Super Immunity (24 page)

After many years of reviewing the evidence and recording mercury levels in patients—levels that invariably correlate well with their fish consumption—I recommend consuming little or no fish and strongly advise against consuming any of those species of fish notoriously high in mercury, such as shark, swordfish, mackerel, pike, and bluefish.

Note, too, that the amount of DHA can vary significantly depending on the fish and the location. Farm-raised fish such as tilapia has none, and even some salmon (especially farm-raised) has very little DHA.

If you avoid fish and instead consume fish oil, you may still have a problem. One problem with fish oil is that much of the fat has already turned rancid. If you have ever cut open a capsule and tasted it, you may have found that it can taste like gasoline. Many people complain of burping, indigestion, and fish breath. I have also observed that rancidity of fish oil places a stress on the liver and can even cause abnormalities in liver function. If using fish oil, make sure it is purified and certified to be free of mercury, and cut at least one capsule open and taste the oil directly, to make sure it does not taste rotten.

Not everyone requires supplementation with EPA and DHA. A person's specific need can be ascertained with a blood test, but since this test is not universally available, most of us can assure nutritional adequacy of EPA and DHA without using fish oil, by just adding a small amount of a vegan EPA or DHA supplement. Today, laboratory-cultivated DHA is available that is made, as noted above, from algae grown indoors, free of the pollutants found in algae collected in the wild—that is, without mercury or other toxins. Recently a randomized, placebo-controlled study showed that 100 milligrams of DHA daily increased the omega-3 index from 4.8 (poor) to 8.4 (optimal) percent, demonstrating that even a relatively low dose of pure DHA taken daily is as effective as a much higher amount of fish oil.
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Cancer is a complex disease, and when we consider the overall picture, we should be cautious with any supplementation, including that of omega-3 fats. More than needed may not be better when it comes to omega-3 fatty acids. However, a deficiency of nutrients the body requires is never favorable for health
.

In conclusion, to assure omega-3 adequacy, unless blood tests demonstrate otherwise, I recommend 100 to 200 milligrams a day of DHA, plus 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds for ALA. Bear in mind:
all
nutrients can be harmful in deficiency or excess.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the majority of pesticides now in use are probable or possible cancer causes. Studies of farmworkers who work with pesticides suggest a link between pesticide use and brain cancer, Parkinson's disease, multiple myeloma, leukemia, lymphoma, and cancers of the stomach and prostate.
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The question remains, however: Does the low level of pesticides remaining on our food after harvest present much of a risk?

Previously, the large number of studies performed on the typical pesticide-treated produce demonstrated that consumption of produce, whether organic or not, is related to lower rates of cancer and increased disease protection. This suggested that the health benefits of eating phytochemical-rich produce greatly outweighed any risks that pesticide residues might pose. As such, some scientists argue that the extremely low levels of pesticide residue remaining on produce is insignificant and that there are naturally occurring toxins in all natural foods that are more significant.

This viewpoint may no longer be wholly accurate: recent studies have documented a link between pesticides ingested from foods and certain diseases. Organophosphate exposure (organophosphate pesticides are used on several crops, including corn, apples, pears, grapes, berries, and peaches) has been associated with ADHD, behavior problems, and neurodevelopmental deficits in children.
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A number of pesticides may have damaging effects on the brain that contribute to Parkinson's disease, including rotenone and paraquat, which are used on a variety of vegetable crops, and organochlorines, which are now found primarily in fatty foods like meat, dairy, and fish (having found their way up the food chain after an initial application on vegetation).
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If you are concerned about pesticides and chemicals, keep in mind that animal products, such as dairy, fish, and beef, contain the most toxic chemical residues. Because cows and steers eat large amounts of tainted feed, certain pesticides and dangerous chemicals are found in higher concentrations in animal foods. Nevertheless, by centering your diet on unrefined plant foods, you will automatically reduce your exposure to the majority of dangerous chemicals.

It is better to eat fruits and vegetables grown and harvested using pesticides than to not eat them at all; but it is also wise to minimize your pesticide exposure. The Environmental Working Group provides a list of produce called the “Dirty Dozen” (those highest in pesticides) and the “Clean Fifteen” (lowest in pesticides). These are their most recent lists.

It makes sense to peel fruits, if possible, and not to eat potato skins, unless you are able to purchase those vegetables in organic form. Remove and discard the outermost leaves of lettuce and cabbage, if not organically grown; and other surfaces that cannot be peeled can be washed with soap and water, or a commercial vegetable wash.

When we buy organic, we minimize our pesticide exposure, and we also minimize the amount of these pesticides that our environment is exposed to. Organic farming is clearly the more environmentally friendly choice. According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, organic farming “integrates cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.”
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Supporting organic agriculture increases the demand for organic produce and decreases the percentage of farmland (and farmworkers) exposed to potentially harmful agricultural chemicals.

Organic produce usually has more nutrients—especially minerals and antioxidant nutrients—than conventional produce. Organic apples, plums, blueberries, grapes, strawberries, and corn have all been shown to have higher antioxidant capacities than their conventional counterparts. Similarly, organic strawberries were found to have more anticancer activity than conventional strawberries.
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Scientists have theorized that when the plants are grown without pesticides, they are forced to deal with the stress of insects, which causes them to produce more of those antioxidant compounds that are beneficial to humans.

Bottom line: buying organic is a wise choice—organic foods taste better, and organic agriculture protects farmers and our environment.

When our immune system is working as intended, it serves as our inner army, defending our lives and protecting us all the time. However, after years of nutritional abuse it can not only lose its protective function (by which it attacks microbes and tumor cells), but can actually attack
normal
cells. When our immune system attacks our skin, joints, and internal organs, we have what is called an “autoimmune” disease. Psoriasis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and connective tissue disease are examples, but there are about a hundred clinical syndromes considered autoimmune diseases. Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, are also autoimmune diseases. They are in a class distinct from the others, however: they are not typically classified as “rheumatologic,” as the others are, because they are typically treated by gastroenterologists, not rheumatologists. Nevertheless, they are likewise diseases where inflammatory markers are visible in the blood and are of the same class as systemic autoimmune disorders.

I have been successfully treating and reporting positive outcomes in patients with autoimmune diseases through nutritional intervention for more than twenty years.
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In a recent survey of members at DrFuhrman. com, sixteen individuals with rheumatoid arthritis responded. All of them reported significant improvement in symptoms, and half of them reported complete resolution of symptoms. Obviously, not every patient with these diseases can make a complete, drug-free recovery. However, the amazing thing is that my experience enables me to assure patients with a reasonable degree of certainty that their condition will likely improve and in many cases resolve.

It is not just
my
findings that document improvement in autoimmune conditions with good nutrition. Vegetable-based and vegan diets have been reported to be effective against autoimmune disease in the medical literature.
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I find that not just opting for a vegan diet, but also improving the diet with foods rich in immune-supporting micronutrients, and especially green cruciferous vegetables, adds further potential for recovery. A diet high in micronutrients and antioxidants is a key to repairing immune system defects that may lead to disease.
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The human body's complicated immune response is controlled with a system of checks and balances, just like our democratic government. Many components are involved in this immune-mediated attack. First, our antibodies label areas worthy of attack; then other cells work to call out the alarm-secreting substances that attract and promote proliferation of other attacking cells. Finally, there are cells that control the attack, modify it, and turn it off at the precise moment to prevent an excessive response. In autoimmune disorders such as lupus, we have an immune response that reacts in an uncontrolled fashion—a response that is not properly immuno-regulated.

As our understanding of the mechanism and causes of inflammation increases, so does our ability to understand the factors that create a favorable environment for improvement and healing of autoimmune disease. The scientific basis for the nutritional treatment of autoimmune disease hinges on the removal of toxins and food excesses, while at the same time supplying a high level of nutritional factors that help normalize a malfunctioning immune response that overreacts to stimuli and does not shut off.

Despite excellent clinical results and the publication of case studies and medical journal articles documenting favorable outcomes with nutritional interventions,
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medical authorities and major research centers are not interested in studying nutritional excellence as a therapy for rheumatologic diseases.

It is difficult to move against an entrenched status quo that utilizes and tests medications as the only option. If my approach to autoimmune illness were taught in medical schools and residency programs, primary care physicians could begin this nutritional approach at the earliest signs of autoimmune illness with their patients, instead of prescribing a lifetime of medications with dangerous side effects. I am presently working with the Nutritional Research Project at nutritionalresearch.org to see that these more comprehensive studies come to fruition.

The successes I have seen in my years of practice are compelling. Consider the following account:

I had lupus for twenty years. I took Plaquenil, Methotrexate, Prednisone, and other toxic drugs in high dosages and still lived my life imprisoned in isolation and pain with many lost years. I searched on the Web for years, looking for something else. Over the years, I had done acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, exercise, stress management, vitamins, herbs, various oils, including fish oils, antibiotics, and other treatments. I am so grateful to have found Dr. Fuhrman. Thanks to him, today I have a normal life, full of energy, the joint pain is gone, and I am on no medication.