G6PD Deficiency

 

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is a genetic disorder that occurs most often in males. This condition mainly affects red blood cells, which carry oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. In affected individuals, a defect in an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase causes red blood cells to break down prematurely. This destruction of red blood cells is called hemolysis.

The most common medical problem associated with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is hemolytic anemia, which occurs when red blood cells are destroyed faster than the body can replace them. This type of anemia leads to paleness, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), dark urine, fatigue, shortness of breath, and a rapid heart rate. In people with glucose-6-dehydrogenase deficiency, hemolytic anemia is most often triggered by bacterial or viral infections or by certain drugs (such as some antibiotics and medications used to treat malaria). Hemolytic anemia can also occur after eating fava beans or inhaling pollen from fava plants (a reaction called favism).

Glucose-6-dehydrogenase deficiency is also a significant cause of mild to severe jaundice in newborns. Many people with this disorder, however, never experience any signs or symptoms.

Causes

G6PD deficiency occurs when a person is missing or doesn't have enough of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, which helps red blood cells work properly.

Too little G6PD leads to the destruction of red blood cells. This process is called hemolysis. When this process is actively occurring, it is called a hemolytic episode. The episodes are usually brief, because the body continues to produce new red blood cells, which have normal activity.

Red blood cell destruction can be triggered by infections, severe stress, certain foods (such as fava beans), and certain drugs, including:

• Antimalarial drugs
• Aspirin
• Nitrofurantoin
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Quinidine
• Quinine
• Sulfa drugs

Other chemicals, such as those in mothballs, can also trigger an episode.

In the United States, G6PD deficiency is more common among blacks than whites. Men are more likely to have this disorder than women.

You are more likely to develop this condition if you:

• Are African American
• Are of Middle Eastern decent, particularly Kurdish or Sephardic Jewish
• Are male
• Have a family history of the deficiency

A form of this disorder is common in whites of Mediterranean descent. This form is also associated with acute episodes of hemolysis. Episodes are longer and more severe than in the other types of the disorder.

Symptoms

Persons with this condition do not display any signs of the disease until their red blood cells are exposed to certain chemicals in food or medicine, or to stress.

Symptoms are more common in men and may include:

• Dark urine
• Enlarged spleen
• Fatigue
• Pallor
• Rapid heart rate
• Shortness of breath
• Yellow skin color (jaundice)

Exams and Tests

A blood test can be done to check the level of G6PD. See: G6PD screen

Other tests that may be done include:

• Bilirubin level
• Complete blood count, including red blood cell count
• Hemoglobin - blood
• Hemoglobin - urine
• Haptoglobin level
• LDH test
• Methemoglobin reduction test
• Reticulocyte count

Treatment

Treatment may involve:

• Medicines to treat an infection, if present
• Stopping any drugs that are causing red blood cell destruction
• Transfusions, in some cases.
• Avoiding foods and medications that can trigger the condition.
• Reducing stress levels

Nutrition Therapy

Some of these foods to avoid are commonly eaten around the world and can cause people with G6PD . Deficiency to hemolyze and can even be deadly (like fava beans). Some others can cause low level hemolysis, which means that red blood cells die, but not enough to cause the person to go to the hospital. Low level hemolysis over time can cause other problems, such as memory dysfunction, overworked spleen, liver, kidney and heart, and iron overload. Even though a G6PD Deficient person may not have a crises when consuming these foods, they should be avoided.

Fava Beans and other legumes

Our list of legumes contains every legume we could find, but there may be other names for them that we do not know about. Low level hemolysis is very hard to detect and can cause other problems, so we recommend the avoidance of all legumes.

Sulfites

and foods containing them. Sulfites are used in a wide variety of foods, so be sure to check labels carefully.

Menthol

and foods containing it. This can be difficult to avoid as tooth paste, candy, breath mints, mouth wash and many other products have menthol added to them. Mint from natural mint oils is alright to consume.

Artificial blue food coloring

other artificial food color can also cause hemolysis. Natural food color such as found in foods like turmeric or grapes is okay.

Ascorbic acid

Artificial ascorbic acid commonly put in food and vitamins can cause hemolysis in large doses and should be avoided. It is put into so many foods that you can be getting a lot of Ascorbic Acid without realizing it.

See Ascorbic Acid for more information about iron absorbtion and ascorbic acid.

Vitamin K

This is from drugbank: “Menadione (vitamin K3), which is not used as a nutritional supplemental form of vitamin K for humans, has been reported to cause adverse reactions, including hemolytic anemia. Large doses have also been reported to cause brain damage. Vitamin K administered to newborns with G6PD Deficiency has been known to cause adverse outcomes including hemolytic anemia, neonatal brain or liver damage, or neonatal death in some cases.”

Tonic water

(contains quinine, a contraindicated drug which causes hemolysis in G6PDD people).

Gluten Free Products

Some of these, like flour, etc. have fava beans in them. Be sure the check the label for legumes before you purchase of eat them.

Bitter Gourd and Garden Egg

Bitter Gourd is also known as Bitter Mellon. These are common foods in some parts of Africa and Asia.

Some Chinese herbs

particularly Rhizoma Coptidis (huang lien), Calculus Bovis (neu huang), Flos Chimonanthi Praecocis (leh mei hua), Flos Lonicerae (kam ngan fa) and Margarita or anything containing them.

Black and Green Tea and extracts

Research has shown that these products significantly reduce reduced glutathione levels among other things in people with G6PDD. See article 55 on the references page. 

Water - A Holy Drink

Benefits of Drinking Water

Drinking water in empty stomach in the morning can be immensely beneficial for the body. 

A few simple steps can go a long way in taking care of our health, and one easy way of ensuring it is by drinking sufficient water in empty stomach first thing in the morning. Not only does it clear your stomach, it goes a long way in reducing the risk of a number of diseases.

Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good - "Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration. "But once you are adequately hydrated, the kidneys take over and excrete excess fluids.

Water Can Help Control Calories. For years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While water doesn't have any magical effect on weight loss, substituting it for higher calorie beverages can certainly help.

Water Helps Energize Muscles - Cells that don't maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which can result in muscle fatigue. "When muscle cells don't have adequate fluids, they don't work as well and performance can suffer."

During exercise, it is recommended to start drinking fluids early, and drink them at regular intervals to replace fluids lost by sweating.

Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function - Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don't get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration and the result is constipation.

"Adequate fluid and fiber is the perfect combination, because the fluid pumps up the fiber and acts like a broom to keep your bowel functioning properly.

It could aid weight loss - Anyone looking to lose weight could be helped by increasing their water intake. Studies have found that when participants drink water before a meal, they lose weight faster than those who did not drink water. Extra water helps us eat less by making us feel full, and it may also boost metabolism. 

It might protect against some types of cancer - Research has found that the greater the fluid intake, the lower the incidence of bladder cancer, with more significant results when the fluid is water. One possible reason could be that urinating more frequently prevents the buildup of bladder carcinogens. Staying hydrated may also reduce the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer.

It keeps our kidneys working - Kidneys remove waste from our bodies, help control our blood pressure, and balance fluids, so they are crucial to keeping our systems running smoothly. One surefire way to keep them working properly is adequate water consumption. 

Pain prevention - A little water can really go a long way. Aching joints and muscle cramps and strains can all occur if the body is dehydrated  .

Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, originating in China but widely used throughout Asia this beverage has a multitude of uses from lowering blood pressure to preventing cancer. Here’s a list of some of its amazing benefits, this ancient elixir heals you from your brain to your belly: 

 

Weight loss 

"Green tea increases the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories," 

Diabetes 
Green tea apparently helps regulate blood glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes.

Heart disease 
Scientists think, green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks. Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.

Healthy teeth 
Green tea can kill bacteria, which improves dental health and lowers your risk of infection. The catechins in green tea have other biological effects as well. Some studies (including a study recently published in the Journal of Period-ontology)show that they can kill bacteria and inhibit viruses like the influenza virus, potentially lowering your risk of infections. Green tea consumption is associated with improved dental health and a lower risk of caries. "Another awesome benefit of green tea, multiple studies show that it can reduce bad breath,". So, the catechins in green tea may inhibit the growth of bacteria and some viruses. 

Brain function 
Compounds in green tea can improve brain function and make you smarter. The key active ingredient is caffeine, which is a known stimulant. It doesn’t contain as much as coffee, but enough to produce a response without causing the 'jittery' effects associated with too much caffeine.

Blood pressure 
Regular consumption of green tea is considered to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

Depression 
Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers.

Skincare 
Green tea can apparently also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.

Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial. 

Tea catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases.

Cancer 
Antioxidants in green tea may lower your risk of various types of cancer.  It is well known that oxidative damage contributes to the development of cancer and that antioxidants can have a protective effect. Green tea is an excellent source of powerful antioxidants, so it makes perfect sense that it could reduce your risk of cancer, which it appears to do: Be it breast, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer. Green tea can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, but it is also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without damaging the healthy tissue around them. It is important to keep in mind that it may be a bad idea to put milk in your tea, because it can reduce the antioxidant value. Bottom Line: Green tea has powerful antioxidants that may protect against cancer.

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells.

Stress 
The thiamine in green tea has been shown to produce a calming effect. The only thing is that in order for you to feel less stressed you might have to drink 5 cups of it a day. This decaffeinated green tea acts as a perfect substitute for coffee.

Natural Ways to Detox the Body

 

Detoxification

• Plenty of insoluble fiber, figs, prunes, plums, including brown rice and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables are good for our body to detoxify. 
  
  
• Radishes, cabbage, broccoli and other green leafy vegetables are excellent detoxifying foods. 
  
  
  
  
• Avoid foods that contain additives or are nutritionally bankrupt, eg. cold drinks, artificial sweeteners, canned and tinned foods.
  
  
• Avoid excess amount of sugar, salt, saturated fats, caffeine, cigarettes, and alcohol, all of which act as toxins in the body.
  
  
• Include enough of fluid in the diet in the form of fresh water, lemon water, buttermilk, herbal tea etc.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Exercise also helps to get rid of toxins that may build up in the body.
  
  
• Proper sleep is required to keep the body toxins free.

7 Myth Busters of Weight Loss

Weight loss is surrounded by myths and gimmicks. So much is said about losing weight that it can be hard to sort fact from fiction. Here's the truth about 7 common weight loss myths. 

Myth 1 - Snacking Is Always a Bad Idea

The good news is you don't need to starve to lose weight. "The idea that you shouldn't eat between meals is a myth,". When your stomach starts rumbling, you probably hear a little voice in your head telling you not to ruin your appetite. But having snacks in between meals might actually help you eat less, and stave off the urge to overeat or binge later. In fact, I would recommend that you have five smaller meals a day, instead of eating your calories all in one sitting.

Myth 2 - Carbohydrates are All Bad

It's a myth that all carbohydrates are bad. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to learn from low-carb diets. Carbs are not all created equal, and you want to avoid processed carbohydrates that are often high in sugar and white flour. Instead, enjoy beans, whole grains -- eat brown rice and whole grain breads -- and don't forget fruits and vegetables, which provide a host of nutrients and fiber, are low in calories, and can help reduce the risks of several diseases.

Myth 3 - Certain Foods Makes you Burn Calories

There is conflicting information about whether or not certain foods can increase your metabolic rate, making you burn more calories. While different foods offer different health benefits, people are often left wondering if calories vary from one food to the next.

"A calorie is a calorie, regardless of where it comes from,". There are no foods that increase your metabolic rate, or help you burn calories. Even if certain foods do increase your metabolism, the amount is too insignificant to make it a magic bullet.

Myth 4 - Grain products such as bread, pasta, and rice are fattening. I should avoid them when trying to lose weight.

 A grain product is any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain. Grains are divided into two subgroups, whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel—the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples include brown rice and whole-wheat bread, cereal, and pasta. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins.

People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet may lower their chances of developing some chronic diseases. Choose 100 percent whole-wheat bread instead of white bread, and brown rice instead of white rice. To lose weight, reduce the number of calories you take in and increase the amount of physical activity you do each day. Create and follow a healthy eating plan that replaces less healthy options with a mix of fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein foods, and low-fat dairy:

• Eat a mix of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
• Limit added sugars, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and saturated fat.
• Eat low-fat protein: beans, eggs, fish, lean meats, nuts, and poultry.

Myth 5 - Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight

Skipping meals is not a good idea. To lose weight and keep it off, you have to reduce the amount of calories you consume or increase the calories you burn through exercise. But skipping meals altogether can result in tiredness, poor nutrition and slow metabolism. You will also be more likely to snack on high-fat and high-sugar foods, which could result in weight gain.

Myth 6 - Foods labeled 'Low Fat' or "Reduced Fat"are always a healthy choice

Be cautious. Foods labelled "low fat" have to meet legal criteria to use that label. Labels such as "reduced fat" do not have to meet the same criteria and can be misleading. A reduced-fat snack should contain less fat than the full-fat version, but that doesn't automatically make it a healthy choice: it could still contain a lot more fat than, say, a portion of fruit. Low-fat foods also sometimes contain high levels of sugar.

Myth 7 - Slimming pills are effective for long-term weight loss

No, they're not. Slimming pills alone will not help you keep the weight off long term. They are basically Appetite Suppressant; drugs containing diuretics, to remove fluid from the body; and drugs that help you to burn fat and calories. When one stop taking these drugs, the weight will rapidly return to way it was before. Moreover, long-term use of weight-loss medicine will have a negative effect on the nervous system, the heart and blood vessels, and kidney. So far, there is no such medicine to lose weight without a negative effect.