Merry Xmas and happy, healthy and prosperous new year

to everybody from all of us at BCNH.

The college is closed between 24th December 2008 and 4th Janusary 2009. We are open again, as usual, on 5th January 2009.

Dr Ben Goldacre Bad Science lecture at BCNH was a great success

Last night’s lecture was informative, interesting and entertaining. Dr Goldacre is passionate about his topic as much as we are passionate about nutrition.

BCNH students and graduates asked the Principal to arrange another lecture with Dr Goldacre, this time on critical appraisal of research papers. They would very much like to hear his views on various trials.

A BSc student summoned it up: ‘everyone in attendance is in agreement that critical appraisal from outside (and inside) can be only beneficial, as it is the start point for improvement.’

BCNH Action Plan

1. Next week we will appoint a Scientific Advisor to the college with whom we will have regular meeting and reviews of the course material. We agree there needs to be better scientific rigour to our recommendations.

2. We hope to have a monthly debate with the Scientific Advisor to talk about recent studies, to give us an opportunity for critical self appraisal and to improve our research analysis.

3.
On our blog we should have a regular feature where we review quotes from our own profession, checking for bad science and highlighting spurious claims such as 'bilberries are good for eye strain'!

Deadline for change: 18 November 2009 (as challenged by Ben)

NTC PRESS RELEASE

3^rd November 2008

Press Release

Nutritional Therapy Council opens discussions on Possible Statutory Regulation of the Nutritional Therapy Profession

The Nutritional Therapy Council (NTC), along with representative of The British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT), met the Health Professions Council on 30^th October to discuss the possible statutory regulation of practitioners of nutritional therapy.

The Nutritional Therapy Council (NTC) is concerned that the provision of nutrition advice in the UK is currently unregulated to a large extent. At present, there is a voluntary regulatory framework in place that is intended to offer the public a route by which they can verify the credentials of practitioners of nutritional therapy. However, there are a number of inadequately trained practitioners who have done courses at institutions which claim to give them the skills to give individualised nutrition advice. As a regulator, the NTC has the protection of the public at its heart and is exploring the options for mandatory regulation of nutritional therapy practitioners

For further information on the Nutritional Therapy Council please see our website or contact ppr@nutritionaltherapycouncil.org.uk

www.nutritionaltherapycouncil.org.uk

Ends.

Carol A Granger BSc (Hons) MSc MIBiol CBiol MBANT

Registered Nutritional Therapist

Nutritional Therapy Council

www.nutritionaltherapycouncil.org.uk

STUDENTS' COURSE WORK ACCESSED VIA BCNH WEBSITE

BCNH students can now download their course materials, lectures and assignments from a secure, password-protected website. This feature is great news as it enables students to acess material 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

BCNH students can also download research papers, provided by the college, free of charge. Students love it and we doo, too.

We hope to extend this facility to BCNH graduates in the new year, subject to sufficient interest.

BEST STUDENT'S ESSAY ON ORGANIC FARMING

Sophie Leicester's essay was chosen as the best essay on the topic in the last academic year.

Discuss the nutritional differences in foods produced by organic and conventional farming methods.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) currently state that there is no scientific evidence to prove that organic food is healthier or safer than food produced by conventional farming methods (FSA 2008). This essay will explore two of the major issues surrounding the debate – that of avoidance of pesticide residue and greater nutritional benefits of organic food.

Organic farming seeks to avoid the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides and instead rely on an ecologically sound approach. The Soil Association (2008) believes in a holistic approach to farming, claiming better taste, health and advantages for the environment, and seeks to improve soil and avoid pest damage through management and farming techniques (see Appendix 1).
Organophosphates are the most widely used group of insecticides in the world (Pesticides Trust 1996). Working by inhibiting the action of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a neurotransmitter, in nerve cells, they may be related to various diseases including cancer, and mental, neurological and reproductive effects (Cohen 2007). Exposure to these chemicals has been linked to suicide (Jaga Dharmani 2007), reproductive disorders (Frazier 2007), cognitive and behavioural functioning in children (Lizardi et al 2008), childhood leukemia (Monge et al 2007), reduced semen quality (Swan et al 2003), among many others. Lopez et al (2007) showed agricultural workers showed decreased antioxidant enzyme activity which, it is proposed, may be linked to the adverse health effects. While the FSA claim all foods, both organic and conventional, have residues below recommended levels (FSA 2008) (see Appendix 2), even low level exposure may cause neurotoxicity (Jamal et al 2002) and have an adverse impact on fertility and the development of the fetus (Peiris-John, Wickremasinghe 2008). Lu et al, (2006) and Curl et al (2003) show that for children particularly, exposure to pesticides occurs through diet and an organic diet significantly reduces exposure levels. Cohen (2007) argues that children may be susceptible to adverse affects of exposure due to underdeveloped detoxification pathways and longer life expectancy to develop diseases with long latency periods. Therefore particularly vulnerable groups include those taking preconceptual care, breastfeeding and pregnant women, children, as well as those with compromised detoxification systems e.g. cancer patients.

There appears to be little research on the combined effects of the different substances in the body, and the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, (2002), commissioned by the FSA, recommend changes should be made to carry out combined risk assessments of exposures to more than one pesticide, assuming chemicals with the same toxic action will act cumulatively.
Many further issues surround this topic, full discussion of which are beyond the scope of this essay. For example, among other issues, use of nitrate fertilisers may contaminate water, potentially causing health issues (see Appendix 3); use of prophylactic antibiotics in conventional farming may lead to antibiotic resistant disease in both animals and humans; growth hormones may be passed on to people who consume the meat and have adverse effects on health; genetically modified food, which has not been subject to rigorous testing, may create situations where genes are transferred across species (World Wildlife Fund 2003).

Also, food additives have been linked to many illnesses, including affects on behaviour. However, any adverse impact of these issues is not relevant with organic food, which therefore must be a consideration in its favour.

The Soil Association (2008) claim significantly increased nutritional value in organic foods. The practice of mono-cropping for conventional crops inhibits the development of soil quality (Department of food and rural affairs 2008) which is likely to impact on the nutritional benefits of the foods grown. A comparative study (Gyorene et al 2006) claims organic crops contain significantly higher amounts of certain antioxidants such as Vitamin C, polyphenols and flavanoids, minerals and have higher dry matter content than conventional ones, as well as lower levels of pesticide residues, nitrate, and some heavy metal contaminations. Other studies also support these statements.

There seems to be some consistent agreement on the increase in Vitamin C, and other antioxidants such as beta carotene, Vitamin E, and flavanoids, as well as lower nitrate content (Williams 2002).

Mitchell et al (2007) showed that long term studies need to be undertaken, because as soil quality improves over time with organic farming, so do levels of nutrients in the tomatoes. Hajslova et al (2005) pointed out other factors which impact on nutrient quality such as geographical variation and changes in climate. Those studies that are more cautious (Williams 2002, Bourne Prescott 2002) call for further research in this area and the FSA themselves are currently undertaking such research (FSA 2008).

Mukherjee et al (2007) claim the possibility of greater faecal contamination from manure based fertilisers in organic food. However, the study involved a much larger proportion of organic than conventional farms, and other studies (Bourne Prescott 2002) show no evidence that organic foods are more susceptible to microbial contamination than conventional foods.

Organic farming systems can also affect the fat composition of dairy and other animal products, and appear to improve nutrient value in terms of fatty acids eg, improving the omega 3 to 6 ratio, linked to many health benefits (see Appendix 4). Faucitano et al 2008 showed that beef production systems that relied more on forage produced beef of higher nutritional quality in terms of higher omega 3 to 6 ratios. Jahreis et al (1997) showed milk from farms which used an ecological farming system had significantly higher amounts of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), which have been shown to have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Rist (2007) also found that breastfeeding mothers increased the amount of CLA in their breastmilk as they switched to an organic diet, presumably from greater intake of these acids through organic food. The omega 3 content of fish can be manipulated in farmed fish through different feeds, but the pollutant content of even organically farmed fish makes wild fish a healthier option (Shaw et al 2006).

Organic farming methods seem able to produce food that can be both nutritionally higher quality and possibly safer. The impact of organic farming on the environment is positive, encouraging biodiversity and sustainability (Soil Association 2008). While both cost and the practicalities of feeding people on a global basis must not be ignored, those issues are beyond the scope of this essay (see Appendix 5).

Discussion of the evidence seems to conclude that particularly for vulnerable groups such as pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, and those with long term illnesses, organic food would be preferable and desirable if possible. However, for the majority of people, the impact of a healthy diet, whether organic or conventional, would be of paramount importance.

Appendix 1

Organic farming techniques
In their article ‘Organic Agriculture’ (2001), Brown and Haward outline the main principles of organic farming techniques.

• These rely on optimising the health of the crops, through increasing soil fertility by building up the organic matter, maintaining soil structure, replenishing nutrients, reducing loss of nutrients by erosion and leaching (Brown Haward 2001 : 64).
• Crop rotation ensures that soils don’t lose the same nutrients to the crops each year and also that the same diseases and pests that target individual crops don’t build up.
• Sowing legumes or green manure crops put nitrogen back in the soil for future crops to use as well as avoiding erosion in sites that are fallow.
• Manure and compost made from waste vegetable matter also build up the nutrients in the soil. Identified soil deficiencies such as potassium, can be replenished with natural substances such as potash.
• Choosing to grow resistant crop varieties also helps avoid the use of chemicals to build successful crops.
• Some natural substances act as pesticides eg soft soap against aphids.

The increasing soil fertility of organic farming is proposed to be the main reason why organic crops can have increased levels of nutrients (Mitchell et al 2007).

Appendix 2

Pesticide residues – organic and conventional foods

• The Pesticides Safety Directorate is a government organisation that is responsible for monitoring the safety of pesticide use in this country.
• They claim that 2/3 of the food monitored is completely free from residues, and that the Maximum Residue Level for pesticides which is set in this country is significantly below the safety levels for the pesticide (Pesticide Safety Committee 2008).
• However, the Soil Association claim that the amount of residues that are being found, even if below the MRL, are unacceptable to the public and may cause health problems, as not enough is known about cumulative or cocktail affects.
• Examples of the amount of residue found include lemons where in 2001 100% contained detectable residues with 90% containing multiple residues; potatoes, where in 2003 41% contained residues with 13% containing multiple residues, and prepacked salad where in 2004 40% contained residues with 18% containing multiple residues (Soil Association 2008).

Appendix 3

Nitrate fertilisers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) (2006) claim that excessive levels of nitrate in drinking water can cause serious illness and deat, due to the conversion of nitrate to nitrite in the body, which interferes with oxygen carrying capacity. Children, with lower body weight and smaller blood volume, are particularly vulnerable to this. They also claim that a lifelong exposure to higher than safety levels of nitrates can cause damage to the spleen among other health issues.

They are also:

• Expensive to produce.
• Bad for the environment to produce
• Don’t replace nutrients in the soil or enhance soil quality, leaving soils barren and lacking in nutrients, leading to reliance on the expensive fertiliser to grow food
• Damage the environment – flow off causes eutrophication of water supplies (overgrowth of algae, damaging the biodiversity of the environment)
• Produce Nitric Oxide – a greenhouse gas

Appendix 4

The importance of the omega 3 to 6 ratio
Humans have evolved with a diet where the ratio of omega 3 to 6 is approximately 1. Simopoulos (2002) suggests that the current ratio in Western diets is approximately 15:1. He claims that this deficiency in the protective omega 3 oils is linked to many degenerative diseases, and produces studies which show that manipulating the ratio of omega 3 to 6 levels to lower ratios have many beneficial effects on diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer.
The omega 3 cascade in the body produces the prostaglandins 1 and 3 which are anti inflammatory and therefore have a protective effect on many of the chronic diseases which are inflammatory in nature.

Appendix 5

Feeding the world
The Soil Association (2008) claim that organic farming is a possible solution to poverty and starvation, an alternative to both conventional farming and the production of GMO foods, as it is a system that doesn’t rely on expensive chemical inputs in the forms of fertilisers or pesticides. It is sustainable and relies on maintaining soil fertility. Yields have also been shown to be higher than conventional methods when used in developing countries, and the Soil Association claim that more should be done to encourage sustainable organic farming in developing countries.

References available on request.

TOXIC METALS

Toxic Metals: The Reason You Still Feel Sick

This irresistible article is from Dr Mercola’s website. It is well written and informative and I am sure all BCNH blog readers will find it interesting. I have added a thing or two myself (in green, as usual).

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/22/toxic-metals-the-reason-you-still-feel-sick.aspx?source=nl

Dr, Kaayla Daniel and Dr. Galen Knight have observed that even when people follow healthy dietary guidelines, they can still have serious health problems. They may digest their food poorly, experience digestive distress, or be generally sickly.

One reason may be toxic metals like:

• Mercury
• Aluminum
• Cadmium
• Arsenic
• Lead
• Nickel

and other metal poisons that flood the environment and invade your body.

These toxic metals can cause or contribute to a long list of diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other brain and neurological disorders. It is worth mentioning that cadmium, a known lung carcinogen, has been recently linked to breast cancer. Strumylaite et all (2008) report that ‘cadmium concentration is significantly higher in malignant breast tissue as compared with normal breast tissue of the same women or benign breast tissue’. Although this was a small study comprising of 21 breast cancer and 19 benign tumour patients, there was a statistically significant difference in cadmium concentration between malignant and benign breast tissues. While the medical establishment recognizes the acute toxicity that comes from high levels of metals in your body, far more people suffer the adverse effects of low-level, chronic exposure.

Sources:

Mad as a Hatter - How to Avoid Toxic Metals and Clear Them From the Body (PDF)

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Most people are absolutely clueless about just how toxic mercury is. It is toxic at one in one billion-part quantities. That is about the same concentration of one grain of salt in one swimming pool. That is why having mercury fillings is such a major challenge to your health.

Heavy metal toxicity, just like chemical toxicity, has become one of the most pressing health hazards of our day. Your body is assailed by chemicals and heavy metals on a daily basis, oftentimes from the most innocent-looking sources, from your everyday cookware to your child’s rubber ducky.

It has now gotten to the point where babies are being BORN toxic due to the toxic load of their mothers. A 2004 study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that blood samples from newborns contained an average of 287 toxins, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides and Teflon chemicals.

Research by Koppe et al (2006) suggest that ‘cumulative low-dose insult can, in some circumstances, be more toxic than a single high-dose exposure, e.g. endocrine disruptive effects of a combination of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) - highly toxic and durable synthetic organic compounds that accumulate in tissues of organisms) and dioxins (highly toxic aromatic compounds that are produced as industrial by-products), which disrupt the thyroid hormone status’. These compounds suppress iodine uptake by the thyroid, contributing to hypothyroidism.

Despite these dire warning signs, giant corporations and industry advocates like DuPont and The American Chemistry Council are fighting tooth and nail to block any and all proposed bans on toxic agents that happen to be part of their profit-making schemes. According to EnviroBlog, the latest army of lobbyists is trying to crush U.S. Senate Bill 1313, which calls for a ban of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in concentrations exceeding 0.1 percent from food packaging, for example.

And California State Senate Bill 1713, which would ban BPA from baby bottles and toys, is also under attack by hired guns who are trying to scare everyone into believing this bill will put an end to all canned and jarred goods.

If there ever was a time to get more involved in the political process – as these are serious survival issues - now might be a good time.

How Do You Know if You’re Suffering from Heavy Metal Toxicity?

Acute heavy metal toxicity is a lot easier to diagnose than that of chronic exposure.

Indications of acute toxicity include:

• Sudden, severe cramping and/or convulsions
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Headache
• Difficulty breathing
• Impaired cognitive, motor and language skills

Symptoms of toxic build-up due to chronic heavy metal exposure, however, are much more subtle, in large part because these symptoms are so “common,” such as:

• Fatigue
• Digestive distress, and reduced ability to properly assimilate and utilize fats
• Aching joints
• Depression
• Impaired blood sugar regulation
• Female reproductive problems such as menstrual difficulties, infertility, miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension and premature birth

Sound like anyone you know?

Add to that your exposure to toxic fluoride in your municipal drinking water, which actually increases your body’s uptake of aluminium, in addition to all the other health damaging effects it has in and of itself, and it’s no wonder you’re feeling less than great.

Why is Your Diet so Important When it Comes to Heavy Metal Detox?

In addition to limiting your exposure to toxic metals, which I will go over shortly, you need to focus on eating a healthy diet, preferably based on your nutritional type to reap the maximum overall health benefits.

The Weston A. Price diet recommendations, which were written in 1920 and still, like all truths, hold true today, includes these timeless guidelines:

• Eat foods that are natural, unprocessed, and organic (and contain no sugar except for the occasional bit of honey or maple syrup).
• Eat foods that grow in your native environment. In other words, eat locally grown, seasonal foods.
• Eat unpasteurized dairy products (such as raw milk) and fermented foods.
• Eat at least one-third of your food raw.
• Make sure you eat enough healthy fats, including those from animal sources like omega-3 fat, and reduce your intake of omega-6 from vegetable oils.

As Dr. Daniel et.al. explain in this article, optimal nutrition is essential when dealing with heavy metal toxicity because if you are deficient in essential metals, your body will use toxic heavy metals as “stand-ins” instead. For example:

• Calcium is replaced by lead, which deposits primarily in bone, and disrupts the formation of red blood cells. Lead contributes to poor bone health such as osteopenia and osteoporosis.

• Zinc is replaced by cadmium, which tends to accumulate heavily in your kidneys. Cadmium overload is associated with peripheral neuropathy.

• Magnesium is replaced by aluminum, which, among other things, induces neurochemical changes and has been identified as a contributing factor to developing Alzheimer’s.

• Manganese is replaced by nickel, which is carcinogenic.

Secondly, you also need vital nutrients to aid your natural detoxification process.

A lot more information about this subject will be discussed in my upcoming Inner Circle interview with Dr. Kaayla Daniel, co-author of the article above and the book, The Whole Soy Story, which I recently reviewed in my brand new Book Reviews column.

I also highly recommend subscribing to the Weston A. Price Foundation’s journal, Wise Traditions. This quarterly journal is dedicated to exploring the scientific validation of dietary, agricultural and medical traditions throughout the world. It features informative and thought-provoking articles on current scientific research; human diets; non-toxic agriculture; and holistic therapies. It also offers sources for organic foods that have been conscientiously grown and processed.

You can find their membership form at this link.

Guidelines for Reducing Your Heavy Metal Exposure

It may seem like a fight you’re destined to lose, however I firmly believe you can reduce you exposure to heavy metals quite dramatically, thereby giving your body a fighting chance to eliminate accumulated toxins and restore health.

These guidelines can help limit your exposure:-

• Use glass, cast iron, carbon steel, titanium, and enamel cookware. Both aluminium and Teflon are well known for their toxic dangers, and stainless steel can expose you to carcinogenic nickel.

• Minimize consumption of restaurant food as restaurants are required to use stainless steel pots and vats.

• Avoid stainless steel thermoses; the glass lined kinds are best. Later this year I will be offering glass water bottles that can also be used in lieu of a thermos, with neoprene sleeves to protect them from breaking.

• Avoid cosmetics with aluminium bases, mineral powders that contain bismuth, and aluminum-laden antiperspirants, which have been shown to increase your Alzheimer’s risk by as much as 300 percent!

• Avoid vaccinations that inject mercury or aluminium directly into your bloodstream.

• Avoid and remove dental amalgam fillings.

• Avoid stainless steel orthodontics such as braces and palate wideners.

• Avoid costume jewellery if you are sensitive to metals.

• Avoid smoking and second hand smoke as it causes cadmium poisoning.

• Make sure you purchase your natural herbal remedies from a reputable source with strict quality testing. Some colloidal silvers can lead to silver poisoning, and some folk remedies can be high in mercury, lead and arsenic, either due to alleged medicinal properties or through unintentional contamination.

• Avoid conventional household cleaning products.

• Avoid conventional insecticides and herbicides. Also be VERY cautious when using the “natural alternative” Borax (boric acid), which can also cause serious health problems, including death.

• Vitamin C, Pectin (soluble dietary fibre found in fruits and vegetables), alginic acid ( a viscous gum that is abundant in the cell walls of brown algae) & Sulphur amino acids (abundant in foods such as onions, garlic, eggs, meat, beans, fish, lentils, etc.) also help detoxify toxic metals.

Related Articles:

No One is Safe From Chemical Overload
How to Avoid the Top 10 Most Common Toxins
Non-Stick Cookware Continues to Prove Its Toxicity

References & Bibliography:

Durrant-Peatfiled B (2006) Your Thyroid and how to keep it healthy. Hammersmith Press Ltd, London

Koppe JG, Bartonova A, Bolte G, Bistrup ML, Busby C, Butter M, Dorfman P, Fucic A, Gee D, van den Hazel P, Howard V, Kohlhuber M, Leijs M, Lundqvist C, Moshammer H, Naginiene R, Nicolopoulou-Stamati P, Ronchetti R, Salines G, Schoeters G, ten Tusscher G, Wallis MK, Zuurbier M. (2006) Exposure to multiple environmental agents and their effect. Acta paediatrica. Supplementum Oct;95(453):106-13

Strumylaite L, Bogusevicius A, Ryselis S, Pranys D, Poskiene L, Kregzdyte R, Abdrachmanovas O, Asadauskaite R. (2008) Association between cadmium and breast cancer Medicina (Kaunas) 44(6):415-20.

Our Scientific Advisor, Dirk Budka says:

The amount of mercury in one amalgam filling is approximately the equivalent of mercury in 2 or 3 tins of tuna. How this could leak into your system all the time like a never ending well will be always mysterious.

Before people are being scared regarding heavy metal toxicity I would like to see the studies, which clearly proves the fatality rate and/or severe illnesses in patient.To be a bit cynical… where are all the mercury-triggered Alzheimer patients? Why are dentists who use amalgam for decades still alive?

Of course I am not a friend of amalgam fillings, but I have seen too many patients who removed all amalgam fillings from their teeth and not feeling a bit better.Although I find the article very interesting, I am missing a very important part:

What about proper toxicity tests (and I mean PROPER tests)?

Just assuming heavy metal toxicity and treating because of symptoms which can be connected to hundreds of diseases is in my opinion very wrong. The author writes:

Avoid cosmetics with aluminium bases, mineral powders that contain bismuth, and aluminium-laden antiperspirants, which have been shown to increase your Alzheimer’s risk by as much as 300 percent! Where is the study? Who did the study? Where was it published? The cross reference in the text leads to MERCOLA.com and one is not able to read anything on this site without subscribing an e-mail letter?!

The author also says “Avoid vaccinations that inject mercury or aluminium directly into your bloodstream.” Again… I wish it would be so easy to follow this advice, which does not give any alternatives.

It is about science and evidence based science. Each and every student must always read the other side. If you believe, that mercury is so bad and you only read the available studies which confirm your opinion… you will be extremely one-sided and in my opinion not a good practitioner. Real science means: look at the other side as well, even if you do not like it.Opinion research is very wrong.

NTC PRESS RELEASE ON THE "DETOX DIET" CASE

This tragic Detox diet case has truly highlighted the need for thorough and evidence-based training, supported by a period of clinical practice under supervision.

I do not wish to comment on the case, as I do not know both sides of the story. However, the case does highlight the need for proper use of Consultant Notes and other documents that support practitioner's advice.

NTC has promptly responded to various press articles - please see below.

NUTRITIONAL THERAPY COUNCIL

Subject: Regulation of nutrition practitioners.

Statement on behalf of the Nutritional Therapy Council,
the regulatory body for nutritional therapy.

25th July 2008

We write with reference to the recent news feature in the national press on 23^rd July, on the misuse of a “Detox Diet”, and the lack of regulation of nutrition practitioners.

The Nutritional Therapy Council (NTC) is concerned that the provision of nutrition advice in the UK is currently unregulated to a large extent. We have been working in this field for some time and would like to make clear that there is a regulatory framework in place that is intended to offer the public a route by which they can verify the credentials of practitioners of nutritional therapy.

The provision of training of nutritional therapists has developed considerably in the last decade, with several degree and diploma courses in nutritional therapy being available. The Nutritional Therapy Council (NTC) was established as the regulatory body for nutritional therapy, to protect patients and set standards. We have established a national registration scheme for practitioners and a programme of accreditation of courses that meet the National Occupational Standards (NOS) and follow a core curriculum.

Our national registration scheme will enable members of the public to verify the registration status of individual nutritional therapists.

The National Occupational Standards are set by “Skills for Health”, which is one of the 25 Sector Skills Councils which make up the “Skills for Business” Network. “Skills for Health” is licensed by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in consultation with Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Training of a practitioner to these standards takes a minimum of two years for a diploma and three for a degree. Some of this may be distance learning, but clinical skills taught in a clinical setting are required of courses aspiring to meet these standards.

Several training providers, both private and university sector, are working towards accreditation of their courses and we expect the first successful accreditations this year. Some colleges have already shown that recent graduates have followed the core curriculum and will be able to apply for registration.

We also have a programme in place to verify the skills and practice of existing practitioners, through our ‘Grandparenting Scheme’, whereby long-serving practitioners can provide a portfolio of evidence of learning and practice that is examined by expert verifiers. Successful demonstration of learning and practice that meet the National Occupational Standard leads to eligibility to apply for admission to the register. Areas of incomplete training are identified to enable further learning to take place before re-application.

Admission to the register will also be dependent upon the practitioner having professional liability insurance and adhering to a code of ethics, and maintenance of registration will be dependent upon continuing professional development.

Although registration is voluntary, we endeavour to encourage as many bono fide practitioners as possible to join this scheme. However, we are aware that there are a number of inadequately trained individuals who have done courses at institutions which claim to give them the skills to give nutrition advice. Greater awareness by the public of the NTC scheme will make finding a qualified practitioner easier.

Along with other professions in complementary medicine, we have been working towards a single national independent register. The new Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) will offer economies of scale. The Department of Health has already provided funding for this new body which plans to open for applications to register in 2009. The NTC plan to transfer registration functions to the CNHC in due course.

The Health Professions Council (HPC) has already proposed that there should be a dialogue between the NTC, the British Dietetic Association and the Nutrition Society, as three professional stakeholders in the nutrition field, and we would certainly welcome this. There is a place for all three professions in the nutrition arena. We have one common aim; to ensure that nutrition advice given to the public is accurate, safe and relevant.

Nutritional Therapy Council

http://www.nutritionaltherapycouncil.org.uk/

e-mail ppr@ nutritionaltherapycouncil.org.uk

LET'S EAT MORE ALMONDS!

This article is from NUTRAingrediets.com I Europe. Breda’s comments are in green

Almonds demonstrate prebiotic potential

By Shane Starling

1-Jul-2008

Almonds are known for their high vitamin E and mineral content and cholesterol-reducing and diabetes-combating potential but new research indicates they have a prebiotic effect.

Funded by the Almond Board of California (this suggests the research may be biased), the researchers found that almond powder significantly increased levels of certain gut flora. As a result prebiotic effects were increased. My question is why almond powder? Would not eating almonds have the same effect?

The study, published in the July edition of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, found the prebiotic effect did not occur when the fat content was removed from the almond preparation, indicating lipid concentration is key to activating the prebiotic reaction. Almonds, as we know, contain Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), which we know help beneficial bacteria adhere to the gut wall and help them colonise (90% of the fats in almonds are unsaturated)

"We investigated the potential prebiotic effect of almond seeds in vitro using mixed faecal bacterial cultures," the researchers wrote.

Institute of Food Research scientists led by Dr Guisy Mandalari used a Model Gut to simulate the physical and biochemical conditions of the gastro-intestinal tract so that the almonds experienced an environment similar to that of the stomach and the small intestine.

Digested almonds were then mixed with an in vitro batch system to mimic the bacterial fermentation in the large intestine. The populations of intestinal bacteria were then monitored.

"The results show a prebiotic effect of finely ground almonds (with lipid) but not with defatted almonds," Mandalari said. That’s why we need to eat foods that have not been tempered with!

For the finely ground almonds with lipids, the study recorded a significantly increased population for bifidobacteria and Eubacterium rectale, "resulting in a higher prebiotic index (4.43) compared with the commercial prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharides (4.08) at 24h incubation." This finding is of great importance as effects of the gut microbiota for human health are increasingly recognized.
No such effect was recorded for the lipid-free almonds.

"The increase in the numbers of Eubacterium rectale during fermentation of finely ground almonds correlated with increased butyrate production," (butyrate feeds colonocytes) the researchers wrote. "In conclusion, we have shown that addition of finely ground almonds altered the composition of gut bacteria stimulating the growth of bifidobacteria and Eubacterium rectale."

Other research has indicated lipid content of almonds is reduced if almonds are not processed by grinding as in this case, or via mastication. This supports the need for chewing the food properly!!!

The researchers noted the length of time the almond spends in the digestive system also affected the available quantity of lipids and proteins.

They called for further research into almond digestibility, with prebiotic effects tested on human subjects.

Source: Applied and Environmental Microbiology
July 2008, published online ahead of print 23rd May 2008 doi:10.1128/AEM.00739-08
Investigation of the potential prebiotic properties of almond (Amygdalus communis L.) seeds.
Authors: G. Mandalari, C. Nueno-Palop, G. Bisignano, M. S.J. Wickham, and A. Narbad.

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=86246&c=K4kaXXjFbpi1BelPPCgfsg%3D%3D

Recent research by Jenkins et al (2008) has shown that almonds reduced 24-hour insulin secretion and may in the longer term explain the association of nut consumption with reduced CHD risk. Almonds are also high in protein and fibre, which m ay explain the reduced insulin secretion. Other benefits of almonds are nutrient content such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and other antioxidants.

Reference:

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Marchie A, Josse AR, Nguyen TH, Faulkner DA, Lapsley KG, Singer W. (2008) Effect of almonds on insulin secretion and insulin resistance in nondiabetic hyperlipidemic subjects: a randomized controlled crossover trial. Metabolism. Jul;57(7):882-887

ELLA - THE FIRST 'BCNH BABY'

We are pleased to announce that Level 3 students Tom and Elizabeth, who met on the course, had their first baby Ella in May 08.

As you can see, little Ella is a picture of health and already smiling. Certainly a sign of good nutrition on her mum's part.


Mum and dad are also doing fine, but exhausted, which is to be expected.

THE UBIQUITOUS ROLE OF THE ‘SUNSHINE’ VITAMIN

Vitamin D is both a vitamin and a hormone. The role of Vitamin D - the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, as we know it appears to have ubiquitous role. Vitamin D in calcium absorption in the gut and normal mineralization of bone is well established. However, research is now focusing on other functions of vitamin D such as innate immune regulation (Hewison 2008), low mood and cognitive performance (Wilkins et al 2006), depression (Berk et al 2007), Metabolic Syndrome prevention (Hyppönen et al 2008), and cancer prevention – see article below.

This article is copied from NUTRAingredietns.com/europe website

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=85255&c=K4kaXXjFbphCJNkBqUaYrw%3D%3D

Prostates protected by vitamin D: study

14-May-2008

The benefits of vitamin D for prostates may be due to the action of the vitamin on a specific gene, suggests new research that deepens our understanding of how nutrients and genes interact.

Researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center report that the active form of vitamin D in the body, 1,25-hydroxylvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D), may link with a gene known as G6PD, which releases an antioxidant enzyme and protect DNA from damage.

"Many epidemiological studies have suggested the beneficial properties of vitamin D," said lead researcher Yi-Fen Lee. "Our findings reflect what we see in those studies and demonstrate that vitamin D not only can be used as a therapy for prostate cancer, it can prevent prostate cancer from happening."

The study is published in the International Journal of Cancer.

The link between vitamin D intake and protection from cancer dates from the 1940s when Frank Apperly demonstrated a link between latitude and deaths from cancer, and suggested that sunlight gave "a relative cancer immunity."

Vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors - D3, also known as cholecalciferol, and D2, also known as ergocalciferol. Both D3 and D2 precursors are hydroxylated in the liver and kidneys to form 25- hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), the non-active 'storage' form, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), the biologically active form that is tightly controlled by the body.

There is growing evidence that 1,25(OH)2D has anticancer effects, but the discovery that non-kidney cells can also hydroxylate 25(OH)D had profound implications, implying that higher 25(OH)D levels could protect against cancer in the local sites.

The new study, supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, appears to provide further compelling evidence of the potent anti-cancer benefits of 1,25(OH)2D.

Normal healthy prostate cells (BPH-1 and RWPE-1) and prostate cancer cells (CWR22R and DU 145) were subjected to oxidative stress. The researchers found that 1,25(OH)2D induced G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase), a key antioxidant enzyme, in the healthy but not cancer cells. G6PD scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with DNA damage.

"If you reduce DNA damage, you reduce the risk of cancer or aging," said Lee said. "Our study adds one more beneficial effect of taking a vitamin D supplement. Taking a supplement is especially important for senior citizens and others who might have less circulation of vitamin D, and for people who live and work areas where there is less sunshine."

"In this study, we have demonstrated that 1,25-(OH)2D can protect nonmalignant human prostate epithelial cells against H2O2-induced cell death through modulating the ROS defense systems, suggesting a possible role of 1,25-(OH)2D in prostate cancer prevention," stated the researchers in the journal.

Vitamin D - bad for cancers, good for you

Lee and co-workers noted that 1,25(OH)2D may act both as an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant, depending on the cellular environment, with a subtle pro-oxidant activity found in cancer cells, while it appears to behave as an antioxidant in normal healthy cells.

"[Our] data suggest that vitamin D might exert a subtle oxidative stress, which could stimulate the detoxification mechanisms to protect cells from the subsequent stress challenges; yet cancer cells lose the 1,25-(OH)2D-induced detoxification responses, therefore, 1,25-(OH)2D acts as a pro-oxidant in cancer cells," they said.

"Our results provide one mechanism to explain how 1,25-(OH)2D protects nonmalignant human prostate epithelial cells from oxidative stress to attenuate the accumulation of oxidative damages during the life.

"Therefore, vitamin D might be beneficial for preventing the development of age-dependent diseases," they concluded.

Source: The International Journal of Cancer
122, 2699-2706 (2008)
"Protective role of 1a, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 against oxidative stress in nonmalignant human prostate epithelial cells"
Authors: B.-Y. Bao, H.-J. Ting, J.-W. Hsu, Y.-F. Lee

British scientists Elina Hyppönen and Chris Power (2007) from the Institute of Child Health in London, measured the level of 25(OH)D in 7437 whites from the 1958 British birth cohort when the subjects had reached the age of 45. They reported that prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was alarmingly high during the winter and spring .

Interestingly, other studies have also shown that sunshine levels in some northern countries are so weak during the winter months that the body makes no vitamin D at all, resulting in over half of the population to have insufficient or deficient levels of the vitamin.

So - how much vitamin D should we take?

While Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) have not established a RNI for vitamin D, estimated maximum daily intake is 22mcg (800iu). A review by Talwar et al (2007) reported that the tolerable upper intake level for oral vitamin D3 should be increased to 250 micrograms per day (10,000 iu), which is a 12.5 x increase.

Dietary sources of vitamin D

Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are the richest source of vitamin D. However, smaller amounts are also found in foods such as milk, fortified margarine, fortified cereals, eggs, beef liver & Swiss cheese.

Sun exposure – free vitamin D

It has been suggested that approximately 5 - 30 minutes of sun exposure between 10am and 3pm at least twice a week, to the face, arms, legs, or back, without a sunscreen, can usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. Moderate use of commercial tanning beds that emit 2 - 6% UVB radiation may also be effective

(Wolpowitz and Gilchrest 2006). They also recommend that individuals with limited sun exposure need to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet or take a supplement.

However, they equally caution to limit exposure of skin to sunlight as UV radiation is a carcinogen responsible for most of skin cancers and deaths from metastatic melanoma. Lifetime cumulative UV damage to skin may also be largely responsible for some age-associated dryness and premature ageing of the skin.

References:

Berk M Sanders KM Pasco JA Jacka FN Williams LJ Hayles AL Dodd S (2007) Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in depression. Medical Hypotheses May 10; [Epub ahead of print]

Hewison M (2008) Vitamin D and innate immunity Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs May 9(5):485-90

Holick MF (2007)Vitamin D deficiency. The New England Journal of Medicine 357:266-81.

Hyppönen E Boucher BJ Berry DJ Power C (2008) 25-hydroxyvitamin D IGF-1 and metabolic syndrome at 45 years of age: a cross-sectional study in the 1958 British Birth Cohort. Diabetes Feb 57(2):298-305

Hyppönen E Power C (2007) Hypovitaminosis D in British adults at age 45 y: nationwide cohort study of dietary and lifestyle predictors. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Mar;85(3):860-8

Talwar S A Aloia J F S Pollack and Yeh JK (2007) Dose response to vitamin D supplementation among postmenopausal African American women The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition December 86 (6):1657-1662

Wilkins CH Sheline YI Roe CM Birge SJ Morris JC (2006) Vitamin D deficiency is associated with low mood and worse cognitive performance in older adults. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry Dec 14(12):1032-40.

Wolpowitz D Gilchrest BA (2006) The vitamin D questions: how much do you need and how should you get it? Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 54:301-17.

Bibliography:

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp