Detoxification for BETTER Health

 

Though we may be feeding our bodies correctly with nourishing foods, full health potential cannot be realised so long as we remain waste dumps for pesticides, pollutants, chemicals and heavy metals like mercury, aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, lead and nickel. This continuous process to permit toxins to be absorbed into the body through food, drinks, air and contact with the skin is unavoidable. Even any daily food intake in the form of fats, proteins and sugars are broken down and used to energize the body leave wastes behind. As a result, a healthy cell can become sick, choked with toxins that prevent wastes from being passed out.

Can toxicity be detected?

The medical community recognizes only acute toxicity, the type that leads to painful, sudden and severe symptoms, including cramping, nausea, vomiting, sweating, headaches, breathing difficulties, convulsions and impaired cognitive, motor and language skills. 

The effect of consumption, inhalation, skin contact and other exposure is clear.  Such frequent occurrences are observed on job sites when workers are exposed to hazardous substances, and to a smaller extent on the home front.

Pesticide, herbicide and chemical fertilizer are usually ingested and can make otherwise healthy people chemically sensitive and environmentally ill.  As this is a gradual process, the symptoms may develop over several years and are often interchangeable with other signs of poor health, thus the culprits are not suspected.

Need to detox

Virtually all chronically sick patients have sustained significant exposure to toxic substances. 

Toxic metals such as aluminum, cadmium, lead, cobalt and arsenic are easily found in unknowing patients. For instance, mercury is planted in anyone who has done amalgam fillings or root canals.  Cocoa and chocolate products have some of the highest levels of lead found in any food item.

Dose, duration, manner of exposure, biochemical individuality, genetic propensity, diet quality and stress levels combine to determine the degree of ill effects.

Babies can be contaminated at birth because mercury and other metals pass through the placenta from intoxicated mothers. The Environmental Working Group reports that blood samples taken from the umbilical blood of newborns show an average of 287 toxins, including mercury, fire retardants, pesticides, and Teflon chemicals. No wonder babies come into this world with compromised digestive and immune systems. Vaccinations containing mercury and aluminum worsen the matter, often sending an already vulnerable child over the edge into autism, ADD and ADHD, life-threatening allergies and autoimmune diseases.

Do a simple test. If you suspect of having any 3 or more symptoms, is time to consider a detox:

+  Having asthma, eczema or sinusitis?
+  Having allergies or are you sensitive to chemicals or pollution?
+  Having wheezing or skin outbreaks frequently?
+  Having digestive problems?
+  Feeling worse after exercise?
+  Experiencing fatigue on and off?

Process of detoxification

For good internal housekeeping, all harmful substances should be eliminated or neutralized using built-in defenses and resources, especially during our sleeping hours. The complex process of detoxification involves the immune system (especially the white blood cells), the lungs, kidneys, colon, liver and the skin (biggest organ in our body).

The ability to cope well goes for a younger and healthier body. Thus, the older or less healthy you are, the poorer is this protective response and the greater possibility of damage occurring to your body.

Liver as detoxifier. In addition to its vital functions in digestion and energy production, the liver acts as a major detoxifier. It combines toxic substances such as metabolic waste products, insecticide residues, drugs, alcohol and other harmful chemicals with substances that are less toxic which are then excreted by the kidneys and colon.  The other detoxifying organs include the lungs, skin, colon, kidney and lymphatic system.  If they do not receive the relevant or adequate nutrients, their functions can be compromised, resulting in build-up of toxic materials which can ruin our health.

If you have been constantly eating all types of fatty food, sugary food and drinks without properly cleansing, a sudden action of accelerated elimination can result in a short bout of headaches, fatigue, body odor, bad breath, diarrhea or mouth ulcers (termed 'healing crisis'). However, you may observe digestion usually improves fast, as do many gland and nerve functions.

How to detox: The best means of removing toxins and wastes from the body is a fast and a ritual monthly practice for most desirable result.  Day-to-day cleansing is preferable for those who believe in good health at all times. Fasting is highly recommended for any illness, as it allows the body the rest it needs to recover.  Acute illnesses, colon disorders, allergies and respiratory illnesses are most responsive to fasting, whilst chronic degenerative diseases are the least responsive.

 

By relieving the body of the work of digesting foods, fasting permits the system to rid itself of toxins and facilitates healing. Possible fasting results -

+  A 3 days’ fast helps to purge toxins and cleanse the blood.
+  A 5 days’ fast begins with the process of healing and rebuilding the immune system.
+  A 10 days’ fast can take care of many health problems before they arise and help to fight off illness, including degenerative diseases.

In a total perspective, by fasting regularly, all the organs are put to rest, and thus help to reverse the aging process and live a longer and healthier life.

What to do?

+  To prepare for the fast, eat only raw vegetables and fruits for two days. This will make the fast less of a shock to the system.

+  Water is essential during detoxification in transporting nutrients and eliminate waste from cells. However, do not fast on water alone. All all-water fast releases toxins too quickly, causing headaches and worse.

-  Dilute pure juices with the water (ratio 3:1)
-  Best fruit lemon.  Avoid tomato and orange juice.
-  Never combine fruit and vegetable juices and drink immediately after preparation.

+  No cooked foods as the size of the stomach and the amount of secreted digestive juices may decrease during fasting.

+  A good green supplement such as green barley, spirulina or chlorella to supply the body with a full range of food state, chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids.

+  Herbal tea can be added for variety.

+  To incorporate fermented drinks that are rich in electrolytes and enzymes to facilitate cleansing. Some of the best functional beverages to include in a fasting cleanse include fermented whey, coconut water kefir and apple cider vinegar. Also include naturally fermented foods that can destroy pathogenic organisms and create die-off effects.

+  For those with chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypoglycemia (use a protein supplement during fasting), fasting more than 3 days should do so only under the supervision of a qualified health professional for close monitoring of glucose level.

+  Pregnant women should never fast.

Health benefits

+  Cleansing helps to release hormone secretions that stimulate immune response and encourage a disease preventing environment. In fact, after a detoxification process you should see digestion usually improves right away as accumulated waste and fermenting bacteria are cleansed of.

+  Excess mucus and congestion are removed as the two filtering organs namely liver and kidneys are purified, resulting in a lowering of serum fats that thins the blood, tissue oxygenation is increased and white blood cells are moved more efficiently.

+  Even the stomach size can be reduced for those with tummies and desire to lose weight.  The energy usually used for digestion is redirected to immune function, cell growth and eliminatory processes.

+  Many glands and nerve functions are restored as the body starts to rebalance itself. Energy levels (physical and psychological) will rise. Focus, mental clarity and creativity begin to expand, impossible under chemical overload.

In general, most people enjoy the good feeling of lighter weight and boosted energy after the detoxification process. Dependency of habit forming substances like sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or drugs is reduced. They tend to kick bad habits and lead a healthy lifestyle thereafter.

Temporary setback/healing crisis

It is not uncommon for individuals starting a program of natural healing to suffer from detoxification reactions commonly known as healing crisis whereby toxins are being expelled into the different systems of the body.

A healing crisis is a common experience centered on the basis that you become worse before you feel better.

-  The natural process begins with the cells releasing toxins (eg. pesticides and drugs) into the blood and lymphatic circulation but the elimination organs (i.e. skin, lungs, liver, kidneys, bladder & GI tract) are not able to cope and eliminate them fast enough and thus the toxins remain in circulation.

-  Another common cause of the healing crisis has to do with the dying off of certain pathogenic organisms in the body such as Candida yeast infections, viruses and bacteria. It triggers off the release of stored endotoxins in the microbes which enter circulation and thus interfere with normalized function. A massive scale involving more pathogens pose a temporary health hazard for some individuals. Extreme actions are usually felt by people who are already suffering from major illnesses or are quickly building disease processes.

Most people base their health on how they are feeling and think that the natural health program is hurting them when they go through a healing crisis. The longer toxins or pathogenic organisms remain in the body, the worse their health will be and the faster they will develop disease. Eliminating such toxins from the body is a vital part of allowing the repair of damaged cells and tissue. After undergoing the cleansing process, the body should be healthier and able to eliminate toxins effectively. Symptoms usually reduce or are eliminated within two to three days but on rare occasions can last a few weeks.

The most common symptoms associated with a healing crisis include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, night sweats, hot/cold flashes, increased blood pressure, headaches, joint pain and fatigue.

Do not be discouraged by a temporary discomfort and abandon your detoxification program. 

Conclusion 

Unless parents also detoxify themselves before conception, this trend will not reverse, and we will continue to see the degeneration of children’s health. Going forward, the gene inheritance factor gets weaker and humans can face extinction if a terrible epidemic were to break out worldwide.

Good nutrition is of prime importance because a deficiency of vital minerals will lead to their replacement by toxic metals in enzyme binding sites. Basically, minerals act as coenzymes, enabling the body to perform its functions, including energy production, growth and healing. 

For instance, if the body lacks nutrients like calcium, potassium and other minerals in the diet, the external elements structured similarly are being absorbed into the cells by substitution. If the cells obtain all nutrients they need from your diet, such radioactive substitutes become redundant and are likely to be discarded from the body.

The following examples are substitutes:

+  Lead for calcium

+  Cadmium for zinc

+  Aluminum and nickel for magnesium and manganese.

Always consider detoxifying when you have a health problem. Even for those who are relatively healthy should make it a daily ritual to achieve optimal health and prevention of disease.

VIVA Corner

Here are recommended VIVA products that are essential to detoxify, balance, nourish and protect the body in building a solid foundation for a stronger and healthier you.

VIVA Chloroguard with 4 types of seaweed chlorophyll can boost energy levels with a host of nutrients and detoxifies cells internally.


VIVA Green Barley is beneficial for general cleansing outside the perimeters of the cells. It can bind to toxins and prevent contamination to the cells. The flushed out waste materials can then be removed from the blood and excrete via urination.

VIVA Omega3 helps to reduce blood viscosity and thus improve blood circulation and reduce any inflammation.  Waste materials can be excreted faster via urination.


VIVA Dailyguard provides the body’s daily needs for nutrients, general health maintenance and disease prevention.  It can also strengthen the lymphatic system for greater effectiveness in transporting waste materials from all parts of the body to the end organs such as liver, kidneys, colon, skin and lungs for elimination.

VIVA Floraguard repopulates  the friendly bacteria population to prevent colonization of bad bacteria in the colon as it is a temporary storage of waste products.

VIVA Cellpex contains milk thistle which can neutralize and convert toxins into a water-soluble form for excretion.

How CELLS work (I)

 ­

At a microscopic level, we are all composed of cells. Scientists estimate that our bodies contain anywhere from 75 to 100 trillion cells of 200 different types.


Basically, to ­understand how your body works, you need to understand cells. Everything from reproduction to infections to repairing a broken bone happens down at the cellular level. This study can also provide vital new insights into the basis and treatment of numerous human diseases, including among others - cancer, diabetes, retinal degeneration, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and mental retardation.


Functions

Cells perform vital roles of breaking down complex molecules to provide structure and stability, and generate energy to facilitate various biological functions for our continued existence. Hence, it is known as the building block of life.



Types


To elaborate further, these cells are divided into about 200 differen­t types. For examples, our muscles are made of muscle cells, our brains of brain cells, and there are even very specialized types of cells that make the enamel for our teeth or the clear lenses in our eyes.

To start off, each cell consists of trillion of molecules. Components such as DNA, RNA, proteins, glycans and lipids have defined molecular properties and interactive biological activities. Is hard to visualize how microscopic it is. The closer comparison is approximately 10000 cells crowding the head of a pin.
Each cell is able to respond to its environment and to communicate with other cells to create tissues, organs and systems.


Hence, tissues are groups of cells with both a shared structure and function. Animal tissues are usually woven together with extracellular fibers and are held together by a sticky substance that coats the cells. Different types of tissues can also be arranged together to form organs. 

Life span

Cells have varying life spans based on the type and function of the cell. They can live anywhere from a few days to a year. Certain cells of the digestive tract (eg stomach) live for only 6 days, immune system cells up 6 weeks, and skin up to 28 days. Pancreatic cells can live for as long as a year and our bone marrow renews every 7 years. In a total perspective, 200 million cells are dying every minute and nourishment is so crucial for the reconstruction of these new cells. 


Composition

Human’s cells are made of water, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, aminos and traces of other elements. Simply put, your body is about 20% protein by weight, 60% water and the balance composed of minerals.

- The digestive system breaks all proteins down into their amino acids so that they can enter the bloodstream (termed 'catabolic'). Cells then use the amino acids as building blocks to create enzymes and structural proteins (termed 'anabolic') with the aid of steroidal hormones. The primary purpose of an enzyme is to enable the cell to carry out chemical reactions very quickly such as to build or take things apart as needed.

For instance, people who are lactose intolerant do not have the enzyme lactase in their intestinal cells to break down the sugar in milk (lactose) into its glucose components and thus cannot be digested. This problem shows how the lack of just one enzyme in the human body can lead to problems but can be resolved by simply taking the right enzyme supplement. Also, many different toxins can cause an imbalance in the mix of the enzymes floating in the cell’s cytoplasm.

- Trace elements like magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium found commonly in vegetables and seafood help in oxygen intake and acidity reduction. When oxygen is blocked, toxic accumulates and when overloaded gives rise to mutation of abnormal cells. Risk of cancer can increase by 100 folds for this reason.


In essence, an unhealthy cell is unable to function well and nutrients cannot be utilized by the body effectively.

Structural components

The Plasma cell membrane — This outer lining serves to separate and protect a cell from its surrounding environment and is made mostly from a double layer of proteins and lipids, fat-like molecules.


About 50% of this cell membrane consists of essential fatty acids. That explains why we need good fats. When this layer is broken, fat droplets penetrate to the inner core and envelope the entire structure, pushing the nucleus out of its position to anywhere within. As the first line of defence, the membrane protects cells from harmful damage by free radicals with antioxidants.

Free radicals are molecules produced from environmental contaminants such as radiation, polluted air and smoke. Even clean air we breathe in can lead to cell oxidation, resulting in gradual biological deterioration. Major health problems like heart disease, cancer and even aging (recognised as a disease now) are due to the damaging effects of free radicals. Three powerful antioxidants – Vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene can attack free radicals lying in the biological fluids outside the cells.

Nucleus – It is the membrane-surrounded compartment that houses and protect the DNA genes from damage. It is here the process of replication takes place where DNA is copied and mutate. This becomes the determining factor of your height, eye color, personality and many other personal attributes.

Under proper control, bad genes can be suppressed and good genes expressed.

SOD and catalase are two enzymes that can attack the most dangerous free radical superoxide around the nucleus.

Ribosome: This is an extremely complex and amazing enzyme that reads messenger RNA produced from the DNA, and converts it into amino-acid chains to carry out its specific reaction.  Given that protein synthesis is of vital important to all cells, a large number of ribosomes, running into hundreds or even thousands can be found throughout a cell.

Vitamin B aids in protein metabolism, and acts as a coenzyme in DNA and RNA synthesis.

Mitochondria: Termed the ‘powerhouse’ mitochondria uses oxygen to release energy by converting glucose (derived from carbohydrate) to ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP acts like a battery of sorts, storing energy until it is needed for day-to-day living.

CoQ10 is responsible for the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy source in the cell and acts as an antioxidant in the body that can neutralise free radicals by providing its own electrons.

Golgi: Proteins to be exported are passed to the Golgi apparatus for further processing, packaging and transport to a variety of other cellular locations.

Normal cell protection

In most cases, the immune system is capable of detecting infected cells and producing antibodies to destroy them. The proteins secreted also bind to the viral particles and prevent them from attaching to new cells. Even abnormal cells are usually detected and destroyed by the natural killer cells of the immune system.

However, in those unattended or weak cases, the infected cell is so full of new viral particles that it eventually bursts, freeing the particles to attack unaffected cells. The speed at which a virus can reproduce and infect other cells can be alarming. The contagious spread of abnormal cells can be fatal in some cases.

Vitamin A and D found inside the cell can help to prevent abnormal growth and for better absorption of some other minerals.

Abnormal cell growth

The biological process entails the close monitoring of the cell for DNA damage and inability to perform critical actions. If this system detects a cell being damaged or infected, a network of signaling molecules instructs this cell to stop dividing and initiate the move to repair the damage or execute programmed cell death or apoptosis. This is to ensure that the damaged cell is not further multiplied. Scientists discovered a certain protein known as p53 that acts to accept signals provoked by DNA damage. It responds by stimulating the production of inhibitory proteins that then halt the DNA replication process.

Without proper p53 function, DNA damage can be unchecked, resulting in the birth of cancer. A mineral – selenium containing p53 is clinically proven to help in reducing the incidence of cancer by suffocating cancer cells (apoptosis) and chromosomal damage.

Antibiotics protect cells?

Over-reliance on any antibiotic is bad because it becomes ineffective over time. As bacteria reproduce so quickly, the probability for mutations is so high that the antibiotic is unable to wipe off all of them completely. In the event, any one of them is left behind and mutates, it can develop resistance against the antibiotic, reproduce quickly and then spread around. Most bacterial diseases have become immune to some or all of the antibiotics used against them through this process.

It is also known that prolonged use of antibiotics can upset the natural balance in our eco-systems. Antibiotics not only wipe out some of the harmful bacteria but also most of the good, life-supporting bacteria.

As the vast majority of these microbes found within the digestive tract do not stay for more than a day in our body, constant replenishment is required for a strengthened immune system.

Conclusion

Having understood the importance of nutrition in relation to healthy cell development and regeneration, we need to know that recommended RDA guideline is merely to provide borderline health and prevent deficiency disease.

 

In the event of any dis-ease occurring, there is an urgent need to utilise more specific nutrients to put the house in order.

To-date, the medical world can only find solutions to attend to cellular dysfunction. There is much more to discover at molecular level to tackle free radicals which are of molecular structure. This can perhaps be addressed only with the right nutrition.


Keep your cells in good condition at all times and they will repay you with good health throughout your lifetime!

VIVA corner

The products recommended are meant to address your specific needs or daily maintenance:


TO CLEANSE –


+  VIVA Green Barley contains all the vitamins and enzymes to counteract the more dangerous free radicals that have penetrated the inner cell.


+  VIVA Cellpex contains milk thistle to remove nasty toxins at cellular level and inhibit inflammatory enzymes, especially in the detoxifying organ - liver.

TO COUNTERACT ABNORMAL CELL –


VIVA Selenium to protect the DNA and cause apoptosis for damaged cells and VIVA Germanium to stimulate the production of killer cells and boost the immune system.

TO REBUILD/NOURISH -

+  VIVA Ageguard/Vivaplus for the amino acids to provide the building blocks for cell formation;
+ VIVA Oxypower to enable cells to utilise oxygen more efficiently and neutralise free radicals, so as to expedite cell recovery;
+ VIVA Floraguard to introduce abundant friendly bacteria for an enhanced immune system.

+  VIVA Dailyguard for a strong healthy foundation with all the vitamins and minerals provided;

+ VIVA Omega3 to provide the essential fatty acids for reconstruction of the cell membrane;

To PROTECT


Vivashield has the combination of Vitamin A, beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and selenium to offer overall protection against free radical attacks.

HUNGRY? Have some WALNUTS

 

For thousand of years, walnut has been a symbol of intellectuality as their kernels have convoluted surface inside the shell resembling the brain!

Researchers discovered the optimal nutritional benefits of this humble nut when consumed in its whole form, including the skin. Hidden beneath the skin layer is approximately 90% of the phenols-like key phenolic acids, tannins and flavonoids. Hence, is advisable to have the wholesome nut.

Walnuts are part of the tree nut family which includes Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts and pistachios. China is currently the largest commercial producer of walnuts in the world, with about 360,000 metric tons produced per year, followed by the The United States, with about 294,000 metric tons of production. While walnuts are harvested in December, they are available year round due to efficient storage system (rather perishable by nature) in place. They are a delicious way to add extra nutrition, flavor and crunch to a healthy meal.

Health benefits of Walnuts

This truly super-food is a rich source of energy and contains many health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. Do not worry about fat as only 1g of it comes from saturated fat whilst the other fats are good for your body.

Having an oz/ 25 g/7 shelled nuts in your daily diet should be quite sufficient in providing the health benefits below –

• They are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (about 72%) like oleic acid and an excellent source of all important omega-3 convertible essential fatty acids like linoleic acid, alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and arachidonic acids. Regular intake of walnuts in the diet helps to lower total and LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels in the blood. The antioxidants and nutrients in walnuts help to keep the arteries elastic and prevent hardening whilst omega3 possesses anti-inflammatory properties that helps to lower the risk of blood pressure, coronary artery disease, strokes and breast, colon and prostate cancers.
• Also present are many phytochemical substances that may contribute to their overall anti-oxidant activity, such as melatonin, ellagic acid, vitamin E, carotenoids and poly-phenolic compounds, in fighting against cancer, aging, inflammation and neurological diseases as well as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular problems and type 2 diabetes.
• A pleasant finding is that walnuts contain the highest levels of polyphenolic antioxidants than any other common edible nuts. The high oxidant radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) is of great help in scavenging disease-causing free radicals from the body.
• Rarely found in other foods is gamma-tocopherol, an excellent source of vitamin E – a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals. Studies on the cardiovascular health of men showed that this vitamin E form provides significant protection from heart problems.
• A wide range of important vitamin B such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6 and folates can be found in the nut too.
• Heavy concentration of two important minerals – potassium and magnesium together with some traces of manganese, copper, calcium, iron, zinc and selenium are cofactors for many vital enzymes responsible for our proper growth and development. For instance, high walnut intake improves bone stability and reduces mineral loss from the bone.
• Few studies have shown its potential health benefits in the area of memory and general thought (cognitive) processes but more research need to confirm this.
• For those who are losing sleep, melatonin is critical in the regulation of sleep, daily rhythms, light-dark adjustment and other processes. This element is also present with average melatonin content of approximately 3.6 nanograms (ng) per gram or 102ng/ounce.

Recommendations

+ Most adults have not cultivated the habit of eating tree nut. On the contrary, eaters who have acquired the taste of nuts take in on average additional 5 gm of fiber, 260 mg of potassium, 73 mg of calcium, 95 mg of magnesium, 3.7 mg of vitamin E but 157 mg less sodium.

+ A variety of different measurements on blood vessel functioning indicated a relatively small amount of daily walnut intake (1-2 ounces) is able to improve the blood fat composition and thus reduce the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

+ The antioxidant properties of walnuts help lower risk of chronic oxidative stress and the anti-inflammatory properties help lower risk of chronic inflammation. The combined effect poses the greatest threat for cancer development. Prostate cancer and breast cancer are the best-studied types of cancer with respect to walnut intake, and their risk has been found to be reduced by fairly large amounts of walnut consumption. (about 3 ounces per day)

+ Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners recommends walnut to relieve breathing difficulties and relax the bowels. The nutrients in it are believed to address the ‘qi’ deficiency in the kidney, which may arise from a weak body constitution, aging and an overactive sexual life. Symptoms associated include sore back, copious urine, cold limbs and poor appetite. However, avoid this nut if you are experiencing diarrhoea or sore throat.


For people who are not eating right, munching a handful of walnuts daily offers enough recommended levels of minerals, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, fatty acids and more undiscovered nutrients to stay healthy.

Meet the BREADWINNERS

 

The Swiss government has been aware of the dangers of eating white bread for decades and in order to get its populace to stop eating it, she has placed a tax on the purchase of white bread. The tax money is given to bakers to reduce the price of whole wheat bread to encourage people to switch.

 

The Canadian government passed a law prohibiting the “enrichment” of white bread with synthetic vitamins. Bread must contain the original vitamins found in the grain, not imitations.


Why bad?

 

Essentially, white bread is “dead” bread. Frequently, consumers are not told the truth about this and so called “enriched” flour. Why is the color of white bread so white when the flour taken from wheat is not?

 

It’s because the flour used to make white bread is chemically bleached, just like you bleach your clothes. When you are eating white bread, you are also eating residual chemical bleach.

 

Flour mills use different chemical bleaches, all of which are pretty bad. Here are a few of them: oxide of nitrogen, chlorine, chloride, nitrosyl and benzoyl peroxide mixed with various chemical salts. One bleaching agent, chloride oxide, combined with whatever proteins are still left in the flour, produces alloxan - a poison and has been used to produce diabetes in laboratory animals. It is capable of destroying the vital wheat germ oil and shorten the flour’s shelf life.

 

What is left?

 

In the process of making flour white, half of the good unsaturated fatty acids, that are high in food value, are lost in the milling process alone, and virtually all the vitamin B and E are lost with the removal of wheat germ and bran. As a result, the remaining flour in the white bread contains only poor quality proteins and fattening starch.

Most minerals are depleted – 50% of all calcium, 70% of phosphorus, 80% iron, 98% magnesium, 75% manganese, 50% potassium, and 65% of copper are destroyed. If that is not bad enough, vitamins like about 80% thiamin (B1), 60% of riboflavin (B2), 75% of niacin (B3), 50% of pantothenic acid (B5), and about 50% of Pyridoxine (B6) are also lost. Vitamin B is essential for prevention of pellagra, birth defects and beriberi.


Further depletion of nutrients occur when white bread is dried in kilns at high temperature to give white flour a longer shelf life.


The shortfall may be made up by fortification of white flour-based products with some of the nutrients lost in milling.

 

The unhealthy choice……

 

+  Here comes the unhealthy add-ons...

-   The flour is usually bleached using potassium bromate or chlorine dioxide gas to remove any slight yellow color and make its baking properties more predictable.

-  Gluten (can be allergic to some people and related to celiac disease) may be added to produce a more evenly risen and air filled loaf.

-  A standard while loaf of bread also has sugar added to enable the baker’s yeast to prove the dough and make it rise.

-  Salt is also added to check the progress of the yeast and prevent the loaf from rising too much, or over-proving. 

+  The remaining component, endosperm is mostly starchy carbohydrate with high GI (glycemic index) which causes sugars to be released quickly into the bloodstream. It leads to a rush in blood sugar levels which triggers a similarly rapid release of the body’s own sugar regulating hormone, insulin. This is a big problem for Type 1 diabetic patients coping with insufficient insulin and Type II diabetes too frequent imbalances in blood sugar levels causing insulin production to become overworked. Italian scientists who studied the diet records of 2300 people confirmed the findings that eating more white bread on daily basis doubles the risk of developing kidney cancer.

+ Excessive carbohydrate intake results in elevated levels of bad LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, leading to problems such as heart disease related to the narrowing of the arteries. When levels of LDL cholesterol become too high artery walls thicken and blockages can occur, resulting in blood clotting and high blood pressure. In fact, if germ is not removed, its phytoestrogens can help to overcome this blood clotting problem and promote weight loss.

+ The people who ate a diet of predominantly white bread saw the biggest increases in their waist measurement. This happens because of a slowdown in metabolism caused by reduced efficiency in digestion and greater fat storage. Coupled with little or no dietary fibre present in the diet, the colon is unable to effectively remove all waste products from the body and can even become a fertile breeding ground for harmful bacteria.

The healthy choice…..

You do not have to stop eating your bread.  Just go for the healthy choice – known as brown bread, wholemeal or wholegrain bread. This is produced from wholemeal flour with the husk of the wheat or bran intact and all the nutrients and dietary fibre preserved. As such no bleaching is required but gluten is still added (preferably none) albeit lower than in white bread.

The low GI carbohydrates contained in wholemeal bread produce the slow release of sugars into the bloodstream. Hence, the metabolism is stimulated rather than inhibited, meaning that the digestive system gets a boost in efficiency and less fat gets stored. Also, it contains high levels of dietary fibre, essential for the functioning of the colon and the complete digestion of food and waste elimination. Another health benefit is – lowering bad LDL cholesterol and raising the good HDL cholesterol. This keeps the arteries in check and a better normalised blood pressure. Hence, the more wholegrains you eat, the less likely you are to develop arterial inflammation.


It is obvious from what we have learned that white bread should be avoided and always go for 100% whole-grain bread as it is higher in fibre which gives a feeling of fullness so you can eat less and worry less. Thus always select whole wheat, rye and grain breads made with whole wheat flour and make it a point to read the labels to avoid those containing artificial flavors, colors, bleached flour, preservatives, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

Drink enough WATER ?

Why is drinking water so important?

Human beings can survive without food for a month but perish without water for 3-5 days. As we know 70% of our body is made of water and the trillion of cells are bathed in the fluids. Thus, water becomes the medium for multiple cell function and is essential to the physiologic processes of digestion and absorption of nutrients, excretion of metabolic and indigestible wastes. An efficient process is crucial for our cells to be energised and us to feel more alert.

For this reason, most of us attempt to stick to the ritual of drinking 8 or more glasses of water daily for various health reasons. 

+ Healthy skin is well-hydrated with wastes purged out to prevent a buildup that can cause degeneration of cells. Drying out is visible by tired and unhealthy skin. What happens is that the skin retains what it already had, resulting in puffy bloated skin cells.

+ Well hydration prevents the blood from thickening as the heart finds it easier to pump. Hence, people who drink plenty of water have fewer cardiovascular problems.

+ Water helps to regulate body temperature through perspiration.

+ Our lung tissue must be moist to facilitate oxygen intake and carbon dioxide excretion, thus water is essential for breathing purpose. About one pint of liquid is lost each day through exhaling.

+ Most bottled fruit juices are loaded with fructose or sucrose to improve the taste, even though they may contain many nutrients. A sudden rush of sugar triggers the insulin response and makes one tired and if the extra calories are not burned off can be converted into fats.


+  Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water daily could significantly ease back and joint pain for majority of sufferers.


+  A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, calculation and concentration.


+  Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risks of colon cancer by 45%, breast cancer by 79% and slashes chance of developing bladder cancer by half.


+  When hunger pangs bite during midnight, a glass of water can settle the urge for almost all dieters.


+  Lack of water is the No 1 trigger of daytime fatigue. 


How much is enough?


As a safe guide as to whether the body's water requirement is met, observe the color and quantity of the urine. Scanty, dark, concentrated urine indicates a shortage of water in the body. What happens is that the large intestine always attempt to conserve as much fluids as possible to be recycled for vital bodily functioning.

When to drink water?

Water taken on an empty stomach passes through quickly and is promptly absorbed. On the other hand, water (include milk and soup) taken with meals mixes with the food, diluting the gastric juice and hindering digestion. Worst still, excess water taken during mealtime results in food within the stomach tends to pass through more rapidly - even before thoroughly digested. Not to encourage is half-glass of cold water gulped down can chill the delicate membranes of the stomach and prevent proper digestion.

More water when....

+ Profuse perspiration when one exercises or works vigorously under the hot sun

+ Loss of water during illness by vomiting, diarrhea or hemorrhage

+ Coffee, tea and most soft drinks contain caffeine and are diuretic, meaning the body can lose water faster than normal. To note, black tea has a pH of 6.37, whilst coffee is 5.35. Green tea's pH of 7-10 is closer to water 7.0

+ Whether it's your feet, your knees or your shoulders that are throbbing, experts at New York's Manhattan College, say you could kick-start your recovery in one week just by drinking 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Why? Experts say water dilutes, and then helps flush out, histamine, a pain-triggering compound produced by injured tissues. "Plus water is a key building block of the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones, your joints' lubricating fluid, and the soft discs in your spine," adds Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., author of the book, The Good Mood Diet. "And when these tissues are well-hydrated, they can move and glide over each other without causing pain."

In conclusion...

Healthy living requires abstinence from foods or drinks detrimental to the body's normal functioning or its stores of energy. Pure water, fruit juice and milk are healthful drinks which not only are needed to provide fluids but to satisfy our thirst and taste. Unhealthy drinks like soft beverages, caffeine drinks and liquors should be an occasional indulgence for pleasure and taste only.

Any COFFEE for you?

 

Coffee is a brewed beverage with a bitter flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed and dried. The seeds are then roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. It can have a stimulating effect on humans due to its caffeine content, making it one of the most-consumed beverages in the world.

Researchers are divided in their views on coffee benefits and harmful effects. Other than methodology and size of studies, some of the differences are likely attributable to the different style of making coffee. Therefore, not all coffee are the same.

Coffee is BAD -

There are more than 1,000 chemicals reported in roasted coffee more than half of which have been tested to have cancer-causing effects in animal experiments when given in high doses but due to the fact that animal cancer tests build in enormous safety factors, these chemicals should not be considered true risks. One of these carcinogenic chemicals, acrylamide, is higher in instant coffee than brewed coffee. This substance also causes nerve damage in people exposed to very high levels at work.

On the other hand, study showed that roast coffee, high in lipophilic antioxidants and chlorogenic acid lactones, protected primary neuronal cell cultures against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death.

An earlier study conducted in Scandinavia did find links between coffee and a higher risk of heart disease. The reason seems to be found in the way coffee is being prepared. Most western drinkers are fond of leaving the coffee dregs in their pot, stewing at the bottom. As a result a higher dose of diterpenes is present in the unfiltered coffee that can cause a rise in cholesterol levels, estimated around 10%. Another instance where coffee is prepared in a French press leaves more oils in the drink compared with coffee prepared with paper filter.

To make matter worse, the investigation by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin found two thirds of espresso machines tested released high levels of lead after undergoing regular cleaning at up to 100 times the limits recommended by the EU. The study found strong cleaning materials used to clear calcium deposits were coming into contact with machine parts which released large amounts of lead into the system, and thus into people's drinks.

Coffee is GOOD
 

The traditional way of preparing coffee in some Asian societies is to pour boiling water over ground coffee placed in a cloth strainer siting on a kettle. After sinking for few minutes, the leftovers are then thrown away. In this way, the harmful substances are rid off and the goodness of coffee - antioxidants (polyphenols or flavonoids) and hundreds of other compounds are preserved.

Similiarly, coffee prepared using paper filters removes oily components (diterpenes) that are present in unfiltered coffee.

Decaffeinated coffee?

Here, seeds are decaffeinated when they are still green. Many methods can remove caffeine from coffee, but all involve either soaking the green beans in hot water or steaming them, then using a solvent to dissolve caffeine-containing oils.

On the average, one cup of brewed or one shot of espresso contains about 100mg of caffeine whilst decaffeinated coffee has only a few mg in each cup. The equivalent of a lethal dose of caffeine is drinking 100 cups of coffee in a day.

What the medical researchers said....

Research suggests that drinking caffeinated coffee can cause a temporary increase in the stiffening of arterial walls and thus not suitable for some people. Advice for this group who gets heart palpitations from drinking too much coffee is to try the decaffeinated type.

Researchers involved in an ongoing 22-year study by the Harvard School of Public Health state that "the overall balance of risks and benefits of coffee consumption are on the side of benefits. So who can benefit by having more cuppa?

For cardiac patients....

+ A Harvard study conducted on 45,000 healthy men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1990, found that coffee drinking had no effect on the risk of heart attack or stroke.

+ A more recent study of more than 81,000 men and women in Japan published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health showed that drinking 1-2 cups of coffee a day was associated with up to a 23% risk reduction of death from heart disease.

+ Another large 2008 Spanish study in the Annals of Internal Medicine that tracked 129,000 men and women over 2 decades found that women who drank 4-5 cups per day were 34% less likely to die of heart disease, whilst men who had more than 5 cups a day were 44% less likely to die.

As studies are inconclusive as yet, one should attempt better ways to reduce heart disease and strokes, such as curb smoking, dietary reduction of cholesterol and exercise.

For diabetic patients....

+ The latest study conducted in Singapore involving 3000 patients shows tht coffee can lower the risk of diabetes. The study found "no detrimental factor" applied to all ethnic races. (the tolerable limit in insulin resistance can vary with different ethnic groups)

+ Many studies over the past decade have found strong links between drinking several cups of coffee a day and significantly lower risks of diabetes. The coffee can be drunk freshly brewed, instant or decaffeinated as long as the dregs are removed.

+ A study conducted among 17,000 Dutchs confirmed that those who drank 7 cups or more a day were half as likely to get diabetes as those who drank only 2 cups or less.

+ Another study conducted in US of 90,000 women also found those who drank 4 cups of coffee daily was half likely to get diabetes as compared to non-drinkers.

Cancer patients....

+ Previous studies have suggested that drinking a cup of caffeinated coffee per day can suppress a protein enzyme called ATR that is responsible for cancer-causing, by triggering the death of damaged cells harmed by UV rays.

+ Recent studies showed moderate drinking of coffee or applying on the skin is useful in warding off non-melanoma skin cancer, the most commonly diagnosed of all types of skin cancer. So, caffeine seems to be the next best sunscreen and directly absorbs damaging UV light.

Dementia/Stroke patients....

+ According to a 2009 study by Swedish and Finnish researchers, drinking 3 - 5 cups a day can decrease the risk of dementia by 65% in late life. This newly-found brain tonic is said to reduce dementia-causing amyloid in animal brains.

+ A 2009 Harvard study of 83,000 women published in the journal Circulation showed those who drank 2-4 cups of coffee a day had a 19-20% lower risk of stroke than women who drank less than a cup a month.

+ The data was supported by a 2011 Swedish study of 34,670 women published in Stroke journal that found women who drank more than a cup of coffee each day had a 22-25% lower risk of stroke than women who drank less coffee.

+ This benefit is not gender-specific and a 2008 Finnish study of more than 26,000 male smokers found that the men who drank eight or more cups of coffee a day had a 23% lower risk of stroke than the men who drank little or no coffee.

Liver patients ....

+ For those alcohol-induced damage, drinking more than 4 cups per day can reduce their risk of developing alcoholic cirrhosis by 80%. Polyphenols contained in coffee are associated with decreasing the risk of liver cancer development.

+ In a healthy liver, caffeine is mostly broken down by the enzymes in the organ and a small amount of unchanged caffeine is excreted by urine. However, abnormal liver biochemistry, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma have been reported for some lacking the enzymes and consume coffee excessively.

Prostate cancer patients...

+ A recent study from Harvard Medical School found that men who drank the most coffee slashed their risk of developing prostate cancer by more than half compared to those non-coffee drinkers.

Gout sufferers ...

+ Men who drank 4-5 cups per day lowered their risk of developing gout by 40% and those who drank 6 or more reduced their risk by 60% when compared to non-coffee drinkers.

Breast cancer patients ...

+ Swedish studies found that coffee can alter a woman's metabolism and produce a safer balance of estrogens. Those who drank 2-3 cups daily reduced their breast cancer risk by as much as two-thirds.

Constipated....

+ A cup of strong coffee may push along a reluctant bowel movement.

Safety aspects -

+ As ongoing studies are still being carried out, play caution and do not get drown in coffee as yet. There may be negative impact on the body by over-consuming eg. aggravate pre-existing heartburn, migraine, abnormal heart rhythms and insomnia.
+ Given the coffee low pH of 5.35, its caffeine content may destroy intestinal flora leading to overgrown of harmful flora, thus producing malnutrition and toxic production, resulting in an inflammed gut. Thus is important to add probiotics and prebiotics to reinstate the intestinal flora that are depleting from coffee consumption.

+ Pregnant women are advised to go easy on coffee, limiting to one cup per day, as caffeine is bad for the foetus.

+ Coffee consumption can lead to iron deficiency anemia in mothers and infants because it interferes with the absorption of supplemental iron.

+ Elderly individuals with a depleted enzymatic system are unable to metabolise caffeine effectively do not tolerate coffee well. They are recommended to take decaffeinated coffee, and this only if their stomach is healthy, because both decaffeinated coffee and coffee with caffeine cause heartburn. Moderate amounts of coffee should not be a problem for most of them.

+ Having said that, coffee is best consumed without or little cream or sugar to avoid negating any benefit. Adding milk is preferred as calcium is depleted with coffee consumption.

+ Remember to drink 2 glasses of water after each cuppa to prevent the body from being dehydrated. 


Conclusion 


The method of brewing coffee has been found to be important to its health effects. Hence, coffee lovers should stick to 2 cups of filtered coffee (no instant coffee) without or with little cream and sugar.


Household tip: The coffee powder residue from coffee bags or filtered coffee is a good organic fertiliser especially for fruits and vegetables as they do not emit a bad odour and are environment-friendly.