Diet fats, gut microbiota, and inflammation

[littlemermaid]

http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/666828
`Nutrient Signaling: Evolutionary Origins of the Immune-Modulating Effects of Dietary Fat', Joe Alcock, Melissa L. Franklin, and Christopher W. Kuzawa, The Quarterly Review of Biology Vol. 87, No. 3, September 2012

'Many dietary fatty acids (FA) have potent effects on inflammation, which is not only energetically costly, but also contributes to a range of chronic diseases. This presents an evolutionary paradox: Why should the host initiate a costly and damaging response to commonly encountered nutrients? We propose that the immune system has evolved a capacity to modify expenditure on inflammation to compensate for the effects of dietary FA on gut microorganisms. In a comprehensive literature review, we show that the body preferentially upregulates inflammation in response to saturated FA that promote harmful microbes. In contrast, the host often reduces inflammation in response to the many unsaturated FA with antimicrobial properties. Our model is supported by contrasts involving shorter-chain FA and omega-3 FA, but with less consistent evidence for trans fats, which are a recent addition to the human diet. Our findings support the idea that the vertebrate immune system has evolved a capacity to detect diet-driven shifts in the composition of gut microbiota from the profile of FA consumed, and to calibrate the costs of inflammation in response to these cues. We conclude by extending the nutrient signaling model to other nutrients, and consider implications for drug discovery and public health.'

[wearegood]

No more KFC,lol

[Rebecca Petris]

Wearegood you haven't introduced yourself. How about you let us know your story rather than just commenting (sometimes sarcastically) on others posts. Thanks.

[eye_allergy-kids]

littlemermaid

All these research reports and many things say our diet is problem creater.

I think the way we prepare food, preperation vessels, utensil cleaners (dishwashers) all make more problems

Simply eat only raw fruits nuts leafy vegetables solve many problems.

[lulu]

Hi LM!
I do think diet plays an important role in inflamation, although I have not really had much luck myself in controlling the problems I have, it is seen in other people.
What I am trying to do is reduce sugar as it is constantly thought to be inflammatory. I think some of the nutritionalists should take heed from the above article as they always seem to rec on including lots of fats into the diet. I know that there is a difference between "good" and "bad" fats. Trans fats are a frequent addition to the modern diet though and some of the nasties in margarine are culprits. I must admit to liking fats, the taste is just so much fuller of course, love my cream cheese and cream. However I have also followed strict anti culprit food diets and still try to avoid too much of any one thing now. My brother treated me to an appointment with his nutritionalist back in January and she had me cut out most food groups and suggested cutting out even more when I did not notice any difference, I am fairly slight as it is so was delighted to get into very small clothes but not so delighted to not feel better. Having said that, I do agree that the modern diet is suspect for certain folk.
IT is interesting that I do love sweets and quite frankly would be happy to eat my way through bags of wine gums or jelly babies but my illness has been enough to scare me into avoiding sweets now in the hope of getting things to calm down. So much anectdotal evidence of inflamation linked to sugar too.
Thanks as always LM for interesting article.
Lulu x

[littlemermaid]

Lulu, I hope you're eating lots of good filling food and keeping comfortable. There are so many very delicious things that are not strange processed foods, what my girls call 'clean food'. It would be awful for people who are already suffering so much to spend too much time on a harsh diet. Our kind and gentle ophth are saying adjust the diet mostly for health, but have the occasional winegum or jellybaby, for goodness sake. What really interests me about this is the way our foods feed the gut bacteria and other biota which are symbiotic with our immune systems. This is kind of what the health food shops have been saying, but now science is discovering new interesting processes. Keep happy x

[bakunin]

littlemermaid

All these research reports and many things say our diet is problem creater.

I think the way we prepare food, preperation vessels, utensil cleaners (dishwashers) all make more problems

Simply eat only raw fruits nuts leafy vegetables solve many problems.

I would like to. But for a skinny guy like me, who loses weight very easily, I think it would not be healthy eating only fruits and vegetables and nuts. I eat a lot of wheat in breads, cookies etc. I think if I stop eating them i would lose a weight that I can't lose.

[eye_allergy-kids]

[QUOTE=bakunin;75208]I would like to. But for a skinny guy like me,

bakunin

You may have to eat lot of natural food. once in a while you may have to fast for a day. surely you will lot of weight After some time you will stabilise and slowly start to increase weight. (this depends on each person's body and mind) everybody is unique.

[littlemermaid]

I don't know anything about nutrition but I know we like good food! We are eating a lot more beans, pulses, rice, couscous, cornmeal (polenta) - it's a good filling diet. We use honey a lot more to avoid sugar. Heck, if we want a small chocolate, we get the best. LM's rosacea skin is very improved without gluten, fake fats and sugar. We use more seed and nut oils in salad dressing and cooking, which seems to help. It is a shame to lose good quality wheat bread but we have had to accept it - there are plenty alternative flours for baking (Rebecca mentioned a bread mix she buys online). We use eg ricecakes (large biscuit shape) and make thin biscuits with gluten free flours.

For info, LM gets a golden red eye inflammation on flaxseed oils but does well on fishoils. This suggests some digestive enzyme problem, I guess. It does show how the dietary oils affect the meibom pretty fast though.

I can honestly tell what she's been eating when she goes to town with her friends judging by skin - red patches on the face, various light rashes caused by bad fats and sugars. Then the eye problems start again. Interesting, eh.

Eyeallergykids - Some people here are very ill with autoimmune diseases affecting their bodies very badly - I'm worried that they will not get nutrition they need for energy and healing if they try strict diets in desperation. You know we think the same, though (except the enemas...) I'm worried some people will get more sick and depressed cutting various foods which may not actually be causing problems for them personally, without eating more sustaining healthy foods.

I hope people understand that what you and I are doing with our children is becoming sensitive to the foods that are making the eyes better/worse - we both think this is the way forward. Rosacea sufferers keep a diary of better/worse to help identify triggers. I'm thinking there is no 'anti-inflammatory diet' by rule - I think it's personal, like allergies are.

As Eyeallergykids describes, another way if people are well enough, is to eliminate suspect foods, then reintroduce a few weeks later to see what happens (food intolerance method).

(this depends on each person's body and mind) everybody is unique.

[robster]

Also read about trans fats not being good for skin and eyes though not really sure how you can avoid them - these days they're in everything!

[littlemermaid]

Robster, Check out high fructose corn syrup (there was a BBC documentary around June). The food industry giants are happy to destroy our health but take our money first I feel such a mug now I've looked at what processed food is actually made of. And, criminally, the so-called 'diet' and 'low fat' and 'children's' products. Although it did make me LOL that Sunny Delight turned someone's poor child orange (they went back to normal when they stopped drinking it...).

[eye_allergy-kids]

[QUOTE=littlemermaid;75223]I don't know anything about nutrition but I know we like good food! We are eating a lot more beans, pulses, rice, couscous, cornmeal (polenta) - it's a good filling diet. We use honey a lot more to avoid sugar.




I know many hate Enemas but it is necessary and important. If understood practically the importance everybody will like it specially who is with skin problems surely their liver function is not proper.

Liver fucnctions purify blood, help digestion, store glucose

These are known. there are many unknown fuctions and fully automatic if you eat any hard food liver automatically gives pile pigments through gall bladder with proper quantity. (how much quantity ????) these auto functions must work properly So eat food which do not give load to liver

To cleanse liver good method is take Enemas try and find it
Diet only not going to help good mind and exercise also important

[unicorn]

I went to see a Nutritional therapist last week. For background, my eye problems (inflammation) are recent but I have had years of stomach pains, bloating, tiredness, etc as well as perennial rhinitis. I have also lost around 1 stone in the last year and now have a BMI of around 17.5.

Anyway, after taking a very thorough history she then pulled out a piece of paper with her 'Health and Wholeness Candida Diet' - nothing tailored to me or my situation, but a generic diet plan because her way of understanding all illnesses, it seems, is that they is due to bacteria/yeast overgrowth/imbalance and leaky gut etc.

Foods I would need to avoid on this 'diet' include ALL sugars (inc fruit, fruit juice), any refined/processed foods, pork, tea/coffee, alcohol, mushrooms, dairy (except yoghurt), yeast, fermented foods, preservatives, artificial sweeteners etc. (It should be noted, also, that the diet allows eating beef, lamb, poultry etc - which can be very high in saturated fat, not really that good for you!)

Along with this she 'prescribed' a very expensive (c £50 for weeks supply!) supplement called UltraInflamX and fish oil supplements (which I'm already taking). She also recommended stool tests which would come to well over £400. The diet would apparently need to be strictly adhered to for 3-6 months to see any improvement, and more supplements taken along the way to kill off yeasts & restore good bacteria.

Now, I can see that this would be a very healthy 'diet'. It is however extremely restrictive - and for someone with a BMI of 17.5 and falling, not really what I would call sound advice. With my stomach problems I struggle to eat more than small meals so can't fill up on rice, potatoes etc. Littlemermaid's view - have the odd sweet in moderation whilst eating well - is what I'd consider much 'healthier' advice. I can see why people who are desperate want to try things like this - and if you're overweight, it'll no doubt help a lot. But I don't have a 'buffer zone' where I can really afford to lose even a few more pounds, and to go on such a diet without proper medical advice seems to me unwise. I looked into this 'UltraInflamX' supplement - seems to be often taken by people with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis etc, with lots of forum posts saying things like 'the only thing it relieved me of was money in my wallet'.

So - I'm eating healthily, avoiding too much sugar, refined flours, bad fats etc - but I think you have to stay rational and also just experiment to find out what does/doesn't help for you as an individual. I am seeing a gastroenterologist in the next month or so (NHS) and will ask their advice on tests and possible bacteria overgrowth/imbalance.

The BBC documentary ('The Men Who Made us Fat') was fascinating and deeply scary! Really makes you reluctant to eat processed foods....

[eye_allergy-kids]

Eyeallergykids - Some people here are very ill with autoimmune diseases affecting their bodies very badly - I'm worried that they will not get nutrition they need for energy and healing if they try strict diets in desperation. You know we think the same, though (except the enemas...) I'm worried some people will get more sick and depressed cutting various foods which may not actually be causing problems for them personally, without eating more sustaining healthy foods.

I hope people understand that what you and I are doing with our children is becoming sensitive to the foods that are making the eyes better/worse - we both think this is the way forward. Rosacea sufferers keep a diary of better/worse to help identify triggers. I'm thinking there is no 'anti-inflammatory diet' by rule - I think it's personal, like allergies are.

As Eyeallergykids describes, another way if people are well enough, is to eliminate suspect foods, then reintroduce a few weeks later to see what happens (food intolerance method).[/QUOTE]




All my suggestions are to treat and kill "Autoimmune" diecease

[littlemermaid]

Hello Eyeallergykids ~ In my anatomy book, the colon is nowhere near the liver? Is it that you are thinking toxins reabsorbed through the bowel, re-enter the system, put strain on the liver? I hope Unicorn's gastroenterologist is helpful to her on this.