Replies

Amy Proal January 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm 11

Hi Priscilla,

It is important to follow the MP dietary guidelines for several different reasons. First off you may want to read my article “Diet and disease:eating for health” which explains the reasons behind many of the MP dietary guidelines. Here’s a link to the article.

http://bacteriality.com/2007/10/02/diet/

It is very important to avoid vitamin D, but your friend who told you that L-form bacteria become weak if they don’t get vitamin D is totally wrong. The reason we avoid vitamin D while on the MP is because of its effects on the immune system, not on bacteria. The form of vitamin D derived from foods and supplements is called 25-D. Dr. Marshall’s molecular modeling research, as well as the work of other scientists, has shown that this form of vitamin D is immunosuppressive. In our bodies, a receptor called the Vitamin D Receptor controls the activity of thousands of genes as well as the activity of the innate immune system. Unfortunately, 25-D binds the receptor and turns it off. So people on the MP avoid vitamin D so that their immune systems are able to work as well as possible. If vitamin D is turning off the Vitamin D Receptor the immune system simply doesn’t have the strength to kill L-form bacteria. I would recommend reading the following article about vitamin D so that you get a better understanding of how it affects the immune system. Remember that the MP antibiotics can only weaken L-form bacteria and that it is a person’s own immune system that must have the strength to finally kill them.

http://bacteriality.com/2007/09/15/vitamind/#3

Folic acid is a substance that L-form bacteria use to their own advantage. An enzyme called DiHydro-Folate Reductase (DHFR), converts folic acid into a form that the body can use to produce the nucleic acids essential for life. Nucleic acids are building blocks that our bodies use to create DNA. However, if a person consumes too much folic acid, L-form bacteria will use it to generate their own nucleic acids and replicate and create their own DNA. That’s why people on the MP eat only the folic acid in natural foods and not foods that have been artificially supplemented with folic acid. The extra folic acid in these products would likely help their bacteria rather then them.

The MP recommends a low-carb diet. You don’t have to eat low-carb if you don’t want to, but people who eat low carb seem to kill bacteria at a greater rate.

This is because our bodies use carbohydrates as a source of energy, but carbohydrates are also a source of fuel for L-form bacteria. The body breaks down both carbohydrates and sugar into the exact same sugar molecules, so a diet high in carbohydrates will produce the same fuel for bacteria as a diet high in refined sugar.

The human body extracts the nutrients in food through a biological process known as the Krebs Cycle. The Krebs Cycle is part of a metabolic pathway that converts carbohydrates, fats and proteins into a form of energy that can be used by the body. The cycle uses sugar to generate molecules of NADPH, which humans are able to use as a source of energy. But bacteria such as Borrelia, Treponema, and possibly other bacteria, do not have proteins in their genomes that allow them to use NADPH as an energy source. Instead, they obtain energy directly from sugar. This means that while humans must wait until sugar is broken down in order to put it to use, some bacteria can use it right away. Consequently, extra sugar inevitably ends up benefiting the pathogen rather than the host.

But because of the power of the antibiotics and Benicar you will still kill bacteria even if you arn’t avoiding carbs. It’s just that most people don’t like the feeling of feeding the organisms they are trying to kill.

Hope this helps…and remember if you have any other questions or concerns about the MP the patient advocates at http://www.curemyth1.org will answer them free of charge. Th1 refers to diseases caused by L-form bacteria, hence the name Cure My Th1.

In the meantime, I am so glad you are eager to try the MP! You’ve made the right decision and are on your way to getting your health back!

Best,
Amy

http://bacteriality.com/2007/11/28/sense/