Ispectrum magazine #06

wISPECTRUMIssue 06/March - April 2014 MAGAZINEAUTONOMIC BALANCEIS THE KEY TO HEALTHHOMO INSAPIENS:THE SHRINKING HUMAN BRAIN Geopolymer research: An interview with Joseph DavidovitsMy Mind’s Eyethe strange case ofIan Waterman

CONTENTS Features 28 17 0313 AUTONOMIC BALANCE IS THE KEY TO HEALTH 04 Defining the autonomic nervous system (ANS) 05 Functions of the ANS 11 Diagnosing Imbalances 13 Nutrients and the ANS 14 Treatments 17 My Mind’s Eye the strange case of Ian Waterman 19 Proprioception 21 The strange case of Waterman 23 Fighting to Control what cannot be felt 24 Visualization and movement 28 HOMO INSAPIENS: THE SHRINKING HUMAN BRAIN 30 The Glial Cell and Incipient Dementia 3 32 Is Glucose a Cannabinoid? 35 Sleep Deprivation and the Shrinking Brain 41 Bariatric Sleep 43 Why Honey? 47 47 Geopolymer research: An interview with Joseph Davidovits 48 What is a Geopolymer? 49 The Great Pyramids 58 Geopolymers for construction 1

editorial Mado Martinez Dear readers, Editorial Director Issue number #6 is here and that means Ispectrum that we have been with you for a whole year! That’s right. We started this dream magazine last March! And here we come again with spring, and a new edition full of fascinat- Editorial Director ing contents. Mado Martinez, [email protected] Doctor Crawford, from California, con- tributes with an article that illustrates to Art Director us the importance of autonomic balance; Rayna Petrova the key to health. I am sure you will find [email protected] it very useful. Copy Editing and Proofreading Rob Hutchinson writes about the strange Matt Loveday case of Ian Waterman, who at 19 caught [email protected] a virus that destroyed half of his nervous system. Since then, he has been unable Jennifer James to mentally sense the relative positions of his limbs in space and whether or not Contributing Writers they are in motion. Dr. Dennis K. Crawford The human brain is shrinking for the Rob Hutchinson first time in our evolutionary history. If modern humans are so smart, why are Mike McInnes our brains shrinking? There are some leading theories about why the human Tania Dey brain has been getting smaller since the Stone Age. Mike McInnes, a retired Images Scottish pharmacist and author of The Cover : © Billy Benavides / neusenz.com , Honey Diet has some information about commons.wikimeadia.org, it to share with us. morguefile.com, sxc.hu Joseph Davidovits is a French materi- als scientist known for the invention of www.ispectrummagazine.com geopolymer chemistry. He posited that the blocks of the Great Pyramid are not [email protected] carved stone but mostly a form of lime- stone concrete or man-made stone. Tania +44 7938 707 164 (UK) Dey has had the honour of interviewing him for us. Thanks Tania! Follow Us Enjoy your reading! 2

AUTONOMIC BALANCEIS THE KEY TO HEALTH by Dr. Dennis K. Crawford website www.crawfordnaturalhealthcenter.comW hen it comes to health elsewhere, it simply has no issues the autonomic place. To ignore it however,nervous system (ANS) rules. is to miss maybe the mostIf the ANS were to remain important diagnostic picturebalanced it would be almost we could currently obtainimpossible to get sick. If from a patient. Correctingthat is the case, why isn’t this imbalance is what allowsmore emphasis put on test- the body to heal itself as iting for one’s ANS status and is designed to do and is alsothen utilizing therapies to true prevention against futurebring it into homeostasis? diseases. Autonomic balancePerhaps because in a phar- explains why people react dif-maceutically oriented symp- ferently to diet, supplements,tom based health care sys- and even exposure to patho-tem as exists in the U.S and gens and toxins. 3

First, let’s define the ANS and The ANS is primarily two sub sys-explore a basic explanation tems. One part is the parasym-of how it functions. From pathetic nervous system and thethere, I’ll concentrate on fac- other is the sympathetic nervoustors that influence the ANS, system. These two systems workhow to test for imbalances in independently in some functionsa functional medicine para- and interdependently in others.digm, and therapies to bring They usually have opposite actions.it into balance. If one excites, the other inhibits. The sympathetic system is more ofDefining the ANS a quick acting system whereas the parasympathetic system is slower. The ANS is the part of the ner- The location of the sympatheticvous system that regulates meta- system is from the first thoracicbolic processes beyond conscious vertebra to the second and thirdcontrol. It does so automatical- lumbar vertebra. The parasym-ly. Digestion, circulation of blood, pathetic system is located in thesecretion of hormones, and the rate brainstem consisting of four cranialof metabolism are all examples of nerves, and the sacrum consistingthe ANS at work. The ANS in the of three sacral nerves.brain is located in the medullaoblongata at the lower brainstem. There are sensory and motor com-The major functions here are car- ponents to the ANS. Sensory neu-diac regulation, vasomotor activity, rons keep track of the sugar andrespiration, and some reflex actions oxygen in the blood, arterial pres-like coughing, sneezing, and swal- sure, and gut and stomach contents.lowing. Just above the brain stem Taste and smell, although they areis the hypothalamus which receives conscious functions, are controlledANS input and acts as the conduc- by sensory neurons. The motortor for automatic functions. component of the ANS is part of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric functions. The sympathetic components (ganglia) reside close to the spinal cord. The parasym- pathetic components are located 4

close to organs. Theenteric lies inside thedigestive tube and canoperate independent-ly of the sympatheticand parasympathet-ic branches. This iswhy it has been called“the second brain.” Anexcellent book by thatname came out a fewyears ago that does agreat job describingthe anatomy and func-tioning of the entericsystem.Functions of the ANSThe divisions of the ANS are seen by on course. The pilot is always adjust-many as antagonistic to each other. ing to keep the plane on course andWhat the sympathetic division does so is the body. A few of the sym-the parasympathetic does the oppo- pathetic systems responses includesite. They are in fact complementa- constriction of sphincters, shuntingry because they both have the same blood away from the intestinal tract,goal which is to keep the body in inhibiting digestion and peristalsis,homeostasis. It is rare however, for increasing heart rate, dilating bron-one’s state of balance to be perfect, chioles of the lungs, and increasingjust as an airplane is never exactly blood flow to muscles. These are all 5

By BruceBlaus (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons6

part of the flight or fight By Jvnkfood (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commonsresponse. The para-sympathetic systemis calming, enhancesdigestion and is gener-ally trying to restorebalance. What goes wrong thatcan affect people’shealth? The biggestproblem is functionsget stuck in one divi-sion of the ANS at theexpense of the other.For example, someonemay be operating pri-marily from their sym-pathetic system andthey are not being bal-anced by the parasym-pathetic system. Theopposite could also betrue. When this hap-pens it throws off amyriad of functionswithin the body andsets the stage for ill-ness at some point inthe future. Most treat-ments focus on effectsof this imbalance, butthat is only treatingsymptoms of some- 7

By BruceBlaus (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons8

thing much bigger. breast, lung, or pros- to challenge any jointUntil the ANS is bal- tate, ovary, and pan- and test its integrity toanced there will always creas. Their immune oppose the challenge.be symptoms to treat. systems tend to be That can be achievedHere’s an important underactive. This per- by doing a light tug onpoint; you can never son could also have the joint and immedi-treat enoughsymptoms to musculoskeletal pain, ately afterfix the cause! particularly in the low testing its back, but it could be strength If someone’s at any joint. If the by havingsympathetic adrenal glands (stress the per-nervous sys- glands) are exhaust- son resisttem is chroni- ed due to sympathet- pressure.cally hyper- ic overload ligaments Normalactive they weaken affecting the physiol-can become integrity of joints. A ogy wouldprone to cer- simple functional test dictatetain ailments. to demonstrate this is that whenA few of them a joint isare gastro- challengedesophageal reflux, coli- by tug-tis, insomnia, insulin ging ondependent diabetes, it, it would get stron-high blood pressure, ger to resist the stressand in severe cases and prevent injury.congestive heart fail- When the ligamentsure, strokes, and cer- are weakened due totain psychiatric prob- adrenal exhaustion thelems. If they were opposite happens.to get cancer it would The same result willmost likely be of the happen with any joint.tumor type of the This is why more inju- ries occur when the individual is stressed. 9

the chronic parasympathetic person Their immunebecomes susceptible to osteoarthritis, systems tend toangina, anxieties and panic attacks, be overactive.asthma, heart attacks, depression, Since parasym- pathetic peoplesevere allergies, skin conditions, and can be calci- cardiac arrhythmias. um and protein deficient, they can also expe- rience musculo-The cause of the stress not contact induced, skeletal discomfort.could be anything. but rather the wrong When they get to theEmotional stress, movement creating the point of severe backdietary stress and injury. In other words, pain they will usuallyphysical stress are all when the body is in a display bilateral sacro-common and they all stress response it is an iliac weakness whichcount. A muscle cor- accident looking for a also weakens the glu-relation to the adre- place to happen. teus maximus muscles.nals is the sartorius These are major anti-muscle which connects gravity lifting muscles.at the pelvis and the The chronic para- When weak, the per-medial knee. If it neu- sympathetic person son will lean way for-rologically weakens the becomes susceptible ward when sitting andsacro-iliac joint on the to osteoarthritis, angi- then push themselvesaffected side will go na, anxieties and panic up. In a grocery storeposterior and medial attacks, asthma, heart they are usually lean-knee stability will be attacks, depression, ing over their carts tocompromised. If that severe allergies, skin take the pressure offis the case all it takes is conditions, and cardiac their backs.a twisting or rotation of arrhythmias. If thisthe joint and it could be person got cancer itinjured. Even in a con- would be of the nontact sport like football, solid type like leuke-most knee injuries are mia. 10

Diagnosing Imbalances How does one know if their imbal- is to have the person take a deepance is toward the sympathetic or breath in and hold it and monitorparasympathetic sides? Knowing for reflexive changes, which wouldthe duties of each, the symptoms display as a postural shift, or againone is presented with is the first a muscle test could be done. Onceclue. There also some simple chal- this imbalance is revealed, treat-lenge tests that can reveal one’s ANS ments become more obvious andstatus. For example, the color red can be tailored that would inhibit thestimulates the sympathetic system. dominate side and excite the weakerIf one looks through a red film and side. There are degrees of sever-it weakens their nervous system as ity of imbalances. Questionnairesexhibited by muscle testing, chances could also be utilized. Years ago Dr.are good they are on sympathetic William Kelley, who did much of theoverload. Conversely, the color blue pioneering work on ANS imbalances,stimulates the parasympathetic sys- developed extensive questionnaires.tem. If weakness occurs while look- He identified ten different states ofing through a blue film, they are imbalance.dominant on the parasympatheticside. Another simple challenge test11

Diet and the ANSThe same diet is not for everyone. on the alka-What determines why one person line side.may get miraculous results with Workinga particular diet and another per- to bal-son’s health would deteriorate ance thefollowing exactly the same diet? ANS indi-The answer is in the state of the vidualiz-ANS. That is what determines what es the treat-foods are best digested, and what ment protocol.foods best balance the autonomic Eating with consciousstate of the person. For example, awareness to balance the ANS isa sympathetic dominant type is the goal. Eating deficient processedthe person who tends to have slow foods cannot bring about balance because of the stress they bring to digestion and is the digestive system and particu- on the acidic larly the pancreas. Processed foods side. They also do not contain the nutrients the do better body needs to thrive. Consuming with more refined sugar products and com- plant mercial wheat foods that spike one’s foods that insulin levels can only produce imbal- are easy ance in the ANS. High fructose corn to digest, syrup is the main source of calories and should to the average American. Besides go easy on being produced from GMO corn, this “food” is a shocker to the ANS. meats, particu- Along with the physical ramificationslarly fatty red meats. Rich foods of consuming these items, thereshould also be avoided. Conversely, are proven connections to diet andthe parasympathetic person would behavior and the state of the ANSdo well with more meat in the diet. and behavior.Their digestive systems are alsomore efficient. They tend to be more 12

B1, B2, B3, B6, Folic acid, K, and the miner- als potassium, magne-Nutrients and the ANS sium and manganese. The parasympathetic dominant person does better with Vitamins A,Just as one size does various nutrients had E, C, B12, inositol, cho-not fit all with diet the on the ANS. This line, niacinamide, cal-same holds true with information is invalu- cium, and pantothenicnutrients. Like foods, able when attempting acid. Based on thisnutrients can be either research if a patientstimulatory or inhibi- had a sympathet-tory to the ANS. For ic disease likesympathetic dom- breast cancer,inant individuals a classic sympathetic it would notit is logical that dominant person would be prudentit wouldn’t be do well to take Vitamins to rec-the best ther- ommendapy to recom- D, C, B1, B2, B3, B6, calcium,mend nutri- Folic acid, K, and the whichents that would minerals potassium, would fur-further enhance ther stim-that imbalance. magnesium and ulate the manganeseNutrients that sympathet-would tone down the ic system forsympathetic system for example.example, and stimulatethe parasympatheticsystem would be most to achieve balance.beneficial. Again, the For example, a classicwork of Dr. Kelley is of sympathetic dominantimportance here. He person would do wellresearched the impact to take Vitamins D, C, 13

Treatments I’ll briefly cover some DC,QN. Color therapy nation of the posturalof the ways that bal- is also very powerful. distortion one displaysance can be restored By monitoring reflexes, on my treatment table.in the ANS. As pre- I find the color that Specific exercises canviously mentioned balances the body and be of value tailored todiet and nutrients can incorporate that color the imbalance of theand should be utilized into the person’s ther- individual. Someoneto achieve that goal. apy. The person could on sympathetic over-Beyond that, specific look through a col- load would not wantadjustments at the spi- ored film, use colored to do intensive exer-nal level can be used glasses, cover a lamp cise that enhanced theto either stimulate or with the color, and so sympathetic system.inhibit the ANS. I have on. Sound can also It would also be ben-found cold laser thera- work very nicely. If eficial to monitor heartpy to be of great value. I’m using tuning forks rate. After establishingIt can reset the ANS I would test each one a base line, if the heartto a more normal set- until I found the fre- rate is up 10 points orting very quickly. For quency that balanced more in the morning itexample, if one has the body. This will be would be best not toadrenal exhaustion, displayed by the elimi- train that day.by gently stimulatingthe joint with repeti-tive light tugs and atthe same time point-ing the laser light atthe brain stem, therewill be a rapid resetof the adrenals. Thisis from the work ofDr. George Gonzalez, 14

Essential oils are powerful ANS after I find it and then read to themodulators. I test by having the person what the remedy is for theyperson sniff each until I find the one are often shocked by how accuratethat balances the body. If there is it is.emotional stress going on I oftenemploy Bach Flower Remedies. I Conclusionutilize the testing procedures fromDr. Scott Walker’s N.E.T. system The notion that autonomic imbal-then find which remedy balances the ance is the root cause of all diseasebody. The body tells me the correct is not new. Along with Dr. Kelley, Dr.remedy. I am not making a judg- Francis Pottenger was also in agree-ment about which remedy I thinkmight be best. However, invariably15

ment. Dr. Pottenger wrote two time- “orthodox” cancer treatments. Youless classics, Nutrition and Physical would think his work would be rep-Degeneration and Symptoms of licated all across the country. It’sVisceral Disease. More recently, Dr. not for reasons that will be a topicErnst Gellhorn, M.D.,Ph.D. Professor for another day, but isn’t it aboutof Physiology at the University of time that results are put at the topMinnesota provided both labora- of medicine’s priority list? There aretory and clinical evidence that auto- just too many people dying and anomic imbalance explains most lot of them unnecessarily so.physical and psychiatric illnesses.Also more recently, Dr. NicholasGonzalez, who operates a medicalclinic treating chronic degenera-tive disease, including cancer, usesthe principles of autonomic balanc-ing. His results with certain can-cers, particularly pancreatic, arequite impressive and far superior to16

My Mind’s Eye the strange case of Ian Waterman by Rob Hutchinson website www.ispectrummagazine.comI n 1971 Ian Waterman was the unconscious perception of move- nineteen years old and look- ment and spatial orientation arisinging forward to the future and all life from stimuli within the body itself,had to offer. However, he was to be and without this ability Watermancruelly robbed of any sort of future found himself unable to walk, usehe could have imagined. Suddenly objects or go to the bathroom byhe lost all sense of touch and spatial himself. Despite going from beingpositioning of his body from the neck a healthy teen to bedridden in adown, despite his motor systems matter of days however, he wasbeing unimpaired. Proprioception is determined to fight back and try 17

to live as normal a life as possible. Being an unconscious function of theHis courageous determination to body it is hard to imagine what crip-carry on led to many studies into pling damage a lack of propriocep-his condition, books being written tion can cause. Proprioception comesabout him and an illuminating BBC from the nervous system as a whole,documentary of his struggles - The with the input from nerves inside theMan Who Lost His Body. body. Even if we close our eyes we have a sense of body position. Lying in bed we know where exactly we are in the bed. All our muscles and 18

Coke. Without recep- tors to help us feel how much of a grip we have on the can we could easily crush it by exerting too much force. The problem for Waterman was that although he could see where his body was and could instruct his body to move, he was unable to control it.tendons, amongst many other partsof the body, contain proprioceptorswhich send positional information tothe brain. The brain then providesus with a sense of our bodily orien-tation and movement. To give you an idea of how vital afunction proprioception is, withoutproprioception we would be unableto keep our eyes on the road as wedrive as we would need to focusour attention on the position of ourarms on the steering wheel and feeton the pedals. Such a simple taskas driving would become virtuallyimpossible. Take an even simplerexample; that of holding a can of 19

By Thomas.haslwanter (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ If he was asleep at night he would by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons not have the positional sense or the control that we have over our bod- ies, purely because he could not see the position of his limbs. Even when the lights were on and he could see where his body was, learning how to control his muscles again using only sight seemed like an impos- sible task. Proprioception is like a sixth sense in that it is so vitally important for our capacity to move and function in the world. Without this propriocep- tion we can have no inner sense of posture or limb position and cannot initiate or control movement. 20

Having been admit- his body. Constantly position of his limbsted to hospital with repeating movement then he cannot controlwhat doctors thought patterns and focus- them, something thatwas nothing more than ing on trajectories - he will never be able togastric flu, Waterman over the space of thir- overcome.found himself virtual- ty years - Watermanly cut off from his created a new way ofown body. Hehad contracted a controlling his body. Bydisease so rare having constant visualthat the doctors contact with the envi-in Jersey, where ronment he learned tohe lived, couldn’t manipulate objects andeven diagnose it. today displays little toThe future looked no signs of his impedi-grim, with doctors ments. Every moveexpecting him to must be calculated inneed the use of advance and planneda wheelchair for out in a vigorous, math-the rest of his ematical way. However,life. Even though if he cannot see thehe wasn’t paralyzed assuch, he had no controlover his limbs and sohad no chance of beingable to walk. However, Waterman’sstory is one of couragein the face of adversityand, not the type of per-son to simply give-in;he started to design hisown program of move-ment practice to reclaim 21

constantly repeating movement patterns and focusing ontrajectories - over the space of thirty years - Waterman created a new way of controlling his body At Oddstock Hospital so badly damaged the in bed. By investigat-the long road to recov- doctors had no real ing what muscles con-ery started. Upon being way of helping him, trolled which specificadmitted Waterman and if he wanted to movement he set him-was full of anger at his move again he would self a punishing prac-situation. But from this have to bypass these tice regime.anger sprang his great nerves and create adetermination. new link between his Without propriocep- mind and his muscles. tion his movements Although he could Sitting up was the first would never be auto-hardly stand up and major problem, and he matic again, but if hewalk he was dogged likened it to falling over could start buildingin his desire to not be as a child as he con- connections betweenconfined to a wheel- stantly practiced how mind and muscle itchair for the rest of his to keep himself upright. started to look likelife. With his nerves After these difficulties he may regain some he turned to a different semblance of a nor- method. mal life. Every action would have to be plot- Waterman began to ted. Every movement think that if he could would have to a care- visualize moving his fully thought out and muscles in his mind this executed. Waterman’s might have some affect tenacious attitude was on his body. He tried rewarded when after sitting up by controlling one year he was able and tensing his stom- to stand up for the first ach muscles, which time. after much practice he finally tasted success and raised himself up 22

He realised that to have control He wanted to look and present him-over his movements his eyes would self as naturally as possible to oth-have to tell his brain what his limbs ers. To do this, he would have towere doing. Seeing his hands he master gesture. When we talk withcould control them, but if his gaze friends our body language and ourwandered then his hands had a gestures are an integral part of themind of their own, knocking glasses conversation even though we mayoff tables or clumsily knocking into not realise it. Waterman wantedthings. With his resolute and serious this back. It took years of practicewillpower he began learning to walk for him to capture gestures again,again, looking at his feet all the time although for the rest of his life theyto see their exact location. Most of would be more staged than natural.us might have been overjoyed atthis and start to build a new life Waterman’s ability to take control ofaround our newly reacquired skills his gestures once more had piquedof movement. But not Waterman. the interest of numerous scientists23

and researchers, including Professor McNeil’s theory. But without seeingDavid McNeil, who met Waterman his hands his movements becameto find out if there was still any imprecise. Waterman’s visualizingkind of automatic process that was the gesture in his head helps himenabling him to use gestures again. express himself better, although notMcNeil asked Waterman to watch perfectly. In gesture it seems thata cartoon and later asked him to there is a link between visualizationdescribe it. During his description and movement, which helps linkWaterman used gestures to signal our speech and our gestures, whichsome of the events in the cartoon. contributes to how Waterman hasAfter studying the video recording recaptured his use of them.of this description McNeil pointedout that Waterman had an incred-ibly well honed synchronizationbetween his hand actions and hisspeech, with both being presentedsimultaneously. This would seem tosuggest that gesture is an instinc-tive part of language, controlled bya part of the brain separate to thatof movement. To prove this McNeilthen asked Waterman to report theevents of the cartoon again, butthis time without being able to seehis body. If McNeil was right andgesture is controlled by a differentarea of the brain to movement thenWaterman should still be able topresent a synchronized descriptionusing speech and gesture, regardlessof the fact he cannot see his hands.Sure enough, Waterman’s timingof gesture was still there, backing24

Ian Waterman speaks well…..often if some- fingertips saying you’vevery eloquently about one passes me a cup I actually picked up thehis condition, and in the would grab it awkward- cup incorrectly.’many interviews and ly because I don’t have Waterman seems todocumentaries you can the feedback of some- have retained a sense offind online, it is hard to thing coming from the humour about aspectsrealise that he is suf-fering from any prob-lem at all, so controlledis his movement.Having mastered theability to walk againwe may forget how dif-ficult it remains for himto do everyday tasks ashe has no receptors tohelp signal to him whathis hands are doing.‘Whenever I do some-thing with my handsI am not just lookingand thinking about myhands, I am also listen-ing to sound’ he says. ‘Ican’t get anything frommy pocket because Ican’t feel it terribly ‘Whenever I do something with my hands I am notjust looking and thinking about my hands, I am also listening to sound’ 25

of his situation, and any affectionate con- should be impossiblewhen asked about the tact with another. How for him. Somethingtime he accidentally could anyone who can- as simple as holdingtouched a young nurs- not feel what his hands a fork to eat a meal,es’ breast he replied are doing be able to which we do with easesmiling ‘I’ve only just make love to another and no thought, wasgot over the litigation! or demonstrate caring a million miles awayI was in hospital…. and affection to others? from Waterman afterI’d made one of my bold his diagnosis. But, withgestures…. I sat on the Waterman has con- years of single mindededge of my bed and the founded all the diag- effort he has regainednurse was next to me noses of the specialists the use of his limbsand I was making a ges- by discovering ways of through his eyes. Asture pointing to another performing tasks that long as he can seepart of the ward….and the limbs he wants tomy hand touched her move he can controlbreast and she slappedmy face. I said whatwas that all about andshe said well you justdon’t do that….you justdon’t go touching peo-ple’s breasts like that!Well I didn’t know thatI had! I didn’t noticethat was what I’d done.I wouldn’t have mindgetting a slap aroundthe face if I’d gone forit but I hadn’t!’ Perhapsthis is the most tell-ing example of how alack of proprioceptioncan rob a person of 26

them, and present an outward pic- and we may pause to think how weture to those who don’t know him would cope if that injury befell us.that there is absolutely nothing Usually, however, this brief momentwrong with him. A huge amount of contemplation passes and weof conscious effort is required for move on with our daily lives. Butevery movement but I am sure that having read Ian Waterman’s story,for Waterman it is worth it. can any of us really consider beingHis amazing story not only dem- in his position? Would we have theonstrates courage in the face of determination to tirelessly fight onextreme adversity but also how and on, or would we slump onto theadaptive the mind and body can bed, cursing how unfair life is andbe, with Waterman developing an accept that we will never move ourentirely new way of using his ner- body again?vous system. Often we can seepeople who have crippling injurieson the news or television, such aslosing a limb or mental faculties,27

HOMO INSAPIENS:THE SHRINKING HUMANBRAIN by Mike McInnesT brain may continue to evolve and devel- he human brain is shrinking for op is to become smaller and smarter, a the first time in our evolution- selective advantage that has been under- ary history – for 2 reasons, one way for around 15,000 years. In this verypositive and one wholly negative. In an short time span the human brain has lostupright bipedal species with a narrow around 150mls – that is around 10% of itspelvis (Homo sapiens), the brain has volume.reached its limit of size, because a largerbrain would not exit the pelvic canal atbirth. Therefore the only way that the 28

Albert Einstein andthe Glial Cell Neurones constitute only about inferior parietal region. She found15% of the human brain – the rest a higher ratio of glial cells to neu-of the brain’s volume is taken up by rones compared with other brainscells known as glial cells. The word – an index of higher energy pro-‘glia’ derives from ‘glue’ - they were cessing and of advanced cerebraluntil quite recently thought to be communication. The ratio of gliasimply a form of structural material to neurones, as opposed to neu-supporting neurones, or a form of rone number, is now known to beneural glue. an index of evolutionary advance. It seems there may be a selective Recent science has discovered advantage to having a smaller,that glial cells play major roles in smarter brain, and that Einsteinproviding neurones with energy, expressed this. However, modernand have a large number of com- humans are now rapidly shrinkingplex roles in cerebral metabolism. the brain. This process has beenIndeed they are emerging as the underway for at least a centuryreal smart brain cells – they moni- and has dramatically acceleratedtor and modulate neural transmis- in the past half century – sincesion and regulate synaptic metabo- we increased our consumption oflism. In addition they talk with one refined carbohydrates and sugars.another by calcium waves across The glial cell is at the centre ofmajor brain regions – a kind of this toxic and devastating degen-cerebral broadband communication eration.system not dissimilar to smart-phones. Professor Marion Diamondat the University of Berkeley exam-ined two vital regions in Einstein’sbrain, the prefrontal cortex and the 29

Short Circuiting the Brain. The Glial Cell and Incipient DementiaThe human brain has never beforebeen presented with chronic excess The key to understanding a rangeenergy in the circulation – its evo- of modern metabolic diseases, bothlutionary history is one of expo- physiological and neurological, is tosure to food and energy famine. be found in the glial cell. That is toThe brain is highly efficient at pre- say that this cell, for which thereserving its energy supply during are around 6 for every neurone, isenergy famines or starvation (as ground zero in obesity/diabetes/in anorexia nervosa), but has not cardiovascular disease and a vari-evolved sophisticated mechanisms ety of neurological conditions suchto deal with chronic systemic ener- as Alzheimer’s disease/motor neu-gy excess – it simply suppresses rone disease/Parkinson’s diseaseenergy income and triggers a pro- and multiple sclerosis.tracted short circuit (chronic/not The human brain affords the high-acute). est rate of energy consumption known in nature. Indeed on a like for like basis the human brain con- sumes 22 times the energy of a muscle cell (The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis). At any moment there is only around 1 gram of glucose in the brain – sufficient for only a few minutes. The circulation car- ries only 5 grams so a fall in blood glucose concentration (hypoglycae- mia) is catastrophic for the brain and will rapidly lead to a coma, if not reversed. The cerebral glu- cose pump – the glutamate/glu- 30

tamine cycle -- is housed in glial I have identified 6 primary mech-cells and is driven by the enzyme anisms for this suppression andglutamine synthetase. However there are several secondary mech-it is not the threat of hypoglycae- anisms. This leads to chronicmia that is the major metabolic cerebral glucose deprivation, toproblem in modern humans – it increased cerebral hunger and tois hyperglycaemia, resulting from consumption of the same foodsconsumption of excess refined car- with the same result, and so thebohydrates and sugars. This leads cycle repeats again and again andin turn to chronic hyperinsulinism. again...leading to increased risk ofBoth hyperglycaemia and hyperin- obesity/diabetes and heart disease.sulinism trigger and suppress the Note that the initiating and drivingcerebral glucose pump and there- influence is chronic cerebral glucosefore prevent glucose entry to the deprivation or hunger, and that canbrain – in other words they short cause incipient dementia (not thecircuit the brain. reverse as is usually assumed by 31

the health professions). Of course Is Glucose athe cognitive impairments that fol- Cannabinoid?low take years or decades to mani-fest after the metabolic diseases One of the least understood effectsare expressed, but that in no way of refined carbohydrates and sugarreflects the true sequence of cau- consumption is the effect on hun-sation. ger. Indeed these foods make us hungrier shortly after consumptionThe eye is an outpost of the brain than before. Why?and retinal glial cells provide an In 2011 Seul Ki Lim and teamexcellent model of the effect of at Chonnam National University,hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulin- South Korea, examined the effectism on glial cells, and of cerebral of hyperglycaemia on retinal pig-energy metabolism, via advanced ment cells (these are classical glialmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI). cells that pump glucose into the retina – exactly as do cerebral glial cells). They found that hyper- glycaemia induces apoptosis by suppressing the FAAH 1 enzyme that degrades endogenous canna- binoids, thus activating cannabis CB1 receptors that suppress the cerebral glucose pump – the glu- tamate/glutamine cycle. In other words, glucose as hyperglycaemia acts as a cannabinoid and replicates cannabinoid-driven ‘munchies’. In this sense hyperglycaemia acts as a cannabinoid signalling system, deprives the brain of energy, and upgrades the orixegenic (appetite) hormones. 32

A 1985 study published in the journal Endocrinology by HS Grunstein et alshowed that hyperinsulinaemia suppresses glucose utilization in specific brainregions. In 2012 Lim and team in the Journal of Cell Physiology showed that hyper-glycaemia induces apoptosis via CB1 activation through the decrease of FAAH 1in retinal pigment cells. In 1982 AL McCall et al, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academyof Sciences, found that hyperglycaemia reduces glucose transport into the brainby 45% by reduction of the GLUT hexose transporters: “... These results suggestthat chronic hyperglycaemia decreases the number of hexose carrier moleculesavailable at the blood-brain barrier. Such an adaptation could operate to decreasethe net flux of glucose into the brain during sustained hyperglycaemia...” In 2011 in the journal Metabolic Brain Disease, MS Ola and others demon-strated that insulin regulates glutamine synthetase in a time- and dose-depen-dent fashion -- increase in insulin suppresses glutamine synthetase in retinalglial cells. In 2009 X Shen and G Xu in a study in the journal Current Eye Researchshowed that the cytokine IL-1beta (which is increased by pathological microbiotaduring excess glucose in the gut) suppresses glutamine synthetase in retinal glialcells during conditions of high glucose concentration. Hyperinsulinism is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease via the insu-lin degrading enzyme (IDE), which degrades both insulin and the amyloid-betapeptide (a significant contributing influence in this degenerative disease). Excessinsulin would monopolise IDE and reduce the clearance and degradation of amy-loid-beta peptide. In the absence of the ApoeE4 gene the mechanism would beexclusively sugar driven. A 2006 study by WQ Qui and MF Folstein examinedthis relationship and found: “It is intriguing to notice that both hyperinsulinaemiaand IDE gene variations are related to the risk of AD when the ApolipoproteinE4(ApoE4) allele, the major risk factor of late-onset AD, is not present. Furtherstudies of the role of IDE in the pathogenesis of AD, which may uncover potentialtreatment targets, are much needed.” 33

Photo;By Danny Hope from Brighton & Hove, UK (My Right Eye Uploaded by Pieter Kuiper) Thus the twin toxic hypers of mod- The Hungry Retina [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons ern excess sugar consumption, and Dementia hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulin- ism, separately and synergistically The human retina consumes even suppress and inhibit glucose trans- greater energy on a cell for cell port into the brain via suppression basis than does the human brain, of the cerebral glucose pump – the which is why it is the most vulner- glutamate/glutamine cycle, known able tissue in any decrement in as the iPump. Neither fats nor pro- energy supply. We know this from teins play any part in this patho- any attack of hypoglycaemia; the logical process – indeed fats play retina cells are the first cerebral a positive role in cerebral glucose energy cells to respond – vision metabolism via leptin, adiponectin is blurred and stars appear in the and fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF visual field. Modern humans are 9). subject not to chronic energy defi- cits but to chronic energy over- load in the circulation, and here again we observe that the first tissue to register the sup- pression of the retinal glu- cose pump are the retinal glial cells; glutamate, the cerebral (retinal) hunger signal, is not converted to glutamine, and glutamate is the most excitotoxic amino acid in the brain; excess accumulation of toxic glutamate and damage to the retina is expressed many years before visual loss manifests. 34

Sleep Deprivation and the Shrinking Brain Indeed, in Scotland, One of the most uni- bed with a depleteda group of endocrinol- versal and pernicious liver, with insufficientogy and metabolic sci- influences on modern reserve energy supplyentists are using reti- metabolic impairment (liver glycogen) to pro-nal impairment as a is that driven by the vision the brain over-model for dementia myth that sleep is a low night.associated with diabe- energy protocol. This This does not acti-tes – retinopathy. Here has led to the notion, vate quality sleep andagain the problem is promoted by diet gurus recovery physiology,that they consider type and not opposed by but rather chronic noc-2 diabetes as a major the health professions, turnal metabolic stressrisk factor for retinopa- that it is unhealthy to and increased risk ofthy, and not that incip- eat late. The impact of metabolic syndromesient dementia of the this on metabolic health – dementias/obesity/brain is the initiating has been profoundly diabetes and heart dis-and driving causative negative – it means ease; note the semi-influence. They seem that after an early eve- nal paper by Turek andto miss the correct ning meal we retire to Bass in 2005:sequence of events –from chronic cerebral “ ... However, while there is a growing awarenessand retinal glucose among some sleep, metabolic, cardiovascular,deprivation (hunger) to and diabetes researchers that insufficient sleepincreased consumption could lead to a cascade of disorders, few in theof more high-energy general medical profession or in the lay publiccarbohydrate foods, in have yet made the connection ...”: Sleepless ina repeating cycle. America: A Pathway to Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. 35

Professor Eve provision thevan Cauter brain via theat Chicago liver prior toUniversity has sleep is a high energy sleep, andpioneered system with respect to that sleepstudies that depri-confirm poor the human brain vationquality and increasesforeshortened levels of NSEsleep as one of and S-100B inthe most potent healthy youngdriving forces of mod- men – indicative ofern metabolic impair- high loss of cerebral volume.ments and energy dys- energy system withregulation. Professor respect to the humanChristian Benedict of brain, that chronic noc-Uppsala University has turnal metabolic stressshown that sleep is a results from failure to 36

Metabolic Stalinism: A Century ofLost Opportunity The tragedy of mod- dramatically during K Ration Dinner Kitern metabolic impair- both world wars, whenments and a rapid loss sugars were not read- theory that fats andof cerebral volume over ily available. During cholesterol were thethe past half century the 1950s Ancel Keys, driving force of cardio-has been the direct a brilliant American vascular disease, andresult of influence by a physiologist who pio- that sugars were notsmall number of power- neered research into significant. This dou-ful scientists who have nutrition and devel- ble theory was theninfluenced negatively oped the famous US extended to includethe understanding of K-Rations for use by obesity and metabol-the causes and mecha- US servicemen during ic syndrome, and thisnisms of a range of WW2, developed the remains the view to thisdegenerative diseases – day. Any researchersobesity/diabetes/heart who opposed this viewdisease, and demen-tias. From the 1920sthrough the 1970s themajor figure in diabe-tes research was ElliotJoslin and his textbookon diabetes was man-datory. Joslin held theview that diabetes wasa fat-driven conditionand that sugars werenot the causative agen-cy, in spite of the knowl-edge that incidence ofthis condition dropped 37

were marginalised or and Human Need in April (which has a long andattacked as unscien- 1973, Senator Charles illustrious history), wastific. A cardiologist, Percy of Illinois went suppressed, and it isRobert Atkins, who, on record, on behalf of only now, in the secondalong with several other Fred Stare, a nutrition- decade of the 21st cen-groups of research- ist at Harvard, saying: tury that this view hasers, had successfully “The Atkins diet is non- resurfaced. The periodtreated his cardiac and sense...the author who since the Senate hear-obese patients with makes the assertion ing saw the inclusiona low sugar/low car- is guilty of malprac- of sugars in processedbohydrate diet, was tice”. Thus the theo- foods at the expense ofvenomously attacked; ry that refined sugars fats, and the incidencein the Senate Select may be a major cause of obesity/diabetes andCommittee on Nutrition of metabolic illness dementias exploded. Gestational Diabetes Is it possible to refer subject to a combina- to a condition of foetal tion of hyperglycaemia dementia? Gestational and hyperinsulinism. diabetes, a growing At birth the infants are problem, is a condition often large (macroso- in pregnancy where mic) and they are at the mother devel- increased risk of obesi- ops a form of type 2 ty/diabetes and meta- diabetes in the third bolic syndrome. trimester. The foe- tal circulation is then 38

In September 2013 a study at the formed – notUniversity of Copenhagen showed so the humanthat sugars are vital signalling co- brain, whichfactors in the formation of the brain continues tovia a MicroRNA system known as develop andmir-79 (the human equivalent is grow beyondmir-9). If the foetal cerebral glu- birth and intocose pump is suppressed, the secondas it would be in the decade ofhyperglycaemic/hyper- life.insulinic environmentof the foetal circulation, Let the alarm bells ring in everythe outcome would be home, nursery, primary school,impaired formation of the secondary school, college, univer-new brain and incipient sity and all centres of learning anddementia. Recent stud- education. It will not be lost onies point to exactly this the reader that the environmentconclusion – a study by in which the foetus is suspended,the Universities of Bristoland Glasgow found:“ ...Offspring of moth-ers with existing diabe-tes had a threefold riskof achieving no GCSEsgraded A-C, whilst off-spring of women withgestational diabetes had,on average, a five point lower IQcompared to offspring of womenwith no diabetes or glycosuria ...” By the third trimester of gesta-tional diabetes all of the organswith one exception are already fully 39

cognitive impairments in infants of gestational diabetic mothers; we also find cerebral volume and IQ deficits in childhood obesity and in ADHD.characterized by hyperglycaemia Numerous government interven-and hyperinsulinism, the twin toxic tions into the crises of obesity/hypers that inhibit glucose trans- diabetes and heart disease overfer into the brain, is not radically the past half century have faileddifferent to the diobesic food and to induce any significant behaviourcarbohydrate charged matrix which changes in the general population,all of us modern urban humans in spite of huge media interest andinhabit. The foetus of gestational coverage. Indeed the incidence ofdiabetes shows us that the dev- dementia/diabetes and obesity isastating consequence of chronic rapidly growing.cerebral glucose deprivation is anobese infant that is cognitively Tragic as may be the physiologi-impaired – a sequence that chal- cal and neurological conditions thatlenges the standard view of mod- plague modern urban humanity,ern dementia – and that metabolic they may be masking un underlyingconditions such as obesity and dia- and more incipient and profoundbetes increase risk of dementias degeneration, that of the shrink-and Alzheimer’s disease. We noted ing human brain – the organ that makes us uniquely human and that gave rise to consciousness, lan- guage, writing, agriculture, civili- sation, law, literature, art, culture, music, science, technology and phi- losophy. In spite of an explosion in information technology our chil- dren are advanced and advancing on the road to cognitive and neural 40

degeneration and dementia via the and Gary Taubes, has opened abouttoxic combination of sleep depri- the true role of sugars in metabolicvation and sugar-driven suppres- impairments.sion of the cerebral glucose pump(iPump); might they become a new We forward-provision the brain inoffshoot of Homo sapiens – Homo the period prior to sleep afterinsapiens? an early evening meal, reducing chronic nocturnal metabolic stress What Can We Do? and the risk of all the metabolic conditions. Paradoxically, honey is the Gold Standard food for this purpose. Perhaps now, at last, we have the Bariatric Sleepopportunity to promote a publicdiscussion around the question of In the west we view sleep as awhether our excess consumption of low energy event, a myth driven bysugars and refined carbohydrates diet gurus which is not only unsci-is shrinking the human brain in entific but positively dangerous.ourselves, in our children, and in As a result we retire to bed with athe offspring of our children. May depleted liver, and activate not qual-we open a new era in human nutri- ity sleep and recovery physiology,tion and health? but rather chronic nocturnal meta- bolic stress and increased risk ofThere are two very simple and cost metabolic syndrome, every night ofeffective strategies that may halt our lives. By selectively restockingor reverse this process. the liver prior to sleep we forward- provision cerebral energy reserves,We reduce consumption of refined reduce chronic nocturnal metabolicsugars and carbohydrates, anopportunity that is now availablesince a new public discourse, led byresearchers such as Robert Lustig 41

In a study presented in 2009 at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC Seattle, Washington, a group led by Professor Sergio Tufik at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, measured weight loss in healthy young men, and found that weight loss during sleep was 3 times that of awake bed rest, and that the highest level measured was during slow wave (recovery) sleep. No explanation was offered for the significant differences, but recovery physiology during sleep is an energy expensive enterprise, is dependent on sleep, and is exclu- sively sourced from adipose fat.stress, promote quality sleep and This important study seems torecovery physiology, reduce the have slipped below the radar of therisk of metabolic syndrome, and metabolic science community, butimprove memory and learning dur- underpins the perspectives of thising REM sleep. Sleep is a bariatric project.event, in so far as recovery physi-ology utilises adipose fats drawn Post bariatric surgery, the met-from the circulation; exercise uses abolic parameters correlated toa mix of adipose and muscle fat. weight gain and diabetes (hyper-Eight hours of quality sleep and glycaemia/hyperinsulinism), arerecovery physiology may oxidise 5 reversed in advance of weight loss.times the body fat of a 90-minute In other words these parametersexercise session (Dr Michael Mosley are not caused by weight gain/dia-in a BBC study – 49 grams versus betes; they are the driving forces9.5 grams). of these conditions.42

Professor Achim Why Honey? the fastest growingPeters, leader of the area for metabolic syn-Selfish Brain Group at In the Southern drome is in that region.Lubeck, has pioneered Mediterranean, for They (unconsciously)the theory that the thousands of years, practiced the principlecause of weight gain the population retired of forward-provisioningand metabolic impair- to bed after a healthy the brain via the liverments is chronic cere- evening meal, around prior to sleep. In thebral glucose depriva- 10-11pm, with a west it is not likely thattion – or chronic unre- restocked liver, and the universal culture ofsolved cerebral hunger. activated quality sleep the early evening mealProfessor Christian and recovery physi- will be altered any timeBenedict at Lubeck ology every night in soon. Thus we can adopthas found that noctur- life. This is the most the strategy enjoyednal metabolic stress is neglected aspect of the in the Southern Meddirectly related to com- Mediterranean diet; by selectively replen-promised cerebral ener- timing is a key influ- ishing the liver priorgy supply. Professor JJ ence in all metabol- to sleep. Honey isGuinovart at Barcelona ic events. Since they the Gold Standard foodhas found that restora- have recently aban-tion of hepatic glyco- doned this practice,gen reserves reducesthe conditions of mod-ern metabolic impair-ment and the causativeagencies of metabolicsyndrome -- hypergly-caemia, hyperphagiaand the enzymes ofgluconeogenesis. 43

for this purpose (with- – GLP-1/free IGF-1/ lovely poetic negativeout digestive burden), leptin. Insulin is stim- feedback mechanismafter an early evening ulated via the HYMN available only duringmeal. Honey is a potent Cycle, promotes mela- the dark phase of theanti-diabetic food, and tonin and is then sup- circadian cycle. Nosince it is the twin toxic pressed and controlled other food can matchhypers (glycaemia/ via melatonin and honey in this respect.insulin) associated with growth hormone – aa pre-diabetic statethat drive our meta- Nocturnal Energybolic ailments – physi- Homeostasis:ological and neurologi- The Holy Grail of Moderncal -- honey has been Metabolic Impairmentsselected to restock theliver every night in lifeprior to sleep. Honey restocks the It is possible to estab- recalibration of theliver via several mecha- lish nocturnal global glutamate/glutaminenisms including fructose energy homeostasis, cycle (iPump), thusliberation of glucoki- without pharmaceu- reducing chronic noc-nase/ increased glyco- tical intervention, by turnal cerebral hungergen synthase/reduced forward-provisioning and chronic nocturnalphosphorylase, and cerebral energy in the metabolic stress. Thissuppression of gluca- liver via honey; this in turn promotes qual-gon. Honey activates leads to activation of ity sleep and recov-the honey/insulin/mel- the HYMN Cycle and the ery (fat burning) phys-atonin (HYMN) Cycle, promotion of a cascade iology, and improvedpromoting sleep and of nocturnal hormones learning and memoryrecovery physiology. that facilitate cerebral during REM sleep. InIn addition Honey uptake of glucose via this sense we may statestimulates a cascadeof beneficial hormones 44

that the optimally func- Reduced consumption constitute the singletioning iPump is the of refined sugars and most significant andengine of quality sleep carbohydrates, com- cost effective contribu-and recovery physiol- bined with honey taken tion to public healthogy, and therefore of prior to sleep every and learning in severalnocturnal fat metabo- night, after an early generations.lism. evening meal, may (c). Mike McInnesMike McInnes is a retired Scottish pharmacist with a special interest in cerebralenergy metabolism and its modern impairments.Mike, who lives in Edinburgh, has written The Honey Diet – a popular book on weightcontrol that introduces the public to the glial cell and to chronic cerebral glucosedeprivation as the driving force of obesity, via suppression of the cerebral glucosepump (iPump), and to sleep deprivation as a cofactor in weight gain.The Honey Diet is published by Hodder and Stoughton, Imprint of Hachette. January2nd 2014.REFERENCES causation is posited as from obesity/type 2 diabetes to cognitive impairment – the reverse of the true sequenceAiello LC, Wheeler P. The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis: of events in modern sugar driven suppression of the cere-The Brain and the Digestive System in Human and Primate bral glucose pump: http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Evolution. Current Anthropology, Vol.36, No 2(Apr.,1995), Activity%20Files/Children/NeuroEffectsChildren/Convit.pp. 199-221 pdfBaker LD, Cross DJ, Minoshima S, Belongia D, Watson Denton M. University of Otago, New Zealand ExcellentGS, Craft S. Insulin resistance and Alzheimer’s-like description of the colossal metabolic rate and energyreductions in regional cerebral glucose metabolism for demand of the retina – 3 times that of the cerebralcognitively normal adults with prediabetes or early type 2 cortex: http://www.arn.org/docs/odesign/od192/invert-diabetes. Arch Neurol. 2011 Jan;68(1):51-7. edretina192.htmBass J, Turek FW. Sleepless in America: A Pathway to “...The mammalian photoreceptor is capable of generat-Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome? Arch Intern Med/ ing electrical response to a single photon of light -- theVol 165, Jan 10, 2005. minimal bundle of light energy. This remarkable capacityBellisle F. Infrequently asked questions about is dependent on a complex catalytic cascade consistingthe Mediterranean Diet. Public Health Nutr. 2009 of a series of enzymes in the photoreceptor cell whichSep;12((A):1644-7 massively amplifies the initial signal -- the absorptionBenedict C, Kern W, Schmid SM, Schultes B, Born J, by a single rhodopsin molecule of a single photon. ThisHallschmid M. Early morning rise in hypothalamic-pitu- amplification process requires vast quantities of metabolicitary-adrenal activity: a role for maintaining the brain’s energy and consequently the photoreceptor layer has oneenergy balance. Psychneuroendocrinology. 2009 Apr; of the highest metabolic rates of any known tissue. The34(3):455-62. oxygen consumption of the mammalian retina (per gramConvit A Excellent PP on impact of obesity and type2 diabetes on brain structure and function. Again the 45

of tissue) is...three times greater than the cerebral cor- Weight Loss Rate During Sleep and Awake Rest. Journaltex...” of Sleep and Sleep Disorders Research Vol 32 AbstractDiamond MC, Scheibel AB, Murphy GM Jr, Harvey T. On Supplement. 2009 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associatedthe brain of a scientist: Albert Einstein. Exp Neurol. 1985 Professional Sleep societies, LLC Seattle, Washington.Apr;88(1): 198-204. Ola MS, Hosova K, LaNoue KF. Influence of insulin onDing J, Patton N, Deary IJ, Strachan MW, Fowkes FG, glutamine synthetase in the muller glial cells of retina.Mitchell RJ, Price JF. Retinal microvascular abnormali- Metab Brain Dis 2011 Sep;26(3): 195-202.ties and cognitive dysfunction: a systematic review. Br J Pedersen ME, Snieckute G, Kagias K, Nehammer C,Opthalmol. 2008 Aug;92(8): 1017-25 Multhaupt HA, Couchman JR, Pocock R. An epidermalErejuwa OO, Sulaiman SA, Wahab MSA. Honey – A Novel microRNA regulates neuronal migration through controlAntidiabetic Agent, Int J Biol Sci 2012; 8(6):913-93. of the cellular glycolisation state. Science. 2013 SepFields R Douglas. The Other Brain. (A brilliant analysis of 20;341(6152): 1404-8the growing field of glial science- MM). Simon & Schuster Peters A. The selfish brain: Competition for energyPaperbacks New York 2009. resources. Am J Hum Biol. 2011 Jan-Feb;23(1):29-34Fraser A, Nelson SM, Macdonald-Wallis C, Lawlor DA. Qui WQ, Folstein MF. Insulin, insulin-degrading enzymeAssociation of Existing Diabetes, Gestational Diabetes and and amyloid-beta peptide in Alzheimer’s disease: reviewGlycosuria with Offspring IQ, and Educational Attainment: and hypothesis. Neurobiol Aging. 2006 Feb;27(2):190-8The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Exp Ros S, Garcia-Rocha M, CAlbo J, Guinovart JJ. RestorationDiabetes Res. 2012: 963735 of hepatic glycogen deposition reduces hyperglycaemia,Grunstein HS, James DE, Storlien LH, Smythe GA, hyperphagia and gluconeogenic enzymes in a strepto-Kraegen EW. Hyperinsulinemia suppresses glucose uti- zotocin-induced model of diabetes in rats. Diabetologia.lization in specific brain regions: In vivo studies using 2011 Oct;54(10):2639-48.the euglycemic clamp in the rat. Endocrinology. 1985 Russell VA, Oades RD, Tannock R, Killeen PR, AuerbachFeb;116(2):604-10. JG, Johansen EB, Sagvolden T. Response variability inKashyap SR, Gatmaitan P, Brethauer S, Schauer P. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder: a neuronal andBariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes: weighing the impact glial enegetics hypothesis. Behav Brain Function. 2006for obese patients. Cleve Clin J Med. 2010 Jul;77(7):468- Aug 23;2:3076. Shen X, Xu G. Role of IL-1beta on the glutamine synthe-Lim SK, Park MJ, Lim JC, Han HJ, Kim GY, Cravatt BF, Woo tase in retinal Muller cells under high glucose conditions.CH, Ma SJ< Yoon KC, Park SH. Hyperglycemis induces Curr Eye Res. 2009 Sep;34(9):727-36apoptosis via CB1 activation through the decrease of Sherwood CC, Stimpson CD, Raghanti MA, Wildman DE,FAAH 1 in retinal pigment cells. J Cell Physiol. 2012 Uddin M, Grossman LI, Goodman M, Redmond JC, BonarFeb;227(2):569-77. CJ, Erwin JM, hof PR. Evolution of increased gli-neuroneMcCall AL, Millington WR, Wurtman RJ. Metabolic fuel and ratios in the human prefrontal cortex. Proc Natl Acad U.amino acid transport into the brain in experimental diabe- S. A. 2006 Sep 12;103(37):13606-11.tes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1982 Sept;79(17):5406-10. Taubes Gary. The Diet Delusion (Gary Taubes examinesMcAuliffe Kathleen, excellent Discover Magazine article the entire history of diets and concludes that the low fatin January 2011 on the positive shrinking human brain. /high carb diet endorsed by the scientific establishmenthttp://discovermagazine.com/2010/sep/25-modern- for many decades is a tragic error, and that refined car-humans-smart-why-brain-shrinking#.UvkpXGJ_uSo bohydrates are the driving force of modern obesity andMarioni RE, Strachan MWJ, Reynolds RM, Lowe GDO, metabolic impairments - MM).Mitchell RJ, Fowkes FGR, Frier Bm, Lee AJ, Butcher I, Van Cauter E, Spieqel K, Tasali E, Leproult R. MetabolicRumley A, Murray GD, Dreary IJ, Price JF. The Edinburgh consequences of sleep and sleep loss. Sleep Med. 2008Type 2 Diabetes Study. Association Between Raised Sep;9 Suppl 1:S23-8.Inflammatory Markers and Cognitive Decline in Elderly Yau PL, Castro MG, Tagani A, Tsui WH, Convit A. ObesityPeople with Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes. 2010 March; and metabolic syndrome and functional and structural59(3): 710-713 brain impairments in adolescents. Pediatrics. 2012Moraes W, Azevedo E, Utino A, de Mello M, Tufik S. Oct;130(4):e856-64. 46

Geopolymer research:An interview withJoseph DavidovitsbyTania Deywebsitewww.publicationslist.org/tania_deyG eopolymer is a sustainable cement specimens. This interview-based article will throw some light on his research work andmaterial. It is amazing how geopolymer obstacles, the state-of-the-art progress inresearch has evolved and advanced in the geopolymer technology, and the thoughtslast several years. Joseph Davidovits is a and suggestions that he has to offer.pioneer in this area. It is interesting to notethat his work was inspired by archeological47

Professor Joseph Davidovitsis famous for his pioneering work on geopolymers.He is an internationally renowned French MaterialsScientist and Archeologist, who was honored byFrench President Jacques Chirac with one of France’stwo highest awards, the “Chevalier de l’Ordre Nationaldu Mérite”, in November 1998. Davidovits has aFrench Degree in Chemical Engineering and a GermanDoctorate Degree (PhD) in Chemistry, is professorand founder of the Institute for Applied ArchaeologicalSciences in Barry University, Miami, Florida (1983-1989), Visiting Professor in Penn State University,Pennsylvania (1989-1991) and Professor and Directorof the Geopolymer Institute, Saint-Quentin, France(1979-present). He is a world expert in modern andancient cements, as well as in geosynthesis and man-made rocks, and the inventor of geopolymers and thechemistry of geopolymerization. He has authored/co-authored more than 130 scientific papers and con-ference reports, holds more than 50 patents and haswritten the first reference book on geopolymer science,“Geopolymer Chemistry and Applications”.What is a Geopolymer?A geopolymer is a sustainable alternative to conven-tional Portland cement, having lower carbon dioxideemissions during manufacture, greater chemical andthermal resistance, and better mechanical propertiesboth at ambient and extreme conditions. Metakaolinis commonly used as a starting material for the labo-ratory synthesis of geopolymers and is generated bythermal activation of kaolinite clay. Geopolymers canalso be made from other sources of pozzolanic materi-als, such as volcanic ash, fly ash, slag, pumicite etc.Geopolymerization is a multi-step process and the finalproduct is an inorganic polymer network of highly-coor-dinated three-dimensional aluminosilicate gel. 48

T.D. Dr. Davidovits, I have read that you went all the way to the Giza pla-teau to study the Egyptian pyramids and in your books Why the pharaohsbuilt the Pyramids with fake stones and The Pyramids: an enigma solvedyou have presented a captivating and surprising view of how the pyramidswere built, supported by archeology, hieroglyphic texts, scientific analy-sis and religious and historical facts. Your theory was that the stones ofthe Great Pyramid were not quarried or carved from huge blocks hauledon fragile ramps, but made on site from re-agglomerated stone (a natu-ral limestone treated like a concrete) cast in moulds, somewhat similar tomodern cement and other artificial building techniques. You first aired thisintriguing theory, which made you famous, in 1974, crippling the conven-tional Egyptology. What prompted you to undertake this unusually remark-able study? What was the catalyzing factor?Dr. Davidovits It was partly chance. worked essentially on producing were materi-My work as a research the chemical reactions als that are very closechemist really start- with clay minerals. to natural cements,ed in 1972. My tar- Nobody took any notice such as rocks basedget was the creation of of us and with my team on feldspars, the feld-fire-resistant polymer- we developed the first spathoids. One day, as aic materials. For two applications, for the joke, I asked my scien-years, in my labora- building industry. But tific partners, two welltory in Saint-Quentin, in June 1974, I real- known French miner-Picardie, France, I ized that what we were alogists at the Muséum 49