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.

Chlamydophila Pneumoniae : Infectious bacterium

I've been spending some time researching about germs, bacteria and viruses as well as parasites and yeast. One pretty rare bacterium which came across my attention, Chlamydophila Pneumoniae. It is also known as Chlamydia Pneumoniae, but it is NOT the same Chlamydia sexually transmitted disease. Why is it so interesting and dangerous? 

Now, a lot of doctors have yet to know about this bacteria, and if being told, they often mixed up with the STD Chlamydia. The popular Chlamydia, is actually a STD based bacterium, which can destroy a woman's reproductive system, causing infertility and so on. For men, it can cause fluid discharge and burning sensation on the penis and other complications as well. It is one of the most common sexually infected diseases in developed countries, but I will not discuss on this type of bacteria for today. Let's focus on the much more destructive bacterium, Chlamydia Pneumoniae.

Although I'm not an expert or have sufficient knowledge about this germ, but I hope to share some information regarding this bacterium, to whoever is reading this post right now. The most common question asked is "How can I be infected with this bacteria?" Well, it mainly started off with respiratory infection, then could well spread to other parts of the organs in the body and infect other tissues such as nerve tissues, brain, muscles, blood vessels and even immune cells. It can be spread by droplet infection, coughing, sneezing, and if you accidentally touched a surface or objects which has the infected droplets, there is a high chance you may be infected too.

First of all, this bacteria contains endotoxins, which are toxic chemicals that can damage tissues and cause inflammation. It can also increase the load of toxic in the body and trigger chronic immune activation. It infects inside the cells and steals the energy from your body, making you feel as if you have low energy levels and sluggish most of the time. 

One of the interesting is, this bacterium, it loves cortisol! It actually triggers production of cortisol and feeds on these stress hormones! It makes your immune system susceptible to other infections as it causes the immune system white blood cells to dysfunction. Thus, one after another infections are stacking up on top of each other and making the body more vulnerable and weak.

Approximately 100 diseases or health conditions are associated with Chlamydia Pneumoniae. A long list of health conditions from  diarrhea, chronic fatigue, chronic sinusitis, shortness of breath, muscle pain, depression, prostate inflammation, asthma, joint problems, to a more severe conditions such as stroke, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, Alzheimer's, rheumatoid arthritis

In most infections with Chlamydia pneumoniae, it run silently, or with common cold symptoms. Only in immune system suppressed individuals such as patients with cancer, HIV infection and in elderly people so acquired pneumonia to serious complications, sometimes leading to fatal outcome. Approximately 80% of those over 60 years of age have blood antibodies against Chlamydia Pneumoniae, are affected, whereas only about 20-30% of the 10-year schoolchildren are hit by this bacteria.

Question is, how can one know if he or she is infected with this bacterium? Well, there are few ways to perform diagnosis and get tested out to confirm if your body has Chlamydia Pneumoniae. However, detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae is very complicated because they are not like other bacteria can be grown. They trive in a host cell and behave like parasites. Below are the few diagnostic methods which certain respective hospitals could perform, but most conventional doctors never even heard of this bacterium before.


- IgG, IgM and IgA antibody detection
- Nucleic acid detection
- Real Time PCR

Finally, what types of treatment can be used to combat or cure this infection? Below are some of the tested and proven effective treatment for Chlamydia Pneumoniae infection.


- NAC (amino acid )
- Glutathione (anti-oxidant )
- Amoxicillin (antibiotic)
- Azithromycin (antibiotic)
- Minocycline (antibiotic)

Sleeping Disorder...Can't sleep well?

Today, I will write about sleep. Yes, we have an epidemic of sleeping disorders all over the world, including Malaysia. Most people, are not aware that sleep, is a very important piece of pillar for optimum health and wellness. It applies to fat loss, deceleration of aging,  cognitive performance, repair and rejuvenation of physical body and cells, and of course, obesity and risks of chronic degenerative diseases. I've blogged earlier before about sleep, and I hope to write more about this particular topic in the near future. 

Sleep is such an important part of your overall health that no amount of healthful food and exercise can counteract the ill effects of poor sleeping habits. Researchers have linked poor sleep to a number of health ailments, from short-term memory loss and behavioral problems, to weight gain and diabetes, for example.

Folks, can any of you tell me what is your regular sleeping time? I bet most of you hit the bed past 12am midnight. In my nutrition and personal training program, there are more then 80% of my clients who sleep past the midnight hour. Why is that? Some say, I can't sleep if it's too early. Some did mentioned, I have hard time tuning back my circadian rhythm. What went wrong? Our DNA, particularly our biological clock, since millions of years ago, recognized sunlight and darkness as the regulation of how our hormones including melatonin and cortisol should be produced.  

A disrupted sleep cycle also adversely affects your body's production of melatonin, which is both a hormone and a potent antioxidant against cancer, thus raising your risk of breast cancer. Poor sleeping habits can also raise your levels of corticosterone, the stress hormone associated with road rage. Additionally, when your body is under stress, it releases hormones that increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Your muscles get tense, your digestive processes stop, and certain brain centers are triggered, which alter your brain chemistry. Left unchecked, this stress response can eventually lead to headaches, anxiety, and depression.

The most commonly reported sleep disorder is insomnia, having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or the inability to get quality sleep throughout the night.In order to get a good night's sleep, you want sleepiness level to be high, and the noise level to be low. More often than not, the reason why you can't fall asleep is NOT because you're not sleepy enough, but rather because you're subjected to excessive noise, which, again, can be either mind/body/environmental type noise, or a combination of either. Therefore, the FIRST thing you need to ask yourself when you can't sleep is "Where/What is the noise?"

Typically, people will find between three to six different factors that contribute to the noise burden keeping them awake. Therefore, don't give up if you've addressed the most obvious source of noise and still can't sleep. Keep looking! You need to really evaluate your environment and your inner and outer state to determine and address ALL the contributing factors.

Now, let me give you some tips on how to improve your sleep quality. I listed out quite a long list of things to do in my last SLEEP post. If you're in the habit of spending a lot of time in front of the TV or on the computer at night, you may want to reconsider, as these technologies can have a significantly detrimental impact on your sleep:

- TV and computer screens emit blue light, nearly identical to the light you’re exposed to outdoors during the day. This tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, thereby shutting down melatonin secretion. What happen then? Cortisol keeps producing and in long term, it shrink your adrenal glands. Bad news! 

- Under normal circumstances, your brain starts secreting melatonin between 9 or 10 pm, which makes you sleepy. When this natural secretion cycle is disrupted, due to excessive light exposure after sunset, insomnia can ensue.They stimulate your brain, thereby preventing you from falling asleep quickly. TV also disrupts your pineal gland function. These items also prevent you from getting high quality sleep if you fall asleep with them on. In fact, many teens are now getting “junk sleep” for this very reason. 

Worries can take great toll not only on your ability to sleep, but it also creates a vicious cycle of stress. I might have mentioned before in my earlier post,  but I would like to elaborate yet again, probably some new pointers. Two very important contributing factors that can make sleep elusive are:

Light - If your bedroom is not already pitch dark at night, I highly recommend installing blackout shades or thick drapes.Even the barely noticeable light from a streetlight, a full moon, or your neighbor‘s house can interfere with the circadian rhythm changes you need to fall asleep. You want your bedroom as pitch black as possible. Alternatively, wear an eye mask to block out light, but this is a poor second best option. Also hide your clock, so that its glow won’t disturb you. Ideally, you’ll want to avoid using electronic clocks in your bedroom, as they emit not just light, but also electromagnetic radiation, which can also disrupt your sleep. In fact, electric clocks have a very high magnetic field, as much as 5 to 10 mG up to three feet away. If you are using an electric bedside clock, you could be sleeping in an EMF equivalent to that of a powerline. Also avoid electric blankets for this same reason.

Temperature - Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 21-22 degrees. Many people keep their homes and particularly their upstairs bedrooms too warm. Studies show that the optimal room temperature for sleep is quite cool, as low as 60 to 68 degrees. Keeping your room cooler than 16-18 degrees or hotter than 23 degrees can lead to restless sleep. This is because when you sleep, your body's internal temperature drops to its lowest level, generally about four hours after you fall asleep. Scientists believe a cooler bedroom may therefore be most conducive to sleep, since it mimics your body's natural temperature drop. For an additional boost, try taking a hot bath 90 to 120 minutes before bedtime. This increases your core body temperature, and when you get out of the bath it abruptly drops, signaling your body that you are ready for sleep.

Last but not least, you can also consider taking a melatonin supplement, which will help boost sleepiness. It likely will not be enough to counteract or override excessive “noise” however, so do make every effort at addressing the various forms of noise, as discussed above. Ideally, it is best to increase your melatonin levels naturally, by exposing yourself to bright sunlight in the daytime and complete darkness at night.

Doing this regularly will promote proper functioning of your natural circadian rhythm, which is essential for a proper sleep cycle. However, if that isn't possible, you can consider a melatonin supplement. It's is a completely natural substance, made by your body, and has many health benefits in addition to sleep. But unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to find melatonin supplement in Malaysia. And what do most people who suffer from sleeping disorder go for? Yes, sleeping pill. Folks, this substance will be the last thing you need. 

In scientific studies, melatonin has been shown to increase sleepiness, help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep, decrease restlessness, and reverse daytime fatigue. Till, then, I gotta run. 

Personal Training: Before and After?

One of my clients, before and after pics(14 weeks). Lost about 22 pounds of body fat, gained 1kg of muscle and the 'love handle' is almost gone. Keep up the good work and train hard! It's all about good nutrition and the right way to train and exercise.


                                                                           BEFORE

 

AFTER

Vegetarianism (Part 12)

Good Day everyone. Today, this will be the last post for this topic and it will be a long post. I hope reading this post will not bore you to death. Let's talk abit about USDA as well as insulin. Our country(Malaysia) food pyramid guide follows very similiar to what USDA had 'planned' for all of us. According to USDA, we should be eating a diet that is 60 percent carbohydrates. Your body will turn that carbohydrates into almost two cups of glucose, and each and every molecule has to be reckoned with.

Does any of you know that with that amount of sugar in the bloodstream, would lead to coma and death if humans didn't have a way to process sugar, and fast. So, the body comes equipped with a mechanism to clear sugar from the blood, but it's a mechanism that agriculturalists wear out. Elevated sugar levels stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone responsible for nutrient storage. Its primary purpose is to get excess sugar, amino acids and fats out of the blood and into the cells.

Sugar, is the most dangerous of those three, as too much sugar can cause serious consequences very quickly. So, insulin most important job is to keep the blood sugar level out of the red zone. It does this by binding with insulin receptors, which are proteins on a cell's surface that remove sugar from the blood. Insulin is the switch that turns on the insulin receptors, which they do the work of moving glucose into the cell.

When the blood sugar levels are constantly spiking from a diet of high carbohydrates, the amount of insulin required to deal with that will, over time, damage the insulin receptors, blunting their ability to work. Yet, the high levels of sugar still need to be lowered, and lowered quickly. So, the pancreas pumps out even more insulin, which forces temporarily forces the insulin receptors into action but ultimately creates still more damage.

Now, there is so much insulin in the blood that by the time it's all bound to the insulin receptors, blood sugar levels will to be too low. This cycle, of high blood sugar ---> too much insulin ---> low blood sugar, is called hypoglycemia. I've told many of my friends and colleagues about this state, I hope they remember it. It ends when the sufferer, biologically desperate to raise her blood sugar levels, puts another dose of sugar into her mouth with a sweaty shaking hands. Well, that will help, for an hour or two, until her blood sugar crashes again and the whole process starts over. Sounds familiar?

Where it really ends is in Type 2 Diabetes. The resistant insulin receptors demand too much insulin, more then the pancreas could ever make. The chronic excess sugar destroys the nerves, the heart, the arteries and the retinas too. Despite every advance in medical science, a diabetic's life can be shortened by one third! Such, are the wages of civilization's dietary sins.

Because insulin also controls a number of other basic life functions, high levels of insulin will cause damage throughout the body. Insulin triggers cholesterol synthesis, activating the enzymes that spur cholesterol production. Bear in mind, I have mentioned in my earlier cholesterol post, about only 80-85% of total cholesterol is made by the body, the rest of it, is dietary. This is why, a low fat or low cholesterol diets have proven useless. Everyone of your cells both makes and needs cholesterol, most of it is produced by your liver.

Too much of insulin triggers the growth of smooth muscle cells that line the arteries, thickening the walls and reducing elasticity. Blood volume of the arteries shrink, which means the heart has to pump harder, which is another way of saying, 'high blood pressure'. Insulin also triggers the kidney to retain fluid, which again increases blood pressure. Arteries with less elasticity are more prone to plaguing and arterial spasm. Insulin, also increases oxidation of LDL particles. I'm sure some of you by now, know that there is not only one LDL, but in fact, there are two LDL particles.  What damages them? Too much blood sugar and insulin.

Sugars are able to attach proteins all over the body and start a reaction that creates permanent damage to the cells. This process is called glycation and fructation, for glucose and fructose respectively. Check this out, year in and year out, from the time we were born, this damage by the process accumulated in our bodies, over a lifetime it wreaks the most havoc in long-lived proteins, including elastin, the protein that gives youthful elasticity to the skin. DNA, the genetic blueprint present in all cells, and collagen, the structural protein mass, occurring in tissues all over the body, including the hair, skin and nails, the walls of the arteries and veins, and the framework of bones and organs. Damage to these critical protein structure results not only in such cosmetic maladies as wrinkles and age spots, but in serious health problems ranging from cataracts to failure of major organs, such as kidney and the heart.

All these, that's just from ingesting SUGAR. The excess insulin required by that ingestion makes it even worse, as insulin raises the rate of oxidation of the LDL particles. So, on a carbohydrate-based diet, there's a lot sugar can do damage, and that sugar requires insulin that adds even more damage. Once impaired, the LDL heads for the arterial walls. There, it sets off an immune reaction. The body's defenders, the macrophages, will attack and disremember the LDL, creating inflammation and bits of deranged cholesterol. Those bits, are now bioavailable and will be used by the body in the formation of plaque.

Insulin triggers the production of fibrinogen, which is the substance used in the first stage of clot formation. Insulin, also stimulates the kidneys to dump both magnesium and potassium, which can lead to heart arrhythmias and life threatening fibrillation. Is there any stage of coronary heart disease missing from this indictment?

The counter balancing hormone to insulin is glucagon. Well, most people have yet to know this hormone, as both are secreted by your pancreas. When your blood sugar levels are in free fall and headed for the crash, glucagon's job is to get those levels back up. It does this by stimulating the body to burn its reserves of energy, and with some help by both adrenalin and cortisol as well.

Adrenalin prepares you for the fight or flight situation. It forces energy out storage and cranks up the metabolism in your muscles, getting you ready for action. One of the ways it free up more energy for your muscles is by shutting down your digestive systems. The presence of adrenalin suppresses the stomach's production of hydrochloric acid.

Well, thats fine for the occasional sabertooth tiger attack, but what about eating a high carbohydrate diet 3 meals a day? This is equivalent to three times being attacked by the tiger daily, everyday. You can damage your stomach ability to produce hydrochloric acid, and anyone with blood sugar problems is at risk. The resulting condition is called gastroparesis. Anyone heard of it before?

Gastroparesis, is commonly occurs in those who are either diabetic or hypothyroidism. You have to realise, that blood sugar regulation is closely tied to the functioning of the stomach and the health of the nerves. Very low carbohydrates diet have been successfully used in virtually all stomach disorders because it has been found that insulin is intimately tied up with acid production, the pressure of the esophageal-gastric sphincter and the hormonal control of other stomach functions. Lowering insulin levels through a low carbohydrate diet, is the first step to resolving this disorder. Who says you need drugs from conventional doctor?

So here are some questions for you, vegetarians. Do you feel sick when you eat? Specifically, does your stomach feel bloated, or like it takes a long time to empty? It's not your blood type, and it's not because you are naturally meant to eat light. Simple, if you can't eat food your body needs, it's because you have damaged your digestion, from too many blood sugar highs and lows, as well as too much adrenalin. Can this be fixed? Of course my friend. It can be fixed, but you are going to have to eat real protein and fat and not sugars. You need to leave adrenalin for emergencies only.

Cholesterol is, of course, to almost everyone, known as a 'villain', surely nutritional vegetarians will stand behind. The Lipid Hypothesis, as I've discussed months ago in my Cholesterol posts, referred to the theory that ingested fat causes heart disease, particularly saturated fat. It is the stone tablet that the Phrophets of Nutrition have brought down from the mountain. We have been shown one way, true way, that cholesterol is the demon of the age, the dietary Black Plague, a judgement from angry GOD. That at least is what the priests of the Lipid Hypothesis declared, having looked into the entrails of.....rabbits. Damn rabbits!! Whoever had read my cholesterol posts earlier, or whoever realized about this pathetic health scam, you surely know what I meant.

There is a huge array of epidemiological studies that show no correlation between saturated fat consumptionm cholesterol levels and heart disease. First of all, let's check out the paradoxes such as French Paradox, the Greek Paradox, the East African paradox, the Swiss Paradox, etc. These contries have high cholesterol and saturated fat consumption, yet low levels of heart disease.The French consumes four and half times as much butter as Americans, but look at the comparison of heart disease rates between these 2 countries. Furthermore, the Masai of Kenya, eat a diet almost entirely based on meat, milk and blood. On average, Masai warriors ingest 300 grams of animal fat everyday! Yet heart disease is unknown.

Another epidemiological study discovered the Pacific Island paradox. Coconut is a staple food of the people of Pukapuka, and coconut oil is more highly saturated then animal fats. Big part of their calories is in the form of saturated fat. Cardiovascular disease was absent, as were degenerative diseases in general.

How about the Japanese? They increased their consumption both of total fat and animal fat over 250% since 1960's and they are now the longest living people in the world. Consumption of both animal protein and fat increased significantly, as one would expect during a time of economic prosperity. Blood cholesterol also increased, while blood pressure and strokes went down. Check this out. A survey of 40000 Japanese subjects found that over sixteen year period, those who ate the most eggs, dairy products and fish, had 28% lower risk of stroke then those who ate them least.

Want more? India. Over a million of people were examined for incidence of CHD. Guess what? The highest rates were in Madras, and the lowest rates were in Punjab. Their dietary difference? In disease prone Madras, fat consumption was lower, and consisted of polyunsaturated vegetable oils. In Punjab, milk products supplied the fat, and with much lower polyunsaturates. The Punjab men has average of overall lifespan of 8 years longer then those in Madras.

Next, we then have China. Well well. What can I say? There is a bizarre and entrenched myth among the health concious in the West that the Chinese don't have cardiovascular diseases. the idea is that they eat lots of rice and vegetables and very little protein and fat, are healthy. The truth of the matter is that the Chinese do indeed have cardiovasular disease, and lots of it. The rates of death from cardiovascular disease suffered by both rural and urban Chinese males is almost indistinguishable from the rate experienced by American males, while the rates of cardiovascular deaths for both rural and urban Chinese women is significantly higher than those of American females.

The past fifteen years have seen a reduction in fat consumption of almost 25 percent, due to the relentless badgering of the medical establishment and the willingness of corporate food manufacturers to fabricate an endless array of ridiculous information about fats and cholesterol, cheap polyunsaturated vegetable oils that have been chemically altered. Consumption of fat has gone down, and we are getting fatter and higher rates of heart disease?

As I've mentioned before in my cholesterol posts, twenty five percent of the body's cholesterol is in the brain., the brain that is made up of over 60% of saturated fat. Without fat, our neurotransmitters literally can't transmit. Fat is also preferred by our nervous systems. Without this substance, your brain would be almost entirely useless. The name of this wonder substance? CHOLESTEROL!

Low cholesterol means low seratonin levels, which means depression. Cholesterol is essential for the brain's seratonin receptors. In fact, people on low fat diets are twice as likely to die from suicide or violent death. Low fats diet increase anger, depression and anxiety. Low cholesterol levels occur more often amongst criminals, individuals diagnosed with aggressive conduct disorders, homicidal offenders with histories of suicidal attempts and violence related to alcohol. While ratings of anger hostility slightly declined during the high fat diet period, they significantly increased during the low fat, high carbohydrate diet period.

There are two things going on here. One is that the human body and its brain need saturated fat and cholesterol. The other is that while polyunsaturated fats are essential but they are only needed in tiny amounts. The quantities currently consumed by almost all of us, are damaging both body and brain. Until very recently in human history, non one used discrete polyunsaturated vegetable oils, or at least not for food. They were used to make glue and paint!

High consumption of polyunsaturated fats have been shown to contribute to a large number of diseases such as increased of cancer, heart disease, immune system dsyfunction, damage to the liver, reproductive organs, lungs, digestive disorders, depressed learning ability, impaired growth and weight gain. A big problem with polyunsaturated fats is their tendency to oxidize very easily, or go rancid, when expose to air, moisture and heat, not to mention when these oils are used in cooking. Whereas saturated oils are stable because every carbon is paired with a hydrogen.

When I recently just attended a class (nutrition), and the trainer was saying that cholesterol causes heart disease and caused formation of plaque, I just shake my head and thought to myself, "Do you even know what you are talking about?". Someone with no solid real knowledge about nutrition, is trying to conduct a class about nutrition? That's just plain silly. The trainer also mentioned that our liver can only store up to about 500g of glycogen. What happen to Von Gierke's disease? Thats the type 1 storage glycogen disease which proved that human liver can store to basically unlimited amount of glycogen stores.

Folks, you gotta know, cholesterol don't just gum your arteries for no reason. Think of cholesterol as 'Dark Knight' the movie, where dark knight is in fact a true hero, but he was mistaken as a villain. Cholesterol has been protecting us for thousands and millions of years. Blaming cholesterol for CHD, is like blaming the fire fighters for the fire.

Whether it's sugar and insulin or polyunsaturated fat which are causing the damage to our bodies, it is cholesterol that keeps us from dying, and then takes the blame for killing us. That is utterly absurb! You don't listen and follow everything you study or being told. You grab the knowledge, use common sense and connect the dots the best you can and ask yourself, "Does it make sense?".

Anyway, I'm going to finish off this post right about now. It is a long post, and I'm tired. I've been falling behind a bit lately on my sleeping cycles, thats bad, I'm trying to catch up slowly on my lost hours in bed. What I can say, after you've read every post in this vegetarianism topic, do have an open mind, do some research, connect the dots and always have the readiness to change and move forward. It's your life, your health, and the freedom of choosing your own food, eat according to how humans are supposed to eat since thousands and millions of years ago. We are still having the same genes inherited from our primal ancestors, the hunter gatherers, the caveman, whatever you wanna call it, eat real foods, eat according to your metabolic requirements, eating for energy.