Sulfur rich foods such as ginger, garlic, onions, asparagus, mushrooms, broccolli and its sprouts, sweet potatoes, greens, vitamin C rich foods, zinc rich foods, vitamin A and B and coconut water, anti-parasitic diet (avoiding moldy foods and proper washing of whole foods, avoiding processed and pesticides laden foods).
The Gut–Hormone Connection: How Gut Microbes Influence Estrogen Levels
Emerging research indicates that the gut microbiome plays a central role in the regulation of estrogen levels within the body and thus influences the risk of developing estrogen-related diseases such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. Read on to learn about the connection between gut microbes and estrogen levels and why correcting dysbiosis may be key for preventing and reversing estrogen-related conditions.
Gut Microbes Regulate Estrogen
Scientific research has demonstrated that gut microbes regulate many aspects of human physiology, including intestinal permeability, the absorption of nutrients from food, and immunity. However, recent studies suggest that gut microbes play another crucial role in the human body by regulating circulating estrogen levels.
The estrobolome is the collection of microbes capable of metabolizing estrogens. The estrobolome modulates the enterohepatic circulation of estrogens and affects circulating and excreted estrogen levels. Microbes in the estrobolome produce beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme that deconjugates estrogens into their active forms. Beta-glucuronidase activity produces active, unbound estrogen that is capable of binding to estrogen receptors and influencing estrogen-dependent physiological processes.
When the gut microbiome is healthy, the estrobolome produces just the right amount of beta-glucuronidase to maintain estrogen homeostasis. However, when gut dysbiosis is present, beta-glucuronidase activity may be altered. This produces either a deficiency or an excess of free estrogen, thus promoting the development of estrogen-related pathologies.
Gut Dysbiosis Is Linked to Estrogen-Related Diseases
Estrogen plays many vital roles in the human body. It regulates body fat deposition and adipocyte differentiation, female reproductive function, cardiovascular health, bone turnover, and cell replication. Gut dysbiosis has the potential to alter the estrobolome, disrupt estrogen homeostasis, and impair these processes, promoting the development of chronic diseases.
Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease, and Osteoporosis
In postmenopausal women, estrobolome disruption is associated with an increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Estrogens regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, adipocyte differentiation, bone formation, and the inflammatory response in atherosclerosis. Research indicates that the normal reductions in estrogen that occur at menopause impair these estrogen-dependent processes, triggering obesity, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.
Gut dysbiosis resulting in decreased beta-glucuronidase activity may exacerbate the low-estrogen state in postmenopausal women, further increasing the risk of these chronic diseases. Indeed, a high prevalence of gut dysbiosis has been observed in obese patients and those with cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Taken together, this research suggests that an important relationship exists between the estrobolome, estrogen deficiency, and the incidence of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis, an estrogen-driven condition characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, has been associated with gut dysbiosis. The estrobolome of women with endometriosis may have larger numbers of beta-glucuronidase-producing bacteria, leading to increased levels of circulating estrogen, which drives endometriosis. Dysbiosis of the vagina and endometrium, including a decrease in Lactobacilli and an increase in pathogenic gram-negative bacteria, has also been detected in women with endometriosis and may further contribute to hormonal imbalance. These findings indicate that perhaps the term “estrobolome” should be expanded to encompass microbes in both the gut and the female reproductive tract.
PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may also be influenced by estrobolome disruption. Women with PCOS have an excess of androgens in relation to estrogen, as well as an altered gut microbiota. Researchers theorize that the altered gut microbiota in PCOS women may promote increased androgen biosynthesis and decreased estrogen levels through lowered beta-glucuronidase activity. Interestingly, modulation of the gut microbiota with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been found to improve estrous cycles and decrease androgen biosynthesis in an animal model of PCOS, indicating that modulation of the estrobolome may be beneficial in the treatment of PCOS.
Breast, Endometrial, Cervical, and Ovarian Cancer
In recent years, an abundance of research has emerged linking dysbiosis of the gut microbiota to various forms of cancer. Researchers have discovered that cancer patients have a significantly altered gut microbiota compared to healthy controls, as well as imbalances in the microbiota of tissues such as the breast and endometrium. The altered gut microbiota of cancer patients may lead to increased beta-glucuronidase activity and increased levels of circulating estrogen, which binds to estrogen receptors and promotes cell proliferation in estrogen-sensitive tissues. The microbial milieu of the gut may also affect the microbiome of distant estrogen-sensitive tissues, such as the breast, through direct transference of microbes; in one fascinating example of this phenomenon, probiotic Lactobacilli ingested by women were found to reach breast tissue, where they exert anticarcinogenic effects. Clearly, an intricate relationship exists between the estrobolome, estrogen levels, estrogen-sensitive tissues, and cancer.
Prostate Cancer
Dysbiosis of the prostate gland has been associated with prostate cancer, and despite a current lack of studies on the topic, researchers hypothesize that the gastrointestinal microbiota may also be markedly different in men with this disease. Furthermore, elevated estrogen levels have been implicated in the development of prostate cancer, providing further support for the hypothesis that the estrobolome plays an important role in prostate cancer development.
What Factors Disrupt the Estrobolome?
Diet and lifestyle factors that are commonly known to disrupt the gut microbiome also have the potential to disrupt the estrobolome. Antibiotics and hormonal contraceptives have been found to alter both the gut microbiota and estrogen levels within the body, suggesting that they may have an adverse impact on the estrobolome.
Diet is another important factor that may affect the estrobolome. A large body of research demonstrates that diet significantly impacts the gut microbiota; considering that the estrobolome is part of the overall microbiota, it is also likely to be affected by the foods we choose to consume. Notably, the consumption of phytoestrogens in foods has been found to significantly impact the gut microbiota and the risk of estrogen-related diseases. Phytoestrogens can be estrogenic or antiestrogenic and can, therefore, have either a protective or causative effect on the development of cancer and chronic diseases. The estrobolome may be the key mediator determining the effects of phytoestrogens on endogenous estrogen levels.
Could balancing the microbiome be a new way to treat estrogen-related diseases? #womenshealth #microbiome
Probiotics Can Restore a Healthy Estrogen Balance
Research indicates that it may be possible to modulate the estrobolome and reverse estrogen-related pathologies through probiotic supplementation.
- Supplementation with a broad-spectrum Lactobacillus probiotic has been found to normalize the estrous cycle and decrease testosterone biosynthesis in an animal model of PCOS.
- In an animal model of endometriosis, Lactobacillus gasserisuppressed ectopic tissue growth, which is an estrogen-driven process.
- In a menopausal mouse model of osteoporosis, Lactobacillus reuteri prevented bone loss resulting from low estrogen.
- Lactobacilli have anticarcinogenic effects in breast tissue, suggesting that supplementation may be useful for the prevention of breast cancer.
While research on the relationship between probiotic supplementation and the estrobolome is still in its infancy, this shouldn’t stop practitioners from recommending probiotics to their patients with estrogen-related conditions. Reversing dysbiosis appears to be key for modulating the estrobolome, and probiotic supplementation is a relatively simple and inexpensive way to accomplish this. Practitioners may just find that probiotics have been the missing tool in their toolbox for treating estrogen-related conditions!
The Unexpected Connection Between Estrogen and Autism
Science has been studying autism spectrum disorder for better part of a century, and yet there’s one thing they can’t seem to figure out: why the brain of people with autism develop differently. But because it’s more common in boys, some researchers have long suspected that testosterone levels in the womb are the key.
The only problem is, their evidence has become up short. Turns out they might have been looking at the wrong hormones. Just this week, a team of scientist at the University of Cambridge and the State Serum Institute in Denmark announced that they’ve identified a link between autism and a different sex hormone: estrogen.
While it might sound like the complete opposite of what you’d expect for something more prevalent in boys, it actually lines up with our understanding of autism better than you’d think.
Autism spectrum disorder affects about every on of 59 children, but even after correcting for underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis, it’s roughly three times more likely in boys than in girls. Girls with autism also generally have fewer autism traits than boys. And all that may imply that there’s some kind of connection between autism and the physiological difference that generally come with Y chromosome.
Some even suggested that autism is basically what happens when you take typically male neurological traits and dial them up to 11. This is what’s known as the “extreme male brain theory” of autism. Now, it’s important to note that this doesn’t mean that the autistic people are super masculine overall–it just mean that they have more of the traits that you see more frequently on average, in the brains of men. And the difference is very small.
Studies consistently show that men and women are more psychologically similar that they are different. But there are some traits that, again, on average more common or more pronounced in the brains of people with Y chromosome or who identify as me. And it does seem like the traits are amplified in people with autism. To give one example, the brains of men tend to have weaker connectivity in the brains default mode network.
There’s a group of brain region that’s most active when you’re not focused on the outside world. And it turns out that both men and women with autism have even lower connectivity on this region than the average neurotypical man. Because there does seem to be some merit to this extreme male brain idea, researchers have suggested that the biological pathways involved in the development of typically masculine traits might be at the root of autism. And all traces back to fetal sex differentation:
The biological cues that lead to the development of typically masculine or feminine traits So in recent years, researchers begin to look for clues to autism in fetal development and conditions fetuses experience in-utero. And at first, many thought androgens- the hormones involved in typically male traits- might be to blaim, which makes intuitive sense.
The thing is, studies on prenatal testosterone levels alone- which is arguably the most important androgen–have found no relationship between it and autistic features. Then in the study published in 2015, Cambridge and Danish researchers found elevated levels of several sex hormones in the amniotic fluid of male fetuses that went on to develop autism. And while that did include testosterone and another androgen, it also included progesterone: which got the researchers thinking maybe they needed to widen their scope. Which brings us to estrogen.
Estrogen actually refers to the group of hormones which includes estriol, estradiol, estrone, and estetrol–none of which tested in the 2015 study. And these so called “female” hormones are very important for fetal development regardless of sex. Estradiol, in particular, contributes a lot development. It helps to form and prune neurons and synapses, and it regulates the activity of neurotransmitter GABA. In the brains of people with autism, synapses and neuron formation and GABA regulation are all typical.
So it might make sense that estrogen levels in the womb could play a role in the development of autism, too. To find out, those same researchers returned to the amiotic fluid samples they used in their 2015 study. These initially came from the Danish Historic Birth Cohort: a set of biological samples are more than a hundred thousand pregnant people collected between 1980 and 2004 who were followed up with the monitor the children’s health overtime, including whether they were diagnosed with autism. The researchers ended up with amniotic fluid samples from 98 males with autism and 177 neurotypical males. They then analyzed the samples for various forms of estrogen.
They found that elevated levels of estradiol and estriol, and estrone were all associated with an autism diagnosis. Estradiol has the biggest effect: a rise in this hormone from the 25th to the 75th percentile came with an almost 50% increase in the likelihood of autism. What this study suggests is that high level of estrogen, at least at about 15 weeks gestation, it might lead to differences in the brain development. As for why estrogen levels are higher at that time, the researchers suggested the placenta may have something to do with it. It acts as a hormone regulator between mom and fetus, and it’s fetus’ main source of estrogen.
And all that said, the researchers didn’t find that amniotic fluid hormones perfectly predict autism.
Are certain parts of the body more inclined to create tumors?
Are certain parts of the body more inclined to create tumors?
Why? Liver and fat tissues in breasts and prostate are sensitive to carcinogens and toxic substances settle in fat tissues. Endocrine Destroying substances (plastics) affect our hormonal balance. Air pollution, chemical fumes, weak immune system and metal toxins are contributing factors in lung cancer. Genetic data for these 3 cancers are well identified. Assumption: Female/Male, over 50 yrs of age, on western diet, lives in Northern hemisphere, have families with cancer, diabetes and polyps, prone to allergies (lack zinc), digestive disorders, high dairy and sugar consumption (low magnesium and calcium,iron) and had utilized a few drugs before. With weakening immune system as we age, we are more likely to be prone to cancer and infectious organisms such as parasites can live for many years. Over time, they multiply and where there are cancer, parasites abound.
COPKL Risk Factor
COPKL Risk Factor = Blood sugar (0.2) + history (0.1) + sugar/processed foods consumption (0.1) + Exercise and sun exposure (0.1) + number of medications (0.1) + obesity/night time worker (0.1) + exposure to copper,fungus,molds,aflatoxins , parasites (0.2) + genes (0.1)
Exposure to copper,fungus,molds,toxins, smoking,alcohol,narcotics, aluminum, air pollution, char broiled meat, aflatoxin, virus,bacteria, parasites,caffeine, medications.
Genes: 0.2 = MSH2, MLH1, MSH6, PMS2, PMS1, TGFBR2, MLH3 , RCC, APC, HPC1, tmprss2-erg , TMPRSS2-ETV1/4, HBOC,BRCA,BRCA2,BRCA1
(0.2 more than 2 genes, 0.1 one gene)
The cancer tumor is a metabolic parasite
Cancer cells activate glycolysis, glutaminolysis and β-oxidation to promote their biosynthesis. The low activity of pyruvate kinase, reexpressed in its embryonic isoform PKM2, generates a bottleneck at the end of glycolysis, which reorients glucose catabolism towards formation of molecules implied in numerous synthesis: ribose for nucleic acids, glycerol for lipid synthesis, etc. However, a part of glucose is transformed in pyruvate, which also comes from aminoacids catabolism. Due to the inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase, pyruvate is preferentially transformed into lactate, either in the presence of oxygen (Warburg effect).
Lactate dehydrogenase reaction furnishes lactic acid, which acidifies the tumoral microenvironment, a process which favors the cellular growth and regenerates NAD(+), a crucial cofactor for the functioning of various metabolic pathways (glycolysis, DNA synthesis and repair…). Cancer cells consume a lot of glutamine, which replenish Krebs cycle (coupled with ATP production), and/or furnishes aspartate for nucleotides synthesis. This particular metabolism is sustained by activation of oncogenes (Myc, AKT, etc.) and suppressors inactivation (P53, PTEN…).
Like a parasite, cells draw on reserves of the host to supply their own biosynthesis, while they secrete waste products (NO, polyamines, ammonia, lactate…) that promote cellular growth. A “symbiotic” cooperation could be established between tumor cells themselves, and/or with environmental cells, to maximize ATP production in relation with resources and oxygen concentration.
New Study Links Many Popular OTC Meds With Alzheimer’s
Promote Comfortable Joints and Assist Your Active Lifestyle
This provides support for temporary, exercise-induced pain, stiffness and cartilage deterioration so you won’t miss a beat with the activities you enjoy most. Discover newfound flexibility, strength, stamina, mobility and cushioning…
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Think twice before popping these pills that shrink your brain, kill your memory and put you in the path of a deadly disease with no cure. One person made an astonishing recovery from severe dementia after quitting multiple meds – including over-the-counter products. Be very careful…
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To protect your brain health from mild cognitive impairment, engage in mentally stimulating activities like reading books, using a computer, playing games and doing crafts. All of these can lower your risk of cognitive decline significantly…
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Facts about rubia cordifolia: Uses and benefits
Rubia cordifolia, also known as Radix rubiae and Indian madder, holds a place in both Indian Ayurvedic practice and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Discover this herb’s wide array of uses and why it’s greatly valued in holistic health therapies.
-https://bit.ly/31cuJ0P
Foods for men to have higher sperm count
Soups, juices and foods for liver, diarrhea and high thyroid activity
Food for diarrhea, parasites
- soup of carrot and cabbage soup, add cinnamon, garlic, onions, turmeric
- cup of applesauce or water with carob and amaranth powder
- green drink of celery or cabbage and parsely
- tomato juice with cabbage soup
- high fiber diet, raw foods
Food for liver/gallbladder
- malunggay or moringa soup with lemon or tomatoes
- soup from dark greens with garlic, onions, turmeric
- liquid chlorophyll
- dandelion root tea
- lemon juice and hot water
- grape, radish, papaya and carrot juice
- increase healthy oils (fish oils, coconut oils, olive oil, flaxseed oil
- high vegetable protein foods such as dried beans, peas, sprouts
- eat 2 cups daily of grated/raw beets covered with juice of lemon and flax seed oil
- eat low glycemic (low sugar) fruits and vegetables
- avoid dairy, fried foods, cold drinks, refined carbs, hydrogenated fats
Food for increased thyroid activity
- eat raw foods, goitrogens, suppressing action of thyroid:
carrots, beets, root crops, celery, cabbage, oranges, bamboo shoots, beans, almonds, walnuts, kale, peaches, spinach - avoid high iodine rich foods: seafood, kelp, sea salt, oysters, lobsters
- avoid foods which contain thyroid promoting amines: sauerkraut, wine (histamine), cheese (tyramine), bananas (dopamine, serotonin)
Food for the heart
- eat a good breakfast
- eliminate snacks between meals
- remove empty and refined calories from the diet
- eliminate fasts (crisco, mazola oil, margarine, salad dressings)
- eliminate soft drinks, do drink fruit juices diluted with water
- eat plenty of cold water fish, flaxseed and other sources of omega-3 oils
- use brown rice
- don’t use alcoholic beverages
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Guava leaves, comfrey leaves, sulfur, MSM, cellulite, diabetes and uses
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Parasitic Infections of the Central Nervous System
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Parasitic Infections of the Central Nervous System
What should you know about parasitic infections of the central nervous system? How are they contracted and what can you do to prevent them? Read about the symptoms and how are they treated.
Neurological Parasitic Infections
Parasitic infections can invade practically any part of the body imaginable. Those that infect the nervous system are potentially the most damaging and the most disturbing.
Not only may these conditions be sometimes fatal, but can result in lifelong disability. Early recognition and prompt treatment are important in order to reduce both mortality and the frequently catastrophic aftermath of these diseases.
Some parasitic infections involving the central nervous system may occur in anyone. In contrast, opportunistic parasitic infections are those that are more likely to occur when a person has a suppressed immune system due to cancer treatments, HIV, or other chronic medical conditions.
We don’t mind informing someone that we have a bacterial or viral infection, like strep throat or influenza. Most of us, though, would hesitate before confessing we had tapeworms. Parasitic infections feel more intrusive—somehow more of a violation than other forms of infection.
Surprisingly, though, a very large percentage of the world’s population does have some form of parasitic infection, and it’s estimated that over a billion people are infected with roundworms alone.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a parasite infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. It is widely spread throughout the world with around 15 percent of people in the US, and about 50 percent of people in Europe, having a positive antibody test for the disease.
The immune system keeps the parasite in check for most of us. But in cases of immunodeficiency, such as AIDS, the parasite is able to run amok in the brain, creating circular abscesses visible on an MRI. Toxoplasmosis can cause a headache, seizures, focal neurological deficits, and mental status changes.
Toxoplasmosis is an AIDS-defining condition according to the CDC, which refers to diseases that are directly related to the suppression of the immune system associated with an HIV infection.
Toxoplasmosis is frequently associated with cat litter, but the case against felines may be overstated. In patients with AIDS, there is no difference in risk based on exposure to kitty litter.
The preferred treatment for toxoplasmosis includes pyrimethamine, leucovorin, and sulfadiazine. If there’s any concern for elevated intracranial pressure, then steroids should also be used.
As usual, it’s best to prevent the infection from ever occurring by avoiding immunosuppression and using prophylactic medication for those with compromised immune systems. Due to prophylactic treatment and antiretroviral therapy, the rate of toxoplasmosis-related infections has fallen since its peak in 1995.
Prevention techniques may include avoiding kitty litter (or wearing gloves at a minimum), eating only fully cooked meat, thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables, and wearing gloves whenever gardening (think: outdoor litter box.)
Neurocysticercosis
Neurocysticercosis occurs when people ingest the eggs of Taenia solium, a pork tapeworm whose eggs are found in human feces. Ingesting the eggs leads to tapeworm larvae growing in many different human tissues, particularly brain and muscle. This leads to seizures and more.
The infection, contrary to widespread belief, is not directly caused by eating undercooked pork. When undercooked pork is eaten, the cysts can lead to tapeworm infection in the small intestine with each worm shedding thousands of eggs. It is the eggs which can lead to neurocysticercosis.
When a person eats the eggs of the tapeworm (which have been shed by a carrier of the tapeworm), the worm embryo can bore through the bowel and make its way to the central nervous system or spinal cord. Symptoms may then include increased intracranial pressure, headaches, and seizures.
The disease is most common in regions where pigs are raised and sanitation is poor, including much of South America and India, and is thought to have infected at least 50 million people worldwide.
Cysticercosis is a leading cause of seizures worldwide and is a growing health problem in the United States (primarily due to immigration from Latin America.) Treatment is with albendazole and praziquantel along with steroids to reduce swelling in the brain.
Prevention includes careful handwashing, avoiding contaminated meat, and making sure to eat only pork that has been cooked thoroughly.
Without exaggeration, malaria is one of the most serious threats to human life throughout the entire history of mankind. Over millennia, the disease has killed hundreds of millions of people.
The workings of this parasite are complex, but almost always involve being transmitted by an infected mosquito. Here we will only briefly discuss one of malaria’s several tactics in human destruction: the direct invasion of brain tissue.
Cerebral malaria can cause changes in consciousness or seizures. Without treatment, the disease usually progresses to coma or death. With treatment, mortality is between 15 to 20 percent. Some survivors, especially children, can have residual deficits like blindness, deafness, seizures, or cognitive problems.
Cerebral malaria is most common where malaria is endemic, such as Africa. Visitors to such regions can help prevent malaria infection with prophylactic medication and other preventative measures. Those who suffer malarial infection require immediate treatment with either cinchona alkaloids such as quinidine, or artemisinin derivatives such as artesunate. The latter is the drug of choice in severe infection.
Trypanosomiasis, also called sleeping sickness, is caused by the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei gambiense or Trypanosoma brucei rhodosiense. Like malaria, the parasite is spread by an insect host.
American trypanosomiasis is transmitted by the assassin bug. African trypanosomiasis is spread by the tsetse fly, which leaves a painful, two to five-centimeter mark on the skin. A rash may also follow.
After a period of time, sometimes years, the parasite spreads from the blood to the brain, leading to meningoencephalitis and swelling. A headache, difficulty thinking, personality changes, and movement disorders such as tremor or ataxia (lack of coordination) can result.
The disease is fatal without treatment. To diagnose the disease, the parasite must be seen under a microscope in a sample such as cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment involves medications such as eflornithine or melarsoprol—which can have serious side effects—but they’re considerably better than allowing the infection to go untreated.
Schistosomiasis, also called bilharzia or bilharziasis, is caused by infection with small, flatworms called flukes. Usually, these small, leaf-shaped worms cause intestinal, liver, kidney or bladder problems. Globally, about one in 30 people carry these schistosomes, which are often acquired through bathing and swimming in freshwater lakes in which these worms live.
Like many parasites, the life cycle of this organism is complex and involves many different stages. Humans acquire the infection by contact with water from freshwater lakes containing schistosomal larvae, which penetrate the skin and migrate into the blood vessels. Once in the blood vessels, they can travel through the body. The worms use suckers to adhere to the wall of the blood vessel, where they can live for up to 30 years.
Roughly 240 million people are infected with schistosomiasis each year.
Most people with this infection feel no symptoms at all. Sometimes, acute infection can be seen one day after exposure with an itchy rash. Two to eight weeks later, a fever can develop. Later, as the schistosomes can spread to different organs, various symptoms can occur.
The worms can spread to the spinal cord, causing myelopathy. This results in pain, bowel dysfunction, and weakness of the regions below the level of infection. Permanent paralysis can result. In other cases, the schistosomiasis can affect the brain, leading to epilepsy or elevated intracranial pressure.
Because these worms can live in the body for years, with potential for serious trouble at any time, infected persons should be treated regardless of whether they have serious symptoms.
Praziquantel is the treatment of choice. If the flukes have invaded the nervous system, steroids should be given as well in order to reduce the inflammatory response.
Echinococcus, also called hydatidosis, is a tapeworm which, in the early stage of life, can cause cysts in living human tissue including the brain and spinal cord. The parasites which are responsible include Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis.
Humans acquire the infection by eating contaminated food. The disease is rare in the United States but is more common in Africa, Central Asia, Southern South America, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
The initial stages of infection are always asymptomatic, and it may be years before the cysts cause any problems. In the brain, the cysts can cause seizures or elevated intracranial pressure.
In the spinal cord, the cysts can cause spinal cord compression and paralysis. Infections of the central nervous system are relatively rare, however—usually the cysts infect other organs, such as the lungs or liver.
Cysts can be found with a CT scan, but they’re usually found when an imaging test is done for some other reason. Cysts may need surgical removal, often with additional medical treatment with a drug such as albendazole or praziquantel.
Trichinella
Trichinellosis is an infection caused by roundworms (nematodes) and is most commonly found in undercooked pig meat (though it can be found in other types of meat as well.) The infection is relatively uncommon in the United States due to improvements in food preparation.
Larvae invade the wall of the small bowel and develop into adult worms. Worms then go on to release eggs that grow into cysts in muscles. When the muscle is ingested by another animal, the cycle continues.
Severe trichinellosis can cause a meningoencephalitis. A headache is a common symptom. Swelling, strokes, and seizures can also occur. The CT can show small cystic lesions throughout the brain. Treatment is with albendazole or mebendazole, sometimes combined with prednisone in severe cases.
Paragonimiasis
Paragonimiasis is a parasitic infection with a flatworm which may enter the body through eating undercooked crab or crayfish. It is rare in the United States, though several cases have been reported in the Midwest. Most commonly it is found in East Asian countries.
The parasite does not often affect the central nervous system but the parasite may reach the brain either through the bloodstream or through the foramina at the base of the skull. The adult form of the parasite both releases inflammatory substances and tunnels through tissues, which can result in headaches, seizures, and strokes (primarily due to tunneling.)
Angiostrongyliasis
Angiostrongyliasis is a parasitic infection caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which is most common in Southeast Asia but may occur in the Caribbean as well. It is contracted from eating undercooked snails, slugs, crabs, or prawns.
The larva of this parasite migrates to the brain causing headaches, nausea, and neck stiffness. In contrast to many of this parasitic infection of the central nervous system, there is no specific treatment available and the infection usually resolves over a period of four to six weeks.
A Word From Verywell
As unappealing as parasitic infections are, it’s worth noting that most of the time, these infections go unnoticed. A high percentage of people throughout the world live with a worm or other parasite. As close as we may be with these organisms, though, invasion of our central nervous systems is too close for comfort and must always be taken seriously.
Good hygiene (meticulous hand washing and wearing gloves), careful and thorough washing of fruits and vegetables, and proper cooking of meats can go a long way in lowering your risk of these conditions.
Brain repair diet
Do follow the anti-parasitic diet, eat whole foods rich in Vitamin C , A and E and get sufficient night time sleep. Avoid and run away from toxic people. Stay with nature and meet new friends. Make someone happy. In nursing facilities, some seniors are suffering from sundowning syndrome, a state of acute mental confusion and behavioral change that takes place at the end of the day and into the night. Since we synthesize cholesterol at night, eat a healthy fat food at night and use ways to calm the body for a good night sleep (dim the lights , except for a hallway night light) and stay with the seniors until he goes to sleep.
Connie
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin E, Curcumin, and Caffeine
A number of studies point to the healthy effects of dietary factors on the brain. For example, fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve cognition, plasticity, and recovery of neurons after traumatic brain injury. One of the most important forms of omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has been found to be a key component of neuronal membranes at sites of signal transduction at the synapse, suggesting that its action is vital to brain structure and function [10]. Evidence suggests that DHA serves to improve neuronal function by supporting synaptic membrane fluidity and function, and regulating gene expression and cell signaling [19]. Because the human body is not capable of producing its own DHA, supplementation of diet with foods rich in DHA is important in insuring proper function of neurons and in facilitating neuronal recovery after injury [25]. An additional benefit of omega-3 fatty acids which we observed in our studies is that they appear to reduce oxidative stress damage that results from trauma, indicating at the possibility of their application in assisting the recovery process [25, 26].
Another dietary supplement that has shown promise in protecting neurons is Vitamin E, found in certain oils, nuts, and spinach. Vitamin E functions as an antioxidant, reducing free radicals in the brain which would otherwise impede optimal function of neurons. Vitamin E has shown positive effects on memory performance in older people [17], indicating its ability to maintain neuronal health. A different study similarly revealed the benefits of Vitamin E by showing a correlation between the amount of ingested Vitamin E and improved neurological performance, survival, and brain mitochondrial function in aging mice [16].
Curcumin, a yellow curry spice, has also been suggested to enhance recovery events after brain trauma, displaying particular potency in preserving cognition. Curcumin was found to improve neuronal function in individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease by reducing oxidative stress and amyloid pathology [5]. In addition, it was found to protect the brain from lipid peroxidation [20] and nitric oxide-based radicals [21]. In accordance with these observations, our own studies have showed that the supplementation of curcumin into the diets of rats reduced the effects of experimental concussive injury on cognitive function tasks [27].
Studies observing the effects of caffeine on neuronal regeneration and function are recently emerging. A new study shows that chronic, but not acute, treatment with caffeine protects the brain against injury in animal models of Parkinson’s disease and stroke by increasing glutamate release and inflammatory cytokine production [12].
Caloric Intake
Cognition and plasticity of the brain have also been shown to be affected by caloric intake and the frequency of food consumption. Restriction of calories seems to increase levels of BDNF, resulting in improved neuronal function. Fasting every other day has been shown to protect neurons in the hippocampus against excitotoxicity-induced death [2]. In the study, rats put on an every-other-day-fasting diet for 2-4 months had hippocampus neurons that were much more resistant to degeneration induced by kainic acid, and greater preserved memory than rats fed ad lib.
Saturated-Fat Diet
While certain foods seem to contribute positively to neuronal health, diets that are rich in saturated fats appear to decrease levels of BDNF in the brain and lead in poorer neuronal performance. Molteni and colleagues have shown that rats fed a diet high in saturated fats and refined sugars (similar in content to the “junk food” that has become popular today) for a period of 1-2 months, performed significantly worse on the spatial learning mater maze test than rats fed a healthier diet that was low in fat and contained complex carbohydrates [13].
Hemorrhagic stroke
What are the healthy foods for 50-year-old people?
A 70 year old who experienced stroke, started eating mostly banana and soft boiled eggs.
A poor man in his 100, has always been eating yams or sweet potatoes daily.
A 120 year old Italian widow eats 2 boiled eggs a day.
Doctors tell the family of a dying patient to give him/her what she feels like eating.
Each of us have unique set of microbiome or organisms in our gut that can cause cancer or help us live longer.
If retired, cook and prepare your meals daily. If not retired, use simple foods and prepared with proper hygiene.