Your Letters, My Answers

Your letters, my answers:

Letter #1:

Dear (Dogtor J.),

     Your article was just recently referred to me. It is superb and certainly in line with what I have discovered with my "pack" of Irish Setters. I am attaching a brief (3 pages) article I wrote for our state Irish Setter Club. I believe that your theories, nay actual results, are well supported in what has occurred in specifically two of my dogs. The one was near death after fighting IBD, Colonities and PeriAnal Fistulas for over 3 years. He is now a picture of health at 9 1/2. The epilseptic dog has been seizure free since switching to raw diet last March, immediately after his first seizure cluster. Thank you for your efforts.

Sincerely,

Terry

Dear (Terry):

Thank you for your letter. The Irish setter club was going to be my next "target" today. I have been systematically sending out that Email to all of the breed clubs, starting with what I lovingly refer to as the "worst of the worst". Of course, the poor Irish Setter, the only breed definitively diagnosed with celiac disease, was absolutely pounded when the pet food industry shifted gears to wheat from corn. That beautiful breed was already in trouble with the corn, I believe. The wheat was a gun to their poor, helpless head. I'm getting angry just writing about it!!!

But, I saw it happen with blinders on, I'm afraid. In retrospect, it all makes sooooooo much sense. When I graduated, almost all foods were corn-based. We had our group of dogs in trouble...the Irish setter, the Westie, the Dalmation, the Poodle, the German Shepherd...but the majority of dogs, especially the mutts, were pretty healthy. Then, when political reasons pushed us into a wheat glut in this country, the pet food industry turned to its new profit child, wheat, and everything came apart at the seems.

My 25 year old dermatology book stated it clearly. Wheat and dairy products were the leading food allergens...back then!!! We knew it. Did we not know what we were about to do? Is the fact that it took 9-11 for us to put locks on the cockpit doors really an indicator of how short-sighted we are? Or is it much more? I promise that I won't bore you with a philosophical dissertation here (unless you want to hear it. hahaha), but could it be the "root of all evil" at work here...the love of the "almighty" dollar? Sounds logical, doesn't it? I'm afraid it's even more than that, though.

But what about the future of pet foods, Terry? What do you think will happen here? The first two Emails I received today were about raw diets. I know that they could cure just about anything that ails the pets (and us) except in the most advanced of cases, as long as we understand the concept of secondary food allergens. Is that going to be practical? How can we make it so?

My first Email was from someone who agreed with me completely BUT was rather upset that I then turned around and recommended certain foods that have the "bad stuff" in them. I will include my response to her for you to check out.

I will make you the same offer. How would you like to help me set up that part of my site. I purchased 5 more pages for my little homemade site (pretty cheesy, huh? There's a reason for that and it's a little deeper than most would think.) and I would love to dedicate one whole page (which can be very lengthy) to the idea of raw diets. Breeders and interested parties can contribute to that area. It would be great.

Keep in mind. I own and run a full-time, one doctor veterinary hospital. Until I get the million dollar advance on my book (Hahahahahahaha) that I may actually get around to writing , I still have to actually work for a living. And, for the past two years, I have been "trying" to cure myself out of practice. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. BUT, the Truth is the Truth, and it has to come out and it has to be done, doesn't it?

Thanks for your interest. If the counter on my website is any indicator, things are about to heat up. I will try to get back to you as quickly as possible when you write. This is my passion and my purpose, it appears.

Want to join me?



Dogtor J.

dogtorj@bellsouth.net
www.dogtorj.com   (Read: The Answer- to "Why is the Plane of Our Nation's Health in a Death Spiral?")

Letter #2:

(Dogtor J.):

Thanks for your quick response. To answer the questions:

We have no kids

We have one other dog (3 yo neutered male lab/husky mix healthy as a horse)

She is an inside only dog and we have a fenced back yard.

She gets only the potatoes (taken out of bag washed and baked in oven then mashed) pinto beans and bananas (we use these as treats and to put her Pb in). We feed the dogs separate and we mix the foods separately. The Epi is fed in her exercise pen and the husky is fed in his crate.

We have run all the blood work and it came back normal. Ran the 6 panel thyroid Dr. Dodds recommends again normal. Only thing we have not done is gone to Texas A&M for the MRI which none of the vets felt was warranted at this time.

I have heard of the raw diet and the Dermatologist as suggested that that is the way we are headed. She started this food trial with just the 3 food types. One Carb, one protein and one fruit. She added the fruit when I asked for something I could put the Pb in. Saturday will be the end of week 6 of our trial.

Dear Heidi,

I think I have the answer for you. I am very excited about this because this will teach us all something.

You have read the Epilepsy paper, right? I believe down to my socks that glutamate and aspartate are the culprits. Well, I have a site that has all of the amino acids of the different foods in it that I studied while formulating the working theory. It has proven to be VERY helpful and may hold the key to your problem. This is the site, but don't go to it quite yet. Read what's below first. (http://www.doggieconnection.com/recipe/info/index.html)

I looked up "pinto beans" but they were not on the chart. So, I looked up black beans instead. WOW!!!! Look at the levels of glutamate and aspartate in these beans (toward the bottom). They exceed corn, rice, and even wheat in totals. But, look at soy. Then look at potatoes.

Wheat flour:

Aspartic acid
g

0.703

25

0.844

Glutamic acid
g

4.325

24

5.190

Black Beans:

Aspartic acid
g

2.613

85

5.069

0.316

Glutamic acid
g

3.294

77

6.390

0.399

Soy

Aspartic acid
g

4.342

0

3.647

Glutamic acid
g

6.689

0

5.619

Potatoes, raw:

Aspartic acid
g

0.506

Glutamic acid
g

0.347

So, do you see? The pinto beans are BOUND to be the culprit here. BOUND TO BE!!! AND this makes sense, as the soybeans are bound to be in the same family, just like the grasses (wheat, barley, rye, corn, rice, and oats) are all in the same family.

Here are chick peas (garbanzo beans):

Aspartic acid
g

2.270

Glutamic acid
g

3.375

And Lima Beans:

Aspartic acid
g

2.767

Glutamic acid
g

3.038

See a pattern forming here? Incredible. The pinto beans are the culprit here, I would bet my career on it. What a great case.

So, I would HIGHLY recommend that you put her on the IVD Duck and Potato...it has been a "cure in a bag" for me, with epilepsy and allergies, etc. and will provide her with added minerals and vitamins that may help in her recover as well.

This is a very interesting case and will be a great testimony to the validity of this "theory". It DOES work.

Once again, I am waiting for the epileptic who can't even handle potatoes, but it hasn't come along yet. From the charts above, you can see why that is unlikely. Remember: Epilepsy is NOT an immune response. It is NOT caused by the allergies. The allergies are just the warning sign that things like epilepsy will follow if they are not addressed. Just a reminder.(smile)

Keep in touch,

Dogtor J.
dogtorj@bellsouth.net
www.dogtorj.com (Read: The Answer- to "Why is the plane of our nation's health in a death spiral?" )

Letter #4

Hello Doctor,

I was really excited when someone  from my Epi group directed me to your site, I went directly to your Epilepsy and diet connection, and thats when someone let the air out of my ballon, because I have Lucilu Grain less and all natural and she still has seizures.

Lucilu's story is as follows ( I wil try and be breif), she had her first seizure at 11 mths, R/O tumor with brain scan and spinal tap full labs all was negitive ( Dr. James Cook), from their the story, I am sure is a familar one, started her on Pb after a few months added Kbr and from there all meds were increases, and increased, and I was going crazy she was still having Clusters every 7-10 days. From there I contacted Dr. Goldtein he did a BNA analiyse put her supplements and flower essence, all was a liitle better for a short time, thats when I joined a Cushings autoimmune group, they advised me to toss the Innova and go grain less, I started cooking for my baby using sweet potatoes as her base, green veggies, ground chicken, beef, or veal, and fruits as well, we went 29 days without a seizure I was estactic! I blessed eveyone in my group daily ( still due), than the 30th day on her new found cusine she had a very mild seizure, nothing was different no cheating and the only thing that the group had me due was to look back in her dailry and see if there was a connection between Luci's seizures and Lunar Phases, and to my dismay the was a connection, ok we could live with a 30 second seizure with no awful post effects, two weeks later she had her first cluster in almost two months, I was devasted, I felt we were back to step 1, we lost all our victories to the epi monster. I have recoved I have not and willnot increase her meds, actully I have lowered her Pb by 60 mg and her Kbr by 750 mg, she is in the low range on her Pb and her kbr is within range of being theriputic.

Dr. I am asking you for some advise, the only thing I have not removed from her diet is dairy, I have been giving her vanilla puding, cottage cheese since she's a pup, and I give her creamed cheese to disguise her meds.

I realize that what I am asking may be very difficult to conclude from this email, however if you can suggest anything maybe Lucilu can become your next poster baby, she's our 117 lb Dogo Argentino Gentel Giant.

Lucilu's current meds are as follows: 120 mg Pb bid, 750 mg Kbr tid, 08 mg Soloxine for her Pb induced Hypothyroidisium.

Suppliments: PS, Alpha lipoic Acid, Same E ( Milk thistle caused her to have seizures), Vit. E, B complex and are planing to start her on magnesium and taurinate.

Kindly,

~Laurie~

Dear (Laurie),

It is soooooooooo phenomenally interesting that you would write me at this very moment. I'm a bit blown away actually and I will explain why.

I was JUST about to add something to my epilepsy paper, something that is in The Answer, but not in the formal paper on epilepsy. What was I going to add. I was going to explain more completely why wheat and DAIRY were the worst two ingredients and why Scott at www.celiac.com wrote to me not long ago (after I sent him the paper) and told me that he knows of "many" people with epilepsy who were "cured" on wheat (gluten)-free, dairy(casein)-free diets. Why? Why just those two being required and why are they the worst of the worst??

The answer lies in the casomorphins and gliadorphins that I write about in The Answer. Put these terms in your search engine and start reading about them. You will be surprised (or should be) that you have never heard of them before. They are morphin-like compounds that we (and dogs) form when we try (unsuccessfully) to break down casein and gliadin, the principle proteins in cow milk and wheat, respectively. Like morphine, they have a narcotic effect on the brain, sometimes profound (as in autism). These are the "guys" that make you sleepy after meals. They were making me so sleepy that I would pass out during my favorite 9:)) pm show, like NYPD Blue. Sound familiar. Many guys, in particular, are like this. These substances are one of the main reasons we are all caffeine addicted. I am now off caffeine (or could be. I still drink a little but I don't need it) for the first time in my adult life.

It takes a full year of being casein and gluten free to rid your brain of these substances. But, on day four of being wheat and dairy free, I woke up feeling like I didn't need coffee for the first time in my adult life.

What's the application, here? (Try to follow this. If you don't, Email me back.) Under the depressing influence of the casomorphins and gliadorphins, the neurons of the brain try to compensate by "up loading"...they become more sensitive. This is a normal compensatory mechanism of the brain to overcome depressants. Our brains neurons have a range of sensitivity that they operate within...they are flexible in this regard. So, with chronic suppression from the casomorphins and gliadorphins, these neurons upload, making them more sensitive to some things, including stimulants like some drugs that we take (like pseudoephedrine and PROZAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Hmmmmm.......

How do I know this? I was diagnosed with "depression" in my thirty's (all celiacs have some degree of depression. We're all down in serotonin) and was put on Prozac. I had a horrible reaction, including suicidal ideations. Now, I NEVER ONCE had these thoughts before the Prozac, but after three weeks, if I didn't have the Faith I do, I may have acted on the impulse to do myself in. They were THAT serious. BUT, there have been volumes written on the evils of Prozac. MANY have either killed themselves or others while taking this drug. Why?

I KNOW that it is because a high percentage of people who get that drug prescribed for them are like me...strung out on casomorphins and gliadorphins from the food and walking around with depressed but UPLOADED neurons and when that incredible stimulant Prozac hits those neurons, they become waaaaaaaay over stimulated and the manic signs, including the suicidal ideations occur. Predictable as rain. Sound familiar, by any chance. I hope not.

Why the dissertation? Here's the tie-in. The wheat and the dairy are loaded with these substances, of course, (the casomorphins and gliadorphins) but they are also loaded with the "antidote"...the glutamate and aspartate. Once again, the perfection of nature comes through, eh? Those foods that are depressants also have the antidote to that depression. (This explains the up and down cycle of the ADHD kid and the insomniac's sleep pattern, as well. See that?) But, in the case of milk and the epileptic, the casomorphin has the neurons all uploaded and when the glutamate hits 4-6 hours later....BINGO, a seizure can occur. Same with wheat: the gliadorphins have the brain cells uploaded and the glutamate...the "antidote"..hits 4-6 hours later and the seizure occurs.

It is that simple, I believe. Therefore, the wheat and the dairy are the two main culprits, especially in people who consume them in every meal and which make up 60-70% of their diet. So, now you tell me why we have 25 million kids and rising on Ritalin for ADHD. Yep, and Ritalin is what? A mild stimulant. Now you know why you would treat a hyper active kid with a mild stimulant.

Thos also explained COMPLETELY my reaction to coffee before I went wheat and dairy free. I would drink a cup and get very nervous, overly stimulated for about 30 minutes...even jittery some times. Then, I would feel GREAT, for about an hour. Then I would plunge into a depression. It was a real roller coaster. I learned to drink small amounts at a time, titrating the amount of coffee I drank over a longer period of time, like a slow IV drip.

But, now that I'm clear of the casomorphins and gliadorphins, coffee has very little effect on me. I don't get wired and I don't get the let down. It doesn't even keep me awake. Now you know why. This also explains why some people can't take Benadryl or pseudofed (made me crazy) or other cold drugs. I can tell EXACTLY what's going on in someone's brain by seeing how they react to certain drugs like these. Do you see why now? It is consistent.

It's amazing what you can see when your eyes are open, isn't it?

So, STOP ALL DAIRY PRODUCTS. I know I didn't need to do that, but hey, the emphasis may leave a mark on your brain (just like the casomorphins do. haha After all. Look at cows...the autistic of the animals world. You don't even have to out a fence around 'em, do you? And we chose their milk to drink. Give me a break. But, look at sheep and goats. Muuuuuch more active. Yep, they were meant to be our source of milk when we needed it. AND, no casein in their milk. Surprise, surprise.

It all fits. That's the beauty of it. Hope this helps. It should. IT WILL.

Dogtor J.
dogtorj@bellsouth.net
www.dogtorj.com (Read: The Answer- to "Why is the Plane of Our Nation's Health in a Death Spiral?")