How Diet Affects MS: A Fight MS with Food Case Study

February 25, 2014

In the Fight MS with Food Project we are looking at the effect of a customized anti-inflammatory diet on the progression of multiple sclerosis in already diagnosed patients. Our goal is to halt the downhill slide of the typical MS patient by identifying and eliminating inflammatory triggers in their diet and environment.

In April, 2013, I began working with a 15-year old MS patient, “G.,” who lives in a rural area in the Pacific Northwest. Here, G.’s mother tells his story of how targeted dietary changes have helped him avoid further exacerbations and even regain motor functions:

“G.’s first attack was Sept. 2010, when he lost the sensation of cold on his right arm and leg. At that time he did not show any loss of mobility and the MRI scans were normal. (On going back over my notes-I keep journals of Doc visits on all my children-I had recorded that he complained of abdominal pain and soreness. Sore to touch that lasted from the 9/17 to 9/21 when it went away. He also had soreness in his neck on the back side. I don’t know if this is significant. Kind of looks like it to me though. At least very interesting.)

It wasn’t until his April 2011 that he lost the feeling on the left side of his body (arm, face, leg) and staggered when he walked. He had to use a wheel chair in the hospital but refused one for home and instead used two hiking sticks. The MRI showed 10 lesions.

Despite the prognosis of needing a wheel chair for life, he was determined to walk and eventually, over a month’s time, went down to one walking stick and then to none. It wasn’t a perfect gait, but he was walking without assistance. He went on to have small MS exacerbations in the fall and following spring of 2012.

It wasn’t until after attending a church youth camp in July 2012 that he had another more substantial attack where his right arm, leg and speech were affected. He recovered from these, too, but not 100%. We noticed he would drag a foot up the stairs (clump-clump pause, clump-clump pause). The next round of MRI scans showed more lesions and the Doc wanted to double his Avonex shots. He was starting to get increasing side affects from this medication at the shot site and also flu symptoms and depression. This was early 2013 and our search for some different answers led us to you.

He did not start to have full recovery of his mobility and fine motor skills until 4 weeks after he took the MRT and began the LEAP diet in April 2013. While his dragging a foot up the stairs (clump-clump pause, clump-clump pause) cleared up in the first few months after beginning the diet to an even left, right, left, right going up the stairs, what we noticed in Dec./Jan., 2013, which may have occurred sooner, was actually running and or trotting up and down the stairs with no balance or coordination issues!

His father and I noticed he was doing this, reflected on the change, and gave thanks to God for leading us to you, the LEAP test and the diet.

We want to continue this because it is working. G. never had a relapse after his nasty bronchial cold over Christmas, either, which is a first. This is a big deal to us as he has always had some relapse after bronchial colds in the past.

I am looking out my window watching my 16-year old son chop and split wood. He basically has a log camp set up at the edge of our small forest. He recently used his chain saw that he bought with his own money that he saved to saw down some dead trees as he and his father work on forest management on our property. (The trees were smallish, but none the less a great accomplishment.) He gets great pleasure out of being able to do these things that he loves.

He is healthy and so strong and I know that without a doubt he would not be able to do these things if he was still on the path we were on before the diet.”

Brazil’s New Sensible Food Guidelines

February 19, 2014

I’m just going to brazenly quote Marion Nestle from her blog “Food Politics” about the newest nutrition guidelines posted by the Brazilian government for the health of the country. Everything you are about to read comes directly from her blog post.

In case you don’t know who Marion Nestle is, educate yourself as she is one of the most important voices of our time when it comes to government oversight of the food choices in this country.

I love these guidelines because they really reflect how people live and eat in Brazil. We could take a lesson or two from them.

Here I am in the Amazon rain forest in 1992 with my friend Jennifer. — Here I am in the Amazon rain forest in 1992 with my friend Jennifer during my first trip to Brazil.

You can read the whole document from the Brasilian health officials here, if you speak Portuguese. Lucky me, I kinda do. 🙂 If you ever have the opportunity to spend some time in Brazil, I highly recommend it.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s Marion’s summary of the new Brazilian dietary recommendations:

Brazilian health officials designed the guidelines to help protect against undernutrition, which is already declining sharply in Brazil, but also to prevent the health consequences of overweight and obesity, which are sharply increasing in that country.

The guidelines are remarkable in that they are based on foods that Brazilians of all social classes eat every day, and consider the social, cultural, economic and environmental implications of food choices.

The guide’s three “golden rules:”

Make foods and freshly prepared dishes and meals the basis of your diet.
Be sure oils, fats, sugar and salt are used in moderation in culinary preparations.
Limit the intake of ready-to-consume products and avoid those that are ultra-processed.

The ten Brazilian guidelines:

Prepare meals from staple and fresh foods.
Use oils, fats, sugar and salt in moderation.
Limit consumption of ready-to-consume food and drink products
Eat regular meals, paying attention, and in appropriate environments.
Eat in company whenever possible.
Buy food at places that offer varieties of fresh foods. Avoid those that mainly sell products ready for consumption.
Develop, practice, share and enjoy your skills in food preparation and cooking.
Plan your time to give meals and eating proper time and space.
When you eat out, choose restaurants that serve freshly made dishes and meals. Avoid fast food chains.
Be critical of the commercial advertisement of food products.

Chronic Sinusitis Can Be Due to Food Sensitivities

February 12, 2014

Do you suffer from chronic sinus infections, drippy nose, or just plain old congestion? If so, the cause is likely something you’re eating all the time that you don’t realize is making you sick.

Here’s a testimonial from a client who received a customized anti-inflammatory LEAP diet based on Mediator Release Test (MRT) results and found a life where she no longer has sinus issues. As a Certified LEAP Therapist (CLT), my job is to design a customized anti-inflammatory diet to resolve symptoms. The MRT allows us to pinpoint the triggers of inflammatory activity instead of shooting arrows in the dark and so produces real results.

LEAP Testimonial

I originally sought counseling from Dr. Yarnell at the advice of a good friend. I have had chronic sinus pressure which resulted in me taking a nasal decongestant every day. I also used to get about 4 sinus infections a year which ended with me taking antibiotics. Otherwise, I was a very healthy person who regularly exercises, only ate organic produce and didn’t smoke. Therefore, I was a bit skeptical of whether or not the LEAP program could really make a dramatic difference for me.

I was also concerned with my ability to stick to the program. The first two weeks were restrictive. For someone who had multiple cups of coffee every day and a piece of chocolate, this seemed daunting. However, because I was feeling so much better and Dr. Yarnell was my advocate I was able to get through it. Once I started introducing new foods I felt like I had so many options and zero interest in the foods that caused me to feel bad.

The benefits of LEAP were amazing and unexpected. My hair started growing thicker, I no longer crave caffeine or sweets, I have more energy, I sleep better, I am less anxious and I think more clearly. My sinus issues are gone as well. I also realize that I could not have done this program without the guidance of Dr. Yarnell. She is relateable, encouraging and worked with me to develop a customized program. The blood tests alone would not have allowed such a complete transformation.

I have recommended the LEAP program and Dr. Yarnell’s guidance to my family and friends – and look forward to hearing their success stories as well.

~Lauren C., New York

Parasites Cause Obesity, Mental Illness, Autoimmunity, and More

February 10, 2014

I am a firm believer that hidden parasitic infection is at the root of many if not most chronic ailments, and now a study has just been released showing a link between parasites and obesity.

Researchers at several universities around the world teamed up to examine the incidence of obesity with the presence of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii). T.gondii is thought to affect at least 30% of the population in both the developed and undeveloped world.

That means that in any group of three people, at least one is likely infected with this particular parasite. If you suffer from a chronic condition that has inflammation at its base, this could be you.

Parasites and Obesity

The CDC calls T.gondii one of the top “Five Neglected Parasitic Infections” based on its high prevalence in the US, severity of illness, and potential for prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/npi.html; accessed 9-25-2013).

Latent T. gondii infection has been previously associated with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and personality disorder, and it causes significant activity of T-cells, the ones that are responsible for inflammation. Since obesity is a chronic stage of inflammation and irrational thought can be due to inflamed brain tissue (read Brain Rules to see how this works), all of this makes sense to me.

Even more, this new research has now proved a relationship between parasitic infection and obesity. What other conditions might a hidden parasitic infection affect? Plenty.

T-Cells and Parasites

Here’s what happens in your body when you have a parasitic infection regardless of if the parasite is active or already encapsulated into a cyst.

The T-cells, a subset of white blood cells that are responsible for determining the threat rating of foreign substances in the body, determine the parasite presence is a threat and prime the immune system to fight it off. The immune system releases mediators, or inflammatory activators, to start off the battle strategy. This works pretty well when fighting viral and bacterial invaders but not at all with parasites.

The T-cells notice that the threat is still there and continue their inflammatory assault, sometimes for decades. The body remains in a chronically inflamed state with no resolution until other interventions are taken to kill off the parasites. An inflamed state could manifest as anything from migraines to fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, sinusitis, or even autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis.

Chronic inflammation, as we are finally starting to realize, is bad, bad, bad.

Chronic inflammation damages tissues and disrupts systems, like the integrity of the myelin sheaths of the nervous system (resulting in MS), the elasticity of the veins and arteries (heart disease), and of course, our front line of defense, the digestive system.

When the digestive system is subjected to chronic inflammation, it no longer does its job well and new food sensitivities emerge, triggering more T-cell activity and bringing inflammation in the body on a constant basis.

The parasitic infection that is at the root must be addressed for complete healing to occur.

Should You Test for Parasites?

The problem with using Western medicine to test for parasites is that it doesn’t necessarily look for the critters in the right places. The standard is to look for parasites in a stool sample or two. Unfortunately, parasites like T.gondii, for example, take up residence in the brain and will not show up in a stool sample.

Even blood testing won’t tell us everything. Advanced blood testing for the parasite Chagas, which we know lives in the blood, involves surveying a blood sample using a high tech medium designed to illuminate this microscopic parasite, but the sophisticated test won’t show the presence of a liver fluke in the liver.

This is why all parasite testing is notorious for false negatives. The danger is that the patient believes they don’t actually have a parasite based on the lab report so does not take steps to eradicate the parasite and continues to see his or her health deteriorate.

When I suspect parasites in a client (more than 75% of the time), I never recommend wasting money on testing but instead suggest starting an herbal parasite cleanse immediately.

How Do You Get Rid of Parasites?

The pharmaceutical drugs of choice for parasite eradication, Flagyl and Ivermectin among others, can be effective though they only kill off adults and do not affect the eggs or protected cysts. They are also brutal on the body. Using Flagyl to kill a parasite, as one G.I. doc told me, is like using a shotgun to kill a mosquito; there’s a lot of collateral damage in the process.

In my personal experience, Flagyl leaves your body feeling fragile, like an empty eggshell, because it is so toxic that it has killed off everything, both the good and the bad, in your body. As a result, the course of drugs leaves your digestive system in bad shape. Worse, because it leaves the eggs and cysts behind to repopulate, symptoms often return within months or years.

Better to use a gentle combination of anti-parasitic herbs for several weeks to address all of the stages of a parasite life cycle without destroying your body in the process. Most people don’t feel anything different while going through the herbal regimen I advocate, but eliminating the source of constant inflammation brings immeasurable relief from symptoms of all kinds.

Will Eradicating Parasites Cure My Ailments?

It depends on how much damage has already been done in your body as to how much healing needs to happen once the parasites are out of the way. It’s likely that digestive system damage has lowered your tolerance thresholds and you are now a hypersensitive person who needs to learn how to avoid personal inflammatory triggers during the post-parasite healing phase.

Healing can only happen in the absence of inflammation.

I work with my clients to design customized anti-inflammatory diets to quickly reduce inflammation and supplement with supportive digestive enzymes to speed healing.

The one thing I know for sure is that if you have a parasitic infection and you don’t address it, there is only so much better you will ever get. You can medically suppress T-cell activity and become immuno-compromised, but you can’t convince the T-cells to ignore the presence of a parasite for long.

Where Can I Find A Parasite Cleanse?

Contact me and I’d be happy to tell you all about the regimens to get rid of parasites and end your chronic inflammatory issues once and for all.

Remedies for Lingering Crud from a Cold

February 6, 2014May 16, 2017

I hear a lot of people have been suffering this winter from colds that stay and stay. I hear about stuffy or running noses, annoying coughs, and general exhaustion.

My recommendations for knocking this virus out of the body are simple: Garlic tea and vitamins D and C.

Garlic Tea

Garlic tea has an amazing anti-viral properties and couldn’t be easier to make. Mince or smash a few cloves of garlic and place in a mug. Fill with boiling water and allow to steep for 10 minutes covered with a plate. Add the juice from 1/4-1/2 lemon and enough honey or cane sugar to sweeten.

The most common questions I field about garlic tea are does it make you smell like garlic and does it taste awful? Yes and no. Yes, you will reek of garlic, but hey, you’re sick. How close do you really want to be to other people? And no, when I need it I find it tastes sweet. If you don’t like the taste, add more honey and lemon and plug your nose when you drink it.

I usually eat the garlic at the bottom of my tea, but you don’t need to. Repeat as often as needed.

Vitamin D

If your immune system is working overtime, give it a hand up with a booster dose of vitamin D. I like to use 5000 IU of vitamin D3 during times of immune stress. Unless you are normally immune compromised, only take this high of a dose of vitamin D for 5 days at a time.

I prefer to use liquid vitamin D3 rather than capsules because it is easier to measure the dosage.

Vitamin C

Acerola cherries are one of the most bio-available sources of vitamin C. Almost 40 years ago, Linus Pauling introduced us to the idea that vitamin C could influence health. His theories have stood the test of time and it is now common knowledge that vitamin C can help you avoid or recover from colds.

I give my kids 1 Tablespoon of acerola cherry powder mixed in water or juice each day when they start to exhibit symptoms of a cold until the symptoms disappear.