Foods to boost libido and better sex

Tons of guys have been asking me what foods can boost libido and performance in bed. Some experience low libido, some suffer from mild to severe erectile dysfunction, and for women, low sex drive is becoming more of an issue now. We are facing more people who are experiencing infertility and reproductive problems, having difficulties to conceive and be as reproductive as how we have evolved. 

Reproductive system is extremely important, and if it's weakened or impaired, we will become extinct in future, in time to come, as we can't reproduce anymore. With sick genes, developed sick generations, and eventually we cannot reproduce anymore. Hence, human extinction. 

Consider this as a holiday or New Year's gift from me to all of you, I hereby give you my best pick of top foods which is heart healthy and natural aphrodisiac to sexual performance you have been craving for. Happy New Year and happy holidays to all of you.

1) MACA (Organic Raw) - A super food, read my MACA post. Peruvian ginseng used for generations to improve libido, fertility by populations primarily in Bolivia and Peru. But, not everyone is suitable with usage of this superfood.

2) Avocado - Heart healthy food, which is vitally needed to keep your heart beating strong circulating blood to all the right places. Aztecs called it 'testicle tree'. 

3) Oysters / Seafoods - Rich in zinc and cholesterol, which are needed to produce sex hormones. And yes, cholesterol is a precursor for all steroidal hormones including your needed 'bullets' sex hormones. 

4) Goji Berries - Another superfood, go read my other goji berries post. The only food known to have stimulate production of HGH, thus, triggers testosterone release.

5) Citrus fruits - Any types of citrus fruits high in antioxidants, trace minerals and folic acid, which is important for reproductive health.

6) Almonds - Nutrient dense and rich in trace minerals such as zinc, is essential for reproductive health.

7) Caviar - Zinc levels are high, stimulate production of testosterone, but a rare food item which is not known by many people.

8) Quaill/Goose eggs - Generally any animals eggs which has high cholesterol, which is needed as raw material for production of sex hormones. Both these eggs are exceptionally higher in cholesterol and properties which boost libido and get your rock and rock in bed!

9) Cacao - Of course, one of my favorite foods apart from avocado. It contains 'bliss molecule' (anandamide), and libido boosting methylxanthines. It also contains phenylethylamine, "love chemical",which triggers dopamine production from your brain pleasure center during sex. 

10) Reduce sugar/ do sufficient exercise!  - Yes, want better blood circulation? Stop being a couch potato!

Earthbound Farm: Organic Salad

Just tried out this organic food product recently, baby greens salad with organic walnut and dried cranberries. The whole product is organically grown with different vegetable salad as well as walnut and dried cranberries. Might be a little pricey for most people, well, you pay for what you get, eating real clean organic whole foods. You could choose to spend RM12-14 or so on a large McDonald's value meal, or spend it on an easy pre-packed raw organic salad meal. For whoever in hectic schedule and don't have that much time for their lunch meal during office hours, bring this to your office, and an avocado to add on with this meal would be a good mixture or healthy fats, fiber and low glycemic as well. Try it out, eat it raw. 

The Story of Sugar...are you overdose?

Ever wonder why, you often 'crash' and feeling sluggish all the time? Low energy levels and feeling sleepy during at work or school? Your waist line kept increasing, poor cognitive performance and often fall sick? Ever realize why often has mood swings or not feeling that great mentally? How about hypertension, diabetes, poor lipid profiling, obesity and even cancer and heart disease? Below, is the short story of chronic consumption of excessive sugar (food or beverage). Everyone, is sugar addict. 

As I've wrote a long post about sugar(especially fructose) earlier, below are some simplified consequences of chronic excess of sugar.

• Obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes
• Elevated triglycerides and LDL levels
• Elevated blood pressure
• Liver disease such as cirrhosis and liver cancer
• Depletion of vitamins and minerals as unbound fructose, found in large quantities in HFCS, can interfere with your heart's use of minerals such as magnesium, copper and chromium.
• Cardiovascular disease, arthritis, gout, and cancer

Breakfast

Lunch

     

Tea Time

Dinner

Total amount of sugar consumed daily

Obesity

Diabetes

Heart Disease

Cancer

Well..end of story of your life..

Doritos and Pepsi...Not Bad For You?

Its a mad mad world! What happen to our food? Today, I would like to share with you all, about Doritos and Pepsi. Yes, the popular so called 'snack' or what I would call it 'empty calories junk'. What's up with Doritos and Pepsi? A friend of mine just forwarded to me this video interview with Pepsi CEO about the claim and comments on Doritos and Pepsi. My my, what can I say? Doritos and Pepsi are not bad for you? Watch the video.

Pepsi CEO said "Nothing more than corn mashed up, fried up in oil, and flavored in the most delectable way." Pepsi was discovered for stomach ailment by pharmacist??" <---- ABSURD! 

Flavored in delectable way? Perhaps she might think that MSG excitotoxins are like vitamins to her? I won't be surprise if she would care less about trans fat consumption. Although the packaging labels that it has no trans fat, but any partially or hydrogenated vegetable oil is trans fat. Not to mention corn syrup solids or fructose and genetically modified corn used in this junk food as well. This Pepsi CEO also mentioned in the interview that Pepsico products are highly nutritious and good for you! This is nuts! Food and beverage industries are seriously pathetic! 

Video link: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FJ1qPic5_r0

Contaminated Vaccines: Link with Cancer!

Folks, watch this video which reveals the truth about vaccines (Gardasil) and studies with compeling evidence which link cancer with this vaccine. As I've posted earlier on vaccination back in Dec2010, this video exposes the whole truth about vaccines and impact on human body. The doctor in the video, who was the developer of Merck's vaccine program, confesses in the interview (video).

In 2002, the journal Lancet published compelling evidence that contaminated polio vaccine was responsible for up to half of the 55,000 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cases that were occurring each year. What was it contaminated with? SV40, a cancer-causing monkey virus! 60 different lab studies have confirmed the results, and SV40 has been found in a variety of human cancers, including lung, brain, bone, and lymphatic cancer.

For years, researchers suggested that millions of vials of polio vaccine, contaminated with SV40, infected individuals between 1953 and 1963 and caused human tumors, and by 1999, molecular evidence of SV40 infections were showing up in children born after beginning of 1980's. Still, the FDA and health authorities turned a blind eye! In addition, just like Gardasil may well increase your risk of cervical cancer rather than reduce it, the live polio vaccine has also been found to cause polio.

Meanwhile, last year, the US FDA suspended the rotavirus vaccine Rotarix after an independent lab discovered it was contaminated with a substantial amount" of DNA from the porcine circovirus. In pigs, this virus causes poor growth, weight loss, weakness, enlarged lymph nodes, skin rashes, difficulty breathing, jaundice, stomach ulcers, and sudden death.

Anyway, I'll leave you guys to watch this video carefully, and stay away from vaccination, unless you life totally depend on it for survival. 

Video Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vgBBwOnmy3w

Neotame: Sweeeeet poison!

It is darn sweet. Yes, it is 13000 times sweeter then table sugar! And yes, you didn't read it wrong. What is it? Today, it will be another post about artifical sweetener, a new introduction to the already condemned 'sweeteners' family. The name is Neotame. This is the latest man made creation of chemical based artifical sweetener, which is 'approved' for the use in foods and beverages all around the world. 

In Malaysia, I have yet to notice any processed food products using Neotame as artifical sweetener. Maybe it is already been introduced and used in my country, but I have yet to see one so far. I have wrote in previous posts about Sucralose and Aspartame, but by all means, check this one out. 

Neotame is a chemical derivative of aspartame, and judging by the chemicals used in its manufacturing, it appears even more toxic than aspartame, although the proponents of Neotame claimed that increased toxicity is not a concern, because less of it is needed to achieve the desired effect. 

Neotame is bad science originally brought to you by the Monsanto Company. Yes, Monsanto again! Why is Neotame dangerous? If any of you aware of the harmful affects of Aspartame, please be aware that Nutrasweet company 'improved' the Aspartame formula, making Neotame 7000-13000 times sweeter than table sugar and 30-60 times sweeter than Aspartame!! 

Monsanto applied for FDA approval for neotame, 'based on the aspartame formula' with one critical addition, 3-dimethylbutyl, which just happens to be listed on the EPA's most hazardous chemical list. So, not only is Neotame potentially more devastating to your health than Aspartame, it is also approved for use in a wider array of food products, including baked goods, because it is more stable at higher temperatures.

Neotame is manufactured by combining Aspartame with 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde, which was added to block enzymes that break the peptide bond between aspartic acid and phenylalanine, thereby reducing the availability of phenylalanine. This eliminates the need for a warning on labels directed at people who cannot properly metabolize phenylalanine.

However, 3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde is categorized as both highly flammable and an irritant, and carries risk statements for handling including irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory system. In other words, the NutraSweet company assures you that Neotame is perfectly safe, while at the same time they manufacture Neotame through a chemical reaction between aspartame and a substance that is highly flammable and a skin, eye and respiratory irritant. 

Now, why are these chemicals approved for human consumption? I'm sure some of you must be asking yourself why are all these artifical sweeteners approved and 'declared' safe for human consumption? The FDA is packed by pro-business, pro-corporation advocates who often have massive conflicts of interest when it comes to protecting the health of the public. In fact, the revolving door between private industry and government oversight agencies is so well established these days, it has become business as usual to read about scandal, conflicts of interest and blatant pro-industry bias, even when it flies in the face of science or the law. What can I say?  

One of the biggest marketing and PR tactics for man made chemical sweeteners has been the claim that they help in the battle against obesity. Folks, they don't! They never have and they never will. The research and the epidemiologic data suggest the opposite is true, and that artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame and Neotame tend to lead to weight gain. As I've often said, there's more to weight gain or weight loss than mere calorie intake. One reason for aspartame and Neotame's potential to cause weight gain is because phenylalanine and aspartic acid, the two amino acids that make up 90 percent of Aspartame and are also present in Neotame, are known to rapidly stimulate the release of insulin and leptin, two hormones that are intricately involved with satiety and fat storage. Bear in mind, insulin and leptin are also the primary hormones that regulate your metabolism.

So, although you're not ingesting calories in the form of sugar, Aspartame and Neotame can still raise your insulin and leptin levels. Elevated insulin and leptin levels, in turn, are two of the driving forces behind obesity, diabetes, and a number of our current chronic disease epidemics. Over time, if your body is exposed to too much leptin, it will become resistant to it, just as your body can become resistant to insulin, and once that happens, your body can no longer 'hear' the hormonal messages instructing your body to stop eating, burn fat, and maintain good sensitivity to sweet tastes in your taste buds.

What happens then? You remain hungry, you crave sweets, and your body stores more fat. Leptin resistance also causes an increase in visceral fat, sending you on a vicious cycle of hunger, fat storage and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and more.

Artificial sweeteners cost a great deal less than real sugar, corn syrup or molasses, so the processed food and beverage industry saves money by using LESS of these man made chemicals to create MORE sweetness in their products. Unfortunately, one byproduct your body creates by breaking down aspartame is formaldehyde, which is extremely toxic to your health even in very small doses. The NutraSweet Company claims the addition of 3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde to Aspartame makes it more stable at higher temperatures, and reduces the availability of phenylalanine. But, nowhere do they discuss the formation of formaldehyde when your body breaks down Aspartame, which is the main ingredient of Neotame. 

Before any of you ever think of consuming another dose of Aspartame or Neotame sweetener and thinking that it will help you lose weight, think twice! Stay away from these artifical sweeteners. Till then, stay tuned.

How to build and maintain healthy joints?

These days, there are way too many people who have joints problems. I've heard all over the place from friends, colleagues, relatives, family members, etc. Why is this issue becoming increasingly worrying? Why is it so common these days that even young adults are suffering from joints problem such as back ache, knee pain, etc? 

Today, I will write a bit about joint problems and ways on how to ensure we can have healthy joints and improve your condition of joint dilemma and feels better, towards pain free living. First of all, let me ask you, what is the first thing you do, when you have regular joints ache or pains? Take painkillers? Rub DeepHeat cream? How about taking so called 'joints supplementation" such as chondroitin and glucosamine? Before we start off with further discussion about how to maintain and build strong joints, let me describe a scenario for all of you who is reading this right now. 

Now, let's take an example of a marathon runner, or someone who loves to run a lot regularly. The person is suffering from a knee pain on and off and has been on chondroitin and glucosamine supplementation. This person, then goes to see doctor and ask for help. What happen next? Doctor A, prescribes him anti-inflammatory drugs to ease off his knee pain. Then, this person goes to see another different doctor, and ask for different opinion and help. Doctor B, then prescribes him some mild steroids and painkillers and tell this person to finish off the drugs and the condition will improve. Then again, this person goes to see another doctor, hoping this other doctor could help him and fix his knee problem. Doctor C, then gave him some oilment cream to relieve his 'soreness' and pain condition. 

Alright folks. We have 3 different doctors prescribing 3 different treatments for this reoccurring knee joint problem. Can anyone tell me the solution for this person's knee problem? The answer is common sense. Yes, use your brain and apply common sense! What happen when you want to put out the fire of a burning house? Do you keep spraying water? Or catch the culprit who is hiding and continuously starting the fire? This is no Einstein question and solution. No rocket science, just plain common sense. Of course most of you would by now, realize that the answer to this knee joint problem, is to STOP RUNNING! Torturing your knee joints running or jogging for miles regularly day in day out, especially on hard surface such as pavement of the road, is nothing short of plain stupidity. I know I may sound blunt and mean, but this is unfortunately painfully true. I know a friend, who joins triathlon/Ironman competition in my country, when I told him that all my friends and colleagues who runs and train marathon by running primarily on the road surface, he answered "What? You serious??" "How stupid is that?" Yup, I would have to say he is a wiser athlete who trains smarter.  

Let's get started with the discussion about ways on how to build a stronger joints and ensuring it is healthy and flexible. I'm sure all of you want to be able to go outside the park and playground and play with your kids or grandchildren. Perhaps being able to continue play your favorite sport, walk down the stairs properly, and even a simply basic 'squat ' when you go to toilet. Well, below, are some of the key points on how we could achieve that: 

Weight management

Achieve your optimal weight to improve your bio-mechanic function. One of the outstanding benefits of exercise is its ability to help you achieve and maintain your ideal weight,  which is highly beneficial to your joints. Overweight and obese people compromise joint comfort more than those who are carrying their ideal load. Each additional kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body mass increases the compressive load over your knee by roughly 4 kilograms (nearly 9 pounds). Research shows that a weight loss of as little as 11 pounds can have a positive effect on joint function. And those who are at their optimal weight experience increased joint health as compared to those who are obese or overweight. So you go full circle, losing weight reduces the load on your joints and makes it easier to exercise, and exercising helps you lose weight and supports your joint health. 

Eat a higher quality diet. 

Eliminate sugar and starchy carbs from your diet. And definitely stop drinking soda. These foods do absolutely nothing to support healthy joints or a healthy body. In fact, their potential for damage is well documented. I believe you should limit your total fructose from ALL sources to no more than 25 grams per day, as it raises uric acid levels, which is hard on your joints. Now, chances are, you consume substantially more than 25 grams per day. Approximately quarter of Americans consume a whopping 134 grams of fructose every day! I wish I could dig out data of fructose consumption by Malaysians(too bad, no luck so far). Also, in my opinion, you should base your food choices on your nutritional type to ensure you optimize your ideal macronutrient ratios.

Exercise

There's a common urban legend that exercise is bad for your joints. Most people have little appreciation for how powerful exercise can be in supporting joint function. Vigorous low impact exercise is beneficial, for your joints, as well as for cardiovascular, pulmonary, and other systems in your body. 

It's simply a myth that you can 'wear down' your knees just from average levels of exercise, and/or normal activity. In fact, inactivity causes your muscles to become weaker and actually works against optimal joint flexibility and comfort. One caution, however when using this valuable tool, you need to start slowly if you have not been exercising regularly, and build up to higher activity levels otherwise you risk incurring an injury that could really set you back. If typical vigorous exercise is not easy for you, try walking, tai chi and yoga as they are very low impact, yet offer many health benefits. By all means, reduce or avoid long endurance running on hard surfaces. Non of our primal ancestors jog or run for 21, 42 or even 80km of marathon. 

Optimize your vitamin D levels

Vitamin D also supports a healthy immune response. Please recognize that during the fall, winter and early spring in most of the U.S., Canada, and Europe, your vitamin D levels can drop precipitously. If your levels fall, you give up the support this vitamin offers for your joints and your whole body.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from krill or high quality fish oil. Omega 3's support your joint health. 

GlycosAminoGlycan

Introduction of this precious nutritious 'food recipe' is important, and it will certainly help on building and repairing the joints in the body. And No, I don't think you can get it in any form of supplements sold in the market. 

By the way, a lot of people came to me and asked "Is Glucosamine or Chondroitin good for the joints?" Well, the answer is yes, it will temporarily ease off for maybe couple hours after the run or training/marathon competition, but it will certainly NOT fix your knee joint problem. Again, common sense. Tackle the root cause, not symptoms. 

As for both these supplements, the pills are usually quite large and many may find them difficult to swallow,  and you are often required to take large numbers of them every day. Only a small fraction of the glucosamine you take is actually utilized by your body. In the case of pills and capsules, the studies demonstrate that only about 15-20% is absorbed. Much of the glucosamine on the market is derived from shellfish, specifically crab, lobster, and shrimp shells, which is a common allergen. Obviously, you should avoid glucosamine if you’re allergic to shellfish. The long awaited NIH trials on glucosamine showed disappointing results. There were no significant differences between glucosamine alone, chondroitin alone, or the two combined, when tested against placebo. While generally considered to be free of side effects, some people do experience gastrointestinal upset from it. Also, chondroitin molecules are large, making it difficult for your body to digest, which could be what causes problems for some people. 

Folks, take care of your joints, if you screw with your joints, you are practically screwed for the rest of your life, it doesn't matter back pain, knee pain or shoulder pain, whichever joint problem. Till then, be consistent with exercise routines, and exercise correctly and stop being a couch potato. 

Burzynski : A very powerful documentary about cancer!

I was very touched, I felt anger, I feel like screaming out loud "Everyone MUST watch this documentary!!". After I watched this powerful, yet very touching documentary about cancer, I just have to share it with as many people as I could. Everyone, and I mean everyone, MUST watch this documentary, and especially the ones who is diagnosed with any form of cancer.

Burzynski, is a documentary, which exposes all the truth, politics, and corruption about conventional cancer treatment and of course, probably one of the greatest discovery of medicine, the treatment of antineoplastons, which primarily turn off the unhealthy genes "oncogenes" and turn on the good genes "tumor suppressor genes" involving a special type of protein/amino acid. 

Folks, please, download or buy this documentary, have an open mind and watch it. Still deciding to undergo chemo and radiotherapy? Watch this powerful documentary and decide! Apart from "Dying to have Known" and "The Beautiful Truth" (Gershon Therapy), this is one of the most powerful emotional documentary of all time. Your health, your life, your responsibility, your decision.

Optimum Nutrition Protein Bars

Managed to grab two Optimum Nutrition products, 100% Whey Crisp bar and Wholly Oats. Decided to post and blog a bit about these protein bars, as someone bought them for me, how nice and thank you. Well, although Optimum Nutrition is a powerhouse of bodybuilding/sports supplements, I have some comments especially both these so called 'high protein bars'.  I wouldn't say a review on both these protein bars, but just some advises and my honest point of view on protein bars. 

Now, let's start with ON 100% Whey Crisp Bar. First impression, its ON, most people who is in bodybuilding industry, or bodybuilder enthusiasts, would think that this award winning brand, would be an ideal choice of protein product or in this case, protein bar. Besides, it's 100% Whey right? How bad can it be? Let's start off with the protein total content, which is 25g. For a protein bar, 25g is quite high and looks good for a either pre or post workout meal. Next, carbohydrates. This protein bar has a whopping 34g of carbs, in which 6g of it is sugar. Unless you just ran a half marathon or completed a strenuous long endurance exercise, consuming a 34g of carbs by itself, is obviously a lot to ingest.  Moving on, fats, total fat for this protein bar is 4.5g, which 2g is of it saturated fat. A plus point for this protein bar, it does not have hydrogenated vegetable oil, and 0g of trans fat. 

Meanwhile, below are the ingredients of ON 100% Whey Crisp bar. 

-Whey Protein Crisps (Whey Protein Isolate & Concentrate, Tapioca Starch, Calcium Carbonate, Soy Lecithin).

-Maltitol

-Glycerin

-Toasted Oats (Rolled Oats, Sugar. Soybean Oil, Honey, Brown Sugar Molasses)

- Brown Rice Syrup

- Whey Protein Concentrate & Isolate

- Chocolate Liquor

- Cocoa Butter

- Soy Lecithin

- Vanilla Extract

- Natural Flavor

- Salt

- Sucralose

- Almond Meal

- Wheat Germ

- Peanut Flour

Verdict: A part from harmful chemically made artificial sweetener sucralose, soybean oil and high carbs (34g),  this protein bar is not cheap as well unless you are a loyal fan of Optimum Nutrition and primarily rely on protein bars for pre and post workoout meals. A quality protein bar should ideally be organic based and less then preferably 7 total ingredients. 

Next protein bar by ON, is Wholly Oats. This bar has 280 calories, with a slightly higher carbs(35g) content then Whey Crisp bar, and but has a lower protein content of 21g. Comparing both protein bars, I have to say that ON Wholly Oats has some really nasty ingredients, such as high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated rapeseed oil, hydrogenated cottonseed oil as well as sucralose. Two extremely evil artifical sweeteners and two trans fat based oils? Thats insane! Well, most people look at the trans fat content of 0g, and they thought that the product does not contain trans fat. Obviously that is not true, as the food manufacturers DO NOT need to declare trans fat in the food packaging if it is less then 1g? Again, as I've mentioned in my earlier trans fat post, look out for ingredients such as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. 

I just don't bother typing in the ingredients of ON Wholly Oats, go google and find yourself if you are interested. What I can say, is stay away from this protein bar, and for those who has been consuming this particular protein bar thinking it is oats based protein bar, maybe you should think twice before you chew that next bar of yours. 

Verdict : A protein bar which is definitely not an ideal pre or post workout meal, or even meant to be ingested by any of us. Although the sugar content is only 3g (which you think is good), this protein bar is compensated with much stronger and dangerous artificial sweeteners HFCS and sucralose. Wonder why sugar content is low yet taste so delicious and sweet? 

Congress label PIZZA as vegetable???

Well well. Another pathetic, absurd, yet unbelievable labeling/classification of food from the news few days ago. What is happening to our food? Why are these bunch of idiots keep messing up with our foods? The answer is simple. Power, politics, well-planned lobbying, and of course, MONEY. It's ashamed for the nation (America), and one doesn't need a nutrition Degree to realize that pizza is NOT a vegetable. I would say that possibly a retarded kid might figure that out if he was forced to brainstorm and give an answer to that query! When I read the news about this claim, I was cursing and ranting the whole bloody time! Imagine with all this insanity of foods been adulterated by the governments and food industries, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO OUR GROWING KIDS and generations after that? Imagine 10 years from now, its like living in OBESELAND! 

How can Congress claim that pizza is a vegetable, because it has 2 table spoon of tomato?? How on earth would that even be possible? Tomato paste/sauce considered as vegetable? You got to be freakin kidding me!! Besides, french fries is to be part of kids meals at school because potatoes is 'healthy'? Seriously, come on folks! French fries, sweetened drinks and pizza at school? That's a JOKE!  There goes the obesity and chronic degenerative diseases rates. Why would anyone be surprise if we are seeing more and more fat kids, fat people around us?  Read the news and video links below. 

News/Video link:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/pizza-vegetable-school-lunches-lobbyists_n_1098029.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/034202_pizza_vegetable.html    

Fluoride: The truth is revealed on TV news!

Folks, watch this YouTube clip from Australia news network TODAY TONIGHT which reveals the truth about fluoride. This is a very important warning to everyone from unborn fetus to elderly people. Unless you want retardation, brain damage as well as skeletal related diseases, then this video interview does not matter to you. Watch it, be cautious and stay away from fluoridated substances including water, beverages, toothpaste, and processed foods. 

YouTube video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TskdiL_YqRw

Biological Rhythms: Universal laws of life

Just got a bit of free time today, thought of writing something which pop up my mind spontaneously. Had a busy week last week, looking forward to this coming week, and today, it will be a topic of our biological rhythms. I had blogged earlier about sleep and circadian rhythm, but I thought of sharing a bit more information to whoever is reading this right now. 

Although it may not be apparent to a layperson, the human body is largely run by biological rhythms. All organs, systems, and cells are controlled by exact cyclic patterns of rest and activity, which we can call, the 'universe laws of live'. Some of you might think "are you serious?" or "yeah right". Well, to believe it or not, it's all up to you, everyone has the freedom to choose what to believe and decide what's right for them. 

Now, the following are a few examples of the biological rhythms that follow these laws. 

• Normal menstrual cycles repeat themselves every 27.5 days.
• The stress hormones cortisol and and adrenaline are naturally released into the bloodstream during early morning hours to promote physical activity.
• Immunity and iron concentrations in the blood reach low levels in women during menstruation and high levels during ovulation.
• The liver is more active during the night than it is during the day.
• Red bone marrow produces more blood cells during the night.
• Most digestive enzymes are secreted during the day.
• Bile secretion peaks during the midday.
• The large bowel is most active and efficient during the early morning hours.
• Different types of cells have different types of lifespans and are turned over at specific intervals.
• The 'happy' producing neurotransmitter seratonin is produced in response to daylight.
• The sleep  inducing hormone melatonin is secreted in response to the darkness. 

It is estimated that over 1000 of these biological rhythms operate in control the human body. Each biological timer dictates a specific rhythm or cyclic behavior to a group of cells, an organ or endocrine gland. The various individual timers or body clocks are intrinsically linked to a common master clock. The master clock coordinates the individual clocks with one another and makes certain that every activity in the body is carried out according to its master plan. This master plan consists of nothing but the body's constant effort to maintain perfect equilibrium or balance. In order words, homeostasis. 

The body's master clock is controlled by nature's most influential cycle, known as circadian rhythm.The circadian rhythm prompts us to become more active in the morning and to wind down in the evening. The sun, is the main giver of life on the planet. Both organic and inorganic life forms require sunlight and sun energy for their existence, and so do all human beings. The movements of the Earth on its axis and around the sun create the precise cycles of day and night, as well as seasonal changes. These rhythmic repetitive patterns of the forces in nature, in turn, program our DNA to conduct all physical activities with precision and ideal accurate timing.

All external events occurring in the natural world are linked with similar events inside the body. A sunrise in nature, for example, triggers a 'sunrise' in your body. It wakes you up and gets you going. The morning light enters your eyes as soon as you open them. First, the light is broken down into its full color spectrum by the lenses of your eyes. Immediately, the individual light rays travel to the body's master gland, the hypothalamus. Then, the hypothalamus, which controls the body's biological clock, dispatches light-coded messages to the pineal gland, which is sometimes referred to as 'the third eye'. These messages contain specific instructions for the pineal gland to secrete hormones.

One of the pineal gland's most powerful hormones is melatonin. The secretion of melatonin follows a regular 24 hr rhythm. Melatonin production reaches peak levels between 1 and 3am and drops to its lowest at midday. The pineal gland secretes this hormone directly into the bloodstream, which makes it instantly available to all the cells in the body and tells them 'what time it is' in nature, meaning, what position on Earth is in related to the sun. It also tells a specific gene in the DNA of every single cell when it is time for it to die and be replaced by a new cell. Without the timely secretion of melatonin, the timeless of normal cell division become extended and cancer cells develop, according to the latest cancer research.

The brain synthesizes another important neurotransmittor, seratonin, which relates to our state of well being. I've previously wrote and discussed about 4 important mood zones or so called 'brain chemicals', I think about a year ago. Please read it if you would want to know more about how to feel good, happy, positive, confident and overcome your depression or perhaps any other mental condition, particularly mood swings in women. Now, back to seratonin, arguably the most critical neurotransmitter for our brain. It has a powerful influence on day and night rhythms, sexual behavior, memory, appetite, impulsiveness, fear, and even suicidal tendencies.

Unlike melatonin, seratonin increases with the light of day, with peak secretions at midday, and also through physical exercise and of course, amino acid L-Tryptophan from primarily animal based foods. It is very interesting to note that over 90% of this extremely important neurotransmittor is actually made in your gut, and not your brain. This gut/brain connection shows how crucial eating the proper good food and healthy digestive functions are for the overall well being of both the mind and the body, and vice versa.

The increasing and decreasing levels of melatonin and seratonin indicate to the cells whether it is dark of light outside and whether they should be more active or slow down their activities. This intricate mechanism ensures that all physical functions are synchronized with the rhythmic changes that occur in the natural environment. That is known as 'entrainment'. The health of each cell in the body depends, therefore, on the degree to which we allow the body to be in harmony with the cycles of day and night.

Any deviation from the circadian rhythm causes abnormal secretions of the hormones melatonin and seratonin. This hormonal imbalance, in turn, leads to erratic biological rhythms, which can subsequently disrupt the harmonious functioning of of the entire organism, including digestion of food, cell metabolism and overall hormonal balance. Suddenly, we may feel 'out of sync' or shaky and become susceptible to developing an illness, which could include a simple cold, headache, depression or even a cancerous tumor. 

The pineal gland controls reproduction, sleep and motor activity, blood pressure, the immune system, the pituitary  and thyroid glands, cellular growth, body temperature, and many other vital functions. All of these depend on the regular melatonin cycle which, yet again, is controlled by our body's ability to be in synchronous with nature's rhythms. The amount of melatonin made available to the body in response to the darkness of the night depends on the concentration of seratonin secreted in response to the amount of natural light we are exposed to during the day. As daylight diminishes, seratonin is automatically 'broken down' into melatonin.

If your body makes a good amount of seratonin from natural light, it will also produces sufficient amounts of melatonin during the nighttime, provided your eyes are closed. The pineal gland starts secreting melatonin between around 9.30 to 10.30pm, depending on your age. Unless you use stimulants such as caffeine or food at that time, melatonin naturally induces sleepiness or drowsiness.

Melatonin may even slow the affects of aging, according to a study by Spanish Aging Research Network. With sufficiently high amount of melatonin in the blood, the body is able to regenerate and rejuvenate itself. This sustain good health, vitality and longevity.

The cycles of melatonin and seratonin totally depending on each other, and are precisely controlled by our changing environment. By disregarding these rhythmic changes in nature and living against these unspoken laws, the body and mind surely move out of sync with one another. This is a leading cause of physical and mental health.

A lot of people might not realize, but one of the greatest secrets of good health lies in the discovery of our intimate relationship with the universe. I'm talking about nature, any sense of separation between nature and us  can  only exist in the mind, not in the body. The body has formed an essential link with external world. Till then, take care.

No time and need a bite? Try this one..

To whoever is super busy and no time to prepare any whatsover real food at all ( yeah yeah..tons of excuses ), instead of commercial candy bars, snickers, Kitkat, why not try this 'healthier' snack. When you are hungry and need a bite, no 'real' food available and to avoid from eating junk, give this one a try.

First of all, it's organic, no preservatives, no artificial coloring or sweeteners, non GMO, and not too high in sugar(8.8g) per serving. Besides, it tastes delicious and affordable. Try it out. 

Time Bomb - In your mouth!

I have it, some of you have it, it's a dangerous neurotoxin, it's given to you by your dentist, and yes, it's in your mouth! What is it? It's mercury, a time bomb. Why is that so? 

First of all, none of us, should allow mercury almagram to be placed in our teeth. Not to mention children, it is even more dangerous. When I was young, I did not know the danger of mercury almagram, but I'm trying to find a good dentist who knows how to perform the surgery for the almagram removal. Still keeping my fingers crossed.

Dental "silver" amalgam fillings, or its also known as mercury fillings, are actually made from about 50 percent mercury and the rest of an amalgam is silver, tin, copper, zinc and other metals. Mercury is a potent toxin that can damage your brain, central nervous system and kidneys. Children and fetuses, whose brains are still developing, are most at risk, but really anyone can be impacted. 

Remember, virtually any kind of stimulation can cause these fillings to release mercury. Eating, drinking, brushing your teeth, grinding your teeth, chewing gum, anything. Mercury vapor from the amalgams passes readily through cell membranes, across the blood-brain barrier, and into your central nervous system, where it causes psychological, neurological, and immunological problems.

If your mouth is currently free of mercury fillings, good for you. Make sure you keep it that way by seeing a biological dentist who can recommend a truly inert material that will not harm your health in the event you do need a filling. For those of you who have mercury fillings, I recommend that you have them removed. Avoid making the mistake I did years ago by having it done by a non biological dentist. When you have these fillings removed you can be exposed to significant amounts of mercury vapors if the dentist doesn't know what he or she is doing.

How about the FDA? Yeah, as expected, they want us to keep buying mercury, especially Americans.  Why is that so? You do the math and figure it out yourself. The FDA even claimed that mercury is harmless!! What on earth are they thinking? Do you know that your dentist does not have to warn you about the dangers of mercury fillings? 

The question is, do you have mercury poisoning? How would you know? Some chronic illnesses might be related to mercury toxicity as it overload the mercury toxic levels especially people who consumed tons of seafood as well as plenty of accumulated vaccine shots throughout your lives. Go test your body for mercury toxic levels! Try urine test or hair analysis.

Top 10 Common Household Toxins

Folks, I decided to share with all of you, the Top 10 most common household toxins, data obtained from TIME magazine. Please avoid these 10 toxins whichever way you can, whenever you can. There you go.

• Bisphenol A (BPA) - This chemical is mainly used in plastic production. 
• Oxybenzone - Another dangerous chemical found in cosmetics.
• Fluoride - A dangerous neurotoxin found in water, toothpaste, etc.
• Parabens - Another dangerous chemical found in cosmetics, primarily a synthetic preservatives.
• Phthalates - Another dangerous chemical use in plastic manufacturing.
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) - An additive that preserves fats and oils in food and cosmetics.
• Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) - A component of Teflon nonstick coatings.
• Perchlorate - An oxidant of rocket fuel. I wrote about this before. 
• Decabromodiphenyl Ether (DECA) - Found in electronics, furniture, carpets.
• Asbestos - A naturally occurring fibrous mineral. Found in housing insulation, drywall, artificial fireplace logs, toys. 

Germs : ( Part 4)

It has been a hectic yet busy week for me. Taking a short break here to write some stuff about germs, continuation from last post. Hopefully, I would be able to write couple more posts this week, we'll see how it goes. 

In this post, let's discuss a bit about hygiene hypothesis. A scan of medical history reveals a similar pattern of  increase for the three categories of inflammatory disorders that have become so prominent in the 21st century. They include allergies and asthma, autoimmune diseases such as Diabetes Type 1, multiple sclerosis and lupus, as well as inflammatory bowel conditions such as Crohn's and and ulcerative colitis. All were rare to nonexistent in the ancient medical literature. Heard of Hippocrates? He was hailed as the 'Father of Western Medicine'. Hippocrates describes rare individuals who have bad reactions to certain foods such as milk, but the symptoms, upset stomach gas, sounds more like digestive intolerance than allergy.

By the beginning of the 20th century, respiratory allergies had become so common place across western Europe and North America that many cities had 'hay fever societies'. The hygiene hypothesis that emerged at the end of the twentieth century looked quite different from that first proposed in the 1980's. According to the hypothesis in its later form,  what protected against immune dysregulation was not sickness but early and continual exposure to microbes, especially the kind of bacteria that children regularly inhale and swallow when  they are around other children, animals and unsanitized water. Or more accurately perhaps,  the lack of this exposure appeared to promote immune disorders in people with an underlying predisposition. The idea that exposure to bacteria could provoke anything but a disease fighting inflammation had yet to make into textbooks and remained somewhat controversial, despite a growing literature of published research.

I have a question to all mothers or soon to be mums. Does any of you knows that babies born by cesarean section have double the rate of food allergies as vaginally delivered infants? Research suggests that  the mother's vaginal and anal bacteria deliver benefits that are missed during surgical birth.

Now, let's talk about about farms, bugs and drugs. Over the last 30 years, scores of studies have confirmed that this steady diet of antibiotic breeds highly resistant microflora in an animal's digestive tract and on its skin, as well as in the air, soil and groundwater in and around livestock operations. Analysis of supermarket meat and eggs show that at least some of this drug-resistant microflora also ends up shrink-wrapped with the meat we buy and trapped inside eggs before shells form. From there, even the most meticulous cook will spread a few invisible contaminants around the kitchen and occasionally a few more to reach the dinner table in a less than thoroughly cooked burger, chop or omelet.

Each year, salmonella and campylobacter, the most common causes of bacterial food poisoning, send an estimated of 3 to 4 millions Americans to the doctor or hospital for treatment, though many more suffer a miserable day or two in the toilet before recovering on their own. In the most serious cases, when the bacteria spread beyond the intestines, effective antibiotics can spell the difference between full recovery and serious organ damage or even death. But over the last 2 decades, increasingly multidrug-resistant strains of salmonella and campylobacter have emerged, first in animals and then in people.

Salmonella is bad news. This drug resistant salmonella is really bad news. Mysteriously and dangerously, these superbugs tend to cause more invasive infections, organ damage and fatalities, even when doctors deploy effective antibiotics.

There are larger concerns on the suspicions that the tonnage of antibiotics fed to livestock is fueling a pipeline of resistance genes from their microflora to ours. For every salmonella and campylobacter that sickens someone, we have to assume that hundreds to millions of normally harmless bacteria are continually moving farm to fork. Bare in mind that they don't have to make us sick in order to swap genes with other bacteria in our intestinal tract.

Now, to explore the problems created by our war on germs is to risk suggesting that humanity was better off in the centuries before public sanitation and antibiotics disrupted our 'natural' relationships with microbes. Same goes to today's antivaccine movement that implies as much as its argument that by depriving children once common infections such as measles, chicken pox and mumps, we are leaving these kids to more prone to disease then their 'heartier' ancestors.

Even medical experts have questioned whether in keeping people alive longer, modern medicine has substituted quantity for quality of live. giving us not the 'Golden Years' but sadly the debilitated ones. Sounds familiar to some of you? I'm sure some of you who are reading this right now, are on multiple prescription drugs due to certain medical condition, am i right?

This may be my last post for GERMS discussion. I really don't know what else to add in, I might just squeeze another final post next week. I have a big day coming real soon, have to prepare my stuff, getting ready and we'll see how it goes. I'm just happy to hear that one of my clients lost 6kg and inches off his waist. Till then, stay tuned.

Germs : ( Part 3)

For most of you who still read this GERMS post, you may feel that this starts to get boring, but for some of you, I hope you still find it interesting, as I will continue to share as much knowledge as I can, without making you falling asleep. Let's talk more about germs, particularly about birth, infants as well as H. Pylori. 

Let's see. Like the colonization of the mouth and the skin, that of the human digestive tract, home to approximately 99% of the body's microflora, begins during birth, starting with the lactobacilli encountered in the birth canal. As the baby's head crowns, it compreses the mother's rectum, pushing out a small amount of stool. This head to anus position ensures that, of all billions of microbes, the baby will meet in its first day of life, the first will be those to which its mother immune system has already developed protective antibodies. Bear in mind, that a temporary supply of these antibodies have already passed to the fetus through the placenta. A chaser of breast milk delivers the second wave, millions of bifidobacteria. 

All incoming microbes, before they reach the intestines, must pass through the antechamber of the baby's stomach. In the stomachs of the older children and adults, high levels of hydrochloric acid present a microbe killing barrier. But, acid secretion doesn't begin until around 3 months of age, building gradually to adult levels over several years. This delay leaves open a welcoming door for the colonization of the stomach and intestinal tract during early life. Say, for example, a baby meets the stomach bug called H.Pylori during this period. For some people who known of this bug, he or she would know how destructive and 'durable' it is. 

Children typically do so on the hands or lips of someone already colonized. Once swallowed, this bacterium drills into the mucus layer that will protect the stomach from the hydrochloric acid bath to come. As the acid producing cells of the stomach mature, some strains of H.Pylori inject proteins that direct the cells to lower the  acidity to levels that are more tolerable to this bug, but still acidic enough to kill most of other kinds of microbes. In this way, H.Pylori has maintained a virtual monopoly over the human stomach for over decades. The strain H.Pylori carried by a particular family or population can even be trace ancestry as far back as the ancient migration patterns that began when Homo Sapiens first hiked out of Africa! 

H.Pylori, can triggers inflammation serious enough to produce gastric ulcers and stomach cancer in later life. In any case, H.Pylori is rapidly becoming extinct in the Western world, possibly leaving the stomach open for colonization by some other bugs. proceeding past the antechamber of the stomach, surviving microbes enter the switchback of the small intestine, where a forest of fingerlike extensions, called villi, maximize the surface area through which nutrients can enter thebloodstream. The low acidity or low pH, of the small intestine proves ideal doe bacterial growth. 

The small intestine is where incoming microbes most directly engage infant's dormant immune system. In places, the villi part to reveal barren hillsides, their surfaces a mosaic of oddly flattened and pitted cells. It's called the Peyer's patches, these domelike structures overlie the immune system's most important training academies. The pits on the surface of these flattened cells are pockets that continually snag passing bacteria, both live and dead. Like revolving doors, these pockets migrate to the cells inner surface, ushering their microbial passengers into the lymph tissues.

The internal structure of the Peyer's patch resembles that of the  lymph nodes that will mature in the infant's neck, groin and armpit. But, if lymph nodes resemble war rooms where immune system cells can learn what to attack, the lymph tissue of the Peyer's patch resembles a diplomatic center where incoming microbes get the benefit of the doubt, where they are presumed 'friendly' until proven other wise.

Well, if one say that the immune system learns to ignore the intestinal bacteria, however, would be wrong. Rather then inducing a microbe-killing inflammation, the interaction of the Peyer's patch triggers the production of an abundance of the antibody known as immunoglobulin A, or IgA. Like all antibodies, each IgA attaches to a specific target, in this case, a particular kind of intestinal bacteria. Whoever studied medical or health science, this would sound very familiar to you, unless, you did not pay attention during Immunology lectures. To meet and greet inside the neutral territory of the Peyer's patch, also leads to the proliferation of the T and B cells that will marshal an attack against these same bacteria should they turn up in forbidden territory, such as the blood.

So, an infant's immature immune system learns to tolerate swallowed bacteria while warily keeping them at a distance. over the course of childhood, the numbers of Peyer's patches lining the small intestine dwindles from several hundred to around thirty? Not entirely sure, but I think that's the approximated figure I could still remember.  This remnant group of Peyer's patches clusters along the final segment of the small intestine just before it opens into the expansive bacterial holding chamber of the colon. Within this remnant, a much reduced diplomatic corps  of immune cells continues to monitor the daily passage of millions of microbes, recognizing the vast majority as normal and worthy of tolerance.

Once they have passed through the forceful contractions and microbe snagging cells of the small intestine, bacteria enter the settling tank of the large intestine. Though it is sterile at birth, it will become the microbial rain forest of the human body. At the end of the vaginally delivered baby's first day of life, the scattering of bacteria in his poop reflects that of his mother vaginal and intestinal tract.

By contrast, that of the cesarean-born baby contains a more random assortment of microbes from the hands of the birth attendants and the general hospital environment. Whatever the method of delivery, by the third day , a breast fed infant es excreting a near monoculture of bifidobacteria, which continues to predominate until the introduction of solid food. Bear in mind that the intestinal flora of a 'formula-fed' infant also contains bifidobacteria, but the source is unknown, and far much smaller numbers and as a small part of an unstable mixture of other mibrobes. So parents, this is a very important point to take note.

In the intestine, as on the baby's skin and in its mouth, the bifidobacteria discourage the growth of potential troublemakers such as staph and help to select the first permanent resident. Studies also show that an abundance of intestinal bifidobacteria boosts the level of protective antibodies in a baby's blood, antibodies that target not only problematic bacteria but many kinds of diarheaa inducing gastrointestinal viruses. This phenomenon may also explain why in Third World countries with poor water sanitation, the mortality rates of breast fed infants are as much as six times lower then formula fed babies during the first six months of life, regardless the family income or education level.

The first wave of intestinal microbes also triggers the maturation of the colon's lining. Underlying blood vessels extend to the lining's surface and there form the dense network of tiny capillaries needed both to keep it healthy and to carry away the nutrients liberated by resident bacteria. At the same time, the first touch of bacteria awakens millions of intestinal stem cells. Once activated, these cells begin endlessly dividing, and their proliferation continually refreshes the intestinal lining's delicate layer of surface cells.

The surface cells, in turn begin shedding at a rate of several billion cells per day! This replacement renders the intestinal tract resilient to the kind of injuries that inevitably occur when a child starts eating solid food, with its abundance of natural toxins as well as the occasional sharp object or disease causing microbe.

Folks, I know this is one pretty darn boring read. A lot of science and too much of germs stuff. Well, if you are into microorganisms' world, you might like what you read here. Till then, stay tuned.

Germs : ( Part 2)

In this post, I will write a bit bout how germs evolve around our body as ecosystem, our mouths, its life on the surface and inside as well. I have discovered that writing this topic is quite a challenge for me, compared to the rest of the other health discussions I've written earlier. Though I will try to elaborate and explain as laymen as possible, this topic about germs will always be one of my favorite learning till today.

Preparations for the human-microbe alliance begin before birth. Midway through pregnancy, a hormonal shift directs the cells lining a woman's vagina to begin stockpilling sugary glycogen, the favorite food of the bacteria called lactobacilli. By fermenting the sugar into lactic acid, these bacteria lower the pH of the vagina to levels that discourage the growth of potentially dangerous invaders. These threats include the occasional intestinal bacterium that might stray from anus to vagina, then overgrow and spread into the uterus to cause a pregnancy-threatening infection. The acid secreting lactobacilli also provide partial protection against the sexually transmitted bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, which can cause blindness in newborns infected during passage through the birth canal.

Some vaginal lactobacilli also produce hydrogen peroxide, and these extra aggressive lactobacilli are particularly effective at beating back the growth of Streptococcus agalactiae, or group B strep. Commonly found in vaginas of women who lack hydrogen peroxide producing lactobacilli, group B strep remains a leading cause of infant mortality.

Each year, we noticed hundreds and even thousands of life threatening cases of pneumonia, meningitis, and blood infections primarily in babies under one month of age. Because the natural protection of lactobacillus is far from foolproof, Western obstetricians routinely put women who tested positive for group B strep on antibiotics during labor. Ironically, previous courses of antibiotics are often to be blamed or allowing group B strep to move into the birth canal in the first place, as these drugs tend to disrupt the woman's protective lactobacilli.

Now, let's talk about germs and our mouths. How about infant's mouth? Typically, the infant mouth's first innoculation of bacteria includes a generous sampling of the lactobacilli present in the mother's canal. With the first gulp of breast milk, these lactobacilli are joined by millions of bifidobacteria, a related group of acid-producing microbes. 

These microbes mysteriously appear in and around the nipples of a woman's swelling breasts during the eight month of pregnancy. There, the bifidobacteria secrete a potent combination of acids and antibiotic chemicals to repel potentially dangerous microbes. Though, the bifidobacteria themselves perish in the open air, they leave behind acids that linger for hours on the breast and in a baby's mouth.

If the newborn is fortunate, her neisseria population will include globes of Neisseria lactamica, which thrives on lactose, or milk sugar. Early colonization by this species builds strong immunity against Neisseria meningitidis, the most common cause of meningitis, a potentially deadly inflammation of the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord.

Where do all these early colonizers come from? By identifying the specific subtypes of bacteria in children's mouths, researchers have found that the vast majority trace directly to the mouths of their mothers. The maternal antibodies still circulating in a newborn's blood, which was passed during pregnancy, may further encourage the growth of microbes that they recognize as their own.

The mouth's salivary glands secrete a more constant but less intense source of bacterial food, a watery mix of protein, sugars and minerals. The mouth's first wave of aerobic bacteria consumes enough oxygen to create an underlying zone where anaerobic bacteria can thrive. These anaerobic bacteria bacteria feed on the biochemical waste products of their microbial neighbors and so help stabilize their ecosystem as it grows crowded.

Next, let's move on the discussion about germs' life on the surface. As with the mouth and nose, the colonization of the human skin begins during birth, with the lactobacilli in the mother's birth canal. These protective bacteria contribute their lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide to the bacteria-killing enzymes in the creamy vernix that covers the emerging baby. 

Like the bifidobacteria of breast milk, lactobacilli don't survive long in open air. The hands and exhalations of parents and birth attendants likewise transfer bacteria to the baby's skin. Twenty four hours after birth, the suburbanization of the baby's skin has gone far, with more than a thousand bacteria per square. This rapid pace of growth continues through the second day, surpassing ten thousand per square centimeter at forty eight hours, and hitting the one hundred thousand mark by six weeks. At such densities, the skin's largely aerobic pioneers begin to deplete the limited oxygen inside hair follicles and glands, preparing them for second wave of settlers.

For most part, the skin's microflora stabilize by middle childhood. Though family and friends continuously trade microbes, fewer and fewer of these later visitors remain for long. Then, when we reach adolescence, the pimple inducing Propionibacterium acnes lives up to it name. It becomes trapped and overgrows inside overeactive oil glands. Next, the high estrogen levels of female adolescence also foster the growth of vaginal lactobacilli. A girl does not have to be sexually active to accidentally introduce a small number of these troublesome microbes into her vagina. She may do so when she wipes after a bowel movement.

Because antibiotics, especially broad spectrum antibiotics, tend to disrupt this ecological balance, they frequently trigger either yeast infections or bacteria vaginosis, which is caused by intestinal bacteria.

Now, let's talk a bit about the bacteria called E.coli. I'm not sure how many of you readers heard and know of this bacteria, but allow me to share some of my knowledge with you on this one. This bacteria, remains the best known of all the intestinal bacteria. It was the one bacterium that consistently showed up in stoll cultures and sewage-contaminated water supplies. In truth, E.coli was simply the easiest of the intestinal bacteria to grow outside the body. Anyone of you heard about the contamination of beef burgers years back in countries such as USA would surely learn one of two things about this bacteria. In this case, we are talking about commercial processed meat.

Stay tuned...

Germs : ( Part 1)

Today, I would like to write about something slightly different. Germs! Microbes! Well, I know it is not most people's favorite subject, but from my point of view, it is very important, and it plays key role to our health since millions of years ago. I will discuss about our primal ancestors, how they were associated with these organisms since long time ago. 

Over the millions of years that human and their ancestors lived as hunter-gatherers, they populations remain too small to allow a deadly infection to last long, or to travel far before killing everyone off. Microbes, use humans as secondary homes, while residing primarily in  animals such as insects. Of these, the mosquito-borne malaria parasite, maybe the oldest and the deadliest.

When tribes of Homo sapiens first hiked north of Africa some thirty thousand years ago,  they largely escaped their tropical parasites and enjoyed a prolong era of robust health. This is not to say that hunter gatherers enjoyed an idyllic existence. Starvation and injury made for a short and brutal lifespan, but it was nonetheless a life span largely free of infectious disease.

With civilization, well behaved microbes abruptly lost their near-monopoly over the human body and a new microbial lifestyle arose. Thee real carriers of the infectious organism, rats and their attendant fleas, had massively multiplied. thriving in the household waste that the working poor tossed from their windows for lack of a better option.

Now, let's talk about the reborn of germ theory. Does anyone know when does the first maternity wards open in Europe? Well, the answer is late 1700's. That time proven to be especially deadly as well, with childbed and fever racing through the newly popular maternity wards and killing thousands of people. And no wonder, for the doctors and midwives were constantly moving between the sick and the merely birthing, thrusting contaminated hands and instruments high into raw and torn birth canals and wombs. But the idea that medical workers might be spreading infection was shared by few and shunned by many.

In fact, the controversial concept would destroy many careers. The first was that of the Scottish surgeon Alexander Gordon. He noted the resemblance between the milky substance seen in the wombs of women dead of puerperal fever and the wound infections. Gordon's proposed cure for puerperal fever was all but medieval, but his recipe for preventing its spread was spot on. He noted that the patient's apparel and bedcloths ought be burnt or thoroughly purified, and the nurses and physicians who have attended the patients affected with the puerperal fever ought carefully to wash themselves and get their apparel properly fumigated before it be put on again.

Then, a half century later, Oliver Wendell Holmes tried unsuccessfully to hector doctors of the Atlantic into recognizing the infectious nature of puerperal fever. He was then dismissed as another crazy 'contagionist' physician, and he left medical practice few years later. The same year Holmes abandon medical practice, the Hungarian physician Ignaz Summelweis supplied clear proof of both Gordon's and Holmes's contagionist theories. But, after Ignaz Summelweis died, European and American doctors had largely split into two camps, the contagionist and the sanitarians. The contagionists are the ones who advocated germ theories, and sanitarians, are the ones who clung to the idea of miasmas. Fyi, the miasma theory, refers to the believe of diseases such as cholera and chlamydia were caused by 'poisonous aires' arose from filth and decay.

On the contagionist side, a number of researchers had glimpsed the presence of microscopic organisms in diseased tissues. But, many countered that if, in fact, bacteria existed in the blood and tissues of the sick, they did not cause the disease, rather they sprang spontaneously from the dead and dying tissue.

The early microbe hunters could not discern the profound differences between the ultrasimple 'prokaryotic' cell of a bacterium, and the larger, more sophisticated 'eukaryotic' cells of microscopic parasites such as protozoa and fungi. They also mistakenly assumed that viruses were infectious microorganisms that were too tiny for them to see with their most powerful microscopes. We now know them to be nonliving particles of protein wrapped nucleic acids (which is our DNA and RNA), that enter our cells and there get mistakenly copied, to fuel a new round of infection.

Right now, I conclude the first post of this 'Germs' series. Stay tuned as I will make time to write the second post hopefully in few days time. Take care.