LESSON 3
Food and Gene Editing
by Dixie Lawrence | Aug 17, 2018
Most citations used are taken from the NLM database and are in the public domain.
NATURAL GENE EDITING
One "non" food source therapy is centered around the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, Prozac, Prozac may provide some benefit for Down syndrome. A study on the DS mouse model resulted in improvement to the structure of the brain of exposed pups. 1.) However, to date there is no clinical evidence that such physical alterations can be achieved after the developmental stage in the womb. However, there is evidence that Prozac encourages neurogenesis (the development of new neurons in the hippocampus). Unfortunately many of the excess proteins and enzymes in Down syndrome actually destroy new neurons or prevent them from properly forming and migrating throughout the brain. Prozac can be used in addition to foods and supplements but discuss this with your prescribing physician. Prozac is not alone in its ability to promote neurogenesis. Lithium Oritate, a mineral, and several plant polyphenols also encourage the development of neurons.
Prozac is presently being studied in human mothers expecting babies who will be born with Down syndrome. 2.) Still, Prozac is not a cure even if it can indeed alter the structure of the developing brain. The Down syndrome mouse model is critical for DS research, however, the mice have more than 700 additional proteins than human beings in addition to the genome that makes them mice. Not everything that works in the mouse model will be effective in people. Predictors of whether or not a substance studied in mice will provide the same benefit in Down syndrome are studies in "non" DS individuals that achieve similar results. Unfortunately studies of Prozac during normal pregnancies have resulted in deficits of oxygen and nutrients supplied to the developing fetus. 3.) Thus, this predictor does not bode well for a successful outcome in human infants.
In understanding why excess proteins can damage the brain, first you need a good working knowledge of how informative travels in the brain from neuron to neuron.
STOP HERE! Please watch the following video before you continue.
The rationale foods or food substances is not complicated.
The Nutritional blood and urine profiles are different in children with Down syndrome. With blood work, it is easy to see how certain genes are hoarding nutrients and leaving other genes which may require that same nutrient lacking. Still, you cannot simply balance nutrition and expect any permanent benefits. Behind the facade of a perfectly balanced Nutritional profiles are excess genes doing their utmost to destroy the child's brain and body. Patterning to make your child's blood or urine conform to a "normal" profile cannot alter your child's genome. Taking a multi vitamin product that is not specific to DS may actually be harmful and repeated studies on multi vitamins demonstrate no benefit. However, trials on a supplement better suited to the DS genome resulted in measurable, and scientifically significant improvements in verbal skills, immune function, growth, strength, gross and fine motor skills and cognition. .
The active genes on the Down syndrome critical region of chromosome 21 are constantly creating havoc, killing cells through oxidative stress, blocking the transmission of signals from neuron to neuron, shortening telomeres and in doing so, shortening lives. They disrupt the immune system, damage your child's vision and hearng, subjecting them to autoimmune diseases, progressive cognitive decline, Leukemia and Alzheimer's disease. These genes do not just effect their own proteins, they disrupt and destroy the function of the entire genome.
A good example is the disruption of MECP2, a critical protein involved in multiple functions of the brain such as auditory processing, hearing, the development of neurons and dendrites and ultimately it plays a role in normal speech. Yet the gene for this protein is mapped to the X chromosome. This gene is regulated by MicroRNA-155 which is mapped to chromosome 21 and is active and over expressed. This results in low levels of MECP2 hindering many functions of the brain including auditory processing, neuron viability and down the line, it contributes to speech impediments. MicroRNA-155 is directly linked to autoimmune diseases, permeable blood brain barrier and leukemia. It is dangerous to allow this microRNA to remain elevated if science has provided a way to down regulate it. Does this mean your child will not develop an autoimmune disease or leukemia? Not enough data exists to make such a statement.
The basis of a lasting, effective dietary protocol is a common sense approach. Since it is gene over expression that results in an aberrant biochemistry and neurology in Down Syndrome, foods or their derivatives that addresses these genes and proteins is more likely to succeed.
Let's consider what we have seen about proteins and how neurons function.
Excess proteins disrupt every function of the genome, not just those genes located on chromosome 21. This excess can be compared to a computer program that has far too many ones and zeroes in the code. It is the way the ones and zeroes are combined, the length, the sequence, that results in how a program behaves. If you include too many ones and zeroes or if the sequence is not perfect, the program will not run correctly. This is what happens when there are too many or too few proteins in the human brain, our operating system. Dendrites cannot function normally, connections are not made, connections that are made are quickly lost. In time the interference of excess proteins in the brain leads to the neuro fibrillation of Alzheimer's disease. Excess proteins like amyloid beta proteins simply build up, combine with other excess proteins and slowly begin to destroy the brain.
As we move further, we will look closely at the most important genes that are targeted by diet. We will review studies that prove certain natural substances contained actually inhibit these genes, reducing the amount of proteins they produce.
At present, nearly every clinical trial for a therapy for Down syndrome is based on the down regulation of just one gene by pharmaceuticals. So far none have showed much promise. This is due to the attempt to "fix" Down syndrome by targeting a single gene when there are over a dozen that directly effect cognition. You would need dozens of drugs. This is impractical and would be hazardous due to drug interactions. We know, therefore, that science recognizes that editing these active genes is not only possible but necessary. The human genome was designed to work together with the foods we eat and the substances our bodies extrapolate from them.
For the concept of gene manipulation, read the following.
The most important thing to take away from this lesson is that your child is a miracle. With the amount of excess active genes on chromosome 21 not one of them should have survived to birth. But, our children are resilient and truthfully were created with a strong will to survive. Down syndrome need not disrupt their lives.
Since it was mentioned in this lesson, please read the Gelb study on Nutrivene published in a German pediatric journal.
The Gelb Study on Nutrivene
https://youtu.be/tMKlPDBRJ1E
THE FDA PROHIBITS EVEN INDIVIDUALS FROM MAKING MEDICAL CLAIMS FOR NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS. MENTION OF NUTRIONAL SUPPLEMENTS IS PROVIDED BASED ONLY ON THE ATTACHED RESEARCH TO EXPLAIN HOW THE HUMAN GENOME RESPONDS TO FOOD SUBSTANCES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL OR CURATIVE ADVICE.