Soft Drinks: Disease in a can

I used to consume soft drinks such as coke and pepsi quite often years back before I discovered and learnt about the devastating impacts of these products to human health. Tons of people around me, colleagues, friends, relatives and the society have been consuming soft drinks every single day. With poor diet accompanied with regular soft drinks consumption, it is a setup for diabetics, obesity, gout, cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and the list goes on.

Let's take Coca-cola for example. Coca-Cola is one of the most recognized brands in the world, and in the United States the iconic red and white cans are as American as apple pie. Coca-Cola has been in business for 124 years, and in that time they've grown to reach more than 200 countries. In all, the company touts sales of 1.6 billion servings per day and says their dividends have increased for 48 consecutive years. Clearly the company is one of not only tremendous growth, but tremendous influence as well.

People are getting fatter and sicker. When I ask my colleagues or friends, "What type of food makes us fat?". All of them gave the same answer of sorts, "Eating food high in fats". The problem is, people are informed about 'eating fat makes us fat' hypothesis for years. Statistics and researches show that more people are consuming lower fat diet, but they are getting fatter and sicker. How could that be? Is it the fat? The answer is NO. Weight gain is all about consumption of carbohydrates, especially sugar.

I'm just shocked that everyone seemed to eat and drink without even knowing the ingredients in those products. How can you eat and drink something which you can't identify? Does anyone even care anymore about their health? Most of the so called 'food' are not even food anymore.

Alright. Let's focus back on Coca-cola. Coca-Cola spends close to $3 billion a year on advertising. With that amount of money it's no wonder the company has managed to hold on to its wholesome reputation. They are also in the habit of forming strategic alliances with health organizations that make it appear as though Coca-Cola is looking out for your health, which is laughable.

For instance, Diet Coke recently teamed up with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to raise awareness for women's heart health programs and was the official "Beverage of Choice" for this year's winter Olympics. McDonald's also is one of the sponsors in this event, and named "Restaurant of Choice". Now, kids and adults alike have the pleasure of seeing two of the world’s biggest junk food brands side-by-side with some of the world’s greatest athletes, and are left with the impression that to win Olympic Gold they need only grab a Big Mac and fries, and wash it down with a long swig of Coke. What a joke!

From a health perspective, drinking Coke or any soft drink is a disaster. Just one extra can of soda per day can add as much as 15 pounds to your weight over the course of a single year, not to mention increase your risk of diabetes by 85 percent. Yeah. I can see eyebrows raised. Keep on reading folks.

There is absolutely NO REASON you or your kids should ever drink soda. If you were stranded in the middle of a desert with no other fluid available, then maybe, but other then that, ZERO. Some of my friends or colleagues even tell me, moderate consumption for any junk food or soft drinks would be alright. The problem is, you have been eating this garbage all your life until now!! And adding so called 'moderate' amount would be okay? There is a reason why I named the title of this blog "Are You Too Lazy To Live?". Period.

Soft drinks. Let me ask you guys. Which is the most popular soft drinks amongst the bunch? Yes, you are right! Coke and Pepsi. They are sold or available virtually everywhere from supermarkets, convenient stores, mini marts, office buildings, fast food outlets, restaurants, pubs, bars, discos, gyms and even hospitals.

Has anyone heard of fructose? Yes? No? Fructose is fruit sugar. Is it good for the body? Everyone whom I spoken to, tells me fruit sugar should be good for body and health. Well, if you consume fruit servings for the day not exceeding 15g, then it should be safe. The problem is, tons of processed food including soft drinks have high doses of HFCS. HFCS is a synthetically modified fructose. An average person with poor diet could have up to 70-90g of fructose per day! It is not that fructose if bad, but it is the massive doses which makes it dangerous. One can of soda already exceeded the safe zone of fructose consumption for the day.

If any of you know in-depth knowledge about Metabolic Syndrome, you will surely NOT consume soft drinks or any food with fructose of HFCS. Conditions such as GOUT, Hypertension, Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, lipid problems, Obesity, are all strongly associated with fructose consumption.

Let me share with you what happens when you drink a can of soda such as Coke or Pepsi every single time.

- Within the first 10 minutes, 9 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. This is 90% of your recommended daily intake.

-  Within 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

-  Within 40 minutes, caffeine absorption is complete,  your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

-  Around 45 minutes, your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain. That is why we all love sugar!

-  After 60 minutes, you’ll start to have a sugar crash. Your body goes to hypoglycemic state.


By the way, let's take a look at some of the components of a can of soda.

Phosphoric Acid - Body needs to flush away this acid by using calcium, thus, causes osteoporosis.
Sugar(HFCS) - Arguably no.1 enemy in food and drinks.
Aspartame - Excitotoxin, please read my earlier posts.
Caffeine - Also known as diuretic, stimulant and causes tons of health issues.
Tap Water - Contains tons of chemicals such as chlorine, lead, cadmium and fluoride.

Clearly, the over-consumption of sodas and sweet drinks is one of the leading causes fueling the world-wide obesity epidemic. That is why tons of people in the society are getting fatter and sicker. Convince now? By the way, most of the soft drinks also shown to cause DNA damage, courtesy of sodium benzoate. Finally, let me tell you this, sugar is more addictive then cocaine! No? Then why can't you stop eating food which contains sugar?

P/S: Diet sodas are more dangerous then regular sodas. Don't be fooled by zero calories and zero sugar.

Gout - Fructose & alcohol impact on uric acid

Has anyone of you miss work due to suffering from Gout? What is Gout? It is an arthritis-type of pain condition which cause swelling, inflammation and extreme pain mainly in the joints especially big toe. It is caused by elevated uric acid levels in the blood. Gout appears to be more common in men then women. It is one of the most frequently diagnosed conditions as well. Gout attacks can be sudden, lasting from few hours to days. 

All animals have uric acid in their blood. Most mammals, fish and amphibians, have very low levels of uric acid, because they possess an enzyme that converts uric acid to a substance called allantoin. Human evolved without this enzyme, so we tend to develop a high uric acid levels. Although humans evolved with relatively high uric acid, our grandparents and great grandparents probably had lower uric acid levels then we do. What causes elevation in uric acid? 

Sugar. Yes, particularly fructose. Doesn't make sense? Well, what does your doctor tells you of the root cause when you were diagnosed with Gout? If any of you would to know the unique metabolism of fructose in the liver,  you will know exactly what I meant. Fructose is so destructive, that I would personally called it a 'poison', if consumption is above 15g a day. I will not discuss in details about fructose of sugar right now, but I will write all about it in another post. 

When I mention to everyone (colleagues & friends) about what fructose can do to our body, they all looked stunned and unbelievable. Why? Because everyone thinks that fructose is fruit sugar. How can fruits be harmful? Yes, you are right. Fruits should be part of our daily consumption and they are an ideal source of fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Well, not all fruits are considered 'healthy or good'. Why? Let's take watermelon as an example. This fruit is contaminated with pesticides and insecticides, as they are grown on the ground. Watermelon is also a high glycemic type of fruit, which easily cause blood sugar spike when eaten by itself. Watermelon is one of the most common fruit consumed in Malaysia. Most people thinks it is a healthy type of fruit. In fact, most people thinks FRUITS are healthy and recommended to consume plenty of servings everyday. 

I can talk about fruits all day long, but let's focus on fructose impact on uric acid and Gout. First of all, fructose raises uric acid. We consumed more of this sugar today then anytime in the history of mankind. Women appears to have better 'protection' due to estrogen hormone increases the amount of uric acid they eliminate in urine. But, once women reach menopause, their uric acid levels climb. 

Diet has major impact on how much of this compound is in your blood. Anyone loves beer or alcohol? How about regular clubbing getting drunk and intoxicated during the weekends? Alcohol not only raises the production of uric acid, but it also blocks the kidney from excreting the compound. Uric acid can also cause kidney stones and damage to the kidney. In theory, any form of alcoholic beverage will cause elevated uric acid levels. Beer seems to have a strong effect on uric acid. Anyone of you who has 'beer belly' or paunchy midsection, are developing metabolic problems! People who are overweight or obese have higher risk of getting Gout. A beer belly may signal that you already have something called 'Metabolic Syndrome'. I would love to write about Metabolic Syndrome one day and share it with all of you. 

Anyway, I will explain in details about how fructose metabolism in liver raises uric acid and blood pressure in a different post. Thus, most people who has Gout, tends to also suffer from Hypertension. So, avoid processed food such as peanut butter, yogurt drinks, soft drinks, cookies, sports drinks, fruit juices, cakes, candy bars, sweets, and all sugary foods. Avoid meat organs such as liver, kidneys, brains as they are high in purine. Limit yourself on shellfishes such as lobsters and shrimps as they normally contain high purine. Other foods which are quite high in purine are yeast, bacon, scallops, sardines, mutton, etc. More importantly, avoid alcohol especially beer and limit the servings of fruits on daily basis.

So, some of you might ask what diagnosis or test should I approach if I have Gout symptoms? One of the effective diagnosis is called Arthrocentesis. It is an examination of joint fluid using polarized light. I might not have covered everything about Gout or uric acid, but at least you should know by now to avoid food which are high in purine, fructose and alcohol. Good luck!

Cadmium Toxicity

Fancy regular clubbing crowded by dozens of smokers? How about staying with someone close who smokes regularly? What happen to those who have been smoking for years and years day in day out? Let's find out.

What is cadmium? It is a soft, silvery-white metal grouped with mercury, and appears to be a potent neurotoxin to the developing nervous system of the fetus and newborn baby. Like mercury, it is very reactive in the presence of the vital enzymes and proteins in the body. 

Cadmiun is found naturally in the environment, though never in its elemental state, usually in association with zinc. Some of the most common sources of cadmium in our environment are as a by-product of zinc smelting and burning of fossil fuels. It is also associated with mining operations, battery production, incineration of municipal waste, sludge-based fertilizers, etc. As a component of many disposable consumer goods, cadmium eventually ends up in landfills, much of which is burned, releasing this toxic substance into the atmosphere. 

The primary source pf exposure for most individuals who do not work in a cadmium-based industry is from food sources. Many leafy plants absorb cadmium from the soil, especially when sludge-based fertilizers are used. Organ meats and shellfish also contain significant amounts of cadmium. 

Inhalation of cadmium released from factories, landfill incineration, and cigarettes is the second major sources of exposure. Second-hand smoke is dangerous as well, and presents a particular danger to newborns and small children. Once cadmium enters the body, only approximately 5% is absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract in adults, but newborns absorption is much higher, sometimes as much as 55%.

Toxicity in adults usually occurs in an industrial setting. For example, workers in cadmium-battery, plastics-manufacturing, paint, textile, are at increased risk. Exposure not related to occupation may come from many sources. As I mentioned, smokers inhale significant amount of cadmium. A single pack of cigarettes can release up to 2ug of cadmium. I've friends and colleagues smoking up to 2 packs of cigarettes daily, and they have been practicing that dangerous habit for years now. 

Non-smokers are also at risk, While food represents the major source of exposure, clear plastic wrap used to cover dishes also contain cadmium and should not be microwaved or in any way heated. It should be safe in refrigerator. Drinking water can also be a source of cadmium, but the levels are relatively low. Like most metals, cadmium tends to accumulate in the body over time. 

Chronic exposure to cadmium, can also result in altered cadmium metabolism, leading to loss of calcium from the skeleton. This may cause walking to become painful due to brittle bones. Other common complaints include back and joint pains, rigid spine movements, etc. When it comes to calcium metabolism, cadmium is known to have profound effects, not only to the bone, but also in the nervous system where calcium is used as a signaling device. Cadmium can block this calcium channel, thereby, preventing the neuron from functioning properly.

Cadmium, has been shown also to reduce the production of seratonin in the brain. Cadmium affects the nervous system in many ways, including inhibiting important enzymes. And like so many heavy metals, cadmium not only increases free radical production, it also interferes with the brain ability to  neutralize free radicals. Most important of all, cadmium has the ability to lower the levels of glutathione in certain brain region. So, for those who has poor diet and deficient in nutrition such as vitamin E, C, antioxidants, carotenoids, you are at increased risk. 

Folks, I hope after reading this post about cadmium, you can reconsider about smoking and choose organic fertilized food when comes to buying food products.

Want a good night sleep?

People these days having difficulty trying to get a good quality sleep, or having insomnia. I have a friend, who don't even realize that she is suffering from insomnia. When she describe her symptom to me, I told her "You've got insomnia". She looked surprise but I do hope she is able to sleep better right now after I've spoken to her.

Me myself, from time to time, having hard time getting into my normal sleeping cycle, due to working schedules. Our so called 'biological clock'  or circadian rhythm, it applies not only to humans, but also animals and plants as well. In a perfect world, our biochemical and psychological processes are determined by this 24 hour biological clock, where it helps to maintain homeostasis within our body, and linked to light and dark cycle. In brief, your circadian clock controls your daily cycle of sleep and wakefulness by alternately inhibiting and exciting different parts of your brain through regulation of the release of certain neurotransmitters. The part of your brain known as the hippocampus must be excited in order for the things you learn to be organized in such a way that you’ll remember them later.

Your circadian rhythm has evolved over many years to align your physiology with your environment. Your body clock assumes that like your ancestors, you sleep at night and stay awake during daylight hours. If you confuse the situation by staying up very late, or depriving yourself of enough hours of sleep, or eating meals at odd hours (times at which your internal clock expects you to be sleeping), you send conflicting signals to your body. In response, your body will produce ‘sleep chemicals’ during times when you need to be awake and alert, and ‘awake chemicals’ when you need rest. Your individual circadian rhythm regulates activity throughout your body, from your brain, to your lungs and heart, to your liver, to your skeletal muscles. Your internal clock keeps all your organs and systems running smoothly.

Regardless of your age, the best way to keep your circadian clock functioning properly is to make sure you’re getting the necessary amount of  high quality sleep, during those hours when your body expects to be sleeping. A good night’s sleep is an essential requirement for being healthy. You can do everything else right, such as eat nutritious meals, exercise, manage stress, but if you aren’t getting high quality sleep, you simply won’t be as healthy as you thought. It's like missing that last piece of puzzle.

Overnight shift workers can disrupt the biological clock. People who often sleep after 12am midnight, will miss part of the physiological repair in the body, and for those who often experience 'interrupted sleep' during wee hours, they will not benefit from the psychological repair, which usually ends by 6am in the morning. Some people may sleep at 2am and wake up by 10am, and feel that the 8 hours they've gained, are sufficient for that night. What happen is that if u hit the bed past 2am, you are losing that physical repair involving joint pains and injuries, muscle aches, tissue and cells repairs, etc.

Does anyone know why do we yawn? It is because of a hormone called melatonin. Secretion of melatonin makes us want to fall asleep. When it gets dark or usually by sunset, our body starts to secrete this hormone. It is a very important hormone in the body and abnormal sleeping cycle can disrupt the production of melatonin.

Anyway, let me give you some tips on how to prepare for a good night sleep. Enjoy your sleep folks.

Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible  - Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and production of melatonin. Close your bedroom door, and get rid of night lights. Refrain from turning on any light at all during the night, even when getting up to go to the bathroom. Cover up your clock radio.

Keep the temperature in your bedroom - Ensure room temperature not too cold or warm. Most people bedrooms are too warm, and that will lead to restless sleep.

Check your bedroom for EMF - Matress box(metal) springs may contain residue magnetism, which creates disturbances. Usually most of the baby cribs are always magnetized. Also, don't sleep at the area where your cats are sleeping!

Reserve your bed for sleeping - If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and drift off to sleep, so avoid doing these activities in bed.

Consider separate bedrooms - For many people, sharing a bed with a partner or pets, can significantly impair sleep, especially if the partner is a restless sleeper or snores. If the bed partner are consistently interfering with your sleep, you may want to consider a separate bedroom.

Get to bed as early as possible - You do not want to disrupt the melatonin and cortisol production.

Don't change your bedtime - You should go to bed and wake up at the same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.

Don't drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed - This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom, or at least minimize the frequency.

Avoid before bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars - These will raise your blood sugar and delay sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low, you may wake up and be unable to fall back asleep.

Take a hot bath or shower before bed - The temperature drop from getting out of the bath signals your body it’s time for bed.

Put your work away - This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow's deadlines.

No TV right before bed - Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom. It’s too stimulating to the brain, preventing you from falling asleep quickly.

Listen to relaxation CDs - Some people find the sound of nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be soothing for sleep.

Avoid caffeine - It's a stimulant, keeps you awake.

Avoid alcohol - Although alcohol will make you drowsy, the effect is short lived and you will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from entering the deeper stages of sleep.

Exercising regularly - Exercising for at least 30 minutes per day can improve your sleep. However, don't exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake.

Lose excess weight - Being overweight can increase your risk of sleep apnea, which can seriously impair your sleep.

Choose the right pillow - Appropriate neck pillows, can enhance the quality of your sleep and reduce neck pain.

Put heavier curtains over your windows - Even the barely noticeable light from street lights, a full moon, or your neighbor's house can interfere with the circadian rhythm changes you need to fall asleep.

Beef

I've been searching for organic beef in KL region and this is what I found. Not much choices of organic beef in grocery outlets or supermarkets(Malaysia), and most organic shops DO NOT sell organic beef. In fact, I've surveyed tons of organic shops in KL, I ran out of luck. For those who is a fan of eating beef, look for this brand whenever you go grocery shopping. Again, you wouldn't want to pay for meat which has antibiotics, synthetic hormones and fed on dead animals or genetically modified grains. It may be a bit more expensive, but it is definitely worth it. If you can pay for Rm10-12 for a McDonald value meal, why not spend it on 'real food'? Eat healthy folks!

Trans Fat : Everyone's eating it

To all fast food and junk food lovers out there, this would be the topic which concern you. People who often eat from hawkers stalls as well as majority of the 'local' coffee shops and restaurants, trans fat are almost unavoidable. Most of the people who are enjoying food which contains this deadly fat, don't even know the actual harm of the substance. Allow me to enlighten you about trans fat.

What is trans fat? Trans fats are formed when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil during food processing in order to make it solidify. This process, known as hydrogenation, makes fats less likely to spoil, so foods stay fresh longer, have a longer shelf life and also have a less greasy feel. In other words, heating food with vegetable oil in high temperature altered the molecular structure of the fat. People always ask me what type of cooking oil are considered vegetable oil. Well, cooking oils such as sunflower, soybean, canola, corn, cotton-seed, peanut, are the ones which are considered the 'bad' oils and usually they are high in Omega 6 fatty acids. Most people think that these oils are supposed to be good? People ask, "Aren't corn or canola or vegetable-based oils good for health?". 

I'm not surprise after millions of dollars been thrown into marketing and advertising convincing consumers that "vegetables oils are good for cooking". These oil manufacturers telling consumers about the benefits of Omega 6 in their products and we should all buy and cook it with our food. No wonder heart diseases, stroke, atherosclerosis rates are increasing dramatically every year. Trans fat is a recipe for heart diseases. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in most countries. 

How about Olive oil? This question is often being raised whenever I talk to people about trans fat or cooking with various oils. Well, the problem with these vegetable oils, is whenever they are exposed to oxygen, they turns rancid very fast. Not to mention while during processing to extract the oils out from the plant itself, the high temperature 'pressing' enables the oils to become rancid. But as for olive oil, they are much stable  compared to most of the vegetable oils. If you would to shop for olive oil, look out for COLD pressed manufacturing. Unfortunately, if you would to deep heat, fry or cook in high temperature with olive oil, it will turn rancid as well. Olive oil is suitable for salad dressing but not high temperature cooking. 

Trans fats are common in fried foods like french fries, fried chicken, and doughnuts as well as cookies, pastries and crackers. In countries such as US or even Malaysia, french fries typically contain about 40% trans-fatty acids and many popular cookies and crackers range from 30% to 50% trans fat. Doughnuts have about 35 percent to 40 percent trans-fatty acids and guess what, there is NO safe limit for trans fat. Because is is deadly and very destructive to the body, few grams of trans fat a day, is enough to contribute unhealthy arteries clogging in accumulative period. These completely unnatural man-made fats cause dysfunction and chaos in your body on a cellular level. They are found in tons of junk food products and virtually every fast food outlets available. 

Trans fats even interfere with your body's use of beneficial Omega 3 fats, and have been linked to an increase in asthma. Studies have linked trans fat consumption with cancer, diabetes, decreased immune function, problems with reproduction, obesity and heart disease. Check this out, eating regular trans fat increased the risk of sudden cardiac arrest up to three fold! 

Many European countries have banned trans fat but Malaysians are still widely consuming trans fat like never before. So, how do we know if the food product contains trans fat? The fats are listed on labels, but there's an important caveat you should know. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows food manufacturers to round to zero any ingredient that accounts for less than 0.5 grams per serving. You will notice certain junk food stating zero trans fat on the product package, but it doesn't mean that there is no trans fat content. 

The key here is the serving size. What is the serving size of a box of cookies?  There is no hard and fast rule and if they decide that one small cookie is a serving size and not the "typical" quantity most people eat, you could wind up with up to 10 grams or more of trans-fat, which is  clearly going to be associated with health complications. So, to truly avoid trans-fats, you need to read the label and look for more than just 0 grams of trans fat. Check the ingredients and look for partially hydrogenated oil. If the product lists this ingredient, it contains trans fats and pay careful attention to the serving size.

When I inform people I know about trans fat, they tend to give me the same answer every single time. Which is, "consume in moderate amount is alright". The thing is, all your life since you were a kid, you have been eating food containing trans fat for years. It has done damage to the internal organs and arteries in your body for quite some time now. And by continuation of eating 'moderate' amount of trans fat seem to be alright? I don't think so folks. 

Generally speaking, foods that are likely to contain trans-fats include deep-fried foods, processed baked goods, snack foods and processed foods, including fast foods. However, even if you know trans fats have been in your diet, don't panic. By switching to a healthier diet now you may be able to make up for some of the damage. 

If you want to avoid dangerous fats of all kinds, your best bet is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. From there, use healthier cooking oils such as organic coconut oil and organic butter, preferably made from raw milk if possible. Coconut is my favourite oil of all time. I always cook with coconut oil, highly stable with high temperature and doesn't turn rancid easily. Read my post about coconut and it's benefits for health.

Health conditions that don't need pills or drugs

Almost every doctor we consult, there is only one treatment, drugs! Disagree? Then, tell me when was the last time you consulted a doctor for a symptom or condition, you are NOT given a pill or drug. Yeah, that's what I thought. I was quite stressed few days back due to someone close to me decided not to listen to my advise. Someone I cared a lot, and someone whom I love. And it is the damn cholesterol lowering drug!

There are actually certain conditions or diseases which DO NOT need any pills or prescription drugs from any of the doctors. Why do people consult doctors whenever they are sick or not feeling well? It is because they have a degree in medicine study. People do not know who else to look for whenever they need to seek medical advise or help, and the most 'qualified' person people could rely on, is doctor. And do people know how many patients died annually from prescription drugs given by their doctors? Do your own research and find out!

Anyway, below are some of the conditions which could be treated without drugs or pills.

Osteoarthritis, the deterioration of cartilage that cushions the joints, is the most common form of arthritis among the elderly. Vital components to improving this condition include, optimizing your diet to make sure you’re getting proper nutrients for your nutritional type and making sure your vitamin D levels are healthy (sun exposure is your BEST source!), and that you’re getting adequate omega-3 fatty acids, which are profoundly helpful for normalizing your immune function,  and regular low-impact exercise.


Cholesterol, the issue of “good” and “bad” cholesterol is perhaps one of the most pervasive medical myths out there, created and perpetuated by pharmaceutical advertising. Very few people are educated correctly on cholesterol, how it’s really all about your LDL particle sizes, not your overall LDL level. Public have been fooled by 'High Cholesterol causes Heart Disease' hypothesis for more then 50 years!

The only way to truly correct your underlying problem is through diet. By eliminating sugar and most grains, you will effectively reduce your insulin and leptin levels, which are the underlying causes that create LDL particles that are too small to circulate without sticking to the interior walls of your arteries. There’s not a single pharmaceutical drug that can modulate LDL particle sizes. I just freakin hate it when doctors tells me that high cholesterol or LDL causes clogged arteries or heart diseases. Having a doctor status doesn't mean you are right about everything in health. In fact, very very few doctors have knowledge about nutrition and it's impact on health. Especially arrogant or obese doctors thinking that their patients should listen to their advise just because they have completed their medicine degree? I always tells my friends and colleagues, " You can't get healthy by getting health advise from people or doctors who are unhealthy or their gut looks like shit". Besides, most doctors died earlier then their patients. What a joke!

Cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer's disease is an epidemic. Appropriate diet and removal of heavy metals and chemicals such as MSG, aluminum and mercury can have major impact. Avoid flu vaccinations, as they usually contains high doses of mercury and aluminum. Keeping your insulin levels normal, getting the right amount of omega-3 fats, avoiding sugar, eating more vegetables (high in folate) and foods with high antioxidant content are dietary changes that can help prevent cognitive decline. Read my earlier post about MSG for more information.

Depression, antidepressant drugs do not in any way, shape or form treat the cause of your depression. To address the underlying problem, few things work better than a combination of a high quality omega-3 combined with exercise, which is clearly one of the best-kept secrets for depression. Besides, diet which is high in protein, to produce certain brain chemicals to help stress or depression, are vital as well. Read my posts on Brain Chemicals.

Diabetes, the thing everyone should know about type 2 diabetes is that, it is completely preventable and is almost always curable, using nothing but dietary and lifestyle modifications. This includes as below:

Limit or eliminate sugar and grains in your diet
Exercise regularly
Avoid trans fats
Get plenty of omega-3 fats from fish oil or krill oil
Get enough high-quality sleep every night
Maintain a healthy body weight



High Blood Pressure, this condition can be a serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, monitoring and regulating your blood pressure is very easy to do. The single most important factor in normalizing your blood pressure is to get your insulin and leptin levels normalized.  This is done through limiting grains and sugars and making certain that exercise levels are appropriate.


Osteoporosis, just as exercise and diet work in tandem to beat obesity, the same can be said for osteoporosis. Vitamin D and K are also crucial factors. Diet is, of course, also tremendously important for strong bones. One thing you can do is to increase your consumption of vegetables based on your body's unique nutritional type.

One of the many positive qualities of vegetable juice is that it is high in vitamin K, which is a crucial part of bone health. Yet most people do not get enough of it from diet alone unless you juice your veggies or eat large amounts of dark green leafy vegetables. The type of vitamin K from plants is vitamin K1. An even stronger vitamin K is vitamin K2, which is obtained from animals. Wait. I almost forgotten. remember to lose the soft drinks! That will certainly help by ripping off calcium from your bones. Another basic tool to maintain your bone health is sun exposure, to allow your body to metabolize sufficient amounts of vitamin D.

Infant milk formula : Rocket fuel contamination?

Another nail in the coffin. YES! That is what I have to say about infant milk formulas. Damn! No matter how hard I tried to tell my family members, colleagues or friends, I start to wonder if they have hearing or IQ problems. With all the ignorance from parents, what can I say? It's your child's life, your care, your own responsibility. It's like trying to whip the bull all day long, if the bull doesn't want to move, it will not move! 

This would be my 3rd related post about infant milk formula. I just have a 'soft spot' for infants and kids. I love them, in a way that I always believe that we, as adults, guardians and parents, MUST take the responsibility to ensure the children lead a healthy life and protect them in anyway we can. By that, I'm not talking about buying expensive toys, or regular ice-cream treats, or things as such. Children from few months old to few years of age, they have a weaker immune system then adults. Their detoxification system is not as efficient as we are. With all the myths about infant milk formulas(powdered) are more nutritious then breast milk, or mother not able to produce enough milk for the baby, that is absolutely ridiculous!

You must be thinking, rocket fuel contamination on infant milk formula? How can that be possible? Most people are exposed to perchlorate through their diet, in the form of contaminated water or food. But, infant exposure may be far greater than that of adults, especially if they are fed infant formula, as the toxin may be present in both the formula or the milk or water used to prepare it. 

What is perchlorate? Perchlorates are salts derived from perchloric acid, which are used in the defense and pyrotechnics industries. The military has used perchlorate since many years back, and it’s a component of solid rocket fuel, among other things. This is a serious concern because perchlorate is known to disrupt thyroid function and hormone production by inhibiting your thyroid gland's iodine uptake. Unfortunately, most perchlorate salts are water soluble, and we’re now experiencing widespread land and water contamination in many areas of the world. Studies have established that the chemical is a potent thyroid toxin that may interfere with fetal and infant brain development. 

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have found that at least 15 brands of powdered infant formula are contaminated with perchlorate, a rocket fuel component detected in drinking water. To all the parents out there, DO take note and take full responsibility of your children. God bless the children. 

Soy Infant Formula : Is it safe for babies?

Why am I writing about infant milk formula? I have been longing to write about babies milk formula for quite some time now. I just could not tolerate paediatricians recommending infant to consume soy based milk powders and parents don't even know what it will do to their infants' health and body. 

I have colleagues and relatives who don't even know the harmful effects of feeding their babies infant milk powders. Typical infant milk powders usually contains excitotoxins such as MSG, corn syrup, sucrose, fructose, soy and tons of other chemicals. Infants are not born to adapt to these chemicals and harmful ingredients! Today, I'm reviewing one of the soy-based infant formula (Similac), and the ingredients in the food product. I will also discuss why soy infant formula is a DANGEROUS food product. 

I will continue the discussion of soy based products from my earlier post about soy weeks back. I would want to discuss further on soy based food products especially infant formula. Let's start off with manganese. Yes, it is an essential nutrient, but does anyone know that excess consumption will lead to potential neurotoxin? Why does manganese has to do with soy infant formula? I'm sure none of the parents were told by any of the paediatrician about soy destructive effects on human body especially infants. It really ticks me off whenever I know doctors or  paediatricians recommending infants or kids to consume soy based infant formula. Parents put their infant's life on doctor's hand. The infant health condition becomes the doctor's responsibility once the patient steps into his clinic or hospital. It would be totally insane for any doctor to recommend parents giving their child soy infant formula! Paediatricians, do your own research and stop harming infants!

Studies on steelworkers and miners have shown excessive exposure to manganese, which can cause Parkinson disease, etc. Manganese occurs naturally in soil and can therefore be present in groundwater to a greater or lesser degree. Hence, some people who drink water from the well, could be exposed to higher naturally occurring levels of manganese. But, there is another source of manganese that many people are completely unaware of, which may be even more significant than groundwater, and that is soy infant formula! 

Soy formula is frequently used when a baby is allergic to milk, or if the parents are somehow convinced that soy is a healthier alternative. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth, because soy formula could easily be considered one of the most DANGEROUS food products on the market.

This is very important especially for mothers out there. A lot of mothers are using soy based infant formula for their infants and kids as well. Researchers have found that soybean plants absorb manganese from the soil and concentrate it, so that its use in soy based infant formula can result in as much as 200 times the level found in natural breast milk! Such high concentrations can wreak havoc on your baby's immature metabolic systems.

Never give your child soy based milk formula, unless there was a catastrophe and no food left on this planet. It can also lead to brain damage in infants and altered behaviors in adolescents too. As if that wasn't bad enough, there are a number of other factors that make soy formula an even more dangerous option. Guess what. Fluoride. Yes, I did mention about the dangers of fluoride in my earlier post. One of these factors, is the fact that fluoride can increase manganese absorption, so if you mix the powdered or concentrated soy formula with fluoridated water, you're worsening matters even further!

Other dangers of soy is phyto-estrogen levels found in the plant itself and also contains very high in phytates, which prevents the absoption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, etc. A soy-fed baby, receives the equivalent of five birth control pills worth of estrogen every day! Shocking? Not only is the soy loaded with toxic pesticide, the plants also contain genes from bacteria that produce a protein that has never been part of the human food supply. Even more frightening, is the potential for GM soy to cause infertility in future generations, which has been evidenced by recent Russian research. Read my earlier post about soybeans for more information about that plant product. 

Meanwhile, let's review some of the ingredients found in this soy based infant formula. 

Soy protein isolate - MSG, excitotoxin

Corn syrup solids - bad sugar, most likely GM ingredient.

Sucrose - It was considered bad sugar, due to half of it is fructose. 

Fructooligosaccharides - Mainly fructose components. 

So, to everyone who had read this post especially parents, no matter what the paediatrician said, you know what to do. Breastfeed your child as long as you could(at least 6 months, preferably up to 18 months), this will build a healthier immune system to the infant. Remember, whatever the mum eats, goes to the baby. May god bless you and your child. 

Fever : How to treat it?

Today, I decided to write about fever. Why? Because I have relatives and friends who are down with fever today, and there are so many people out there, who have been experiencing this symptom. Let me ask you guys this question. What do you usually do when you are down with a fever? Go see a doctor or swallow a paracetamol or aspirin?

Fever, is one of the most over treated symptoms of all. A great number of people have completely misunderstood fever, and believe that fever can be dangerous in and of itself, especially when the fever occurs in a child. It's important to realize that fever is your body's backup defense mechanism when your primary ones, mainly your immune system fail. Your first line of defense is your macrophages, which gobble up any invading microbes. As long as your immune system is strong, you may not even realize you've been exposed to a troublesome bug.

If you are still under the impression that having a fever of 38 degrees is an indication of a dangerous situation, well, it's actually not. Many infectious agents do not survive in elevated temperatures so your body increases the temperature in an effort to eradicate the infection. It is a healthy response.

Unfortunately, most parents end up giving their child potentially toxic doses of fever-reducing medications such as paracetamol or ibuprofen when, in reality, their child's temperature is ideal for accomplishing healing. Worse yet, there are parents who administer aspirin at the first sign of fever, which actually poses a far greater health risk than any fever could, as aspirin may cause Reye's Syndrome, which can be lethal. One's with Reye's Syndrome will usually suffer brain swelling and fatty liver. When a victim of Reye's Syndrome reaches stage 5, he or she can suffer coma, multiple organs failure or even death.

I've met some 'smart ass' tried mixing aspirin with ibuprofen to treat his fever or headaches. Yeah. Wait till you suffer the deadly effects of that 'smart formula' you created and we'll see about how smart would that be. Like I mentioned before, "Ignorance can kill you, or contribute to miserable life'.

In order to put your worries to rest, it's important to understand the functions a fever serves, and why a rise in temperature is beneficial. Below are the two functions of a fever:

• To stimulate your immune system.
• To create an inhospitable environment for invading organisms. That is, to turn up the heat high enough that the invading microbes cannot live. 

It would be far more helpful to think of a fever as a healing response rather than a symptom of disease. And, raising your body's temperature to between 38.8 to 39.4 degrees is actually the ideal range of a fever because this is the temperature range in which microbes will be killed.

What is the best way to treat a fever? Contrary to popular belief, the best course of action is usually little or no action when it comes to fever. Rather than working against it; trying to lower your temperature, you should  work with it and allow it to run its course. The only time you need to worry or seek medical attention is if it rises very high, very fast. This could be a sign of an infection too serious for your body to handle. To support your fever, try either fasting or eating foods such as broths and water because fever slows down peristalsis. Fever is also best supported with plenty of good old fashioned rest.

So, if any of you still has doubt about fever or how to treat a fever, drop a comment. No matter what, DON'T mix aspirin with ibuprofen when you have fever or headaches, especially to those of high-risk patients unless you want to increase the risk of heart attack and stoke to nine folds. Take care folks.

Whey Protein

I just bought Whey protein powder for my colleague last week. I just thought writing about whey protein would be useful for those who is enthusiast about bodybuilding or even sport athletics. Almost everyone who is trying to build muscles or into bodybuilding, tend to consume protein supplements such as whey. The question is, does anyone know any truth in whey protein supplements sold in the market? 

Yesterday, I just wrote about one of the protein supplements (MuscleTech) which is available in the market. What is your favourite brand? Optimum Nutrition? Gaspari Nutrition? Horleys? EAS? GNC? There are tons of manufacturers promoting and selling their products competing against each other. But, how do you know which is the right one to buy? Some of my friends asked me if Soy Protein a good source of protein for muscle building. Some would ask if casein if a good source of protein. How about whey protein isolate or concentrate? 

Lets talk about the facts of whey protein supplements/powders available in the bodybuilding or health stores. First of all, whey protein is indeed a very high quality source of protein. It has a number of benefits to the body and not only for muscle building. But, most people don't know that most whey protein powder supplements sold in the market are derived from 'commercial cows'. What does that tells you? No idea? Well, whey is derived from cow's milk. Now, to all the wanna-be bodybuilders out there, you might want to pay attention here. 

There are low quality and high quality whey protein products out there in the market. Most of the whey protein products are derived from 'sick unhealthy cows' milk'. Which means commercial cows being fed synthetic hormones, antibiotics, fed with dead animals and possibly GM grains such as corn and soy. You would be naive enough to think that the whey protein powder you bought, are derived from organic free range grass fed cows. Yes, there are few brands selling whey protein powders which derived from free range cows which are not contaminated with synthetic growth hormones. The problem is, these good quality whey products are not available in Malaysia. 

Let's discuss about whey isolate. Most of my friends tell me that whey isolate is the one that I should be looking forward to purchase. Is that right? There are a number of whey products on the market, but unfortunately many of them will not give you the health benefits associated with high quality whey. Most commercial whey products are derived from pasteurized dairy and are processed with heat and acid. Many are also artificially sweetened. All of these factors render them completely useless from a health perspective. Whey isolate is one such inferior product, because when you remove the fat, you actually remove important components of its immunological properties, such as phospholipids. Additionally, all of the immunoglobulins, which are an excellent source of glutamine and cysteine, are also bound to the fat globule.

Has any of you remember the post I wrote about pasteurized milk? Yes, you can't get any health benefits from commercial whey which derived from pasteurized dairy and unhealthy cows. This applies the same with whey concentrate. When selecting a whey product, I strongly recommend making sure it's made from raw, grass fed milk, in order to obtain the majority of its immune enhancing benefits. Raw milk from healthier cows, preferably organic cows. 

Below are some of the guidelines on how to choose whey products:

• Organic (no synthetic hormones) 
• Grass-fed (free range)
• Made from unpasteurized (raw) milk 
• Cold processed, since heat destroys whey's fragile molecular structure 
• Minimally processed 
• Rich, creamy, full flavor 
• Water soluble 
• Sweetened naturally, not artificially (most whey products have toxic artificial sweeteners)

Meanwhile, I hereby provide the health benefits of whey protein (high quality source) as below.

• Helping your insulin work more effectively, which helps maintain your blood sugar level after a meal.   
• Helping to promote your optimal intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals needed for your overall wellness. 
• Supporting your immune system, as it contains immunoglobulins. 
• Helping you preserve lean body tissue as it delivers bioavailable amino acids. 
• Maintaining blood pressure levels that are already within the normal range.

Finally, before I logout, AVOID this protein product MonsterMilk (available in Malaysia) at all cost. It ticks me off by just reviewing the 'harmful' ingredient listed on the package itself. I don't have any grudge against Cytosport, but I just came across this product recently and I had to bring this out. Yeah right, 50g of protein per serving.

Ingredients which are not supposed to be in the product are as below:

Calcium sodium caseinate - Excitotoxins, MSG
Canola Oil - GM food source.
Maltodextrin - MSG
Fructose - Bad sugar
Natural flavors - Contains MSG
Fructo-Oligosaccharides - Mainly fructose components.
Carageenan - Contains MSG
Sucralose - Initially derived from a formula used for insecticide! A toxin!

Nitro-Tech Hardcore bar : High Protein bar?

Today, I'm going to educate some of the bodybuilding enthusiasts, or whoever loves to munch on those protein bars. I've came across a protein bar (MuscleTech) called Nitro-Tech hardcore bar, and it is the main sponsor for Jay Cutler (Mr.Olympia). Great marketing effort by MuscleTech, using Jay Cutler to promote their products. I'm a big fan of Jay Cutler, but I DO NOT think that most protein supplements sold in the market are 'trustworthy' and good source of protein. 

Here is my take on this protein bar. It claimed to have 30g of protein per serving. Sounds good for a 'post workout' meal right? Well, WRONG! You see, the problem with everyone, is they DO NOT look at the ingredients of a food product. Food and supplement companies know exactly how they are going to market and sell their products by emphasizing 'attractive' information such as 30g of protein, great source of protein, helps you build muscle, delicious candy bar taste, on the package of the product. The 'harmful' ingredients are kept in a much smaller writings at the back of the package. Well, how do most people buy food or supplement product? Brand, price as well as influence of the product information stated on the package. I've got a few colleagues thinking that they can build a healthy strong body by gulping down MuscleTech protein powders. Well, good luck.

Anyway, let's review through the ingredient list of this so called 'great protein bar'. 

1) Calcium Caseinate - Contains MSG, excitotoxin

2) Soy lecithin - What did I mention about soy product in earlier post?

3) Carageenan - Contains MSG

4) Sucralose - This was discovered initially as a insecticide formula! It's toxic.

5) Soy Protein Isolate - Contains MSG

6) Hydrolyzed Gelatin - Contains MSG

7) Partially Hydrogenated Palm Oil - Trans fat (recipe for heart disease folks!)

8) Natural Flavor - Contains MSG

So, tell me. Does a so called 'Great source of protein bar' which contains at least 8 harmful ingredients proved to be an acceptable post workout of protein snack? I'll let you guys do the math here. Unless you want to prepare a recipe for Alzheimer, Parkinson, heart disease, cancer and all sorts of serious life threatening diseases, then go ahead and gulp all you want day in day out.

Vitamin D

I remembered I just told a friend of mine recently about the importance of Vitamin D production in the body. She was visiting town, and it is obvious that she is afraid of being 'dark skinned' from sun exposure. Well, many Malaysian females are afraid of being expose to sun. They either sensitive to hot weather or afraid that their skin turn dark color. The question is, is beauty more important then health? Let's find out what Vitamin D can do for our health. 

Vitamin D is known to have support our body's health systems in a variety of ways. A lot of people are deficient in Vitamin D. Why? Could be from lack of sun exposure and food we eat. Below are the lists of impact of Vitamin D in the body.

• Heart health
• Cell formation and cell longevity
• Skin health
• Pancreatic health
• Aging process
• Sleep patterns
• Hearing
• Reproductive health
• Athletic performance
• Eye health
• Vascular system health
• Respiratory health
• Immune health-Most people feel in better health during the summer sunshine months, ever wonder why? 
• Healthy mood and feelings of well-being
• Weight management, including carbohydrate and fat metabolism 
• Hair  
• Strong and healthy bones, because vitamin D encourages calcium uptake
• Muscles
• Proper digestion and food absorption

People with limited sunlight exposure, overweight people, pregnant women, elderly and dark skinned people, need Vitamin D the most. Your bare skin needs at least 10-15 minutes of exposure to direct sunlight every day to produce the vitamin D you need. What's more, vitamin D is very rare in foods, and is only available in very limited quantities in organic eggs yolks, salmon, sardines, liver, etc. 

Folks, Vitamin D protects us from prostate and breast cancer and others autoimmune diseases as well. It is arguably the most potent anti-oxidant among all Vitamin category. Do you recall I mentioned about sun can also boost our seratonin levels? So, spend more time outdoor under the sun and stop being a couch potato. Stop watching TV or play video games and computers at home!

Living proof : Miracle cure of Vitamin C

A true story which happened last year. A New Zealand farmer almost died of Swine flu before high doses of Vitamin C (IV) saved his life! All doctors in the hospitals including ICU and medical staffs said there is no cure and this guy is as good as dead. Doctors in that hospital said that Vitamin C will do NO good to this poor guy's condition. His lungs had collapsed and had to be on life support system. Vitamin C saved this farmer's life. This farmer is now back in his farm recuperating and alive. Like I always tell all my friends, colleagues and family members, "Doctors who are lack of knowledge can kill you". This true story proved to be right about this statement. 

Watch the clip:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Living-Proof-Vitamin-C---Miracle-Cure/tabid/371/articleID/171328/Default.aspx  

Organic biscuit : Healthier snack

Have a biscuit? Well, if you would to buy biscuit products in supermarkets or food outlets, try getting organic biscuits. It may cost a bit more, but it would be a healthier snack, instead or potato chips, typical junk food or commercial biscuits. Check out the biscuit product I bought couple days ago. It taste pretty delicious from my point of view. Try it out!

What is Food?

Has anyone watched the documentary Super Size Me? I remembered watching that movie twice on DVD. This film maker actually demonstrated the consequences of sustaining oneself on a diet of fast food. After just four weeks, his health tremendously deteriorated to the point that his physician warned him that his life in serious jeopardy if he continues the experiment. That movie ends up earning Writers Guild of America award for Best Documentary Screenplay in 2005. Awesome documentary!

What is food? Most people have been 'disconnected' with real food. As a general rule, "food" equals "live nutrients." Nutrients, in turn, feed your cells, optimize your health, and sustain life. If any of you simply explore  food outlets in major shopping malls, you will notice that fast food outlets such as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, JCo Doughnuts, etc, has the most customers dining/queuing. Every shopping mall I go, I see people lining up  buying Auntie's Anne pretzels and any doughnuts stalls as well. That is why at least 80% of society have fungal or parasites infection. Most people doesn't know they have fungal, parasites or yeast infections. What these little micro creatures love? Sugar! 

I used to love fast food years back before I even have any real knowledge about nutrition and health. McDonald's was one of my favorite fast food outlet. Yes, you heard right. So, is McDonald's really food? When you consider the fact that a large number of the ingredients in a fast food meal exist nowhere in nature, the answer has to be NO. Man simply was NOT designed to thrive on man-made chemicals. Tell yourself, if any food doesn't exist thousands of years ago, don't eat it. Simply as that. 

I've recently visited my relative in a private medical hospital. I noticed there were so much more sick people crowding the hospital compared to couple years ago. Why? People have been eating crappy unhealthy diet and lack of proper exercise. 

Poor Diet   +  Lack of proper exercise  =  Sick & Diseases

Does anyone know that a burger (e.g McDonald's) can last and show no trace of decay for up to years? How can bread stays mold-free for years? Part of the embalmed-like feature of the meat patty can be explained by the fact it contains excessive amounts of sodium (salt), which is a natural preservative that has been used throughout history. But what about the bun? What kind of bread can lie out for years on end without developing so much as a trace of mold? Read the following ingredients of McDonald's bun. 

According to McDonald's website, their hamburger buns consist of the following:

"Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, enzymes), water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, yeast, soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of the following: salt, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, wheat gluten, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate, datem, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, mono- and diglycerides, ethoxylated monoglycerides, monocalcium phosphate, enzymes, guar gum, calcium peroxide, soy flour), calcium propionate and sodium propionate (preservatives), soy lecithin."

Interestingly, analyzing this list of ingredients offers clues not only for how these buns remain unblemished for years on end, but also to some of the health ramifications you may experience when eating a McDonald's hamburger. For example, if you've ever felt it just "sitting" in your gut like a brick, isn't quite as digestible as you'd hoped. Perhaps, it is calcium sulfate which provides this 'unpleasant' effect. Of if you've had to run to the bathroom shortly after your meal, perhaps the ammonium sulfate and the ammonium chloride are to blame. Both of these chemicals cause gastrointestinal irritation with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Folks, wholesome food is "live" food, and the hallmark of live food is the fact that it will wilt and decompose. The fact that these burgers, buns, and fries do not decompose, even after a decade or two, is a clear sign that it's just not real food, and serves no beneficial purpose as part of your diet. Fast food hamburgers are not the only type of heavily processed food that is questionable in terms of whether or not it should be considered real food.

Chicken McNuggets, for example, recently made it into mainstream news because of the potentially hazardous additives they contain. Soda can contain any number of health harming substances, from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to benzene and aspartame. French Fries are loaded with the worst types of fat on the planet, typically highly refined and genetically modified omega 6 oils, such as corn, canola, and soybean oils. Breakfast cereals are little more than disguised forms of high fructose corn syrup and many are loaded with genetically modified grains. 

It is clear that fast food leads to obesity and insulin resistance, as proven by the film maker of Super Size Me. Eating fast food just twice a week can make you gain 10 pounds and double your risk of developing insulin resistance. Junk food diets have also been linked to increased risk of allergies. 

The bottom line is that if you want to stay healthy, and keep your children healthy, you have to avoid fast food and other processed foods, and either you, another relative or friend, or someone you pay, has to spend some time in your kitchen, cooking from scratch. Cooking for your children may actually have extremely far reaching benefits, because it is now well known that dietary changes can prompt epigenetic DNA changes that can be passed on to future generations. 

How can you identify real food? This is the question I always get from all my friends, relatives and colleagues. Please read below if you still have doubt. Real food almost always has the following characteristics. 

• It's grown
• Variable quality
• Spoils fast
• Vibrant colors, rich textures
• Authentically flavorful
• Strong connection to land and culture 
• Requires preparation

Real whole food, should be grown without pesticides and chemical fertilizers. As I mentioned in my previous posts, organic food. It must not be genetically modified. It must not contains added growth hormones and antibiotics and other drugs. It must not contain any artificial ingredients, including chemical preservatives. Animals should be eating native diets and not mixed grains and animal byproducts, and have free-range to outdoors. We should not be eating chickens and beef with growth hormones and antibiotics and pesticides filled plants!  We can't get health by eating unhealthy animals and plants. Simple as that folks. 

Eggs : How do you choose?

Anyone care for scrambled eggs? How about fry eggs? Half boiled eggs? Raw eggs? Steam eggs? Well, my favorite is half boiled and partially raw eggs. Is eggs any good for our health? The answer is YES, if it is organic or free range without growth hormones and antibiotics. 

How do we know if the eggs we buy from supermarkets or so called 'health food outlets' are healthy nutritional eggs? You can see an example of eggs I bought from an organic food outlet from the picture below. The best way to ensure you get all the nutrients of an egg is by eating it raw or partially half boiled. You will not get much nutrients by heating up the egg as it will kill most of the nutrients in that food. Worst still if you fry it with bad cooking oils such as canola, soy bean, sunflower or corn oil. A healthy egg yolk contains Biotin, which is beneficial to various health issues such as intestinal imbalances (IBS), hair loss, skin problems, pregnancy, etc. Biotin also helps nervous system to balance out the use of sugar and fat in he body. 

Biotin is also known as B-Complex vitamins or Vitamin H. If anyone would to say eating egg yolk causes high cholesterol, he is definitely lack of nutrition and health knowledge. So, enjoy your egg yolk for bowel movement daily, and it has lutein and zeaxanthin which are beneficial for eyes as well. An egg contains approximately 6 grams of protein and 9 essential amino acids. Besides, it also has choline, a great source of nutrient for regulating the brain, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Egg consumption can also decrease the risk of breast cancer due to content of Vitamin D. It has also high content of Vitamin K, which is key nutrient for blood clotting. Well, long live the chickens! 

P/S: An organic domestic egg cost around RM1, but an imported organic free range egg may cost up to RM3.50! 

Amway Nutrilite : Nutrition supplement rich in protein?

I recently came across one of the so called "protein supplement drink' when I was visiting a relative. This brand of protein supplement is known worldwide and very popular amongst consumers. My friends, relatives and even family members thought that this brand is 'trusted', just because it is well established and popular? Yeah right!

When I was checking out the ingredient list of the product, guess what? I found not only one ingredient which has MSG, but THREE! Well, most protein supplement powders either contains excitotoxins, soy, chemicals such as preservatives and flavorings. Besides, most people think that WHEY protein from most of the supplement brands are good source of protein. Yes, Whey protein is supposed to be a high quality source of protein, if the cows are either organic or free from growth hormones and antibiotics, as well as fed on pastured  non pesticide grass and not unhealthy GMO diet! And commercial Whey protein powders are not organically extracted or produced.

This protein drink product, has some of the excitoxins as well as the sugar fructose and other chemicals. Below are the ingredients of this product which contains MSG.

Soy protein Isolate 

Sodium Caseinate

Maltodextrin 

Does any of you knows how a random consumer could be tricked into selecting a product like this one? Simple. The company's reputation and branding of the product bottle 'Protein Drink Mix'. It's all about marketing effort and profit. 

 

Cough, flu and cold : How to prevent it?

Does any of you wish you don't have to miss a single day of work by contracting cough, flu or cold? Wouldn't your boss be very content? How about not getting any of these symptoms for as long as two, three or even four years consecutively? A healthy human body, should rarely miss work during their lifetime because of cold, flu or similar illness! One would feel full of energy most of the time during the day without caffeine or any other stimulant. The ones with optimal health, will look towards a long healthy life without the roadblocks of degenerative diseases getting in the way.

How often does a headache, cold or even fatigue reminds you that you could really be healthier? How many times do you remind yourself, that you will start to eat better and exercise? Have you wondered why most doctors give you drugs to suppress symptoms rather then looking for and eliminating the cause of these symptoms? Maybe it is time to look into health, instead of disease.

Has any of you heard of 'viral upper respiratory syndrome'? It is regarded by most physicians which relates to cough, flu and cold. Why do some people tend to catch a cough, or cold or flu easily? In various countries during winter time, lots of people are down with these symptoms. Is it because of the cold temperature? The main reason why most people easily catch a cold or flu and even cough, is because of deficiency in Vitamin D. How many of you are expose to bright sunlight daily?  I'm talking about direct sunlight during sunny day(without sunscreen lotion) for 15-30 mins daily. If any of you would to wear a long-sleeve shirt and pants, getting sunlight on your face is not enough to produce the Vitamin D in the body. Most people I met in the office, they wake up early in the morning and hardly get any sun exposure by the time they reach office by 8 or 9am. When they are about to leave for work, it is almost dark in the evening, thus, low levels of Vitamin D production in the body.

The best time to get sun exposure if around 10am-4pm during sunny day. During raining or cold season, it would be very difficult to get sun exposure and less sunny day for all of us. For the ladies out there, sun exposure will not cause skin cancer. The idea is to get a 'light pink' pigmentation on the skin during sun exposure and avoid sun burn. This is the indication of adequate sunlight for the day once our skin turns pinkish. I noticed lots of women apply sunscreen lotions of the skin as soon as they hit the beach or go outdoor. Do you know many of the sunscreen lotions has cancer causing chemicals? Most of these sunscreen lotions actually prevents the conversion of Vitamin D in the body. 

Another way of getting similar benefit is sun tanning beds. You have to ensure the tanning beds are safe for usage and surely it is much more convenient for some people who need to drive all the way to the beach. Also, oral supplementation of Vitamin D is available in nearly all pharmacies in virtually every country in the world. If you are not sure how much Vitamin D dosage which need to be consumed daily, a blood test should be able to tell each individual. Vitamin D can produce up to 200-300 anti-microbial peptides, used to kill off bacterias, virus and fungi in the body.

In addition to consumption of Vitamin D, sugar can also suppresses your immune system. Once you starts to experience these symptoms, stop all food with sugar content. When you are sick, stop eating any food with sugar. Soft drinks, fruit juice beverages, cookies, fast foods, basically any types of food which has sugar that could make these symptoms worse. 

Besides that, sleeping cycle is very important. If you have interrupted sleep or irregular sleeping cycle, it will increase the risks of having these symptoms. Stress also contributes to these symptoms as it can suppress the body's immune system as well. In our modern society, we are expose to viruses, bacterias all the time. Once our immune system is weakened or suppressed, infection will easily occurs, thus, these symptoms appear. It's all about building and maintaining the integrity of the immune response. 

Lastly, exercise. No time? Lazy? Yeah, two most popular excuses I've heard all the time. You don't need two or three hours daily to exercise. The idea is not to over-exercising yourself and have enough rest and sleep. So folks, let's build a strong immune system and say goodbye to these symptoms. 

Coconut: Superfood

Has anyone wonder how coconut can benefit our body? How about sources saying that coconut can raise high cholesterol and causes heart disease? What is the actual truth about coconut? Why do I classify coconut as superfood? Today, I would like to share with you about the benefits of coconut to our health and body. 

Coconut is widely consumed by many countries including Phillipines and Hawaiian Islands. The Phillipines has the largest coconut production of any nation in the world. Coconuts are now found all over the tropics which includes Malaysia as well. Coconut palms are prehistoric plants that are distantly related to grasses. Because they are a grass, coconut palms are extremely salt-tolerant and can grow right next to the ocean. Also like grasses, coconut palms can absorb nearly every mineral known to be useful in human nutrition. Coconuts can survive many months floating at sea. 

Coconut are one of the greatest gifts on this planet. No matter where you are, what you have done, how much you have mistreated your body, fresh young coconut flesh, coconut water or coconut oil can save your life! No? Keep on reading folks. 

Coconut water is one of the highest sources of electrolytes found in nature. Some of my friends tell me that sports drinks are good sources of electrolytes replenishment during exercise or playing sports. Well, I disagree. I'll talk about that in a different post some other time. 

Coconuts are the most health enhancing in their early stage of growth. They contain pure saturated fat that has remarkable ability to rejuvenate age-related oxidative tissue damage, improve the functioning of the nervous system, increase breast milk production and restore male sexual fluids. Yes, guys, do take note.

Let's talk about coconut oil. What do you think of coconut oil? Is bad or good? Truly raw coconut oil is produced when the coconut copra is low-temperature dried, then cold-pressed. The oil is released in the press and the bottled. The content of coconut oil is mainly 92% saturated fat, and approximately 50% is lauric acid. Lauric acid is only found in mother's milk and plays a crucial role in building and maintain a healthy immune system. 

What are benefits of coconut products such as fresh young flesh and coconut oil? Please read below.

• Improve digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and amino acids
• Contains anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-microbial saturated fatty acids, which help to fight off bacteria, fungal and viruses overgrowth.
• Improves utilization of blood sugar
• Improve absorption of calcium and magnesium ions.
• Boost metabolism
• Contains powerful anti-oxidants in form of raw saturated fats and oils.
• Help regulate and support healthy hormones production.
• Helps to speed up thyroid, thus helps in losing excess weight.
• Helps to displace trans fat from the body
• Support healthy cholesterol formation in the liver.

Furthermore, below are the benefits of consuming from fresh young coconut water.

• Great for dehydration
• Cooling effects on the body
• Helps to calm UTI
• Organic sodium and albumin makes it good for cholera.

Besides all the benefits of coconut oil, one can apply the oil as moisturizer on the skin, hair and use for cooking as well. You can go ahead and cook with high temperature as coconut oil is very stable with deep heating. I would personally recommend using organic coconut oil as the main source of cooking oil to everyone.