Saturday, 24 August 2019

The great news about epigenetics

"You can’t change your genetics but you are not a victim of your genetics. What you can change is the expression of your genetics and that’s what epigenetics is about”  Steve Ottersberg, Trew Fields 2019.

At Trew Fields this year (my film coming soon) one of the talks was by Steve Ottersberg and he helped me get a much greater grasp on the wonders and opportunities of epigenetics. This is all about looking at the heritable changes in gene expression that don't involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence or in other words a change in phenotype without a change in genotype. This affects how cells read the genes and can be influenced by many factors including our environment and our lifestyle - see also my blog on mind-body (i). Some of those epigenetic changes can have serious impacts that can result for example in cancer. What is exciting is that they are considered to be dynamic and modifiable by lifestyle choices and environmental influence.

Many including great chunks of the medical profession still hold to the belief that genetic mutations (a sequence change inside your DNA) cause cancer, but in reality these changes account for less than 7% of the population. Indeed the so-called ’Somatic Theory of Cancer’ seems to be quite wrong. 

Chris Woollams writes: 'What about the other 93 per cent of the population, who are also at risk? The truth about cancer is that the rest of us only very rarely develop a sequence change - a real mutation - in our DNA and thus produce a somatic cell' (ii). It is epigenetics that is now able to explain how cancer can develop. Critically four key factors seem to be at play; environmental toxins (eg smoking, drugs), poor diet, stress and hormones like oestrogen.

"Good diet, cutting stress and environmental toxins, balancing your hormones, taking exercise, oxygenating cells, having plenty of commensal (good) bacteria - these have all been shown capable of correcting the epigenetic damage. Indeed more than 65 natural bioactive compounds are known to be capable of correcting cancer cell structure. It’s not rocket science after all." Chris Woollams

The amazing Upraw organic and raw food
It seems we are more a product of your lifestyle and environment than our parents chromosomes. Indeed there is growing evidence about how diet and exercise affects how our genes express themselves; turning good genes on and bad genes off. A study by Barres et al in 2012 showed this with regards to exercise (iii). Another by Dusek et al showed how after eight weeks of meditation gene expression was affected (iv).

 See also here my discussion blog about my impaired p53 gene here.

All this is very good news! As Chris Wark, author and cancer ‘thriver’ (v), writes; “If my body created cancer then maybe it can heal it”.
What are SNPs?

In Steve Ottersberg’s talk I also learnt about single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs (known as "snips”). When we make new cells, an existing cell copies its own DNA then divides into two. The two cells will both have a complete set of the DNA genetic instructions. However cells sometimes make mistakes during the copying and this can lead to variations in the DNA at particular locations and these are called SNPs. The differences created can influence a variety of traits such as appearance, disease susceptibility or response to drugs. We inherit our DNA from our parents and that includes our SNPs versions from our parents. SNPs occur almost once in every 1,000 nucleotides on average, which means there are roughly 4 to 5 million SNPs in a person's genome. Scientists are learning every day how these SNPs impact on our lives and indeed on cancer (vi). 

I understand SNPs are variations in a single position in the DNA sequence - this is different from epigenetics where there is no change in the DNA sequence. So SNP is not an epigenetic modification, it's a genetic modification or mutation. But I think I understood that there are many evidences where SNPs have led to epigenetic variations. So, rather SNPs can be considered to be a medium by which genetics talk with epigenetics.

From my various searches into SNPs my Facebook feed now has adverts for companies that will look at my SNPs. I’ve not gone down that route as a recent metabolic analysis of an urine sample (more of that soon) gives some indication that I might have a number of key SNPs for example around absorption of folic acid. I think as many as one in two people will find it difficult to metabolise folic acid, so a SNP might help explain why my folic acid levels and indeed other B Vitamins are so low (vii). 

Interestingly Dr Nasha, who also spoke at Trew Fields this year, notes in her excellent book 'The Metabolic Approach to Cancer' that she sees Vitamin D receptor SNPs in almost all her patients and these patients need large amounts of supplemental Vitamin D than those who do not have the SNPs. I have been low in Vitamin D even with high supplementation although it is now out of the very low zone. She writes: 'Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms are also associated with more severe forms of malignancies in many cancers including prostate.'  

A 2006 paper looking at studies into Vitamin D (viii) concluded: 'The majority of studies found a protective relationship between sufficient vitamin D status and lower risk of cancer. The evidence suggests that efforts to improve vitamin D status, for example by vitamin D supplementation, could reduce cancer incidence and mortality at low cost, with few or no adverse effects.'

Tumeric Hemp milk latte
Another example that Dr Nasha gives is that genetic SNPs in the cytochrome P450 system can either speed up or slow down the ability to detoxify compounds through the liver. Certain SNPs may show that a person is a slow metabolizer of coffee, for example, suggesting that person would be best to avoid coffee. I don't think I have this one!

The metabolic test is one way to look at some of this but testing my epigenetic profile could also provide cues as to why I am experiencing cancer - plus give useful information about what type of diet will best support my metabolism, any extra support my body might need for detoxification,  and more. But hey I need to prioritise where I invest in my health and at the moment I am working with the results of the metabolic test.


In short Western medicine seems to argue that faulty genetics and bad luck are the main factors to cause cancer.....that is slowly changing....and it is certainly far from the truth! Genetics and epigenetics are influenced by factors like diet - and genetic damage (like in my case; see here) occurs often from stuff like pesticides, radiation, stress and more. We now know that certain foods, for example, can help to protect and repair genes from that damage. We can change the destiny of our genetic health.


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Tuesday, 6 August 2019

How to do a Rectal insufflation

Well a couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to attend a workshop organised  by Fiona Shakeela Burns of Back2Health Events and NatureWorx looking at ozone and rectal insufflation. Over 30 of us had the opportunity to hear about the benefits of ozone, some of the history and have a ‘demonstration' on how you could do a rectal insufflation. My blog looks more at ozone and my film below has some of the highlights from Fiona regarding the use of the equipment and includes tips from James Page of Pharmi-tech who sells the ozone machines.


Fiona is an Integrative natural health consultant practicing in Bristol but also has had cancer twice, leukemia and sarcoma at 11 years old and then 31 years later, in 2007, she was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer that had metastasized to her ovaries and brain. You can see her interview with Chris Wark here (i). Fiona has been on an amazing journey and is so passionate about bringing healing to more people - ozone is one of her passions and the workshop was a way to bring greater understanding to more people. 



Ozone (03) is like a close cousin to Oxygen (02); the extra molecule makes 03 highly reactive and considered by many to be a powerful healing substance. It is also a pollutant! It was some years ago that I heard that Native Americans preferred fishing after storms as the fish they caught would have an unusual but quite nice odour. I’m not sure how true that is, but before I get into the benefits of ozone here’s some background history, some of which Fiona shared at the workshop. Marcus Freudenmann gives a great summary on how ozone works here (ii).


Background history

Born in 1871, the Austrian surgeon, Edwin Payr, became acquainted with ozone when it was used on him by his dentist, E.A. Fisch. Dr Fisch then applied for a patent on an ozone generator called “Cytozon,” now used in medical ozone generators today. Dr Payr became so enthusiastic about medical ozone that he ultimately published a 290 page book entitled, “On Treatment with Ozone in Surgery,” which he presented to the German Surgical Society in Berlin. There is also evidence of the use of ozone as a disinfectant from 1881, mentioned by Dr. Kellogg in his book on diphtheria. Indeed in 1893, the world's first water treatment plant using ozone was installed in Ousbaden, Holland, and today there are now many municipalities around the world that use ozone to clean their water and sewage.

In 1896, electrical genius Nikola Tesla patented the first ozone generator in the United States later forming the “Tesla Ozone Company.” His machines were sold to doctors for medical use. During the First World War ozone was used to treat gangrenous wounds of German soldiers. Dr P. Aubourg, a French physician was the first to publish a paper in 1936 on infusion of ozone rectally in the treatment of chronic colitis and fistulae. In the 1940’s autohemotherapy, the administration of a small quantity of the patient’s ozonated blood began. In the late 1980s, German doctors successfully treated HIV patients with ozone. 

Medical ozone is still a well-respected therapy accepted in Germany by most physicians. Indeed there are over 3,000 references in the German medical literature referring to the use of medical ozone therapy and some have said that it is considered medical malpractice to not use ozone pre and post-surgery instead of antibiotics! Ozone is also mainstream medicine in Cuba and Russia. Ozone is tolerated in other countries like France, England, Italy, and Canada, and 14 states in the United States. 

Ozone machine
Benefits of ozone

Benefits of ozone discussed by Fiona include oxygenating the body, anti-fungal, anti-bacteria, virostatic, immune cell up-regulation and upgrading of red blood cell capacity to carry oxygen. But can it help with cancer? Well there are lots on the internet making incredible claims for ozone. I am more than wary of those, but I do like Marcus Freudenmann’s work on his website (iii) where he has a whole series of videos about ozone. He also summarises the benefits of ozone for people with cancer:

• Ozone increases oxygen in hypoxic cancer cells. We know that CANCER flourishes in oxygen deprived environments! This also helps in preventing metastatic growth and angiogenisis.
• Ozone reduces inflammation. Cancer can grow in a weakened inflamed body!
• Ozone assists in detoxification, leaving the body less likely to have diseases.
• Ozone boosts the immune system. Cancer's enemy is the immune system!
• Ozone kills all types of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Cancer loves a dirty fish tank! 

Many others also talk about the benefits of ozone. For example Dr. Frank Shallenberger, who has been offering Ozone Therapy to his patients in clinical practice for over 30 years, has been nicknamed the “Godfather of Ozone” in North America. He sees a clear difference between ozone and oxygen therapies - like for example hyperbaric oxygen chambers like the one I attend in Gloucester (blog soon on that) - and argues ozone is preferable as a treatment for cancer. His view is that rather than simply sending more oxygen to cells, ozone works deep within the cells, stimulating mitochondria to use the oxygen that's already available. In other words, he sees ozone as 'a strong metabolic stimulant’ that can tackle some of the causes of cancer, maximise immunity and play a role in controlling cancer cell growth. Ozone therapy is toxic to unhealthy cells but non-toxic to healthy cells so that it selectively kill cancer cells. 

So while many doctors use ozone and it is a widely established therapy, it is still challenged by some. Shallenberger himself has continued to face some controversy (iv), but I am persuaded by the benefits!

Oxygen and regulator for home use
Ozone great for radiotherapy and chemotherapy

Ozone is used in almost all German holistic clinics as a key treatment; these doctors prepare their patients with Ozone long before chemo and radiation to prevent tumour lysis syndrome and keep using Ozone to reduce the side effects of conventional therapies. See more here from Marcus Freudenmann on how ozone reduces the side effects of such treatments (ii).
Side effects of ozone?

As always this blog is about my views and folks reading need to decide for themselves. My understanding is that the only known side effect of ozone is what has been called 'a healing crisis’ or the 'Herxheimer effect.’ This is when there is a detoxification reaction in the body, sometimes with symptoms like flu. This response is often a sign that pathogenic entities are being killed. 

Research quoted in many articles say that the German Medical Society in 1980 examined results from over five million ozone therapy treatments spanning 644 therapists and 384,775 patients. Of these, there were only 0.000007%, (40 cases) of side effects noted. The report also stated "The majority of adverse effects were caused by ignorance about ozone therapy (operator error).” Most of the reports suggest that ozone is one of 'the safest medical therapy ever devised'.


Chart to calculate how much ozone
Rectal Insufflation - how to do it!

I have given myself a couple of treatments at home, following the instructions in my video from the workshop above. It gives some useful tips and along with a video made by Pharmi-Tech it helped me sort out the various bits of tubing, when to open valves and how to sort the dials. It all looks rather complicated but is much easier once you get going; next time will be a breeze! The Pharmi-tech video is here (vi). There is also a Facebook group run by Fiona that shares more tips about using ozone. 

Update 5/11/19: In terms of dosage Fiona covers some of that in the video but I also recommend Truly Heal's page with dosage suggestions for cancer and radiation: https://o3academy.com/rectal-ozone-insufflation/ Interestingly he writes: "Only for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, haemorrhages, haemorrhoids, proctitis stage 1 and 2,  anal fistulae, rectal, prostrate and colon cancer concentrations of 70 – 90 mg/l  are recommended with small volumes of 50ml 3 – 5 times on a daily basis. This is reduced to 27mg/l with 100 – 300 ml volumes for maintenance 2 – 3 times per week....As per Dr. Rau from the Paracelsus clinic in Swiss, Prostate cancer is always connected with long term bacteria infections  which are directly treated with ozone. Rectal ozone stimulates the immune system, provides plentiful oxygen to the immune cells for the respiratory burst and therefore increases chances of a recovery."

Update 25/10/19: See my blog on coffee enemas: https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/10/coffee-enemas-are-you-serious.html

Update 23/09/19: I like this video about Ozone and it's impact on good bacteria: https://youtu.be/lk_b55KGDTU 

Update 01/04/20: Great video explaining in detail how rectal insufflations work (with particular focus on viruses): https://youtu.be/8_12kPrOXIs 


Notes
(ii) All the links have changed Oct 2019 so find on website: https://o3academy.com/
(iii)Link changed; new link Oct 2019: https://o3academy.com/ozone-for-cancer-patients/
(iv) http://www.truthaboutshallenberger.com/
(v) Some quote the side effect rate observed was only .000005 per application. I have been unable to find the original study, but there are many reports like this: http://www.oxygenhealingtherapies.com/Medical_Ozone_Cancer.html
 
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