This page provides an overview and definitions of disease and disorders from a biomedical perspective. There are links to recommended reading.
Mindd Overview
Mindd is an acronym for Metabolic Immunologic Neurologic Digestive disorders that often affect the mind. Many modern illnesses fall into this category such as asthma, allergies, AD/HD, Autism, Crohns Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, digestive disorders, Schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and more.
Thanks to advances in medicine and technology many diseases and infections are part of the past. However, a new class of epidemics are emerging in the category of brain-immuno-gut dysfunction or Mindd illness. In this paradigm, disease begins at the cellular level and affects many organ systems. This explains why researchers such as Dr. Campbell-McBride and Dr. Kenneth Bock are finding such an overlap in neurological, immunological and digestive illness in one single patient.
As Dr. Campbell-McBride explains; “We live in a world of unfolding epidemics; Autism, ADD, asthma, allergies, anxiety, depression, epilepsy, diabetes, coeliac… these conditions overlap with each other...and are related by similar underlying causes.” In her Cambridge UK clinic Dr. Campbell-McBride sees hundreds of children labeled with different disease but presenting with similar issues of malnourishment, toxicity and poor digestive health.
Dr. Bock describes a similar paradigm of overlapping diseases in his book Healing The New Childhood Epidemics; Autism, AD/HD, Allergies and Asthma. The “4-A Disorders” have risen sharply in the past 20 years in the United States (autism has increased 1500%, ADHD 500%, asthma 300%, and allergies 700%). “These are staggering statistics, and these meteoric increases demand explanations. “
Dr. Bock explains that “this concomitant rise is not coincidence. All of these disorders appear to be tied together by a similar mechanism: an underlying genetic vulnerability, triggered by environmental insults. The primary underlying genetic vulnerability appears to be, in many children, an impaired ability to detoxify, which has left them unable to cope with the increasing toxicity to which they are exposed.
Research reveals that Mindd illness runs in families. That children with Autism, AD/HD, asthma, allergies have a family history of brain-immuno-gut issues such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, Crohn’s disease, chronic fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and more. A combination of genetics, environment and inherited conditions (nutrient levels, gut flora in the gastro intestinal tract, pathogenic microbes).
Mindd advocates finding a practitioner who will look at a paradigm that identifies and treats causative factors and reduces reliance on methods (medications and surgeries) that only address symptoms. For an Australasian practitioners list click here.
Key Terms
Below are descriptions for several terms you will come across in this page.
Immunological Imbalance
An imbalance in immunity appears to be an underlying component of many paediatric disorders. Heavy metals as well as some chemicals, can lead to a Th2 (T helper type 2)-skewed immune system, with an increase in humoral or antibody immunity, as compared to cellular immunity. This can result in excessive allergies and autoimmunity as seen in nut allergies, food sensitivities, asthma, diabetes and more.
To effectively treat inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, immune dysfunction and digestive dysfunction a comprehensive treatment program must be initiated. The biomedical program consists of three primary elements: dietary modification, nutritional supplementation, detoxification. In the case of neurological issues there is a 4th component of neuro-developmental therapies to improve particular deficits such as sensory integration, auditory processing, visual processing, fine and gross motor skills and more.
Inflammation
Inflammation is now thought to be the underlying basis of most disease processes. It is a natural process designed to initiate wound healing, but if it continues unchecked it promotes tissue damage throughout the body.
Factors contributing to chronic inflammation are low grade infections (bacteria like Strep, candida, virus), gut dysbiosis, stress, chemical exposure, poor diet.
Inflammation occurs in various parts of the body and has associated names; Asthma (lungs), Cardiovascular disease (heart), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (gut), dermatitis (skin), some arthritis (joints), Autism/AD/HD/behavioural (brain).
Leaky Gut
Increased gastro intestinal (GI) permeability is a condition where GI mucosal cells (cells lining the gut) have somewhat lost, the tight juncture between them and have separated submicroscopically. This allows the passage of large molecules (partially digested food, toxins, bacteria) through the gut wall and into the bloodstream.
Gut Dysbiosis
This is an imbalance in normal protective Gastro Intestinal bacteria where there is a depletion of beneficial bacteria and an overgrowth in pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and fungi.
Oxidative Stress
Oxygen is essential for life, however partial oxygen molecules and other molecules with unpaired electrons (free radicals) are extremely damaging as they are very reactive as they seek other electrons throughout the body. They attach to proteins, cell membranes and other molecules to neutralize themselves and in so doing set off a chain reaction that is damaging. Abnormal metabolism, infections, toxins, poor diet, stress all raise free radical production.
A diet high in antioxidants (dark leafy greens), low chemical exposure, low stress all work to minimize free radical production.
In the area of paediatric epidemics such as AD/HD, Autism, Asthma and allergies, Biomedical research sites an underlying genetic vulnerability that impairs the child’s ability to detoxify toxic agents from environment, food and medications. An overload of toxins leads to oxidative stress that in turn leads to systemic inflammation in the digestive tract (food intolerances and digestive disorders), in the lungs (asthma), in the skin (eczema) and in the brain (AD/HD, Autism, behavioural issues).
Recommended Reading; Healing The New Childhood Epidemics; Autism, AD/HD, Allergies and Asthma, Dr. Kenneth Bock (Random House, 2007)
Autism , PDD, Aspergers (Autism Spectrum Disorders)
Historically, Autism has been recognized as a psychiatric or brain disorder but the biomedical paradigm views Autism as a neuro-biological disorder with brain function impairment as one of its symptoms. Autism Spectrum Disorders involve a multi-system breakdown originating from and characterized by metabolic dysfunction and/or immunological dysfunction and/or neurological dysfunction and/or digestive dysfunction and neuro-developmental delay.
When biomedical practitioners analyse the blood, urine, hair, feces and behaviour of autistic patients they find the same underlying issues; gut dysfunction and malabsorption, toxicity, infection, allergies, impaired cognitive function, inflammation (in the form of asthma, eczema, gut dysfunction, and/or impairment in brain function).
Recommended Reading; Healing The New Childhood Epidemics; Autism, AD/HD, Allergies and Asthma, Dr. Kenneth Bock (Random House, 2007)
AD/HD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia
All these neuro-psychological disorders are based on a set of symptoms that include impaired brain synchrony and an imbalance in neurotransmitters that may be caused by toxicity and/or infection and/or digestive dysfunction and/or low nutrient levels.
Neurotoxins can alter brain synchrony as can chemicals from pathogenic microbes (bacteria like clostridia and fungi like candida) in the digestive tract. Additionally low nutrient levels affect neurotransmission and in turn imbalances in neurotransmitters can result in poor concentration, behavioural issues, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, addictions and more. Finally, there is a nervous system inside the digestive tract which connects directly with the brain which is why inflammation and infection in the gut translates to concentration and behavioural issues.
Recommended Reading: Gut And Psychology Syndrome, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride
Allergies; Asthma, eczema, food sensitivities, food intolerance
In allergies, the body produces antibodies to external substances. The most common food allergies are nut, egg, gluten (wheat, oats, rye, barley), casein, soy and corn. The most common environmental are dust mites and pollon. When the antibodies are created, inflammation increases and triggers various disease such as asthma (lungs), eczema (skin), irritable bowel (colon and intestine),
Symptoms of systemic inflammation driven by oxidative stress from toxicity, and/or infection, and/or digestive dysfunction can manifest as asthma (lung inflammation), eczema (skin inflammation), allergies (ear, nose, throat inflammation), food sensitivities (gut inflammation).
Recommended Reading: Gut And Psychology Syndrome, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride
Auto Immune
In auto immune disease the body makes antibodies against its own tissue. In Autism, research is revealing that antibodies are being created against the myelin basic protein found in the brain. An imbalance in Th1 and Th2 immunity can lead to an autoimmune response and this can be driven by toxic overload from lead, mercury, aluminum, plastics and all toxic matter.
Recommended Reading; Healing The New Childhood Epidemics; Autism, AD/HD, Allergies and Asthma, Dr. Kenneth Bock (Random House, 2007)
Coeliac
In 1949 The New York Academy Of Medicine honored Dr. Sidney Haas for years of research and treatment of celiac disease. He published a very comprehensive medical test, The Management of Caeliac Disease, which was widely accepted. Then in 1951, six English doctors from the Departments of Health and Pharmacology of the University of Birmingham published a different view on coeliac based on a study that tested 10 children. Whereas Dr. Haas recognized coeliac as a sensitivity to disaccharides and polysaccharides, the Birmingham group isolated it to gluten. The Lancet published the Birmingham theory and the more easy-to-follow regime of excluding only gluten pervades to this day.
Many people with coeliac do have damaged digestive tracts (flattened microvilli) and might consider avoiding soy, corn, dairy, refined carbohydrates and sugar. Dr. Haas found that if coeliacs and others with digestive disorders eliminated disaccharides (sugars) and polysaccharides (refined carbohydrates) for a year period (a year or so) then the gut healed and in some cases many foods could be reintroduced.
Recommended reading; Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Elaine Gotschall
Diabetes
Children with Type 1 Diabetes have a damaged gut wall, which allows partially digested foods into the body. The immune system develops antibodies against these foods which then cross react with certain proteins in the pancreas. By destroying those proteins the antibodies damage insulin production in the pancreas and the child develops Insulin Dependant Diabetes (Type 1 Diabetes). Heal the gut wall and the pancreas will have a chance to recover." Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride
Recommended reading; Gut And Psychology Syndrome, Dr. N. Campbell-McBride
Digestive Dysfunction; Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Chronic Constipation
Digestive dysfunction is at the root of many brain-immuno-gut disorders either triggered by infection, allergy, diet, toxicity, medication or environment that compromises the delicate balance of beneficial bacteria and disease-causing microbes.
An overgrowth of microbes that inhabit the Gastro Intestinal (GI) tract (such as streptococcus or candida) can lead to “gut dysbiosis”, an unhealthy level of bad microbes outnumbering the beneficial flora. Bacteria can compromise enzyme function by impairing enzymes of the intestinal absorptive cell.
Candida can also bore holes in the mucosal lining of the gasto intestinal tract creating gut permeability or “leaky gut”, a condition that can lead to undigested food particles crossing the gut/blood barrier. This in turn can trigger allergies, weakened immunity, poor concentration, aggression, diabetes.
Hippocrates 460-370 BC -All Diseases Begin in the Gut”.
Recommended Reading; Gut And Psychology Syndrome, Specific Carbohydrate Diet
Epilepsy
"The vast majority of epilepsy cases in children are due to toxin accumulation in the brain. When the amounts of toxins reach dangerous levels the brain sends an electric discharge to get rid of it all in one go. So, an epileptic fit is a safety valve for the brain, a cleansing procedure. In order to help the child we need to remove the toxins. In the majority of cases, these toxins come from the gut, so treatment has to concentrate on the child's digestive health." Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.
Mindd maintains that there are other issues driving epilepsy such as abnormal immune response and viral infection.
Recommended reading; Gut And Psychology Syndrome
Food Allergies versus Food Intolerances
In the biomedical paradigm, many allergies are caused by a poor functioning gut which allows undigested food to pass through the “leaky gut” at which point the immune system recognizes it as a foreign substance and launches an attack. This is how food allergies and intolerances develop.
In the case of food allergies the reaction is mediated by IgE antibodies and tend to remain for life. In the case of food intolerances the reaction is IgG mediated and these can change over time.
Simply put IgE and IgG are different parts of the immune system.
Recommended Reading; Gut And Psychology Syndrome, Dr. N. Campbell-McBride
Infections; Ear/Nose/Throat, Urinary Tract, Chest
When the immune shifts to a Th2 preference, Th1 immunity is weakened. Th1 immunity is found in the mucosal lining throughout the body which lays it open to more infection in the ear/nose/throat, digestive tract, urinary tract and chest.
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)
Dysfuntional metabolic pathways can drive SPD. In SPD the brain decodes sensory information in a distorted or different way and the responses seem inappropriate. An individual with SPD may overreact to the scent of perfume, the touch of a label on a shirt, the viscosity of mashed potatoes or the feel of water. It can also manifest as poor hearing, sight, speech and/or coordination. The visual and auditory can be hard to diagnose unless you go to a specialist who tests for auditory and visual processing (information from the inner ear to the cerebellum) not for hearing and sight.
The reaction in young children can be especially strong in the form of tantrums, withdrawl and/or anxiety. Or it can be the opposite, a marked lack of response to getting hurt or being touched. It appears to be an odd range of behaviours but they all originate from a single nervous system process. Sometimes it is one sense that is the core issue causing disruption of other senses.
Many SPD symptoms overlap with Apsergers, AD/HD, ODD and for this reason can go mis or undiagnosed. In the case of the former, medication can be wrongly prescribed. Sometimes there is an overlap with the above disorders, but in some cases the SPD is causing issues with eating, sleeping, getting dressed, socializing that appear to be resulting from different disorders. Studies show that SPD is more pronounced in children but that it is not “outgrown”.. In adults episodes can be triggered by stress and illness.
SPD children often have AD/HD, learning difficulties and/or other developmental issues. They are often gifted.
The biomedical approach supports metabolism and begins to open sensory pathways. Once this is working, it is best to find an Occupational Therapist skilled in Sensory Integration who can develop a program suited to the individual needs and could include ways to improve; auditory discrimination, balance, motor planning, directionality, visual/spatial discrimination, eye-hand coordination, tactile discrimination, awareness of body position, crossing the midline, communication.
An inability to detox also leads to an overload of neurotoxins (lead and mercury are most common) which can result in learning disabilities, epilepsy, behavioural disorders and/or lower IQ. It is important to take action to support the body’s detox mechanisms.
Primitive Reflexes
In the womb, babies are protected by involuntary reflexes, controlled by the lower centers of the brain. These "Primitive Relfexes" are important for survival and development in the womb and in enfancy. As the brain's high centers mature for conscious control, these Primitive Reflexes are integrated into the higher centers during the first 6-12 months of life. Pyhsical, chemical, hormonal and/or any trauma can cause the reflexes to be "retained" which can effect behaviour, learning, motor skills, structure and much more. It may also be that trauma causes previously integrated reflexes to reemerge.
The key primitive reflexes are; Fear Paralysis, Moro, Juvenile Suck & Rooting, Palmar & Plantar, Asymmetrical Tonic Neck, Tonic Labyrinthe, Spinal Galant. To download more information, click here
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