Can you have too low homocysteine?

February 7, 2024

We mostly know homocysteine as something we have to worry about not getting too high. And that is absolutely true: too high homocysteine is directly related to higher mortality and risk of cardiovascular disease.

But can homocysteine also become too low?

It turns out that the answer is yes: low homocysteine levels are actually linked to increased disease risk. For example, low homocysteine has been shown to have a strong association with peripheral neuropathy.

Research shows that a surprising 41% of patients with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy have hypohomocysteinemia (too low homocysteine). And sulfur is absolutely essential for healthy homocysteine levels. There can be several reasons for imbalances with sulfur in the body - e.g. mold can affect sulfur and thereby homocystein levels. Unfortunately, it is not always as simple as just doing a mineral test for sulfur and thereafter concluding when levels are found low to simply eat foods higher in sulfur to provide the building blocks in order to normalize homocysteine levels (aka broccoli, cabbage, meat).

However, mineral, vitamin and heavy metal tests are always one of the first things I do on all clients who come in for a health check-up, because this is basic information we need to know before we can dig deeper

Vitamin, mineral and metal test incl. 30 minutes review can be booked as a separate service on the website and is also included in all health check-ups.

Best sleeping position to detox your brain

December 19, 2023

The majority of the clients I see, who suffer from headaches/ migraine attacks, describe that their pain tend to start at the left side of the brain. And there is a good reason for that: the lymphatic system of the brain, which is meant to clear waste away from the brain - so-called glymphatic transport system - is situated at the left side of the brain! Furthermore, sleeping on your left side has shown to increase circulation and is often recommended for those with heart disease or high blood pressure. This position allows for better oxygenation of the entire body.

Remember you are only as healthy as your symptoms and/or lab work!

You can be asymptomatic and have “hidden disease” bad biomarkers - why testing is imperative if we want to prevent disease.
You can have symptoms and your blood labs come back within range - why you want to work with a qualified health practitioner who understand different ways of testing and their relevance for your symptoms to get answers to your suffering. Remember: blood work is THE LAST place imbalances show up.

There is no such thing as a symptom “just being a symptom”.

A symptom is the body’s way of telling you something is wrong, why we should be on a investigative journey to find out why we are suffering with certains symptoms and what might be the cause of them.

When dealing with headaches and migraines, a key factor is to test for toxic waste that tends to accumulate over time in the brain.

Especially mycotoxins from mold exposure is known to be a major contributing factor. When our brain is full of toxic waste, the drainage pathways are often blocked and we become overly sensitive to “everyday” toxins like alcohol, histamines, sulfur etc.

Apart from treating the core reasons why we have pain in the brain, research suggests we will benefits from sleeping on our left side to help utilize gravity with clearing out toxic waste from our brain while we sleep:

“Gravity affects the movement of blood and CSF through the brain, and therefore sleep position will likely play a role in the clearance of waste products from the brain. Both intracranial pressure and cerebral hemodynamics are influenced by body posture, and patients with dementia were found to spend a much larger percentage of time in the supine position compared to controls, establishing an association between time in supine position and dementia. An important factor in this clearance pathway is the stretch of nerves and veins in each position. Glymphatic transport is most efficient in the right lateral sleeping position, with more CSF clearance occurring compared to supine and prone”

Read the full study on how to harness lifestyle choices to improve brain health: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/11/868 Feel free to share.

Magnesium is the no. 1 most commonly found deficiency today

September 6, 2023

It would be optimal if we could eat enough of all the vitamins and minerals, because food is more recognizable to the body and it is easier to absorb. The sources of magnesium in our food products include whole grains, nuts, sprouts, legumes, cocoa, meat and vegetables. However, what I see when I test, is that many lack it - in 9 out of 10 cases, we see a deficit of magnesium. Magnesium is, together with zinc and silica, among the minerals we commonly find is difficult to obtain an optimal level of through our food because the soil is so depleted and our demands for these minerals have increased due to various stressors in modern life.

Scientific American: "We have no reason to believe 5g is safe"

August 23, 2023

“Numerous recent scientific publications have shown that EMF affects living organisms at levels well below most international and national guidelines. Effects include increased cancer risk, cellular stress, increase in harmful free radicals, genetic damages, structural and functional changes of the reproductive system, learning and memory deficits, neurological disorders, and negative impacts on general well-being in humans. Damage goes well beyond the human race, as there is growing evidence of harmful effects to both plant and animal life.”

Read the rest of the article here: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/we-have-no-reason-to-believe-5g-is-safe/ Remember I am doing a live webinar on where the science stands on EMF (in Danish only) sign up here: https://christinasantini.com/events/2023/5/4/evidence-for-the-tinfoil-hat-why-we-have-to-deal-with-the-radiation-problem and feel free to share.

NEW TALK (ZOOM WEBINAR DANISH ONLY) 7th of September: Health dangers of EMF and how to navigate

August 2, 2023

Did you know that the Health Authorities actually recommend reducing our use of mobile phones? Smartphones, wi-fi, etc. have become important components of daily life. Their harmful effects on the body, especially on the nervous system, have gradually become quite well studied. According to a lot of research, unnatural EMF can affect our body's nervous system and cause damage to cells. Cancer and unusual growths can be a symptom of very high EMF exposure. Several studies have reported that exposure to EMF results in oxidative stress in many tissues of the body. Exposure to EMF is known to increase concentrations of free radicals. This results in increased oxidative stress and chronic inflammation as the antioxidant defense system is unable to prevent the damaging effects of free radicals. The World Health Organization initially considered these sources of non-ionizing EMF radiation to be safe because they were only assessed based on their thermal effects - and that, quite correctly, is not harmful to health. However, it turns out that cell damage has not been taken into account in these conclusions. To participate go here: https://tidslerne.nemtilmeld.dk/296/ Please share

Study confirms: limit cell phone exposure during pregnancy

June 7, 2023

"Many studies have shown that electromagnetic fields can have destructive effects on sex hormones, gonadal function, fetal development, and pregnancy. So people must be aware of the negative effects of EMFs. Although the impact of the waves varied at different frequencies, it is better to stay as far away as possible from their origin because of the risks associated with exposures to these waves. In addition, people can use natural antioxidants to help reduce the effects of these waves."

A review on Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and the reproductive system: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5014506/

In short: stop carrying your phone on your body especially during pregnancy or when wanting to become pregnant as it may affect both your own fertility as well as your offspring’s development (autism is a big worry right now that seems to be linked to excessive EMF exposure).

Keep your phone 3 meters away from your body to limit EMF exposure when not using it, and stop scrolling on it like it is your best friend, cos it is not. We are all wasting our lives scrolling non-stop on these smart phones and all these smart devices are under suspicion for wrecking our health big time.

Early science: How your Smartphone may impact your pregnancy

September 20, 2022

We already know that men shouldn’t be carrying the phone in their pocket, if they want their guys to work. However, it is not a far fetch to think “huh - how about women? how might our excessive smartgadget use be affecting pregnancy amongst women?”

Well, here you go:

“The findings of this review showed that EMF radiation exposure is associated with hormonal, thermal, and cardiovascular changes among adults. However, the reviewed studies did not consider the impacts of EMF radiation exposure on pregnancy outcomes specifically, which makes it difficult to draw conclusions from this review. Only four of the reviewed studies were conducted among pregnant women. These studies reported that EMF radiation exposure during pregnancy is associated with miscarriages and fluctuations in the fetal temperature and heart rate variability, as well as infant anthropometric measures.”

Read full article here: click here. And feel free to share.

Migraines are a risk-indicator for cardiovascular health issues!

May 17, 2022

A painkiller is not addressing the underlying issue of what is wrong in our body. Serious headaches like migraines are not “just a headache” but a symptom that should be taken seriously in our investigation to figure out why our body is in pain. And did you know that migraines are actually linked to higher incidence of cardiovascular health issues? Making it even more relevant for us to take action and understand the cause of our migraine episodes! For most of us, the cause of a migraine episode is a combination of several triggers - all affecting arterial stiffness and causing those almost suicidal painful episodes of headaches followed with nausea, throwing up and light sensitivity. During my time dealing with clients, who have sometimes suffered with almost daily episodes of migraines, I’ve found following factors to be the most likely imbalances that needs tested and addressed, if we are to reverse head ache symptoms instead of masking them:

Is red wine healthy? (Interview feature in Vogue Scandinavia)

February 20, 2022

Should you cut out wine this year or is red wine really healthy? (I am interviewed for an article in Vogue Scandinavia).

Well, sort of and sort of not.

We know that happiness adds to longevity, and that a glass of red wine can add to that sense of relaxation and ease the tension. And that's a fine reason to drink a glass with your dinner 3-4 x week. but don't drink it for the resveratrol though. And also: if a slice of double chocolate cake does it for you, then cake is just as good as a glass of vino. Life is too short to be miserable and only eat salad (and that is not healthy for you anyway!)- and happiness does add years to our life. So live your life and drink that glass with your dinner, if it makes you happy (but not everyday - yeah, I still had to kill the party like that). Read full article here: https://www.voguescandinavia.com/articles/we-investigate-if-red-wine-is-really-the-healthiest-tipple-in-the-bar-and-why-we-should-drink-like-those-in-blue-zones and feel free to share it.

ARTICLE feature in NATURHELSE (Danish only)

December 1, 2021

Did you know that EMF from wifi and our cell phones has been linked to everything from brain and heart tumours in rats to chronic fatigue, migraines, insomnia and stress in humans?

I’ve written an extensive article with 100+ scientific references on EMF and where the science stands regarding its health implications. This article is part of a series of 3 which will be released in upcoming issues. Read it by clicking here. Feel free to share.

Cordyceps: more than 21 clinically approved benefits on human health including anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, anti-oxidative, immunomodulatory, sexual potentiator and anti-ageing effects.

October 17, 2021

“Cordyceps has a long history of use as a lung and kidney tonic, and for the treatment of chronic bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis and other diseases of the respiratory system. The cardiovascular effects of Cordyceps are being noticed more frequently by researchers as it works through variety of possible ways either by lowering high blood pressure via direct dilatory effects or mediated through M-cholinergic receptors resulting in improvement in the coronary and cerebral blood circulation.”

Study shows: Your microwave may be the biggest EMF contributor in your home

April 11, 2021

“Microwaves are electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from 300 MHz to 300 GHz. Microwaves are widely used in households, industry, communications, and medical and military buildings, and they provide substantial contributions to the development of human society. However, with its popularization, increasing attention has been paid to its influence on humans. Electromagnetic radiation can be absorbed by organisms, in which it causes a series of physiological and functional changes. Many intricate electrical activities occur in the central nervous system, including learning and memory, which are therefore vulnerable to electromagnetic radiation. Moreover, the popularization of mobile phones has made them the main source of brain exposure to radiation. Therefore, the central nervous system is considered one of the most sensitive organs that is targeted by microwave radiation. A large number of studies have shown that microwave radiation can cause a series of adverse reactions in the central nervous system, including sleep disorders in addition to learning and memory impairments.” Click on to read the full study.

Why lack of sunlight makes you fatter (study shows).

December 13, 2020

In the study researchers found that the white unhealthy type of fat cells shrink under sun’s blue light. This breakthrough helps explain why we tend to pack on the pounds in winter regardless of no change in diet/activity. And this may very well lead to light-based treatments for obesity and other related issues like diabetes. Read the full study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5703708/

Dr. Maryanne Demasi - 'Statin Wars: Have we been misled by the evidence?'

October 17, 2020

Dr. Maryanne Demasi is a former medical scientist who completed her PhD in Medicine at the University of Adelaide. Her research focused on the pathology of Rheumatoid arthritis and potential therapies. Her innovative research has appeared in several internationally published medical journals. Leaving her lab coat behind, Maryanne accepted a position as a political advisor and speechwriter for the South Australian Minister for Science and Information technology portfolios. She advised on issues concerning Intellectual Property and commercialisation of research. Maryanne was headhunted by the ABC ‘s Catalyst program in 2006 and gained a reputation for reporting on relevant and sometimes controversial medical stories. She has won numerous accolades for her work and in 2008, 2009 and 2011 was awarded the National Press Club of Australia’s prize for her excellence in health journalism.

Full-fat dairy (but not low-fat) protects against diabetes type 2

September 10, 2020

“Decreased Diabetes type 2 risk at high intake of high- but not of low-fat dairy products suggests that dairy fat partly could have contributed to previously observed protective associations between dairy intake and diabetes type 2”

Read the full study here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25832335/

And keep in mind that what shows up as the most allergenic compounds when we doo food allergy testing are casein and lactose - both very low in butter and cream, hence the reason small amounts of these full-fat items carry health benefits to them, especially as they contain butyric acid which is key for healthy gut flora.

Low-fat diets do not result in greater fat-loss than higher-fat diets

September 6, 2020

“Findings from our systematic literature review and meta-analysis of RCTs fail to support the efficacy of low-fat diet interventions over higher fat diet interventions of similar intensity for significant long-term clinically meaningful weight control. Previous trials comparing low-fat diet interventions with “usual diet” or minimal intensity control groups have mislead perceptions of the efficacy of reductions in fat intake as a strategy for long-term weight loss. In fact, comparisons of similar intervention intensity conclude that dietary interventions lower in total fat intake lead to significantly less weight loss compared with higher fat, low-carbohydrate diets. Health and nutrition guidelines should cease recommending low-fat diets for weight loss given the clear lack of long-term efficacy over other similar intensity dietary interventions. Additional research is needed to identify optimal intervention strategies for long-term weight loss and weight maintenance, including the need to look beyond variations in macronutrient composition.”

Read the full study here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4667723/ and remember that all this seemingly confusing back and forth research basically taps into our need for both fat, protein and carbs - too much or too little of anything is never a good thing in the long run.

Should you cut out carbs, protein or fat?

August 8, 2020

Obviously this will depend on what else is going on - some of us may have times in our life when we have a higher need for one specific macro-nutrient group based on our lifestyle, current health issues and goals.

However the war on carbs, protein or fat has got to end.

We all need a variety of macros, and there is not one group which is solely responsible for poor health or weight gain.

A seasonal diet will naturally fluctuate in carbs, proteins and fats throughout the year and this seems to be what the body prefers. But many of us are not living a seasonal diet - we are living off heavy Fall foods: grains, dairy, red meat etc. And this lack of variety creates the baseline for the extreme diets to counteract the way we tend to live.

However, extremism is not the solution - variety is.

“Healthy diet, regardless of macronutrient emphasis, directly mitigated subclinical cardiac injury and inflammation in a population at risk for cardiovascular disease. These findings support dietary recommendations emphasizing healthy foods rather than any one macronutrient.” Read the full study in International Journal of Cardiology. Healthy diet reduces markers of cardiac injury and inflammation regardless of macronutrients: Results from the OmniHeart trial Lara C. Kovell et al.

Client case study: before and after

March 3, 2020

"Test don't guess" applies to any health matter - but the key question remains whether we are testing for trickle down effects or causative factors? What we choose to test for will shape how succesful our treatment outcome in the long run is - symptom management vs. treating the cause.

Where does the science stand with the health dangers of wireless technology?

February 2, 2020

What is affecting our health epidemically right now - wireless technology incl. cell-phones, smartmeters, wifi routers, baby alarms etc. A Silicon-valley engineer turned technology health advocate, Jeromy Johnson discusses our attachment to technology and the health hazards such an addiction may hold. Jeromy Johnson is an expert in mitigating the negative impacts of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) exposure.

Mercury poisoning is epidemic in everyone over 40+.

Dental fillings - even if they have been removed - being one of the main causes.

What hormone issues, weight gain, digestive issues and mental health have in common.

October 28, 2018

I can’t stand the word detox frankly. Yet I use it more than any other word in my practice these days. It is one of the core things I do today, because the lab testing I do is repeatedly showing that most issues you guys are coming in with are due to blockages in the system due to various accumulated toxins. Most symptoms can be traced back to different toxins that are interfering with the body’s ability to function and repair normally. Sidenote: For those of you who were at my talk in Øksnehallen in Copenhagen Sunday 30th of September I am attaching handouts for the talk as promised - click here to download the notes (DANISH only).