Methylfolate Preparation

It is important to develop a favorable environment for the MTHFR enzyme to thrive; and this

....requires five areas.

Nutrition: Enzymes are the cornerstone of biochemistry; as they are what permit the thousands of individual biochemical structures in your body to live. The food you consume is the starting material for these enzymes. Eating well is the foundation of good health; regardless of whether or not you have a problem with your MTHFR gene.

Plan of action:

• Supplement with Omega 3 fatty acids-your diet should consist of a 1:3-1:6 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6. Most consume too many omega 6 and not nearly enough omega 3 (generally 1:12 ratio). You can test your omega3/6 ratio with a blood test to determine your omega levels. When supplementing, only supplement with omega 3 fatty acids. You may not need to supplement at all if you are consuming fish (wild caught, cold water) more than two times a week.

• Remove toxins from your diet-heavy metals, pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals that may be contaminating your food can be a source of inflammation. Toxins can cause damage to the cell membrane. Become familiar with The Dirty Dozen.

• Evaluate your macronutrient balance-macronutrients refer to the carbohydrates, fats and proteins that you consume on a daily basis. Protein plays an important role in the immune system, hormonal system, brain function, muscle recovery and more. The body is mostly made up of protein (next to water). Protein that is consumed is made up of amino acids. The amino acids that the body cannot manufacture on it’s own are known as essential amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine). Consider eating about half your body weight in grams of protein. Your body will not perform efficiently without enough good fat. The body uses fat to manufacture hormones, cell membranes and much more. Consuming good essential fats is imperative to good health. Carbohydrates have gotten a bad reputation lately (and for good reason). However, at least 15-20% of your diet should be made up of complex carbohydrates. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are necessary for keeping bodily processes working properly. Vitamins and minerals are co-factors for many of the key enzymatic processes and is why micronutrients are so important. It is important to consume fruits and vegetables (some animal proteins) in order to obtain micronutrients.

• Eat salads or dark, leafy greens 5-7 days per week-uncooked dark, leafy greens are important to eat in order to directly obtain active folate (methyl folate) via your diet.

Digestion: The importance of absorbing nutrients cannot be over-stated; and, is why a healthy digestive tract is so essential. A healthy, well-functioning digestive tract transforms the food we consume into usable energy. Sadly, when the digestive system is insufficient, the result is an inability to extract nutrients from food. So, even if you are eating an excellent diet you may not be getting all of the benefits. It is important to determine if you are having digestive issues and begin the work to heal the digestive tract. If you have tried methyl folate in the past and feel it didn’t work for you (or may have made you feel worse) an inefficient digestive tract may be the culprit.

Plan of action:

• Take a mental inventory of your digestive system symptoms. Do you have any GI symptom; such as, gas, bloating, pain, constipation, diarrhea, loose stools or inconsistent stools?

• Consider getting tested for food sensitivities/allergies. Remove these foods from your diet.

• Connect with your practitioner about ways to heal your digestive system.

Detoxification: Excellent health revolves around the body’s ability to competently and adequately remove toxins. The body is tasked with removing toxins every day! Detoxification is a part of the body’s normal biochemical process. When the body cannot remove toxins, they are left to accumulate and result in inflammation and damage on a cellular level.

Plan of action:

• Participate in a 24 hour weekly detox. Consume only organic foods, eliminate animal products, use a sauna (sweat), increase intake of fiber, take herbs that help with detox (milk thistle) and increase intake of micronutrients.

• Reduce exposure to toxins in your daily life. Start with your home (where you spend most of your time) and any other space where you spend a lot of time (office, etc.). Consider reducing exposure to toxic cleaning products, perfumes, use of non-stick pans, use of plastics (cups, plates, etc.), and pesticides/insecticides.

Immune System and Infections: A healthy and robust immune system is important to fight off common viruses and infections. If you are frequently sick and seem to catch every “bug” that is going around, consider consulting with your healthcare practitioner to find ways to strengthen your immune system; especially if you are dealing with a MTHFR mutation.

Plan of action:

• How is your immune system functioning? How many times have you become ill in the last year to year and a half? Do you have problems with allergies, hives or allergic skin reactions?

• Consider the relationship between your digestive system and immune system. Work with your healthcare practitioner if you are experiencing any digestive issues. Work to resolve and improve your digestive issues. Keep in mind that the digestive system primes the immune system.

• Consider working with your healthcare practitioner to test for immunoglobulin levels and chronic infections (EBV, CMV, HHSVV-6, etc.). If you would like to better understand how your white blood cells respond to pathogens, consider ordering a function test for the immune system by Spectra Cell Labs.

Inflammation: Inflammation truly is at the core of every health problem. Toxins, infections, compromised digestion, and the inability to properly absorb nutrients also play a role in worsening or leading to inflammation.

Plan of action:

• Be sure that you are consuming enough omega 3 fatty acids. If you are unsure whether or not you are getting the proper amounts of omega 3 fatty acids; consider having a test done to learn your ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids.

• Be certain that your digestive tract is great shape. Work with your healthcare practitioner and consider doing any tests necessary to confirm your GI system is optimized.

• Optimize your detoxification system so that you are eliminating toxins properly.

• Check your inflammation status. Blood tests, such as, CRP, hs-CRP, ESR, measure the amount of inflammation in your body. When these tests are elevated you know you have a problem with inflammation.

Stay tuned to learn the answer to how much methyl folate should you take,

References:

Terranella, Robin. MTHFR Gene Therapy Demystified: Crack Your Genetic Code to Better Health. 2017.

Murray, Michael T., et al. “Vitamins.” The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, Time Warner International, 2006.