In addition to the use of Vitamin B12, support for the long route around the cycle also uses folate. Those with MTHFR (methyl tetra hydrofolate) mutations cannot use plain folate directly and instead use a special form of folate called 5 methyl THF which helps to bypass these MTHFR mutations.

If possible I would suggest a source of 5 methyl THF that gives you control over dosing such that you can adjust the dose down to a very low level. This is important as the addition of 5 methylTHF will often be the piece that triggers significant excretion of toxic substances from the body. Having the ability to adjust this process is a real plus as it allows you to limit the dose of 5 methylTHF and hence to have some control over the rate of detoxification. In general I prefer to use smaller amounts of a range of supplements and herbs to support the system naturally.

I am well aware that there are other programs that use much higher doses of 5 methyl THF. While this is not my preference at all, you can increase the amount of 5 methyl THF as needed to adapt to whatever program you are using. I see the Roadmap to health as a marathon, not a sprint. A change in the way you approach life, look at health and supporting your body. This program is not a quick fix high dose solution. Rather than approaching healthcare as something to rush through and just get finished with, I use a different lens or vantage point to approach personal healthcare. You are going to care about your health more than almost anyone else. You have the capacity to take charge of your own health with this program. You have the ability to make balancing the Methylation Cycle just another part of your daily routine.

The use of 5 formyl THF (this is a different molecule and a different supplement than 5 methyl THF) will feed directly into the points of the pathway that synthesize the DNA and RNA bases, known as nucleotides. DNA and RNA are critical for new cell synthesis and cellular repair. Due to the essential role that these nucleic acids and their building blocks serve in the body it is wise to supplement these compounds in a redundant fashion. In addition to the use of 5 formyl THF, I suggest that you directly add nucleotides to take some strain off of the pathway. Supplementation with specific RNAs may also be beneficial in terms of adding more complete RNA molecules so that the pathway does not need work to produce RNA sequences under conditions where the body is lacking components of the required pathway for these essential molecules.Support for the secondary pathway, the “short cut” through the cycle can also take some of the burden off the “long route” around the cycle. The idea is to continue to support the path going from homocysteine directly to methionine, the short cut, while simultaneously supplementing the long route via methionine synthase (MTR) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR).Small amounts of plain methionine can also be used and, if indicated by genetics, the addition of SAMe (s adenosyl methionine) help to support at additional steps of these cycles. SAMe is often referred to as the universal methyl donor, as it provides the methyl groups for DNA, RNA, histones, neurotransmitters, membrane phospholipids, proteins, melatonin and numerous small molecules.The goal is to use low doses of a variety of supplements to support a number of points of the pathway. I have found that this is easier on the system than using high doses of just a few supplements for this pathway. One way to understand this concept is to think of mutations in the pathway as accidents on a roadway. While it is possible to use a bulldozer to clear an accident that approach causes a great deal of collateral damage. On the other hand, if you recognize that there is more than one way to get from point A to point B, that you can take the highway, a second major roadway, a side road and a number of back roads, this opens up more gentle approaches to addressing the “accident” on the freeway. If you look to clear or bypass the accident as well as ensuring that all of the alternate routes are supported properly then you are more likely to keep traffic flowing in spite of the blockade on your major highway. The philosophy here is to recognize the pathways involved, the way in which they are interconnected and then supplement with small amounts of a number of nutrients to support the overall health of the entire pathway.It is important to keep in mind as you begin to supplement or bypass your genetic weaknesses in this pathway, that this pathway is also involved in the ability to silence viral infections and to detoxify environmental toxins and heavy metals. As you support this pathway, so that it functions properly, perhaps for the first time in your life, it may help your body to trigger natural detoxification mechanisms. While detoxification is important for overall long term health and wellness there can be temporary discomforts associated with the detoxification process. This is another reason to use the more gentle approach of supplementing with low doses of a number of supplements, rather than using the bulldozer (high dose) approach. There are simple noninvasive tests that can be utilized to monitor the rate of excretion of toxins from your system as you support your body to bypass Methylation Cycle mutations. As you detoxify you begin to lower the impact of environmental risk factors that affect your long term health and wellness.

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Detours and Exit Ramps

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