Author Archives: brianzajac

Refined Salt Triggering Autoimmune Disease

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Refined Salt

Refined Salt Triggering Autoimmune Disease

On Wednesday, March 06, 2013, Yale researchers identified refined salt triggering autoimmune diseases.  According to their study, “adding salt to the diet of mice induced production of a type of T cells previously associated with autoimmune diseases and that mice on salt diets developed a more severe form of an MS animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.”

Dr. David Hafler, the Gilbert H. Glaser Professor of Neurology, professor of immunobiology, chair of the Department of Neurology, and senior author of the Yale paper states  “Humans were genetically selected for conditions in sub-Saharan Africa, where there was no salt.  Today, Western diets all have high salt content and that has led to increase in hypertension and perhaps autoimmune disease as well.”

My Autoimmune Research

While I don’t believe that refined salt is the only problem with autoimmune diseases, it does make sense with my choosing calories over sodium prior to developing Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). For example, I used to eat Healthy Choice TV dinners at least 3-4 times a week prior to my diet change.  Not only did it contain medium-high levels of sodium, but the list of additives and other ingredients helped trigger my autoimmune disease. Since the beginning of changing my food habits in early 2012, I’ve stopped table salt and switched to mineral-rich Himalayan Sea Salt when needed.  More importantly, I prepare and eat most of my meals at home versus eating at restaurants which are notorious for foods with high levels of sodium.

Bottom Line

If you want to kick AS or any autoimmune disease, learn to cook with healthy whole foods and switch refined salt to Himalayan sea salt.

Autoimmune Detox – The Benefits and Side Effects

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The essence of detoxification is to rid the body of poisonous substances.  From chelation to dietary detox, there are many ways to detoxify your body and in Ayurvedic tradition, spring time is one of the best times to do this.  My choice of autoimmune detox was to minimize any strenuous exercise and rely only on the essential supplements / medications for a month.  Items crossed out below were removed during detox:

Exercise

  • Swimming exercises 2-3X per week
  • Wii Fit+ Yoga & strength exercises

Supplements

Medicine

One Month Autoimmune Detox History

As of 3/17 I stopped exercising & at 3/20 I’ve removed all supplements from my diet.  3/20-3/22 visited Sarasota (2 hours North of where I live) & had the longest sustainable day since I began the diet on 3/21 from 8:30am to 11:30pm.  Back in Naples on 3/23 & crashed – 13 hours of sleep on 3/23 & 12 hours on 3/24.  This confirms I am still anemic & am back on my iron supplement.  Started feeling better and then had something that did not agree with me at Whole Foods on 3/30 (may have been tomato paste hidden) and flared up for the next 2-3 days.  Normally this would only take 1 day, but detoxing makes me more susceptible to flare-ups and I got a cold (1st time since I started the diet) that everyone around me was getting (lethargic, scratch throat) from 4/1 – 4/14.  Worst days were 4/5 & 4/6 as coughing prevented me from sleeping.  On 4/5 at 2am and 4/6 10pm felt a chocking feeling and violent cough to remedy which made me sore all over from shoulders to bottom of ribs.  Using an elevated pillow, Mucinex (Fast-Max severe congestion & cough), a sore throat spray, lots of chicken soup, and menthol cough drop while going to sleep improved my condition and allowed me to sleep.  Cold started to go away on 4/8 but is still lingering around and did not leave the house for a week.  The detox reduced weight slightly but the cold took my weight from 130 to 127lbs – my lowest since starting the diet.  Average weight in so far in 2013 is 131 lbs. and fluctuates from 127 to 134lbs.  Most days I average 8 hours of interrupted sleep (get up 2-3 times per night) and add 1 1/2 – 4 hours of sleep in the daytime.

Benefits and Side Effects of My Autoimmune Detox

Benefits

  • Helps identify which supplements are working and which are not.
  • Allows the body to heal on it’s own terms.
  • Lack of rigorous exercise made my body less sore in some areas, but exercise back in the pool will help other areas.  Finding a balance of exercise intensity is key and may need to work with a rehab facility with a pool to find out.
  • Less pills to take!  Much less side effects from the medicine.

Side Effects

  • Longer lasting and more susceptible to flare-ups
  • More susceptible to colds / flu
  • Weight loss since I’m underweight
  • Less physical strength and endurance along with soreness in areas which may prevent from longer periods of sleep throughout the night
  • Need to sleep more (but this might be the best thing for me)

Conclusion

While detoxing has it’s risks, you get to know the truth on what your body really needs and not what you think it needs.  Now that the detox is almost over, I can introduce one supplement at a time to see if it’s helping along with slowly starting my swimming regimen again.   In the next few months, I will start blood tests again to see how I’ve progressed without these supplements.

Raw Key Lime Pie (Less Sugar Than Soda)

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After another great Whole Foods evening meal served with raw key lime pie dessert, I did some calculations on how much sugar is in the raw key lime pie vs. the conventional sodas we commonly drink today.

Sugar vs. Raw Key Lime Pie

Compared to the Big Gulp which has 10.66 tablespoons of sugar and no nutritional value, all the ingredients of an entire raw key lime pie is 6 tablespoons of sugar (most of which comes from dates).  Skip the soda & be guilt-free when having your pie.  Plate-licking optional…

Raw Key Lime Pie

Crust

  • 1 cup macadamia nuts
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 6-8 dates pitted & chopped

Filling

  • 2 cups cashews, soaked for 3 hours
  • 3/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/4 cup coconut nectar (or 6-8 dates)
  • 1/4 cup coconut manna
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • zest of 2 limes

Directions

CRUST:  Combine crust ingredients in the food processor and pulse until crumbly.  Press into base of 8″ springform pan or make individual pies within a muffin pan (make sure to include the muffin paper cups).

FILLING:  Combine all filling ingredients using a high power blender and blend until smooth, using water to thin the mixture so it will blend (NOTE:  if you have issues with this, blend in food processor first and add to high power blender to make it smoother).  Spoon filling on the crust and refrigerate at least 3 hours until firm.  If the mixture is not firm enough, cut pie slices after refrigeration and then add to the freezer.  OPTIONAL:  Serve with berry sauce (high-power blend frozen berries).