* Genetics Schmenetics- This section is under construction as of 3/07 and will deal with the topic of what is commonly referred to as "genetics". The astute reader has already picked up on my vibes concerning this issue. To put it bluntly, we have put waaaaaay too much emphasis on "genetics" and I believe those who study this subject sense that there is a missing link...or three..in their chain of explanantions.  I hope that the following section sheds some light on the matter.

 

 

* Genetics Schmenetics- A Forum Post- The following is taken from a post I placed on a veterinary forum. It will serve as the introduction to this controversial subject we call "genetics". We were discussing the rather sudden rise in the incidence of heart disease is cats and the role of genetics.

 

* * The Latest Epiphany- (Link only) This is my response to my friend George's letter, a wise chiropracter who is attending a Tuesday night group that I lead at my church. This Email contains many of the elements that we have covered in our group...things that have arisen from hours of discussion of how and why our body does what it does in response to what we do to it. I shared the idea that viruses were created for good with the group one night and we came up with some amazing ideas. As much as this sounds like "medical heresy", it actually dovetails perfectly into what we already know to be true in medicine. It simply takes our understanding of genetics to a whole new level, demystifying it along the way. Of course, there is no way in my mind to cover this without bringing in the Creator of the universe. And by including Him, of course we arrive at the epiphany. This letter contains strong religious references and is not meant to offend or alienate anyone. It is simply what I believe in my heart of hearts to be true and, again, "dovetails" (perfect analogy) right into our understanding of medicine, adding a new dimension to the relationship between our physical and spiritual lives. I hope that it blesses you!

 

 

 

 

Genetics Schmenetics- A Forum Post

 

 

The following is taken from a post I placed on a veterinary forum. It will serve as the introduction to this controversial subject we call "genetics".

 

We were discussing the rather sudden rise in the incidence of heart disease is cats. Veterinarians used to see a lot more of this devastating condition in the years prior to the mid 1980's. It was discovered by a senior veterinary student that there was inadequate taurine in the feline diet. Subsequently, the manufacturers of pet foods increased the amount of this amino acid and the incidence of feline heart disease declined rather dramatically.

 

But, I started to see a number of new heart cases in cats over the past few years and decided to post a query on a veterinary forum asking whether any colleagues were noting the same increase. I was not surprised to see that they had. I also was not too surprised to see the subject of genetics come up in the "conversation".

 

So, I took the opportunity to get up on my soap box and try to relate my recent studies of dietary and environmental issues to what I believe we have been hiding behind for too long..."genetics".

 

I hope that you get something from it.

 

John

 

****************************

 

Posted on a veterinary forum 2/07

 

 

Ok. The gloves are coming off. LOL

First of all, I am a firm believer that diet has something to do with everything and everything to do with some things.

 

Both B complex and magnesium are absorbed primarily by the duodenum, as are calcium, iodine, the rest of the B complex, C, and most trace minerals (manganese,  boron, chromium, zinc, lithium, and more). The answer to how we can say that diet is not related to any illness with which we are faced is found in the fact that we do not know about or fully grasp the potentially devastating effects of gluten, casein (and other dairy glycoproteins), soy and corn on the duodenal villi in all simple- tomached animals (non-fermenters) that are sensitized and consume them. As we all read about this deficiency or that one(e.g. iron, iodine, folate, B6, magnesium, zinc, chromium, C, iron, etc.) keep in mind the list above. It is a HUGE clue as to the origin of these things.

And we desperately need to expand our concept of "genetics". I did a podcast recently entitled "Genetics Schmenetics" ( http://www.animaltalknaturally.com/2006/10/24/genetics-schmenetics-show-58/ ), which shared my views on the misconceptions of what "genes" do and don't do. To give a GOOD answer concerning genetics, we have to answer some very basic questions that conventional views of genes cannot answer. Things like "If it is genetic, why does it wait to manifest? Why 2 years in one sibling cat, years later in another and years later in another? If it purely genetic, why doesn't it show up at or near birth. Why does it wait? What IS waiting? What brings it out of that variable waiting period? If breast cancer is genetic, why did it used to wait til after 50 or 60 years and is now showing up in the early 30's?

The Dobie is dropping like flies at 7 years from CM. I adopted a Dobie from the Dobie Rescue group at about 4 years of age. He was like a concentration camp victim. In my ignorance, I fed him Science Diet for about the next 4 years, despite the tear-producing gas he had. I then learned about the "big 4" and put him on a potato-based diet, the gas abated, and he appeared to be thriving. But, at 14.5 years, he went into atrial fibrillation (in October, one of THE most common months for people to develop atrial fib) and died 6 months later (in April, the same month of the year that my Mom died of a fatal stroke, my dad had a heart attack the year before, and a few clients had gone into atrial fib.)

The point is that, yes, he died of CM, BUT at more than twice the age of the average Dobie. This age incidence things goes both ways. We have almost all diseases, many of which have strong genetic tendencies, occurring
earlier and earlier in humans and pets. On the other hand, we are sitting here talking about treating pets with "genetic diseases" that would have died in years past but who are doing better ON....improved diets and holistic approaches. See the contradiction here???

And if something is purely "genetic", how does it present so acutely, with no warning and be so lethal. Can we name many "genetic" diseases that fit this description?Well, I'm sure that some could at least NAME a few but the same argument will apply.

Here is that fun fact again: It has been estimated that up to 45% of the amino acid sequences in our double-stranded DNA are VIRAL segments, both active and extinct. We know that is how retroviruses operate and how they cause cancer. Carcinogens don't "cause" cancer. They induce the virus into doing this. Cancer is the glaring example of a genetic disease and how they
come into existence. We have viral information in our DNA and it is triggered into action by "carcinogens" and other agents such as lectins, including the dietary glycoproteins of gluten, casein, soy and corn. Celiacs are the who's who of immune-mediated diseases and cancer and this is no longer a mystery to those who study it.

This is all complicated by the ever-worsening malabsorption/maldigestion syndrome being created by the exact same foods that are providing the damaging lectins. The villi are coming apart (in a vain attempt to limit the entry of other bad things) and this leads to the malabsorption of the essential nutrients above, which has the potential for weakening EVERY SINGLE tissue in the body, including the immune system. Now, couple that with the fact that we are riddled with latent viruses (most of which serve an important purpose until we force them into becoming bad) and we have a powder-keg just waiting to blow.

We KNOW that viruses can cause cardiomyopathy. The Coxsackie and PARVOVIRUS of dogs do this. Remember parvo-induced cardiomyopathy? Yes, it clinically afflicted the young, primarily, but leukemia in people afflicts the very young...and then 15 year olds...and then 40 year olds...and then after 65, the incidence goes off the charts. If it walks like a virus and causes disease like a virus, it must be a virus, right? (just like mast cell cancer in dogs and cats. No one wants to call that one a virus, either? Hmmm...)

We MUST be delivered from this trap that we call "genetics". It has been a recycle bin of misinformation and deception long enough. It is almost worse than that word "idiopathic". At least with that word, we continue to look for answers. When we deem something "genetic", everything grinds to a halt.

And your (and my) testimonies above speak to the truth of what I am saying. We are controlling the "inevitable, genetic" diseases with diet and alternative medical approaches.

My family and those celiacs that I talk with on the  Internet have all had numerous common afflictions. Are all of these conditions...the IBS, hernias, back/necks, allergies/immune diseases, rotator cuffs, insomnia, heart disease, cancer...that run through families genetic"? OR, is the known "genetic" condition of celiac disease (which affects 40% of first degree relatives) the thing that is transmitted and all of the others follow. ALL of the above can be traced back to "Pandora's Box" (the damaged duodenum) along with other dietary (e.g. trans fats, preservatives, GMOs) and environmental (air pollution, fluoride, etc) factors.

On top of this, I really don't understand how anyone can look at the average dry cat food label and not scratch their head. The cat foods are muuuuch worse than the dog foods on average. Many more cat foods than dog foods have soy and dairy in them. It is a mystery as to why companies that make pure lamb and rice dog foods can't make the cat foods the same way (e.g. Nutro). They consistently add other unnatural ingredients to the cat's food (like corn, soy, or dairy). Why is that? Do they consciously or unconsciously have some kind of vendetta against the cat? That is nothing new. Man has been trying to exterminate the cat for millennia. Why? They're important! :)