their diet suffer premature ageing and the early development of degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, and other pancreatic problems. Many skin problems, allergic problems and arthritic problems respond to the withdrawal of grains from a don’s diet.”
Chemokines are essential for the inflammatory process in autoimmune diseases. The chemokine receptor-5 mediates chemotaxis by CC-chemokines and is expressed by lymphocytes with the Th1 phenotype and monocyte/macrophages. Those of us that have a 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 (CCR5-delta 32 allele) abolish receptor expression in homozygotes, while CCR5-delta carriers express less receptor than wild-type homozygotes. Zapico I, et all did a study on a total of 160 rheumatoid arthritis patients (71 and 89 with severe and non-severe phenotypes, respectively) and 500 healthy individuals from the same Caucasian population (Asturias, northern Spain) were genotyped. Carriers of the CCR5-delta 32 allele were at a significantly higher frequency (P = 0.012) in non-severe compared to severe patients (17% vs. 4%). The authors suggest that the CCR5-delta 32 polymorphism is a genetic marker related to the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.
This polymorphism is also related to the resistance to HIV-1 infection and progression towards AIDS. An elevated IgE level and increased production of Th2 cytokines are factors associated with poor prognosis in HIV infection. Consequently, both (Th1 and Th2) responses by our immune system are involved with HIV/AIDS and neither is totally effective. AIDS result from a problem of the opposites.
Understanding Nature – Matters of Consequence
Why do roses have thorns?
“The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns, which are never of any use to them? Is the warfare between the sheep and the flowers not important?”
From Antoine De Saint-Exupery’s book entitled, The Little Prince
translated from the French by Katherine Woods
The rose has thorns because thorns are part of nature’s way of enforcing what we call the balance of nature. Thorns on flowers allow animals to eat a little of the new growth that has immature thorns, whereas, mature thorns prevent the wild animals from destroying the rose plant itself.
If my theory is true, we should run into “thorns” in most, if not all, of nature’s plants and creatures. So, part of the balance is enforces by “thorns” and part is enforced by nature’s design.
Chinese Philosophy say that the universe is run by a single principle, the Tao, or Great Ultimate. The principle is divided into two opposite principles, or two principles, which oppose one another in their actions, yin and yang. Since no one principle dominates eternally, that means that all conditions are subject to change into their opposite.
The principles of yin and yang show how it is possible for Type B to change into Type A.
The dichotomy of nature is all around us. The human specie is composed of both male and female and our continued existence requires the mating of these two opposites. But, just as some species require sexual reproduction on the one hand, there are other species that reproduce asexually. Looking at the principles of mathematics, one notes that some numbers are even, devisable by two, whereas, others are odd and cannot be divided by two. It was recently discovered that our very DNA is composed of a double helix. The plant kingdom is divided into dicots and monocots.
Another important dichotomy for humans, at least, is the fact that the body can use both glucose oxidation and fatty acid oxidation as a source for fuel.
Dr. Barry Sears in his book, The Anti-Inflammation Zone, notes that, “…eicossanoids (eye-KAH-sa-noids) control inflammation, and that is becoming recognized as the underlying cause of many, if not all, chronic disease states that now threaten to destroy our health care system”. Many diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s all have a strong inflammatory component. Dr. Sears notes that if we control the inflammation, we can minimize, if not reverse, the symptoms of these chronic diseases.
If that is the case, then we can find “thorn-like” defense mechanisms and examples of “clashes of the opposites” in most, if not all, of nature’s life forms. Speaking of the latter, let’s look at blood transfusions. Doctors found out the hard way that transfusing blood from someone with Type A blood into a patient with Type B blood can cause death.
The Laws of Manu says that the pairs of opposites were ordained by the world-creator. The Ramayana says: “This world must suffer under the pairs of opposites for ever”.
In his book, The No-Grain Diet, Dr. Joseph Mercola notes, “In your body, grains, grain products, starches, and sugars have one thing in common: they rapidly turn to glucose, promote addictive eating habits, and trigger insulin release, all of which contribute to weight gain and other health problems”.
Let’s see how this causes problems. We call ourselves omnivores, meaning that we can eat anything. This says that man can exist on glucose and/or fatty acid metabolism. However, nature expects animal species in general to be either herbivores or carnivores, not both. Different, or, opposite pathways of oxidation is involved, so, it is one or the other.
Until we learned to master fire and invented agriculture, humans, by necessity, were primarily vegetarians – eating what they could chew.
Remember two things. 1) the Yin Yang principle states that one can change into the other, and, 2) the body can use glucose oxidation or fatty acid oxidation for energy.
The following shows that there is a switch (I call it a reversal of the opposites) from glucose to fatty acid metabolism as a result of too many fatty acids in the body.
“Recent findings: Recent studies have concentrated on inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake by free fatty acids as the primary cause of insulin resistance, particularly in muscle, a major site of insulin-stimulated glucose disposal”, per Internet article entitled, Over expression of muscle lipoprotein lipase and insulin sensitivity, at http://www.co-clinicalnutrition.com/pt/re/conutrition/abstract.000751.. . In general, the more excess body fat you have, the more insulin resistance you have.
According to my theory, Type II diabetes is caused by first, an overabundance of glucose brought on by consumption of grains, grain products, starches and excess sugars. Type II diabetes is a process whereby the body is in the process of switching from glucose oxidation to fatty acid oxidation for energy. Type I diabetes represent a complete switch from glucose to fatty acids as an energy source.
Let’s look at the plant kingdom opposites of monocots and dicots. The cereal grasses such as wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn, etc., are monocots. Cereals such as wheat have a unique form of defense (“thorns”) insuring the balance of nature. Two protein molecules, glutanin and gliadin, combine when chewed by animals or worked over and over as dough is kneaded in the bread-making process. Gluten forms a network that traps air bubbles, primarily from carbon dioxide, created by baking power or yeast giving bread its characteristic texture and air bubbles.
The herbivores that that live on grasses are called ruminants. They are especially equipped to handle grasses and avoid the inherent “thorns”. The ruminants have multiple chambers in their stomachs with the first part of the stomach being the rumen. According to an Internet article entitled, Do cows chew gum?, at http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~twig/animals/html/022397.html , “Each new mouthful of food goes directly into the rumen”. In the rumen, microbes partially digest the grasses and then the ruminant regurgitates and chews the cud. Consequently, the ruminants avoid masticating the glutanin and gliadin protein molecules that in turn activate gluten.
Scientists say that blood Group A resulted from the introduction of the agricultural diet. It seems to me that such a low-glucose/high starch (fatty acid) diet, caused the reversal of blood Group B to the opposite blood Group A.
For humans, gluten appears to be the ultimate Trojan horse. The “thorns” – the ability to make dough rise, (gluten) in wheat and other cereals is the special attribute that humans value. In fact, we believe that the more gluten in the flour the better the flour.
“Dairy products, wheat and its close relatives, oats, barley, and rye, have proved to be a major problem in the diets of our patients. There are many possible reasons for cereal grains to become pathogenic”, according to the Celiac.com Internet article, Arthritis and Celiac Disease, posted at http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodid=87 . This article suggests that hypersensitivity mechanisms triggered by grain proteins and this is the likely cause of the illnesses related to the consumption of cereal grains.
So, this is key - the human body which lacks the multiple chambers in the stomach, and, does not chew the cud, becomes hypersensitivity to the presence of the “thorns” found in cereal grains. Let’s see some of what happens.
A wheat gluten mechanism has been studies in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The clinical observation is that wheat ingestion is followed within hours by increased joint swelling and pain. Dr. Barry Sears in his book, The Anti-Inflammation Zone, notes that, “…eicosanoids (eye-KAH-sa-noids) control inflammation, and that is becoming recognized as the underlying cause of many, if not all, chronic disease states that now threaten to destroy our health care system”.
A pair of opposites is evident in the eicosanoids in the body’s cells. One the one hand, we have the pro-inflammatory ones that promote inflammation and tissue destruction, and, on the other hand, we have the anti-inflammatory ones that stop inflammation and promote healing. Dr. Sears notes that if these opposites are out of balance, for instance, if the pro-inflammatory eicosanoids aren’t called back to the barracks, inflammation runs amok and your immune system starts attacking your body. He suggests that we can move from pro-inflammatory eicosanoids toward anti-inflammatory eicosanoids first and foremost by modifying …”what you eat”.
There is another pair of opposites in human anatomy called secretors and non-secretors.
Secretors reverse their Lewis antigens from a+b- to a-b+. Secretors, between 80 and 85 percent of the population, also secrete their blood type antigen in their bodily secretions such as saliva and semen.
So, how does the human body respond to an enemy that it can hardly identify? The answer is that it does what it can to keep the varmint out.
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a severe intestinal intolerance to wheat or gluten. People whose body can recognize gluten as the enemy require an absolute wheat/gluten restriction for their entire lives. Their immune systems will go so far as complete destruction the villi, the tiny, fingerlike protrusions, that line the small intestines in an effort to prevent entry of gluten into their bodies. Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed into the bloodstream. People of blood Type O, having antibodies against both Type A and Type B antigens seem better at identifying gluten containing cereals as the enemy.
The human immune system, having identified the culprit, considers this valuable information and passes it along to offspring. Consequently, celiac disease is a genetic disease. It is also considered an autoimmune disease because the immune system seems to be attacking itself, when, in fact it is attacking the Trojan horse gluten which is the cause of the problem. I think that this is the nature of many, if not all, autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases should be called idiopathic immune diseases.
Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of The No-Grain Diet, says, “I am convinced all blood Type O individuals should not eat wheat. I suspect that most of us would benefit from a similar restriction”.
In a study published in the Lancet (July 17, 1999;354:222-223), researchers in Rome, Italy examined 52 patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy (heart disease with no known cause) for celiac disease. Three of them had celiac disease, suggesting that prevalence of celiac disease in idiopathic cardiomyopathy patients is increased.
According recent research published in the journal Hematology-Oncology Clinics of North America, “Celiac disease is a risk factor for the development of both adenocarcinoma and T-cell lymphoma of the small intestine. The development of lymphoma accounts for the majority of the increased mortality in celiac disease,” according to P.H.R. Green and al, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.
It seems to me that in Small Intestinal T-cell Lymphoma the body tries to adapt to the gluten diet. Laboratory diagnosis shows the following partial
morphology.
- There is full thickness replacement of the wall of the intestine by large highly pleomorphic lymphoid cells
- The adjacent mucosa often shows vilous atrophy. There are large number of intra-epithelial lymphocytes that may show cytological atypia
The tumor cells have an abnormal peripheral T-cell phenotype. It is reported that in some cases there is absence of CD4 and CD8 expression.
Again, as the body’s immune system tries to protect us from gluten, it ends up on the short end of the stick - The development of lymphoma accounts for the majority of the increased mortality in celiac disease.
Some people react to gluten in the diet with eating disorders. Anorexia and bulimia are linked to celiac disease and therefore gluten intolerance. Many celiac patients say that they avoid eating for long periods to avoid the inevitable uncomfortable (and even painful) symptoms in the stomach. Many celiacs also automatically vomit after meals in which they have consumed gluten-containing foods or anytime their symptoms are nauseating or painful.
Cystic fibrosis is the most frequent lethal genetic disease of childhood. It affects the lungs, digestive system, sweat glands, and male fertility. CF affects approximately 30,000 children and young adults in the United States and about 3,000 infants are born with CF every year. CF is caused by a deletion (delta-F508) in the so-called CF gene.
The normal role of the CFTR protein is to allow chloride ions to exit the mucus-producing cells. When the chloride ions leave these cells, water follows, thinning the mucus. Two hallmarks of the disease are the secretion of thick mucus and dead white blood cells.
I am speculating that CF is a mutation in the gene due to the presence of gluten in the diet for increased mucus protection.
The defect causing CF cause the lungs and pancreas to secrete thick mucus, blocking passageways and preventing proper function, according to researchers. This action also prevents the digestion of cereals and it protects the intestinal tract from the ravages of gluten. The major contents of mucus are 1) bacteria, 2) the regular contents of mucus, and 3) dead white blood cells, which are present in CF’ers in a concentration about 1,000 larger than in normal people. To me, this indicates that the white blood cells in the CF patient tangle with the “thorns” of cereals.
According to Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo in his book, Live Right For Your Type, non-secretors are more prone to generalized inflammation than secretors, although their immune responses are not as efficient. Evidently, secretors have adapted or otherwise found a way to reduce the inflammatory response generated by “thorns” not only in cereals, but also in other foods such as legumes and beans. It appears as though IgE-mediated food allergy is somewhat avoided by secretors. And, this is not the case for the non-secretors.
The “thorns” in cereals are opposite to what the immune system of human can handle. Our immune system is used to presenting one antigen to helper cells ______________ for help in fighting the enemy. Gluten is composed of two proteins and I assume two antigens. Consequently, our immune system can only attack one-half of the gluten problem.
According to a PubMed article entitled, Different profiles of wheat antigens are recognized by patients suffering from celiac disease and IgE-mediated food allergy, located at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16…, “Dietary intake of wheat can cause tow distinct immunologically mediated diseases with severe gastrointestinal manifestations, celiac disease (CD) and IgE-mediated food allergy. The pathomechanisms underlying these diseases are different…”. The authors conclude that, “This study thus demonstrates that wheat contains antigens/epitopes which are preferentially recognized by CD patients, whereas others elicit IgE-mediated food allergy.
Chemokines are critical for the inflammatory process in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The chemokine receptor-5 (CCR5) mediates chemotaxis by CC-chemokines and is expressed by lymphocytes with the Th1 phenotype and monocyte/macrophages. A 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 (CCR5-delta 32 allele) abolishes receptor expression in homozygotes, while CCR5-delta 32 carriers would express less receptor than wild-type homozygotes.
Non-secretors are more prone to both type I and type 2 diabetes than the secretors are.
Non-secretors have a higher rate of alcoholism over secretors. They are also the group that moderate alcohol intake is most likely to have protective effect.
Non-secretors have an increased prevalence of a variety of so-called autoimmune diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthropathy, Graves disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, etc.
The human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) maps to the short arm of chromosome 6 and contains the polymorphic HLA genes. These genes are fundamental for the acquired immune response. HLA class I products bind to endogenous antigenic epitopes and present them to CD8+ CTLs, while HLA class II products present exogenous antigenic peptides to CD4+ helper T-cells.
“Numerous diseases are associated with the HLA loci and a number of them are autoimmune diseases. HLA-B27 is associated with the spondyloarthropathies (SpA), including ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Reiter’s syndrome, reactive arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriatic spondylitis. HLA-B27 is highly associated with AS (98% is positive), whereas the prevalence in other forms of SpA varies between 50-80%. The B27-antigen is present in 8-20% of healthy Caucasians, depending on their geographic distribution, with the highest prevalence being in the northern zones
HIV/AIDS
There are two kinds of helper T cells.
- Th1 – These participate in cell-mediated immunity. They are essential for controlling such intracellular pathogens as viruses and certain bacteria, e.g., Listeria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (the bacillus that causes tb)
- Th2 – These provide help for B cells and, in so doing, are essential for antibody-mediated immunity. Antibodies are needed to control extra cellular pathogens (which – unlike intracellular parasites – are exposed to antibodies in blood and other body fluids).
Like all T cells, Th cells arise in the thymus.
- When they acquire CD4, they are called pre-Th cells
- When they are presented with both
- An antigen and
- Appropriate cytokines, they begin to proliferate and become activated
It is the nature of the stimulation that determines which path they enter: the path leading to Th1 cells or the path leading to Th2 cells.
The antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are called dendritic cells (DC). They
- Ingest antigen by phagocytosis or pinocytosis
- Degrade it, and
- Present fragments of the antigen at their surface
- Secrete cytokines
There are two kinds of dendritic cell
- DC1 – these are descended from monocytes
- DC2 – these appear to be derived from lymphocytes
Th1 Cells
Th1 cells are produced when DC1-type dendritic cells and pre-Th cells form an immunological synapse in which the dendritic cell
- Presents antigen to the T cell’s receptor for antigen (TCR);
- Secretes interleukin 12 (IL-12)
The paracine stimulation by IL-12 activates (through JAK-STAT pathways) the Th1 cells to secrete their own lymphokines:
- Tumor-necrosis factor-beta (TNF-B) (also known as lymphotoxin) and
- Interferon-gamma (IFN-y)
These
- Stimulate macrophages to kill the bacteria they have engulfed;
- Recruit other leukocytes to the site producing inflammation
Th2 Cells
Th2 cells are produced when DC2-type dendritic cells present antigen to the T cell’s receptor for antigen (TCR) and, presumably, one or more paracrine stimulants. The identity of the cytokine(s) is still uncertain
The major lymphokines secreted by Th2 cells are
- Interleukin 4 (IL-4). This
- Stimulates class-switching in B cells and promotes their synthesis of IgE antibodies
- Acts as a positive-feedback device promoting more pre-Th cells to enter the Th2 pathway
- Blocks the IFN-y receptors from entering the immunological synapse on pre-Th cells thus inhibiting them from entering the Th1 path
- Interleukin 5 (IL-5). Attracts and activates eosinophils
- Interleukin 10 (IL-10). Inhibits IL-12 production by DCs thus inhibiting pre-Th cells from entering the Th1 pathway
- Interleukin 13 (IL-13). This also promotes the synthesis of IgE antibodies
-
The following info was taken from the Internet article entitled Helper T Cells located at http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/T/Th1_Th2.html .
A Th1 response inhibits the Th2 path in two ways:
IFN-y and IL-12 inhibit the formation of Th2 cells;
Ifn-y also inhibits class switching in B cells
A Th2 response inhibits the Th1 path:
IL-4 and IL-10 suppress Th1 formation
Negative feedback of Th1 and Th2 cell formation
There is evidence that late in the immune response, negative feedback mechanisms come into play to dampen the response.
IL-4 kills the precursors of the DC2 cells (by apoptosis) thus inhibiting the Th2 path and further production of IL-4
IFN-y may eventually turn off the Th1 response that produced it.
Th1 and Th2 cells have different chemokine receptors.
Chemokines are cytokines that are chemotactic for (attract) leukocytes. Because they are chemotactic cytokines, chemokines are designated by the initials CC.
Chemokines bind to receptors on the responding leukocyte. The receptors are transmembrane proteins with the chemokine-binding site exposed at the surface of the plasma membrane. Chemokine receptors are designated CCR.
Th1 cells and Th2 cells have opposite functions.
Th1 cells express the chemokine receptor CCR5 (but not CCR3).
Th2 cells express the chemokine receptor CCR3 (but not CCR5).
CCR3
One chemokine that binds to CCR3 is called eotaxin. It is secreted by epithelial cells and phagocytic cells in regions where allergic reactions are occurring.
CCR3 is found on
· Th2 cells
· Eosinophils
· Basophils
All cells implicated in allergic responses (e.g., asthma).
CCR5
CCR5 is found on
- Th1 cells, especially those in the lymphoid tissue of the intestine
- Macrophages
CCR5 also acts – along with the CD4 molecule – as a co-receptor for HIV-l, the retrovirus that causes AIDS. This fact may explain
· Why destruction of the lymphoid tissue of the intestine occurs soon after HIV infection;
· Why certain HIV-infected men
· With inherited mutations in CCR5 or
· Who produce high levels of the natural ligand for CCR5 (a chemokine designated CCL3L1). CCL3L1 presumably competes with HIV for access to CCR5.
· Can tolerate their infection for long periods without progressing to a full-blown case of AIDS;
· The collapse of cell-mediated immunity in the late stages of AIDS.
CCR5 cytokine levels correlate with disease activity of Wegener’s Granulomatosis patients.
Chemokines are critical for the inflammatory process in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The chemokine receptor-5 (CCR5) mediates chemotaxis by CC-chemokines and is expressed by lymphocytes with the Th1 phenotype and monocyte/macrophages. A 32 bp deletion in the CCR5 (CCR5-delta 32 allele) abolishes receptor expression in homozygotes, while CCR5-delta 32 carriers would express less receptor than wild-type homozygotes. This polymorphism is related to the resistance to HIV-1 infection and progression towards AIDS. We hypothesized that the CCR5-delta 32 allele may modulate the severity of disease in RA. A total of 160 RA-patients (71 and 89 with severe and non-severe phenotypes, respectively) and 500 healthy individuals from the same Caucasian population (Asturias, northern Spain) were genotyped. Carriers of the CCR5-delta 32 allele were at a significantly higher frequency (P – 0.012) in non-severe compared to severe patients (17$ vs. 4%). Our results suggest that the CCR5-delta 32 polymorphism is a genetic marker related to the severity of RA.
As stated earlier wheat contains antigens/epitopes, which are preferentially recognized by CD patients, whereas others elicit IgE-mediated food allergy. In other words, the human immune system is incapable of recognizing the “thorns” in the gluten proteins. Also, as a problem of the opposites, the human immune system is incapable of defending against the “thorns” in cereals.
“An elevated IgE level and increased production of T(H2) cytokines are factors associated with poor prognosis in HIV infection”, per PubMed article entitled, Cytokine profile of a long-term pediatric HIV survivor with hyper-IgE syndrome and a normal CD4 T-cell count, at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=20.. .
I have read that the DNA double-helix of monocots is different from the one of humans and dicots. Apparently, one strain of the DNA of monocots is the same as ours and one is different. Gluten and other monocots present “thorns” that our immune system cannot handle and are, therefore, likely responsible.
HIV Is Another Way of Saying Eurica
Breastfeeding passes on crucial antibodies to infants that protect them against allergies. It is reported that half of the children with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa today were infected with the disease through breast milk from their HIV-positive mothers. Could the transmission of HIV be a way of one human informing another that the enemy has been identified and what it looks like?
Could HIV/Aids result from humans finally becoming able to recognize the villain in cereal grains and stimulating the body to begin a war against an enemy (gluten) that it cannot win? Or, is it that late in the immune response against HIV, a negative feedback mechanisms come into play to dampen a Th response?
It is estimated that 59% of LGBT youth smoke, whereas the prevalence rate in the general youth population is only 37%.
Of all stimulants, users of crystal methamphetamine take fewer years to enter treatment; the average use is 3.7 years. It is reported that 91% of crystal users are HIV-infected, whereas only some 33% of users of other stimulants are infected. Sexual activity occurs in 91% of crystal users and in 56% of other stimulant users. Crystal users are almost three times more likely to consider recent sexual behaviors as compulsive (64%) compared to other stimulant users (22%), and to have more sexual partners in the last 30 days (crystal users, 5.5 partners; users of other stimulants, 2.1 partners). Crystal users have more than three times the number of sexual partners (19) in the previous six months than other stimulant users (6). Users of crystal describe it as pushing sexual extremes, pushing sexual intensity, prolonging sexuality and increasing thoughts about sex.
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center – Report From The Third Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health Roundtable – June 6 – 7, 2002.
Depression and chronic hopelessness is frequently seen with those in long-term substance abuse treatment facilities and those living with HIV, as well as their care providers. By 2010 depression will be the number one mental health diagnosis for LGBT people.
Gay men are more likely to be extroverted, use alcohol, and, be single or in short-term relationships according to Internet article Introduction to Gay Male Domestic Violence at http://www.psychpage.com/gay/library/gay_lesbian_violence/dv_gay…
Why Do Roses Have Thorns
A New Theory of Disease
An important dichotomy for humans is the fact that the body can use either glucose oxidation or fatty acid oxidation as a source for fuel. In the presence of glucose in the diet from vegetables and fruits, as designed, the body works wonderfully. The lack of sufficient glucose in the diet triggers the body to fall back, default, or, in other words, go to the opposite energy source – fatty acids, for survival. However, this energy pathway results in destructive metabolism, but, helps insure the continuation of the specie.
Part of our problem is that there are “thorns”(a euphemism for lectins) in wheat and other seeds, and, vegetables for that matter, that activate our immune system as these “thorns” represent a danger to our well-being. The cereals utilize gluten as their “thorns”. Cereals such as wheat have a unique form of defense (“thorns”) insuring the balance of nature. Two protein molecules, glutanin and gliadin, combine when chewed by animals or worked over and over as dough is kneaded in the bread-making process. For the cereals, this is a great secret weapon. Most of our immune systems cannot detect gluten as being an enemy. Then, once it is targeted by the immune system, as in celiac disease, it is recognized as the formidable foe that it is. Gluten represents an opposite as to what our immune system can defend us against. In my opinion, that is why grass herbivores have multiple chambers in the stomach and chew the cud or masticate the grains after the “thorns” have been disabled or neutralized by microorganisms in the rumen.
Gluten forms a network that traps air bubbles, primarily from carbon dioxide, created by baking power or yeast giving bread its characteristic texture and air bubbles. For humans, gluten appears to be the ultimate Trojan horse. The “thorns” – the ability to make dough rise, (gluten) in wheat and other cereals is the special attribute of wheat that humans value in bread making. In fact, we believe that the more gluten in the flour the better the flour.
As the ratio of starch to glucose increase, the more there is of a tendency to switch or migrate to the opposite form of energy. The complete migration to fatty acids oxidation is reflected in Type 1 diabetes. According to Diabetes – UK, prior to the advent of insulin, Type 1 diabetes were placed on a milk diet, which allowed them to live up to two years. Type 2 diabetes, in my opinion, represents a “switch to the opposite” in progress. As the body migrates from glucose to fatty acids, the body’s cells become less sensitive to insulin. In fact, the beta cells of the pancreas switch function from the production of insulin to the production of amylin as first noted by Eugene L. Opie and Leonid Sobelev somewhere around 1902. According to the book, The Diabetic Male’s Essential Guide to Living Well, by Joseph Juliano, M.D., Opie and Sobelev identified that change in function of the beta cells resulted in diabetes.
In order to fight cancer, one needs to determine just what cancer is. Tumors represent a way of altering or adapting the functions of the body’s organs and tissues to a different environment. Cancer results when the body cannot control the tumor or adaptation process, in my opinion, sometimes due to the influence of peptides from gluten.
As the ratio of starch to glucose increases, there is increased pressure on the body to make adjustments. Linus Pauling, the chemist and biologist that is among the few people awarded two Nobel Prizes, advocated that it was the lack of vitamin C in the diet that caused cancer. He was partially correct. It is the lack of a glucose-providing, vitamin C providing diet that naturally comes with the consumption of fruits and vegetables that cause cancer. Keep in mind, humans do not manufacture vitamin C, therefore, it must come from the diet. This vegetarian diet is tuned to provide all of the requisite nutrients in their correct ratios from a vegetarian diet. For instance, prior to the advent of farming, the Neolithic man spent most of his days eating herbaceous materials. Of course, there were some editable seeds during the seed-bearing part of the year. It is easy to surmise that they didn’t get a lot of energy from such a diet. However, that was the status quo until the advent of farming and domestication of animals. Subsequently, man body has had to adjust to excess nutrients in the diet. For example, the body needs iron for hemoglobin. The body absorbs 10 times more iron from meat than it does from fruits and vegetables. Consequently, the body needs to make adaptations. In many cases, these changes are made by mutations of genes and many of these mutations result in tumors, some of which go out of control and form cancer. This is to be expected when the “opposites of the body” are out of control.
