It’s pretty obvious that the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is behind Chronic Epstein-Barr Syndrome, however the role that germs play in other autoimmune disorders is varied and more ambiguous. Professor Garth L. Nicolson has found that in about half the individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Sjögren’s, Hashimoto’s, Graves’, Reiter’s, and Crohn’s Diseases, these disorders are associated with infections.

Tricky Creatures

“It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.”
- Hans Selye

Other researchers have reported signs of latent (“sleeping”) Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, or human herpes virus 6 in CFS patients. These viruses can remain latent in the body for long periods of time. Stress and depression can partially reactivate (“awaken”) these viruses. Stress and depression also decrease the body’s immune response, so that the individual experiences a “low grade” infection. However, the infection is still enough to stimulate the production of certain cytokines linked to CFS symptoms.

Cytokines cause many fibromyalgia symptoms. In the brain, cytokines can cause behavioral changes. They can either prompt or worsen depression, anxiety, or anorexia. They may cause a person to become withdrawn. Cytokines create fatigue and interfere with sleep patterns. They are one thing responsible for what has been termed “brain fog.”

Germs can also make a protein that tricks the body into turning off the Th1 cells and activating Th2 cells. The Th1/Th2 imbalance leaves the body open to infection from other germs. This form of immune suppression is often the case in most autoimmune disorders.

Unsaturated oils suppress Th1 cells. The same is true of sleep deprivation. Losing even one night’s sleep can depress Th1 production for over a month. Furthermore, according to German researchers, vegetarians have more than twice the Th1 cells as meat-eaters.

Certain germs are capable of creating a cell identity crisis by “molecular mimicry.” Putting it very simply, these germs have a nametag similar to certain parts of the body. This causes the immune system to attack both the disease organism and the body tissue.
To the immune system, the bacteria Chlamydia pneumoniae looks like the heart muscle. A virus called adenovirus type 2 and Candida yeast mimic myelin sheaths. Similarly, it may also be possible for viruses carrying genetic material from one person to another to cause the immune system to attack the corresponding tissue much like what happens after an organ transplant.

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Digestive enzymes, besides being anti-inflammatory, play yet another vital role in preventing autoimmune dysfunction. Research has found that 80% of people with autoimmune diseases, like fibromyalgia, suffer from a condition known as hypercoalgulation.

Hypercoagulation causes fibrins (or small fibers) to begin coating the inside walls of your blood vessels, capillaries, and arteries. It is believed that this process is set in motion by pathogens, or germs, like viruses, bacteria, and mycoplasmas. These germs can add insult to injury by causing your oxygen-carrying red blood cells to stick together, which causes further clogging. With our blood vessels clogged by fibrins and sticky red blood cells, the body has a reduced ability to deliver oxygen to the cells.  This is a tremendous problem because people with autoimmune dysfunctions, like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, need more, not less oxygen than the average person.

So what do digestive enzymes have to do with hypercaugulation? Taking digestive enzymes between meals and at bedtime can actually clean up the fibrin and sticky red blood cells from the inside of the blood vessels.  Additionally, because of their ability to digest foreign proteins, digestive enzymes work to clear out bad bugs like viruses.
Note: Unsaturated oils inhibit the digestive enzymes’ clean up process.

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In hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone or the body does not use the hormone properly. The thyroid hormone affects almost every cell in the body. The second most common cause of hypothyroidism is the autoimmune disease Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.

An estimated 85% of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers also have hypothyroidism. Some doctors even estimate that as high as 40% of the general U.S. population suffers from below-optimal thyroid function, making it a hidden epidemic.

Iodine and selenium are important for thyroid function. Most people get enough iodine from the food they eat. This is not necessarily the case with selenium. Even a mild selenium deficiency may contribute to the development of autoimmune thyroid diseases. The toxin MSG also contributes to hypothyroidism by damaging the hypothalamus of the brain, which indirectly causes reduced thyroid production.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism vary from person to person, but may include feeling cold, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, mood swings, difficulty losing weight, PMS, heavy periods, dry skin and hair, brittle nails, headaches, hair loss, difficulty with memory and concentration, constipation, low libido, frequent infections, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The lower than normal body temperature caused by hypothyroidism is an immune system depressant. You should make it a priority to determine if your thyroid is doing its job.  Unfortunately, blood tests for hypothyroidism are unreliable at best. They also cannot detect when people produce enough thyroid hormone but don’t use it properly. A good way to screen for hypothyroidism is to check for a low body temperature before getting out of bed in the morning for seven consecutive days. Place the thermometer under your armpit for ten minutes. If your temperature is below 97.8 to 98.2 degrees, you are likely hypothyroid, even if you have had normal blood tests.
Note: Women should wait until after their first day of their period before taking their temperature readings.

Goitrogens

Some foods contain chemicals called goitrogens. Goitrogens cause the thyroid gland to enlarge by interfering with thyroid hormone production. Foods that contain goitrogens include rapeseed/canola oil, soy, corn, peanuts, yucca, sweet potatoes, lima beans, and millet. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and Brussel sprouts, also contain goitrogens. However, according to Dr. Andrew Weil, lightly steaming cruciferous vegetables deactivates the goitrogens so that you may eat them without affecting your thyroid.

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“Suffice it to say that trans fatty acids are b-a-a-a-d. They raise your total blood cholesterol level and your LDL, or bad cholesterol; lower your HDL, or good cholesterol; and are suspected of contributing to obesity and diabetes.”
- Professor Robert L. Wolke

Trans fatty acids from hydrogenated oils both interfere with enzymes that process Omega-3 fatty acids and compete for their absorption in the body.  This causes an increase in cytokine production.
Cytokines cause many fibromyalgia symptoms. In the brain, cytokines can cause behavioral changes. They can either prompt or worsen depression, anxiety, or anorexia. They may cause a person to become withdrawn. Cytokines create fatigue and interfere with sleep patterns. They are one thing responsible for what has been termed “brain fog.”

Hydrogenation is a process to make vegetable oil harden at room temperature. Because hydrogenated oils have a very long shelf life, they save the food manufacturing companies money. Hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids have been banned in Denmark, but today in the U.S., over 90% of the foods produced contain hydrogenated oils.

Soon after food companies started using hydrogenated oils, medical professionals started seeing a new type of diabetes, which was named Diabetes-Type II. Today, scientists realize that these oils cause Non-insulin Dependent Type-2 Diabetes. Over the last fifty years since their introduction, this disease has increased over 1000%.

Note: Hydrogenated oils can be listed as Mono-Diglycerides on a food label. This is another example of deceitful labeling practices by food manufacturers.

Despite an overbalance of Omega-6 fatty acids, the Western Diet, high in trans fatty acids, cholesterol, simple carbohydrates, and alcohol, causes a deficiency in the Omega-6 fatty acid GLA. Stress and chronic viral infections like herpes and Epstein-Barr also cause a deficiency in GLA. Additionally, as we age our ability to produce GLA diminishes. Children with eczema and asthma are often deficient in GLA. A GLA deficiency can also manifest itself with dry and rough skin, dry hair, excessive thirst, or diabetic neuropathy. GLA is found in borage oil, evening primrose oil, and black currant oil. Despite the popularity of evening primrose oil, the best source of GLA is arguably borage oil.

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Delta Sleep

Both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are characterized by a lack of delta sleep. Delta sleep is the deepest stage of sleep. It is during this stage of sleep that tissue is repaired and many important brain chemicals are produced. An individual who does not spend enough time in delta sleep can sleep a full eight hours and still feel exhausted when they wake up in the morning. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil promote delta sleep by promoting the brain chemical serotonin.  According to a study published in the American Medical Association’s Archives of General Psychiatry, Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil increase the level of serotonin in a way similar to prescription anti-depressants like Prozac.

(For more about nutrition and depression, visit http://www.canlyme.com/tom.html and http://www.ajc.com/health/altmed/shared/health/alt_medicine/ConsSupplements/Omega3FattyAcidscs.html and http://nmrc.ca/depression.htm.)

(Fish oil and mental illness http://www.arthritis-symptom.com/alternativel-arthritis-treatments/omega-3-fatty-acids.htm.)

Note: The amino acid L-carnitine, available in supplement form, assists in essential fatty acid utilization.

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You may find some plant sources of both ALA and DHA, but it is nearly impossible to find a plant source for EPA. Since your body cannot easily convert ALA into EPA, it is necessary to find another dietary source of it.  Cold-water fish is the best source of EPA and DHA. This is one reason why people whose diets are high in (non-mercury polluted) fish have a much lower risk of developing an autoimmune disease.

My favorite supplement source of fish oil is deep-sea shark liver oil. (The reasons will be discussed in a later chapter.) Because of its ability to control cytokines, fish oil has been used successfully to support RA, Chrohn’s, Raynauds’s, MS, lupus, and CFS to name a few.

Cytokines cause many fibromyalgia symptoms. In the brain, cytokines can cause behavioral changes. They can either prompt or worsen depression, anxiety, or anorexia. They may cause a person to become withdrawn. Cytokines create fatigue and interfere with sleep patterns. They are one thing responsible for what has been termed “brain fog.”

According to WebMD, a compound found in fish oil may help those at risk for Type-2 Diabetes stave off the disease. Studies show that fish oil supplements appear to improve the function of insulin in overweight individuals.

Fish oil and RA: http://www.arthritis-symptom.com/alternativel-arthritis-treatments/omega-3-fatty-acids.htm and http://www.thyroid-info.com/autoimmune/1stqtr2003.htm

Fish oil and Crohn’s Disease: http://www.arthritis-symptom.com/alternativel-arthritis-treatments/omega-3-fatty-acids.htm and http://www.thyroid-info.com/autoimmune/1stqtr2003.htm

Fish oil and Raynaud’s Disease: http://www.arthritis-symptom.com/alternativel-arthritis-treatments/omega-3-fatty-acids.htm

Fish oil and MS: http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=show&pageid=721 and http://www.thyroid-info.com/autoimmune/1stqtr2003.htm
Fish oil and lupus: http://www.uklupus.co.uk/news60.html and http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/news-NG.asp?n=37475-fish-oil-could and http://www.lowcarb.ca/articlesb/article304.html and http://www.thyroid-info.com/autoimmune/1stqtr2003.htm

Fish oil and CFS: http://www.fibromyalgiasupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3876/e/1/T/CFIDS_FM/
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for cytokine control and more. For MS, Fibromyalgia, Lyme, ALS, and Chronic Fatigue sufferers Omega-3 fatty acids create the best environment possible for myelin sheathe repair and regeneration. In the case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, Omega-3 fatty acids serve yet another purpose, which will be discussed in the next article.

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When B vitamin deficiencies become chronic, the adrenal system becomes worn out. The main purpose of your adrenals is to enable your body to deal with physical and emotional stress.  Adrenal Fatigue is common in people with fibromyalgia and autoimmunity. It is especially common in those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Chronic illness, infections, and steroid use, often associated with autoimmunity, are also risk factors for Adrenal Fatigue.

Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue include being tired for no apparent reason, morning fatigue, feeling overwhelmed, cravings for salts, sweets or caffeine, and feeling best in the evenings. Adrenal Fatigue also results in low levels of the hormone DHEA.

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Besides being anti-inflammatory, vitamin B-12 is required in the process of making myelin sheathes, which are being attacked in MS, Lyme Disease, autism, ALS, and possibly Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In one study, researchers found that low B-12 levels were associated with the early onset of MS.

Fifteen to twenty percent of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin B-12. A deficiency in vitamin B-12 can lead to a deficiency in magnesium, which was discussed earlier and is a contributing factor in Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, arthritis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, SLE (Lupus), and asthma. Because vitamin B-12 is stored in the liver and kidneys for up to nine months, a deficiency is often due to malabsorption. Alcohol use, tobacco, coffee, and laxatives inhibit absorption. 

The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for vitamin B-12 is 2 micrograms for adults. Supplements range in strength from 50 micrograms to 2 milligrams. One study showed that twice weekly injections of 1000 mcg of vitamin B12 for 6 weeks cleared up lesions in lupus patients.

Note: Soy foods cause the body to require more B-12.

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The B complex vitamins are a family of nutrients that have been grouped together because they are interrelated and are found in similar food sources. When supplementing, they should not be taken individually. Most B vitamins cannot be stored in the body, so they must be replaced daily. Stress, processed foods, refined sugars, prescription drugs, and environment toxins deplete the body of B vitamins. Cooking food also kills B vitamins.

Vitamin B deficiencies can weaken capillaries and make them susceptible to leakage, which can trigger cytokine production. Cytokines cause many fibromyalgia symptoms. In the brain, cytokines can cause behavioral changes. They can either prompt or worsen depression, anxiety, or anorexia. They may cause a person to become withdrawn. Cytokines create fatigue and interfere with sleep patterns. They are one thing responsible for what has been termed “brain fog.”

Deficiencies in these vitamins have also been shown to cause tinnitus and research shows that supplementation may improve the disorder. Low B vitamin levels can also cause symptoms like chronic fatigue, paranoia, the inability to concentrate, irritability, insomnia, restlessness, tingling in the hands, fingers, and toes, rashes, and soreness all over.

Vitamin B-3 is required for proper metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, as well as for the production of hydrochloric acid (HCL). This is important because clinicians report that 50% of patients with autoimmune disease are low in HCL. This vital nutrient is also necessary for the synthesis of insulin and the sex hormones.

Healthy vitamin B-3 sources include broccoli, carrots, eggs, and fish. However, it is difficult to get enough B-3 from food. Furthermore, even with adequate amounts, starch, corn, antibiotics, sugar, tobacco, coffee, and birth control pills reduce the effectiveness of B vitamins.

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“The history of government regulation of food safety is one of government watchdogs chasing the horse after it’s out of the barn.”
-David A. Kessler, M.D. (FDA Commissioner)

The vitamin A-robbing toxin, formaldehyde, is the smelly chemical in which your science teacher stored dead animals to dissect. Our sources of formaldehyde are also not restricted to external exposure. Everyday, people worldwide consume a popular food additive that breaks down to formaldehyde into the body.

In 1965, a chemist working to develop an ulcer drug accidentally discovered a substance 200 times sweeter than sugar. The FDA initially shunned this substance because it caused seizures and brain tumors in lab animals. Tragically, in 1981, the FDA allowed this brain tumor and seizure-causing substance to begin both sweetening and poisoning our food supply, pharmaceuticals, and children’s vitamins. Banned in children’s products in Europe, the chemical, aspartame, is now a big part of America’s diet craze. This is despite the fact that it accounts for more than 75% of the complaints reported in the FDA’s Adverse Reaction Monitoring system.

Aspartame, once in the body, can break down into various chemicals. One is the same toxin you get from a fire ant bite. Another is formaldehyde. Besides robbing the body of vitamin A, formaldehyde is a toxic compound that attacks myelin (the insulation around nerve cells), worsening MS, autism, ALS, lupus, and Lyme Disease. There is a theory, which I support, that with Fibromyalgia and CFS myelin is also at risk. This would mean that in these populations, aspartame is also extremely dangerous.

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