Is fish oil an ideal source of Omega-3?

Does any of you consume fish oil as daily Omega-3 supplement? Is it a good source of Omega-3 supplementation? How much do you pay for a bottle of fish oil? I would like to share with you guys the facts about fish oil in general and my recommendation of Omega-3 supplements. 

Does anyone know what is Omega-3? Omega-3 fatty acids, basically are family of the unsaturated fatty acids, they are rich is EPA, DHA and ALA. Apart from general fish oil, other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed, organic eggs, grass-fed organic meat, organic milk and cheese and etc. From my point of view, a really good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, is from krill oil. 

Krill oil is not as popular and well known as fish oil or cod liver oil. It is generally more expensive then most fish oils but has poor-availability in Malaysian supplement market. There are very few brands in Malaysia sells good krill oil supplementation. Most common fish oils sold in Malaysia are fish oil, cod liver oil, salmon oil, shark liver oil, etc. As for the general fish oil sold in most health outlets or pharmacies, the fishes sources are usually from  sardines, herring and mackerel. 

Why is fish oil not an ideal source of Omega-3? Oxidation. Yes, fish oils are prone to oxidation and when every time it contact with oxygen, it starts going rancid. Whenever during processing in the factory, the chances of exposing to oxygen is high, thus enabling the oils go bad. Omega-3 fats are very fragile, and easily damaged by oxygen. However, this is where krill oil stands out as winner. 

Krill oil would also be unstable, if it wasn't for the fact that it contains Astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is  a very potent anti-oxidant. It fights and prevents oxidative damage. In fact, krill oil remained undamaged, after being exposed to oxygen to 190 hours! Fish oil will go rancid after just 1 hour of oxygen exposure. But, before purchasing any krill oil supplementation, DO read the labels. if the content of astaxanthin is lower then 0.25g per 1g of krill oil, then the quality of the product is low and chances of that krill oil goes rancid is quite high.

Another reason why krill oil is preferred over fish oil, is amounts of contamination. Krill basically has very short lifespan in the ocean. The amount of contamination such as mercury, lead, chromium, arsenic, PCBs, etc, are much higher in fish comparing to krill. Krill do not have enough time to actually bioaccumulate the toxins and metals in the tissues.

Besides that, you might notice certain brands of fish oil supplements do have added or higher saturated fat. Why? It is because the manufacturers added 'lard' to the fish oil. Reason? Cheaper production of fish oil. Try putting your fish oil in the refrigerator and you will notice they turn solid. 

So, what is the recommended dose for Omega-3 fatty acids for daily consumption? I would say 1:1 ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. If it's 2:1 ratio, it is not too bad, but most people these days have 10:1 or 20:1 ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3. Folks, reduce your Omega-6 intake and eat foods which have more Omega-3 fats. Stay healthy!

"Good Salt" : Potassium

Do you sometimes notice athletes or bodybuilders eat food which is rich in potassium such as bananas, before the training sessions? Would eating a lot of bananas or fruits everyday is a good idea?  Many might think that eating plenty of fruits daily is good for health. For me, I disagree and DO NOT think that consuming plenty of fruits daily is beneficial to health. In fact, it is a recipe for Diabetes, Obesity and other host of diseases. Why? sugar content especially fructose level in fruits. Anyway, let's focus on potassium and discuss about the benefits of this mineral to our body, as well as the types of veggies and fruits which are rich in this mineral.

Potassium, an essential mineral "salt" sometimes referred to as the "good salt,". A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly. As an electrolyte,  potassium is a positive charged ion that must maintain a certain concentration in order to carry out its functions, which includes interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction and heart function.

Potassium is widely available in fruits and vegetables, but if you eat a highly processed diet, there's a chance you're not getting enough. Furthermore, it's generally recommended that you take in five times more potassium than sodium,  but most people get two times more sodium than potassium. So if you have high blood pressure, it could be a sign that you're lacking in this vital mineral. Signs of severe potassium deficiency include fatigue, muscle weakness, abdominal pain and cramps.

What type of fruits commonly have good source of potassium? Banana is one of the most widely available and consumed fruit amongst society. Many people immediately think of bananas when it comes to potassium, but you don't need to eat bananas to make sure you're getting enough. One reason, fruits like bananas, are very high in sugar, especially fructose. Bananas do contain potassium, but so does the vast majority of other fruits and veggies. 

From my point of view, I would recommend Avocado. Yes, it is a bit more expensive comparing the price with bananas, but this fruit is very low in sugar, twice as much potassium, and is good source of monounsaturated and saturated fat. A piece of medium size Avocado, could easily contain less then 1g of sugar and up to 40g of 'good' fat. It is one of the 'superfruits' which has many beneficial nutrients. 

Also, below are some of the fruits/vegetables which I would recommend for daily consumption and they DO NOT cause insulin spike in the blood.

• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Celery
• Carrots
• Avocado

Pasteurized Milk

Anyone loves drinking milk? What's your favourite milk? Is pasteurized milk good for our body? Today, I'm gonna share with you my 2 cents about pasteurized milk. 

There are few types of milk which can be consumed in liquid form. The most common ones are pasteurized and homogenized milk. Those are the types of milk sources which are sold in supermarkets, grocery outlets and convenient stores. Next, we have raw milk. That is what I call 'real milk'. It is the only milk which contains the actual nutrients that will benefit the body. Raw milk is actually breast milk. 

Unfortunately, it is difficult to find raw milk in Malaysia. We have cows producing so called 'raw milk' and sold amongst some of the farmers in certain villages and along the roadside stalls, but are those cows naturally free range and grazing on healthy fertilized grass without pesticides contamination? 

What is pasteurized milk? It basically means the milk has to go through high temperature heating for a period of time, then cooling off after that. This process actually kills off everything in the milk, including nutrients, bacteria and enzymes. Another reason is to increase the shell life of the milk product.

Most milk products stated "Enriched with calcium, protein, vitamins and etc". What does "Enriched" means? When you see any food product says "Enriched", it means the food manufacturer added synthetic nutrient into whatever you are buying and eating. Yes, synthetic made from the chemical lab and NOT real nutrients. So, for those people drinking pasteurized milk everyday, do you think you are digesting whatever nutrients which are stated on the product? Think again.

Why does some people have lactose intolerance? When milk goes through pasteurization process, it kills off the 'good bacteria' and enzyme (lactase). Without lactase, it will cause the GI to have problems breaking down the lactose in the milk. Make sense? Apart from that, many people do not know often ones have lactose intolerance, have gluten intolerance as well. 

How about homogenized milk?  It involved process of blasting the milk with high pressure of 4000 psi to a screen. Reason? This process separates the fat and prevents the layer of cream from the milk. Why is is not good? Try being blasted by liquid of some form of high pressure 4000 psi. You will literally get a hole in your body! Due to high temperature which occur during this process, it resulted in release of bovine from milk which may cause cardiovascular diseases or atherosclerosis.

Now, is milk good or bad? It actually depends on the quality of the milk produced. If it's raw milk or organic non-pasteurized/homogenized milk, then I would say it is beneficial to the body. Remember, yogurt, butter and cheese derived from milk. So, if you are eating commercial dairy products, you should know what will happen to the health of your body. Happy milking folks!

Does eating organic worth the extra cost?

I feel energized, fresh, mentally focused and full or energy today. It's been quite some time ago, since I last felt burn-out, fatigue or sick. I've been eating organic food for quite some time now, and eliminating as much processed and fast food as possible, which includes food products sold in supermarkets and grocery outlets. 

A lot of my friends, colleagues and even relatives ask me what is organic food? I'm surprised that very few people realize the bright side of consuming organic food.  More and more people are enjoying processed food more then ever, dining at hawkers stalls, fast food outlets as well as restaurants seem to be a common meal routine whenever couples, friends and families decided to fill up their stomach. What's your favorite fast food outlet? McDonalds? Pizza Hut? KFC? Do you know how much of trans fat, MSG, sugar, HFCS are being digested into your body in a single meal? What happen to real whole organic food? Doesn't anyone eat real whole food anymore? 

Whoever is reading this post and is a fan of organic food, please leave a comment after you finished reading this article. I think it’s important to realize that the “price” we pay for organic food is not just about the price tag of the food itself, but also the long-term savings, in terms of reduced health care costs. 

Traditional farming practices used before the 20th century are generally recognized as being organic.  This was before the creation of pesticides, herbicides, irradiation, synthetic fertilizers, and a host of other “progressive” farming “inputs”, used to control pests, decrease farm labor and supposedly increase crop yields. In other words, in the old days, farmers planted non-genetically altered seeds, rotated crops, pulled weeds, and put in long hours to ensure their harvest was bountiful.  Farm animals ate grass and lived off the land. 

The result was an organic food supply and much lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Let's fast forward to the 21st century, where farmers routinely spray their crops with poisons, plant genetically altered seeds, and feed animals growth hormones, unnatural grain diets and antibiotics.  And the current rates of heart disease, diabetes and cancer (along with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and autism) have reached proportions never seen before in human history.

The truth is, organic farming, or doing things the old fashioned way, is just as sustainable, if not more so, than “progressive” modern farming with its reliance on “inputs”. But not subject to debate, and definitely NOT a myth, is the fact that any chemical designed to kill bugs, mold or fungus can seriously damage your health. Likewise, it’s a well-known fact that modern farming practices deplete the soils, which in turn produces less nutrient-rich produce. Please read my previous post about organic apples, which I mentioned briefly about  the quality of organic and commercial.

I've came across with friends telling me that he or she can't afford to eat organic. To whoever is reading this right now, I'm telling you "You can buy a nice expensive car or mobile phone but you can't afford to eat healthy?". It doesn't make sense folks! What happen to priorities in life? I think it's time to wake up and have some responsibility of your own health and life. Some people tell me he or she doesn't have a degree in nutrition or medicine, thus, do not have the knowledge to know what to eat? Are my ears deceiving me? You don't need a doctorate or degree in nutrition to eat healthy! Majority of parents don't even have a clue how to ensure their kids eat healthy. Parents thought whatever they are feeding their kids for years, are actually healthy. Yeah, giving your kids ice-creams, white bread, soft drinks, concentrated fruit juices, cookies, cakes,  infant or kids milk powders, FAST FOOD and a million more of harmful food list which I can go on and on and on all day long!

To all the parents out there, I know all of you love your infants and kids with all your heart. But, would you take further responsibility to ensure your kids live and eat healthy? If the answer is YES, then before all this can happen, YOU yourself needs to ensure you show good example by eating a healthy diet, and not some shitty poor diet. You eat Junk food, you get junk mood and health! Simple as that.

Question, does anyone knows how many types of pesticides are used commonly in majority of all our vegetables and fruits and grains including rice? Let me tell you this folks. Read carefully and open your eyes wide! Pesticides are used in Biological warfare! And every commercial vegetables, fruits and rice and whatever grains  and meats and eggs sold in supermarkets, they are all contaminated with pesticides! Yes, that is the different between buying organic and commercial food products.

If any of you wants to suffer infertility, suppression of immune system, cancer, miscarriages, neurotoxicity, disruption of endocrine system, then continue your consumption of commercial food products. Of course there are lists of other damages which can impact your body but let's keep it short.

What does a farmer gain by NOT using chemical inputs on crops? Higher costs. Natural fertilizers, such as chicken manure, cost more then synthetic fertilizers. But restrictions on pesticides and synthetic fertilizer are only part of the higher cost of organic food. Organic farmers are also not subsidized by the federal government, putting them at further economic disadvantage compared to conventional farmers. 

Why is organic food more expensive? Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and to reduce pollution. They are not designed to save money. Organic farming cannot use:

Pesticides

Synthetic Fertilizers

Sewage sludge

Genetically modified organisms

Ionizing radiation

Antibiotics

Growth Hormones

For instance, not using ionizing radiation means foods spoil faster. Not using antibiotics means conditions that create sick animals must be avoided in the first place. Not using growth hormones means animals grow slower and not as large. All of these things can translate to lower profit margins.  So, in order for organic farms to remain economically viable, they need to charge a premium for the products they produce. The question is: is it worth the extra cost? From my point of view, the answer is absolutely YES. Organic food is much more nutritious and dramatically improve your health, thereby, reducing health care cost. Also, organic food has lower nitrate content.

Organic apples, beef, and spinach, for example, give you more bang for your buck than other produce because their conventionally grown counterparts are heavily laden with pesticides and other harmful additives. When it comes to produce, you’ll want to keep in mind the presence of pesticides. I now present to you the list of food which usually has the lowest pesticide load when conventionally grown. 

• Broccoli
• Eggplant
• Cabbage
• Banana
• Kiwi
• Asparagus
• Sweet peas (frozen)
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Sweet corn (frozen)
• Avocado
• Onion     

Since animal products tend to bioaccumulate toxins, it would make sense to make sure your meat choices are organic. When choosing organic meat such as beef however, you should also go the additional step and make certain the cows are grass fed exclusively, especially the few months before they are slaughtered. For chickens, it would be important to make sure they are organic free-range chickens.

The old saying “you get what you pay for” applies perfectly to the food supply in your 21st century stores and supermarkets. Sounds familiar? Processed foods are full of sugar, white flour, trans fats and hydrogenated oils, artificial flavor enhancers, MSG, chemical colors and preservatives. What about the cost to your health and quality of life from eating these foods? These costs don’t show up on your food bill.  But they show up in medical bills and in your quality of life. 

I strongly encourage everyone who read this post, to change your eating diet, particular practice consuming organic food and ensure your family is doing the same, as you will be setting exemplary status for everyone including your colleagues, friends and relatives as well. Remember, every meal you eat, you are voting for the food and health industry. The choice is yours.

P/S:  I have colleagues and friends who don't like to talk about health and nutrition. I have a message to them, "Living in ignorance can kill you, or contribute to a miserable life". All my best wishes to you all. 

Apple: Organic or commercial?

An average apple, should have 4-5g of fiber, ranging between 90-100 calories and half gram of protein. Is apple a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals? The answer is YES, if the fruit is organically grown. I'm not talking about the commonly available 'commercial' apples sold in supermarkets and grocery outlets. 

Most people think that eating fruits such as apples will provide them the essential nutrients needed. But, what most people doesn't know, is the nutrient content in a particular fruit is approximately only 15%. How could that be? Fruits such as watermelon, strawberries, honeydew, grapes, and other fruits which are contaminated with pesticides and fungicides killed off the nutrients which are absorbed from the soil itself. It is the soil quality which provides all the nutrient for any plant including vegetables and fruits. Any soil which has been contaminated with pesticides, fungicides or herbicides, will deplete the nutrient of the plant, as well as toxin being accumulated in the fruit or vegetable. 

Furthermore, in most cases, non-organic fruit, will have a lower quality fertilizer which is supposedly used to boost the grow of the plant. With that, it further deteriorate the nutrient level of that fruit or vegetable. So, do you still think that eating commercially grown fruits is good for you? Paying more for organic fruits, is definitely worth every penny for the sake of your HEALTH! Don't tell me you can't pay RM4 of an apple, but you can buy an IPHONE mobile device cost more then Rm2500? Wrong priorities folks! 

Minerals of a typical apple:

Potassium

Calcium

Phosphorus

Magnesium

Manganese

Iron

Sodium

Copper

Zinc

Vitamins of a typical apple:

Vitamin A, B, C, E, K

Niacin

Folate 

Artifical sweetener: Aspartame

Who loves chewing gum? How about diet coke or pepsi? I've seen so often, my colleagues, friends, people all around me, seem to be gulping down diet sodas or coke as if it is water. What happen to water consumption? Does anyone not drink water anymore? 

What I'm about to tell you, may shock or upset some of you out there. But, hopefully, after reading this post, all of you will be able to aware of this 'poison' and decide if you would still want to consume products which has this additive. 

First of all, this additive should never even been approved for human use. Early experiments using low and medium doses of aspartame, all found to dramatic tumor increases in animals. Monkeys who were given low dose of aspartame in their milk, 5 out of 7 ( i think), died of seizure. This excitotoxin is used in more then 6000 products in the market! It is about 150 times sweeter then sugar. 

What is Aspartame? It is an artificial sweetener. An addictive added in lots of processed food including soft drinks such as diet coke. It is also an excitotoxin and a hidden poison for the society. It consist of 50% of amino acid called Phenylalanine and 40% of Aspartic Acid. The remaining 10% of this molecular structure is methanol. Methanol, is metal wood alcohol. It is a poisonous toxin. It is a 'dumbing-down' chemical which is widely used by the society. It excites the neurons in brain until they became 'fried' and died! It breaks down in the body to into formaldehyde and formic acid. 

Aspartame can cause cancer, diabetes, obesity, headaches, seizures, blindness, insomnia, Alzheimer's disease, MS, Parkinson's disease as well as aggravate neurological diseases. It may also damage a 'fetus' developing brain. Even small concentrations in chewing gum have been shown to precipitate headaches. You can find aspartame in some of the processed food such as cereals, ice-creams, hot cholocate, chewing gum, soft drinks, cookies, candy bars, sweets, etc. Most processed food especially 'non-fat', 'zero calories' or 'no sugar' are the ones which likely to contain Aspartame. 

Question. Is normal coke better then Diet coke? I would have to say normal coke is generally not as dangerous then Diet Coke. Why? Well, even though normal Coke has lots of sugar, I would have to say that avoiding Diet sodas is a wise decision. But from my point of view, I would advise all of you to avoid all sorts of soft drinks because of HFCS effects on the liver's metabolism. I will post a section about High-Fructose Corn Syrup in a different post. 

So folks, READ the ingredients label on the processed food in the supermarkets or the grocery stores. Why pay for something which contain poison?  

 

 

Cheese & Yogurt

As I was doing my shopping couple weeks ago, I was having difficulty trying to find the best yogurt product in the supermarket. It turned out to be quite disappointing as usual, and the only 'better' yogurt product I can find is this one (attached pic). It is the only organic yogurt I can find at numerous supermarkets and groceries stores. The rest of the commercial yogurts are derived from milk of sick cows, and they are contaminated with antibiotics, growth hormones and fed with most likely GM foods. Sometimes I had no choice, but to purchase commercial yogurts once in a while if I couldn't get organic yogurt. Living in Malaysia could proved to be a challenge at times, especially when comes to choosing good organic food products. It is ideal and wise to ensure no chemicals, articial flavours, articial sweeteners, preservatives, emulsifiers as well as 'bad' sugars such as sucrose or fructose in the ingredient list. Also, most of the low fat or non fat yogurts tend to have high amount of sugar in each serving. Most consumers were tricked into buying low fat or non fat yogurts, thinking 'lower fat' content would not make them become fatter? It is all marketing effort by the food companies to boost their product sales. Remember, always look for yogurt product which has the lowest sugar content. 

What is the difference between a typical commercial yogurt  and organic yogurt? Kindly read the comparison below. 

Commercial yogurts:

• Derived mainly from milk of unhealthy cows which usually been given anti-biotics, growth hormones and been fed possibly GM foods.
• Most likely contain food additives, emulsifiers, preservatives, artificial flavors and sweeteners.
• Cheaper
• Widely available in supermarkets and grocery stores

Organic yogurts:

• Derived from milk of healthy free range cows which DO not have treatment of anti-biotics, growth hormones and naturally graze pasture grass.
• Very few products contain preservatives and food additives.
• More expensive
• Very few brands available in supermarkets and grocery stores.

Next, cheese. I was having same problem while trying to find non-commercial unprocessed cheese in supermarkets. Both unprocessed and organic cheese and yogurt do have live cultures 'good bacteria' and is beneficial to the body especially the gut. A good source of 'probiotic' if purchased carefully. But a processed commercial cheese would have almost all of the good bacteria killed and very low in nutritional content. 

While I was searching high and low for the best cheese product I can find, this particular brand (attached pic) looks to be a worthwhile purchase. Yes, it is organic, no growth hormones nor anti-biotics given to the cows, and it is an imported product from Europe. Most organic yogurts and cheese are imported from overseas, and the price is usually 2-5 times more expensive then the commercial ones. 

So, still having doubts on how to choose cheese and yogurt sold in most supermarkets? Gotta go.

SoyBeans : Is it a health food?

Does any of you loves to drink soy milk? How about tofu? How about soy protein isolate protein powder? Well, what I'm about to tell you, will most likely to shock or dissatisfy many of you, especially the ones who is on Vegan Diet.  

The majority of us, were informed and thought that soy products are health food, and a good source of protein and beneficial to health. Is it a true or simply a myth? I have yet to meet any of my friends or colleagues, who is aware of what soy products can do to our body. I'm not surprise, but I'm going to disclose the facts about soybeans or soy products to any of you, who is reading this right now.

There are basically two types of soybean food. Fermented and non-fermented soy. The fermented soy, is considered to be nutritional food source, but non-fermented soy, has some of the 'harmful' effects to the body. Has any of you loves to dine in Japanese restaurant? Heard of Miso? Yes, Miso is one of the fermented soy food which is mainly consumed by Japanese community. If you are a fan of Japanese food, you might have tried Natto as well. Another fermented soy food is called Tempeh. It originated from Indonesia, especially in the island of Java. These three fermented soy foods are consumed traditionally in Japan and Indonesia as source of protein. They are safe to eat, yet considered moderately 'healthy' and provide certain benefits to health in various ways. 

Now, let's talk about non-fermented soy food. There are whole list of harmful effects, which food products containing soy can do to our health. In this case, we are referring to GMO and non-GMO soybeans. What is GMO? It means Genetically Modified Organism. I will post more about GMO foods in another day when I have a bit more time (I hope). 

Let's start off with GMO soybeans. It is one of the most widely grown GMO plant in the world, especially United States. At least 90% of all soybean grown in Unites States are GMO. Apart from corn and canola, soybean production ranks one of the top three in terms of GMO food source. Is GMO food safe for us? Of course NOT! I will mainly talk about 'Organic Soybeans' in this post and less about GMO soy products.

I remember walking into an Organic health food outlet the other day. The so called health food promoter  recommends me to buy one of their popular products, which is Organic SOY Milk. He could not tell the smirk on my face, and I politely tell him that I'm not interested. Are all Organic food products sold in health food outlets considered good and safe to consume? I would not think so myself. I even noticed certain so called 'health snacks' containing food addictive. Better still, I recently found a so called 'Nutritionist Shop' nearby my place of stay, who claims to sell 'magic protein drink'. What a joke! Tons of posters and advertisements on the walls of that shop, showing obese woman turned into a 'less overweight' body after consuming the 'protein drink'. Well, well, how intelligent one has to be, in order to fall for that fraud? Guess what, one of that shop's main product is Soy protein. Yes, soy in a so called 'magic protein drink'. How magical could it be?? Folks, there are tons of ways to lose weight by not drinking a 'protein drink'! There are also tons of ways to lose weight in an unhealthy way. 

Ironically, I used to think that soybeans food products are good source of protein too. It was years back before I discovered the truth about soy. To everyone especially vegetarians out there, if you consume any food made from soybeans, you might want to reconsider once you have finished reading the facts about soy and what it does to human body.

Below are some of the facts about soybeans and its' effects to our body and health.

• Tripsin Inhibitor - It has this substance to prevent protein digestion  from food sources into our body.
• Goitrogen - It has this substance that suppress the thyroid functions and can cause enlargement of the thyroid. 
• Phytoestrogens - Plant chemicals which has very high 'estrogen' levels. It can develop 'man boobs' if consumed regularly by male adult. It can also cause premature puberty amongst children or teenagers.
• Inhibits iron, calcium & zinc - The absorption rates of these nutrients in body, are lower with soy milk powder.
• Loaded with manganese & aluminum - It may lead to toxicity of these minerals. 
• Loaded with cadmium - Research have shown that cadmium is found in infant milk formulas. 
• Hexane extraction - It is constituent of gasoline. It is used to separate the protein from the soy during processing in factory. 

What is mentioned above, are only some of the lists of effects of soy to human body. These are all facts, and not myth or assumption. Meanwhile, lots of fast food outlets are using soy ingredients to process/cook the food as well. Also, I would like to make a statement to all bodybuilders, athletes or whoever drinking 'protein powders' out there. Look out for 'Soy Protein Isolate'. Avoid any protein supplements or powders which has this ingredient in it. Why? Apart from the harmful effects of soy, soy protein isolate also contains loads of MSG! If you think you are building muscles or consuming health drink, you might want to reconsider seriously. Lastly, to some of the pediatricians out there, why are you giving infants 'soy based formula milk'?? I don't care if those poor infants are ill or having digestive problems. But, recommend mothers to give soy infant milk to their babies? What were you thinking doctors??

MSG : The taste that kills! (Part 4)

As you can recall in part 1, the discovery of MSG adverse effects was demonstrated on retinas of animals. Since that discovery, many studies were conducted on the connection between excitotoxins and eye diseases. One of the most startling discoveries was that destruction caused by glaucoma, is not direct result of elevated pressure in the eyeball, but it was the build up of glutamate in the retina. There is evidence that by lowering the glutamate levels in the retina, we may be able to prevent loss of vision.

Now that we have excessive of glutamate in the eye causing damage to the retina, what about other eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataract? Cataracts are the result of free radical damage of the proteins in the lens. Diabetics who drink large amount of aspartame-sweetened drinks are more likely to go blind. Aspartame is composed of the excitotoxin where part of the molecule structure is methanol. I will put up a post on aspartame soon.

Has anyone heard of gene called apoE4? People who has this gene, have higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease especially if one consume food high in excitotoxins. People with this gene do not have the same antioxidant protection as someone without the gene. It has been noted that the brains of Alzheimer's victims are severely deficient in many antioxidants including carotenoids, vitamin C, magnesium and glutathione. It may be that people with these antioxidant deficiencies early in life, especially if combined with free radical generating factors such as excessive iron, mercury, aluminum and MSG in their systems. 

I will post a topic about aluminum, lead and mercury toxicity in our environment hopefully when I got some time soon. All of us are exposed to these toxic metals almost everyday! From eating donuts to tooth filling,  processed cheese to soft drinks, etc. 

Let's discuss about how MSG can harm our heart. Most people would not have thought how these additives can cause heart diseases. First of all, high glutamate levels in the elderly would increase free radical generation in the heart muscle and the arteries supplying the heart. As I've mentioned in earlier post, these glutamate receptors are found in almost every organ in our body. 

As we age, most of us slow down. Some people slow down so much that they are barely moving or even spending time exercising. Muscles also become less efficient at removing glutamate in the body. As a result, a greater percentage of glutamate will remain in the blood, heart and most organs. As most people are deficient in antioxidants and malnutrition, this enables them in vulnerable 'zone'. 

I would want to say a few words to the society and whoever is reading this right now, remember this, "There is no treatment or medication which can overcome the effects of poor diet, inadequate nutrition, lack of exercise and unhealthy lifestyle". Imagine one day in a hospital, and the doctor tells you to your face, "You Have Cancer!". Wouldn't that thought frightens you? Prevention is better then cure. We only get to live once, why not live a quality healthy life and not suffer and die from a major life-threatening disease. Your choice, your life.  

MSG : The taste that kills! (Part 3)

I had a friend who recently asked me "How could MSG cause obesity or even Diabetes?". I had a discussion with him regarding the life-threatening dangers of consuming food with additives such as MSG. Usually, most of the people I know, would answer me "If we consume in moderate amount, that shouldn't be a problem to our health". Yeah right! The problem is, we have been consuming these additives since when we were kids. Years and decades of accumulated additives in food would sum up as "massive amount" in our period of life since childhood. 

So, would moderate amount of MSG still be safe for all of us? I'll let you decide for yourself and you will find out the answer in probably 10-15 years down the road. The question is, DO YOU VALUE YOUR HEALTH? Most people think that they are still fine and healthy because they have yet to contract any disease for time being. Have any of you heard of something called 'silent killer'? Yes, MSG is one of them. 

When we take about food, pizza is one of the worst offenders, especially commercial pizza.Tomato sauce alone is high in naturally derived free glutamate. When you add this to MSG, it produces a very neurotoxic mix. Add that to a diet coke or soft drinks, you will see that why we are having problems with obesity. 

One of the most devastating things that can happen to a child is to develop diabetes early in life. Numerous complications are associated with juvenile diabetes including frequent infections, hypertension, brain atrophy, etc. While children and teenagers are eating a lot of junk food and less exercise, it is no surprise that diabetes has increased tremendously. Besides that, I will reiterate once again(from my previous part 2) that parents feed their babies table food from early age, which contain large amount of MSG. 

FYI, glutamate in diet can induce as much as threefold increase in insulin release in the body. Thus, insulin-resistance is inevitable and that increase the risk of diabetes tremendously. Diets high in trans fat and Omega 6 type of fats, contribute to this diabetes-related membrane malfunction. 

It has been discovered that nerves and neurons in the heart contain an abundant supply of glutamate receptors. This may explain why some people suddenly die after eating meal containing large amount of MSG.  Some people may feel chest pain and shortness in breath after eating out in restaurants an hour later. By overstimulating the nerves of the heart, MSG could well induce symptoms similiar to heart attack. Most of these people might also have low magnesium levels, thus, making the heart more irritable and could throw the coronary arteries into spasm, producing full blown heart attack. Like the brain, magnesium in the heart prevents the glutamate receptors from over reacting. 

In addition to the discovery that the heart has glutamate receptors, it is also known the multiple tissues containing these receptors including lungs, kidney, ovary, testes and endocrine cells. Thus, the effect of excitotoxins on the endocrine system seem to be valid. Normally, pituitary gland secretes growth hormones especially when we are asleep or taking a nap. That is why it is important for children to get plenty of sleep. Studies shown that animals fed with MSG, produces less growth hormones. 

With the widespread of MSG to multiple tissues, is it possible that high consumption of MSG could trigger cancer? Studies shown that MSG and other excitotoxins produce enormous amount of free radicals in tissues, which are major cause of cancer. MSG consumption, would pose a special danger to cancer patient, as increased inflammation and free radical production can promote tumor growth. It also acts as fertilizer for cancer cells. Immunity is one of the most important weapons against cancer. I will discuss tons of information about cancer in different post when I have some free time. 

To be continued...

MSG : The taste that kills! (Part 2)

Unlike other organs, the brain undergoes it's greatest growth and organization during the last tri-semester of pregnancy and during the first two years after birth. This process of brain organization and development continues throughout the teen years. 

To all women who is currently pregnant or planning for a pregnancy soon, by reading what I'm about to tell you, I hope this grabs your attention seriously. Fetus receives much more nutrients then the mother for growth and development during the months of pregnancy. If a mother consume an unhealthy poor diet, which includes consumption of additives such as MSG, the future offspring will have problems such as cognitive impairment when the kid enrolls in school. When learning behaviors are divided into simple and complex learning tasks, the child seemingly unable to grasp complicated subjects and problem solving. A chemical dumbing down of children! 

Many of the children start life gorging on junk foods filled with excitotoxins. Unfortunately, many of their mothers ate badly during pregnancy as well. Many mothers will give their kids a pack of potato chips while watching cartoons. Without fail, 30 or 45 mins later, they are screaming and throwing things all over the room. Why? Because MSG in unhealthy treat intensely stimulates the child's brain, which is four times more sensitive to these additives then adult's brain. I've seen mothers scolding their kids "Why are you so stupid?". Are the kids to be blame for their IQ level or dumbness? 

For those who is reading this now, you know who you are, as parents, responsibility is yours for ensuring your child is properly raised when it comes to food and nutrition. If you love your child, avoid most of the infant child milk formulas, be very aware about dangers of vaccinations, stay away from fluoride toothpaste, no fast, junk nor GMO food, etc. Infant milk formulas frequently contains glutamate levels which could do a lot of harm to their brain. Soy-based formulas are one of them, very high in free glutamate. I will write about soybeans food products in another post soon. 

I believe every parent has their own responsibility to do enough research to ensure their child eat the right food and not the opposite. I've seen tons and tons of overweight and obese parents bringing their equally fat children to fast food outlets digesting all the trans fat, MSG, HFCS and massive amount of unhealthy calories! Way to go folks. 

It is also interesting to note that virtually all of the school shootings, the kids responsible for the violence were taking SSRI medications, which are know to produce suicidal side effects and act as an excitotoxin. Cocaine destroys brain cells by an excitotoxic mechanism. Yet, without good nutrition to protect the brain, these drugs and food additives can have a profound negative affect on brain function. 

I willl discuss about some of the major diseases which can be caused by MSG including obesity, Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, endocrine effects, cancer, degenerative brain diseases, heart diseases as well as eye diseases in part 3. 

MSG : The taste that kills! (Part 1)

Has anyone heard of something called "Chinese Restaurant Syndrome"? It is a collection of symptoms which some people experience after eating Chinese food. Why does it relate to Chinese food? Well, among Chinese community,  using additives such as MSG is part of their daily food-cooking routine. The use of MSG as food additive can be traced to Asian antiquity, when cooks used a variety of seaweed to make starch used in traditional recipe. 

The connection between the flavor improvement produced by seaweed and glutamate was discovered in Japan. It was then introduced to United States almost 70 years ago, and now, many countries in this world are using it widely as food enhancer. 

Monosodium Glutamate is a sodium salt of glutamic acid, a form of glutamate. MSG has been used for a very long time as food enchancer, but the adverse physiological effects were discovered by two British guys while studying a rare eye disorder. While trying to improve the condition in test animals by feeding MSG, it was discovered that the test animal suffered severe destruction of the cells in the retina. Their report went virtually unnoticed, until another research scientist repeat similar test to study neural connections within the brain structures. What was discovered, shocked the scientist as he found out that MSG not only destroyed retina cells, but also killed vital neurons within the brain itself! 

Glutamate is normally found in many foods, including vegetables and meats. To prevent this glutamate from entering the brain and setting off destructive toxicity, GOD created a special boundary called 'blood-brain barrier', that prevents the most harmful substances in the blood from entering the brain. Glutamate only causes toxicity when it is found floating freely outside a neuron, and the brain possesses safety measure to protect itself.

Under normal circumstances, the blood-brain barrier is very efficient. Unfortunately, due to persistent manipulation of the foods we consume, has endangered the balance necessary for this protective system to operate correctly. By adding high concentrations of free glutamate to food, blood glutamate levels are far higher then intended, degrading the ability of the protective blood-brain barrier. If the blood levels remain high, the glutamate can gradually seep into the brain pass the barrier, creating havoc. 

It is now recognized that many conditions cause the blood-brain barrier to become defective. Diseases such as hypertension, stroke, head injury, infections, brain tumors, autism, MS, Alzheimer's and even aging itself have been shown to result in impairment of the blood-brain barrier. To all the parents out there reading this following information, infant from birth to three years of age, the barrier system is also deficient. Unless you intend to harm your infant in any possible way, then feed your kid with food containing MSG! I hope parents have the responsibility to treat this seriously when comes to providing meals to infant of young age. Your kid doesn't know what types of food is good or bad to their health. I have seen personally tons of parents feeding their kids with junk food containing MSG. Dining in fast food outlets is one easy way to kill yourself with MSG!  

With very high doses, neurons swell and die within few minutes. Slightly lower doses of MSG, delayed the cell death to about an hour. If consumed at much lower dose, one can feel confused, disoriented or have difficulty thinking clearly. If continuation of consuming processed food, physical damage will eventually result.

There is a close connection between free radicals with excitotoxicity. I will write about free radicals in other post in time to come. Free radicals damages virtually every part of the cell. Free radicals in the brain cause astrocyte cells to release their glutamate, thus, further enhancing excitotoxicity. The cycle continues until severe damage occurs. 

People with high level of antioxidants, powerfully protect against excitotoxicity. The presence and levels of antioxidant depends on nutrition. If ones eat good healthy diet and takes special supplements, the level of these enzymes will be high. One of the most important antioxidants in the brain is called glutathione. The levels of glutathione is important because it can neutralize certain types of free radicals. Studies have shown that glutathione levels are low in all neurodegenerative diseases. 

Another important protective factor is the amount of magnesium in the diet. Magnesium plays an important role to protect the brain, especially against excitotoxicity. This means if someone who is deficient in magnesium, one will indefinitely more sensitive to glutamate damage. Magnesium deficiency is very common in industrialize countries, which includes Malaysia! 

Experiments have shown that  when the brain's energy levels are low, excitotoxicity damage is greatly magnified. Brain levels fall for many reasons. For instance, diabetics overshoot their insulin needs. Also, excessive exercise during poor glycogen storage can lead to hypoglycemia. When someone experiences hypoglycemia, the brain has essentially no glycogen to operate. During these spells, the brain is operating on low glucose supply and the brain secretes increasing amount of glutamate and aspartate. This is why one feels hyperactive and even angry, when feeling hungry. Unfortunately, most of us are unknowingly 'injured' everyday by high intake of additives such as glutamate and aspartate. Those with fewer protective factors such as low energy supply, magnesium levels, antioxidant defenses and glutathione levels, will be the ones eventually develop a neurodegenerative disease.  

To be continued...

Bladder Infection

Does anyone knows bladder infection can be treated without any drugs/medicine at all? Approximately 90% of all bladder infections are caused by a bacterium called E.coli. We are not talking about the dangerous mutant E.coli, but the regular old E.coli that happens to be in every living creature that has a colon. Bladder infection usually occurs more often in women then men.

Actually, it is normal for the bacterium to be there and it helps to finish the process of digestion and some nutrient absorption. But when these bacteria goes to the wrong place ( like the bladder), it causes infection. This bacteria has unique capability of clinging on to the inner lining of the bladder. E.coli sticks to the molecules of simple sugar called D-Mannose, which is found in the cell walls of the bladder. Like any living things, E.coli loves to reproduce, and when they do, they caused population explosion, thus infection. E.coli always cling to the D-mannose in the bladder, so they won't get washed out or eliminated with every urination.

Solution: Consume D-mannose with proper dosage for certain period of time, as E.coli will cling on D-mannose floating in the bladder and when the next time the person urinate, it will washed out the excess of that bacteria away. No anti-biotics needed!

Skin care ingredients which can cause aging & cancer

Folks, be aware of  your cosmetic products as some of the ingredients cause aging and act as estrogen mimicker, which could cause cancer and other hosts of harm to the skin and body.

For the ladies out there, paying for an expensive branded cosmetic product doesn't mean it is good for your skin or body. It would be wise to know the harmful ingredients in these cosmetic products, so that we can choose what's best for us. Products include shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, toner, cleanser, face masque, fragrances, etc. Below are some of the common harmful ingredients in skin care products.

• Parabens - Estrogen mimicker, which implicates connection with cancer. It disrupt hormones as well as endocrine system.
• Mineral Oil or Paraffin -  Clog pores and create build-up of toxins. Slows down cellular development and create early signs of aging. This is a petroleum product and implicated as cause of cancer.
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - This ingredient is used in many detergents and dish washers solutions! Would you want to have this ingredient on to your face or skin? It can break down your skin moisture barrier and lead to dry skin and premature aging. 
• Propylene Glycol - Commonly found in moisturisers and fragrances. May cause dermatitis and skin irritation. May inhibit skin cell growth. 
• Toluene - May be very poisonous! Made from petroleum and coal tar. Linked to liver and kidney damage and lowered blood cell count. 

Having read the above, do you think it is safe and okay to put these ingredients on your skin? I'll let you decide.

Brain Chemicals (Part 5)

Some people take great pleasure in life. Even when painful things happen, they seem to rebound well, without too many emotional scars or prolong suffering. These lucky people are loaded with the brain chemicals that transmit enjoyment, contentment and euphoria. They are blessed with natural comforting substances that are many times more powerful then morphine and heroin.

There wonder brain chemicals are called Endorphins. Many foods can raise endorphin levels, and some can provide longer lasting lift then others. The questions is, do you have enough endorphins to boost in the first place? Do you find it hard enough to locate the natural enough natural enjoyment or comfort in your life? Do you find that major treats give you only brief pleasure? If the answer if yes, you may be deficient in endorphins. 

Women are born having approximately 50% of endorphins less then men. It explains why women are easier to be emotional or in tears whenever then read a romance book or watch romantic movies. Some women even shed tears while watching a commercial in tv. Endorphins are natural pain killers produced in our body. 

Do you avoid emotional intimacy or confrontation? Do you look for comfort in chocolate or other foods? How about alcohol or pain killing drugs? How about sex? If you are deficient in endorphin and too vulnerable to pain as a result, you can easily be driven to painkilling substances and activities. Meditation and running also effective endorphins-level raisers. But, it would usually need up to an hour for the runners to experience the endorphin effect, but as cardiovascular exercise is concerned, I do not recommend due to high levels of cortisol being secreted and the harm which could have done to our body. 

Depleted endorphin levels, could also distort the appetite and mood as well. Tears are not the only clues which points to endorphin levels, but also the unnatural sadness appears to be a common symptom. Some people feel sad for no reason and being overly sensitive. 

How did you become endorphins deficient? Is it your genes? Has too much stress drained off your endorphins? Any kind of prolong stress can wear down your endorphin levels. You use up quite a bit of endorphin every time you are upset, injured, sick, scared and even excited. 

Adrenaline and endorphin are released together by your pituitary and adrenal glands, to help you deal with significant stressors. Raised endorphin levels are what can actually calm you down after you feel upset. When endorphin levels are too low, some people tend to look for synthetic painkillers such as sugar, alcohol or drugs to keep the numbness going. When minutes of a traumatic event like death of someone close, the levels of endorphin in our brain increase and stay high for a period of time. 

As nutrition concerns for production of endorphins, yet again, high protein diet is required to build the 'twin' amino acids DLPA. The twin amino acids helps to amplify pleasure sensations and increase energy while decreases depression at the same time. A multi vitamins/minerals containign the basics can have a real impact on your overall sense of well being. The nutrients given the most credit for the mood boost were B vitamins. All the basic B vitamins have been shown to help eliminate every kind of emotional and physical discomfort. The mineral magnesium can also accomplish marvels with pain by neutralizing some of the pain-provoking chemicals in the body. Migraine and PMS discomfort can also respond dramatically to magnesium supplementation. Besides that, Omega 3 fats also promote the effective production of endorphins as well. 

Certain foods such as chocolate, sweets, baked goods, dairy products can all raise endorphin levels. However, no matter how good these food makes you feel, it is only temporary and the feeling doesn't last. These food are also unhealthy, highly addictive and likely to put on unneeded pounds. Chocolate not only contains lots of sugar, but also other substances like caffeine and magnesium. 

Well, I guess I have covered the four key neurotransmitters in our human brain which affects our lifestyle most of the time. Feel free to comment on these five part posts, which I hope the information I uploaded, can help people who are suffering from these 'false mood' symptoms, to have a much improved overall 'feeling'. 

Lastly, remember folks, never cut down the calories nor skip meals. Comprehensive high-protein diet at least 3 meals a day is a must if any of you would wan to clear the 'dark clouds' and regain back the 'sunny day' for an overall happy feeling. Good luck. 

Brain Chemicals (Part 4)

What does the word stress mean to you? Does it only concern only mental stress? How about relationship stress? Work stress? Nutritional stress? Spiritual stress? Physical Stress? Environmental Stress? Chemical and toxin stress? The list goes on and on and mentioned above are the different layers of stress which we human are suffering day in day out. 

Unbalanced sex hormones. In PMS, especially when women are close to menopause, stress-generating-theft maybe under way. One of the vital role of progesterone is that controlling the release of the most relaxing brain chemical called GABA. In fact, progesterone literally turns on GABA. Women usually have their highest level of progesterone and GABA during the week before menstruation. 

Infection. Any signs of prolonged infection, pain, illness or injury is an adrenal stressor that cause high rise in cortisol. But if the elevation goes on for too long, it can weaken the immune system, and eventually making you more vulnerable to illness and vicious cycle of stress and de-stress. 

Intestinal intruders. Yeast or parasite overgrowth is a common contributor for adrenal burnout. Yeast and fungal overgrowth can occur due to repeated medication of anti-biotics, birth control pills, and eating a high-sugar diet and refined carbs. Parasites can be picked up during travels or from pets. It can cause bloating, itching and bowel problem which are extremely depleting to the adrenals. 

Allergens. Anything that you are allergic to is a adrenal stressor. Wheat, grass, soy, dairy products, etc. Not only soy is a common allergen, it is also known to interfere with the stress-coping hormones in the adrenals. 

Exercise. Moderate exercise is supposed to be stress-fighter. But, if you overworked it, adrenals will be burned out. If exercise makes you feels tired instead of invigorated, your adrenals are probably worn out. Marathons or cardio exercises are dangerous types of exercise. I will touch on that in a different post. 

Toxin and chemical stress. Environmental pollution via air, water, food and soil are a main threat to our society. All of us are vulnerable to the exposure of toxins which are causing harm to our adrenal health. Cosmetic products, insecticides, pesticides, mercury fillings, fluoride are some of the long lists of toxin being exposed to our daily life. 

GABA is your brain's natural Valium. Actually, valium is one of the tranquilizers that tries to mimic the natural calming effect of GABA. It is a potent mood enhancer and helps to turn off stress reactions as well. After GABA, seratonin is your brain most important anxiety buffer, and too much stress can deplete both seratonin and GABA stores.

Eating protein is crucial for keeping your blood sugar balanced and the 'brain chemicals' in shape. Most high protein food provide the wonderful combination of protein and saturated fat which neurotransmitters love. No stressful energy dips if you've eaten healthy fat with your protein  at least three times a day. You will probably need to increase your protein, if you have been restricting your fat. You could add more extra-virgin olive oil, butter, whole eggs and organic dairy products.

Brain Chemicals (Part 3)

Do you find yourself eating ice-cream or high carbs snacks during evening when both light and seratonin production starts to sink? Ice-cream, cereals, milk and hot chocolate are favourite nightime fixes because they contain seratonin production ingredient. But, these sweet foods are additive and can quickly turn into uneeded pounds. More importantly, they raise blood sugar and will eventually lead to Diabetes and other hosts of life threatening diseases. If any of you wakes up at night and eat carbs, you are certainly low in seratonin. 

Do you sometime need a glass of wine or beer before dinner? Alcohol is another carbohydrate commonly used as compensation for low seratonin levels. Ironically, alcohol actually reduces production of seratonin in the long run. If sleep is a problem for any of you, melatonin supplements can relieve the drain on your seratonin store. FYI, melatonin is made out of seratonin. Melatonin is a sleep hormone produced by the pineal gland in the body. 

If supplements or high protein diets do not work for restoring seratonin levels, it could point to low thyroid factor. Your thyroid may be too sluggish to convert the nutrients into seratonin in your brain. Women have higher rates of up to 7 times to experience Hypothyroidism compared to men.

Catecholamines. Do most of you depend on coffee early in the morning or throughout the day while at work? I'm sure this sounds familiar to people who needs stimulants/caffeine while trying to stay focus and energized while at work. Caffeine raises your mood for a short time, only to bring it crashing down later. To make things worse, it robs you of a crucial morning appetite, that would otherwise lead you to eat a good catecholamines-stimulating breakfast.

If your brain is producing lots of catecholamines, you should feel energized, upbeat and alert. There are three types of catecholamines: dopamine, norepinephrine and adrenaline. All these 3 types of catecholamines can arouse and excite you emotionally, mentally and physically. Dopamine, the parent of all three, produces the other two and is the most prolific in the brain. The other two are also popular for their activity in adrenal glands, which provides jolts of energy that help you response to stress. Catecholamines task are to help you stay alert and focus, so that you can act quickly and decisively. Imagine cheering squad and drill sergeant combined!

These chemicals are particularly active when under high stress conditions, but any exciting prospects can elevate their levels. If you are low in catecholamines, you may not react to almost anything, and you will often experience difficulties to concentrate and focus. You will usually score poorly in attentiveness. For instance, if you are unable to read a book for period of time, you might have low in catecholamines. These brain chemicals are usually busy when you are trying to concentrate on reading a book.

The sources of food which are high in catecholamines production are seaweed, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, turkey and beef. Again, we need a high quality protein intake day in day out to replenish the fuel needed for this mental energy supply. Vitamins, minerals and fats are important in assisting the production of catecholamines. By eating more fish and fish oil supplements(Omega 3 fatty acids), you can boosts the catecholamines levels to 40%. Avoid soy, corn, canola and other omega 6 vegetable oils which are harmful to the brain and body as well as they easily turn rancid.

People who in on Vegan Diet (vegetarian) tends to suffer from catecholamines deficiency. Most people I know, tells me that soy products do have high protein and it is a good source of protein. Folks, soy is not a health food! Wake up everyone! We have been told for years that soy is a godsend food from heaven and it is good source of protein and beneficial to our health.  Soy has a substance called trypsin inhibitor. It blocks the absorption of protein into our body system. Soybeans and Lima beans are some of the plant food which have this substance. I will write a cover story about soy in other post, which debunk the myth of soy food products.

Anyway, lets leave soy story for now and back to discussion on catecholamines. Have you been so much stress that it drained out your catecholamines store? There really is a limit to how many catecholamines both your brain and adrenal glands can produce at one time. Have you noticed that you work better under stress? That is because stress can wake up even sleeping catecholamines, which can get you working under productive action. But, eventually, stress will burn you out.

Physical activities can raise catecholamines level, but if you don't have enough catecholamines in the first place, you will not have the energy to start exercise. Forced jogs or showing up in aerobic classes when you are not energized, can further exhaust you. I would strongly advise you to only exercise when you are energized and eager, but not when you are tired and overwhelmed.

Sex hormones also plays a role when it comes to interacting with neurotransmitters. For instance, if estrogen levels dropped too low, it will fail to stimulate the catecholamines. Same goes to low testosterone levels for men. Thyroid hormones also plays a key role in digesting and absorption of the amino acids.  Most women in their 30's onwards, have higher risk of thyroid dysfunction. One of the most common condition is Hypothyroidism.

There are anti-thyroid foods which have goitrogens, which interfere with thyroid functions. Below are some of the list of food:

Wheat, Barley, Rye and Oats - They are the only food which can make you feel sleepy and bloated after meals.

Soybeans  - It can suppress your thyroid function and slows down the metabolic rate.


Meanwhile, fluoride and chlorine can also suppress the thyroid function as well. Drinking from unfiltered tape water isn't a good idea and I've mentioned in earlier post about the dangers of fluoride to human body. I will have discussion about GABA and Endophins in part 4 hopefully by next week. Stay tuned!

Brain Chemicals (Part 2)

Is anger affecting your relationship right now? Are you prone to tantrum as a child? Is fear or anxiety ruining your life? Do you have nightmare on regular basis or suffered panic attacks in the middle of the night?  

Our mood problems are increasing so fast, that by 2020, it will likely to outrank AIDS, accidents and violence as primary causes of early death and disability. It is clear that our moods are deteriorating at unprecedented rates. What isn't so clear is why. Why are we forced to turn more and more to medicine for solace? 

We shouldn't have to live with these kind of distorted moods on regular basis. When our brain's emotional equipment needs tune-up, we tend to get clues such as not sleeping well, unable to concentrate at work, worry too much and lose enthusiasm. Some people might also start depending on chocolate and wine for relief. 

There are 22 kinds of amino acids in high protein foods such as chicken, fish, beef, eggs and cheese. They are the building blocks of protein. Each amino acids has their own special duty to perform, but only a few of them provides fuel to the brain's four mood engines. The lower the access to amino fuel, you will develop more of these false moods. Imagine a car with four different engines. Each engine needs fuel to perform in optimal condition and this theory applies the same with our brain function. How do we know when to fill up the fuel? How do we know if we are running too low? Which amino brain fuel do we need? Where do we get them? How long do we need them?

The four emotion generators are called seratonin, catecholamines, GABA and endorphins. Each of these four neurotransmitters has different effect on your mood, depending the availability of the particular amino fuel. You will generally feel positive and happy if your brain are well-stocked key neurotransmitters level are high. If your brain dropped too low in these chemicals, you will develop a set of defective moods as below.

Seratonin - Negative, Obsessive, impatience, edginess, worried, low self-esteem, irritable, sleepless, low in confidence.

Catecholamines - Fatigue (mentally), unable to focus or concentrate, lethargic.

GABA - stressed, overhelmed.

Endorphins - Overly sensitive to hurt, tend to cry when reading romance novels or movie. 

All four of these key neurotransmitters are responsible to provide us the 'feel-good' or 'sunny day' kinda feelings. But, protein is not all we need to make these happy-positive feeling happen. We need good supply of vitamins and minerals from sources such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Apart from that, we also need the right type of fats to make this magic happen. Then there is this junk food factor, invading our grocery outlets  in every supermarket and hypermarket available in town. These bad mood foods, stripped off the vital nutrient needed to make your brain's neurotransmitters. Among the lists are white bread, pasta, cookies, sugary cereals and snacks, hydrogenated fats, caffeine, alcohol and artificial sweeteners. 

Lifestyle also shares the blame for the epidemic of brain's imbalance neurotransmitters. Too much stress can deplete the brain's neurotransmitters. Stress management is very important to our body, and I've said this to tons of my friends and colleagues many times of the destruction effect which can impact our health. 

Seratonin deficiency is by far, the most common mood problem. It is our primary defense against depression and anxiety. Seratonin deficiency is a factor to many unrelated psychological and physical symptoms ranging from insomnia to irritability and PMS and muscle pain. Many have tried anti-depressant drugs such as Prozac to provide relief but why not consume food which is high in seratonin such as turkey, beef and cheese? Your production of seratonin can be disrupted if you are pregnant or lack of sunlight exposure. Yes, pregnant ladies, do take note as it is one of the factor which contribute to mood swing during pregnancy. Extreme stress can also dry up the pool of this vital brain chemicals. Low calorie diets or skipped meals, can quickly reduce seratonin making supplies. So for those woman out there, if you are reading this right now, DO NOT skip meals for the sake of weight lost purpose! I will talk about 'weight lost' in my coming post and this applies to both men and women. Eat beef, pork,dairy products, chicken, cheese, eggs. You need comprehensive high protein foods to enable production of this brain chemical. But we do have a problem with these animals when it comes the food they eat. Commercial animals are fed with mostly corn and food with low seratonin, instead of natural(non pesticides)grass and plants. Thus, these fattens up the animals and results in low seratonin production. 

If you are a vegetarian, you are at greater risk of developing malnutrition in seratonin production. Stimulant such as caffeine is the seratonin enemy, diet pills and coffee are some of the examples. Fast foods is also one of the major contributers to lack of vitamins and minerals that assist in production of seratonin. 

There is one way which we all can boost our seratonin production without consuming any food! Sunlight! Yes, by exposing to bright sunlight for a short period of time, that can boost the seratonin chemicals in the brain. It would be great to expose to bright sunlight daily for 15-30 mins in order to boost the depleted seratonin levels in the brain. Also, please bear in mind that seratonin levels tend to be the lowest during night time. 

In addition to affecting your emotions, low seratonin can also affect your physical body. Below are the physical symptoms which are the most common:

• gut and heart problems
• sleep problems
• pain conditions 
• cravings for carbohydrates and alcohol 

Do you know that 90-95% of seratonin production is in the gut? Digestive tensions such as constipation will dissolve once seratonin levels are raised. Meanwhile, the heart is also partly seratonin dependant, where anger and fear are closely associated with heart disease. 

Lots of people are suffering from Fibromyalgia, TMJ and migraines. These are the pain conditions experienced by people who are low in seratonin. Seratonin has a powerful muscle-relaxing affect to the body as well. 

I will provide more details about the rest of the neurotransmitters as well as continuation of seratonin in part 3.

To be continued....