08 May 09 THE POWERFUL EFFECT OF ACID ON G.I. (VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, SOURDOUGH BREADS)
Within the last few years, several reports in the scientific literature have indicated that a realistic amount of vinegar or lemon juice in the form of a salad dressing consumed with a mixed meal has significant blood sugar lowering effects.
As little as 20 ml of vinegar in a vinaigrette dressing (20 ml vinegar and 10 ml oil) taken with an average meal lowered blood sugar by as much as 30 per cent. These findings have important implications for people with diabetes or individuals at risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease or the metabolic syndrome (impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension and high blood lipid levels).
The effect appears to be related to the acidity because other organic acids (such as lactic acid and propionic acid) also have a blood sugar lowering effect but the degree of reduction varies with the type of acid. Our findings show that amongst the various types of vinegar, red wine vinegar was the best. And lemon juice was just as powerful. It is well known that acidity in food pulls the brake on stomach emptying slowing the delivery of food to the small intestine. Digestion of the carbohydrate in the food is therefore slowed and the final result is that blood sugar levels are significantly lower. Good news for people with diabetes! The take home message is that a side salad with your meal, especially a high G.L meal, will help to keep blood sugar levels under control.
Sourdough breads in which lactic acid and propionic acid are produced by the natural fermentation of starch and sugars by the yeast starter culture, also produce reduced levels of blood sugar and insulin compared with normal bread. The area under the plasma insulin curve was 22 per cent lower with the sourdough product. In addition, there was higher satiety associated with breads having decreased rates of digestion and absorption. Thus there is significant potential to lower blood sugar and insulin and increase satiety with sourdough bread formulations.
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08 May 09 FAT LOSS: ACTIVITY AND FAT LEVELS
Obviously, all of this is good news for the fat, unfit person wanting to decrease body fatness. Long duration, low intensity regular exercise, such as walking, is obviously less painful and more rewarding than that type of exercise which most fat people regard as masochism. It is also more able to be built into a person’s daily life and become part of a total lifestyle program which is vital for long term fat loss maintenance. The low intensity-long duration approach therefore would be welcomed by the unfit. However, it does signal a change in the traditional approach to dealing with overfatness through commercial health and fitness centres. Many of these centre around providing an institutionalised service of 30-40 minutes daily, 3-4 days a week, based on the standard PITT model for improvements in fitness. Little attention is given to other aspects of spontaneous physical activity, or indeed, activity patterns outside the gymnasium setting.
The low intensity approach suggests that where tat loss is the goal, the required change is to the individual’s lifestyle pattern of activity, including both ‘planned’ and ‘incidental’ activity. The role of the instructor in this framework should be one of empowering the individual to be able to incorporate this type of physical activity into their lifestyle. The mode of instruction required therefore is reflective, i.e. providing advice to fit the client’s perceived needs, rather than directive, i.e. providing instruction to fit a pre-set formula to the client.
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08 May 09 OBESITY IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
A more obvious, but still not statistically supported, association is the decline in physical activity levels. Although many people claim (from self reports) to be more physically active, the considered World Health Organisation view is that they could well be less active because any increase in leisure time activity may have been more than countered by the decrease in demand for physical labour as well as the decrease in incidental physical activity (the energy used to carry out day-to-day activities). Just getting from A to B requires less energy as technology and facilities improve by the year. Machine-power is replacing man-power and push-button technology is invading every part of daily life. Statistics on physical activity in most countries have not been kept to verify this assumption, but this hypothesis appears feasible. One finding, comparing the rise in obesity in the UK to the much lower rise in the Netherlands, who have a similar dietary composition, claims that the fact that 27 per cent of the Dutch use bicycles as a means of transport compared to only 3 per cent of the English may provide some explanation.
In the absence of evidence incriminating specific factors, it appears clear that increases in obesity are due to several changes in the recent human environment which allows the biological functions of fat to favour storage. Fatness obviously has an important survival function: it enables us to store energy to help get through the bad times. But like a lot of biological functions there is a range of healthy fat deposits, above and below which there is no longer any survival value, and illness occurs. It’s really only in the last three decades or less that overfatness has become so commonplace.
In Australia, since regular records have been kept from 1981, there has been a steady growth of around 0.7 per cent per year in the percentage of the population regarded as overweight or obese using a measure of BMI. This is similar to the increase in the US measured by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) carried out at regular intervals. There appears also to be a faster rate of growth in the extreme categories of fatness and in lower socioeconomic (SE) groups. Obesity in Australia for example, has doubled in the last decade with around 10 per cent of Australians now regarded as obese. The majority of these are from lower SE groups. The Australian Institute of Health estimates that around 5 million Australians are now overfat (including the more severe category of obesity). In North America and Europe the estimate is 50 and 100 million respectively. This has led National Heart Foundations in the Western world to be concerned about reversals of gains made in heart disease prevention through increases in obesity.
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08 May 09 HOW TO STAY YOUNGER LONGER WITH THE MIRACLE FOODS FROM THE BEES
You have seen in this chapter that foods from the bees—honey, pollen and royal jelly—do indeed have great potentials for health and longevity. It would be unwise to ignore these foods which have been used with so great a benefit by the ancients. In the terms of practical application of the information in this chapter you can do the following:
Pollen and pollen preparations are available in the United States in the better health food stores. So are the preparations containing royal jelly. It certainly would not hurt to try these—and you just may be surprised by the benefits. Specifically in conditions of intestinal sluggishness and putrefaction in the digestive tract, pollen has definitely proven to be exceedingly beneficial.
Honey, pollen, and royal jelly are definitely rejuvenating, age-retarding foods. They have a stimulating effect on all the vital processes of your body. Follow the example of Russian centenarians and use them liberally—and see yourself growing younger as the symptoms of old age gradually disappear.
Stop using white sugar! Replace it with health-giving honey. Honey can be used everywhere sugar is used: in beverages, in baking, in cooking, on cereals, etc. We have a double reason to use honey instead of sugar—honey is so inexpensive here! In most European countries honey costs two to three times more than it does here. And, in spite of the food industry’s efforts to “improve” on nature, honey is still one of the least-tampered-with natural foods you can buy.
Use only raw, unhealed and unstrained honey. Heating destroys both vitamins and enzymes. Refining, filtering and “clarifying” of honey removes many of the minerals and amino acids—yes, honey even contains amino acids, the essential forms of protein! And what is even worse, refining and filtering removes the pollen! Also, choose the dark varieties of honey in preference to the light; dark honey contains more vitamin and minerals than light-colored honey.
Remember: The miracle foods from the bees—honey, pollen and royal jelly—will give you many health benefits and will keep you younger longer. After all, they have been used for these purposes for many thousands of years!
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08 May 09 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND FASTING: POINTS TO REMEMBER
Although fasting is one of the safest and most practical therapeutic agents known, the general public is largely ignorant as to how it is administered. As with the other therapeutic agents, it is of great importance that fasting be carried out correctly. Misuse or disregard for certain fundamental rules of fasting may make it not only useless, but even harmful. Of course, I earnestly advise that you discuss your case with an experienced doctor or a nature-cure practitioner, who has had experience with fasts, and, if possible, undertake your fast under his direction and supervision. This particularly applies to cases of extremely high blood pressure, especially if it is accompanied by a weak heart, or if the patient has a record of heart attacks.
Two different therapeutic fasting methods for high blood pressure can be considered. One is a traditional water fast, or a complete fast with nothing consumed but water. This is the kind of fast usually employed in American clinics. The other is a fast where the juices of raw fruits and vegetables, plus vegetable broth, are added to the water. The latter is now widely used in most European clinics, and I recommend this method, especially if you fast on your own, without professional supervision. The duration of the fast should be seven to 14 days, depending on the condition of the patient, or how high the blood pressure is.
Follow very carefully the instructions given in Chapter 2 on how to break fast. This is extremely important. Follow the instructions meticulously.
In case of a heart condition or damaged kidney, water drinking should be restricted to a minimum.
The mental attitude while fasting is of tremendous importance. The difference between therapeutic fasting and starvation is that while starvation is a negative, undesired condition, accompanied by fear and anxiety, which exerts a negative, disease-producing effect on bodily functions, therapeutic fasting is a positive, voluntary condition, accompanied by complete confidence and faith in its beneficial effect and anticipated good results. Such a positive attitude stimulates and encourages all the cleansing and healing processes of the body. Therefore, before you start fasting, be thoroughly convinced of its wonderful, beneficial properties. This is also one of the reasons why it is advisable to fast in a clinic surrounded by other fasting patients who can encourage and inspire each other, or under the supervision of a practitioner who can encourage and explain the various symptoms and reactions which may develop during the fast.
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29 Apr 09 THE COLOUR OF THE IRIS AND THE IRIS-LAYERS
The colour of the iris determines the appearance of the eyes. We distinguish in general three natural basic colours: blue, grey, and brown.
Each of these colours has a physiological basis, and is conditional upon the degree of pigmentation of the iris.
The iris appears blue when its surface layers are colourless, and the deepest dark layer of the iris (retinal epithelial pigment) shows through. If the middle vascular layer of the iris—the
stroma—is coarse and compact, then the iris appears grey. However, the more dark coloured material is deposited in this stroma, the more the iris is darkened in its colouring, and the appearance tends towards brown. There are occasionally seen in a less pigmented iris, local accumulations of brown-to-black coloured substance which strikingly appear as dark-reddish flecks in the otherwise grey or blue iris. These are referred to scientifically as naevi irides
(iris-birthmark). We call them ‘toxin-flecks’.
In the case of albinos, the iris layers are completely transparent. There is a lack of all pigment. These eyes appear reddish, because of the visibility of the blood vessels in the deep layer of the iris—the retina.
In the new-born, the iris is at first dark-violet to blue-grey. Only in the course of development does there appear a lightening or darkening through alteration in the pigment content. With advancing age the stroma becomes more compact and coarser and thereby acquires a grey appearance.
The change of blue to brown iris is sometimes limited to an individual iris or even to a part, so that in the same person, one iris can be blue with the other brown, and also a smaller or larger brown sector may be seen in the blue iris. This is referred to as Heterochromia. Discolourations of the iris following organic diseases are of especial
significance in Iriscopy.
The structure of the iris is best viewed when the pupil is contracted, using a strong beam of light, either with natural vision, or better still with a loupe of 3 or 4 magnifications.
The iris is rich in changes, and is especially characterised by elevations and depressions of the anterior surface. This is referred to as the iris-relief.
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29 Apr 09 MENSTRUAL CYCLE-CREATURE COMFORTS: IN BED
At night, something as simple as an extra protective layer of bedding may help to make us feel more at ease. We differ from one another in our attitudes to all sorts of things and one of the most influential as far as period pain is concerned is our attitude to the blood we lose. Some, particularly women who were born in the West Indies, see the flow of blood as a sign of health, a mark that their bodies are functioning properly. Others accept it as a natural flow, but see blood as dirty, something that stains sheets and clothing, and must be cleaned away as soon as possible. Others consider that menstrual blood is not only dirty, but morally ‘unclean’, something that they should be ashamed of. What we feel about our own blood is a result of what the women we know and love have felt and probably still feel. Some of us change our minds and our attitudes because we come into contact with other people with different ideas. But whatever they are, our attitudes affect our behaviour.
If we feel that blood is dirty, we may unconsciously be trying not to stain clothes and sheets — especially sheets that don’t belong to us. When you have learnt how to relax, you may recognize that you are holding your pelvic floor in a very tense state when you have a period, particularly when you are in bed. It’s possible that you are ‘holding back’ your period because you don’t want to make a mess on the sheets. If you are, it could be very difficult for you to relax completely. If you think this might be your problem, one answer to it is to use a drawsheet — a piece of old sheeting or an ancient towel on top of the under sheet for a little extra protection. It’s a lot less bother to wash than a sheet too.
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28 Apr 09 CHILDREN’S HEALTH: ASKING QUESTIONS, HOUSE CALLS
Asking questions
One of the things you’ll probably have checked out when you chose your doctor was his or her ability to speak language you understand. Doctors, like specialists in any field, are so familiar with their professional language that they sometimes forget how confusing it is to other people. So if your child’s doctor slips into medical jargon that you don’t understand, ask for a translation. Don’t feel uncomfortable about asking, either. You must know what the doctor’s instructions are before you can carry them out, and it’s part of the doctor’s responsibility to make sure you are fully informed about all matters that concern your child’s health.
Sometimes you may find that you understand what the doctor is saying – but you don’t agree with it. In this case don’t hesitate to ask why the doctor has reached a certain decision, or what the alternatives are. If you still don’t feel comfortable with the doctor’s advice, don’t argue. You may get the doctor to agree with your point of view, but this may not be in the child’s best interests. If you and the doctor disagree on a diagnosis or a course of treatment, ask for a second opinion. This means going to another doctor and asking his or her professional advice on the issue. Your doctor may welcome this suggestion – or even make the suggestion before you do. A doctor may be hesitant to assume full responsibility for diagnosing and treating a difficult or unusual case. In such a situation it is common to have two or more consultants working together to determine the best course of treatment.
When you ask for a second opinion, your doctor should be able to suggest names of possible consultants. If you trust the doctor, you’ll trust his or her choice of other professionals. If you don’t, you’ll be looking for another doctor anyway.
House calls
Many people who are now parents remember the days when doctors made house calls. And they wonder why doctors today don’t make house calls. Your modern physician will probably tell you that many wrong diagnoses resulted from examining sick children in their homes without adequate equipment. In the office, the doctor has a professionally set-up medical facility with all the equipment necessary for an accurate diagnosis. So whether or not a doctor makes house calls – and most don’t – should not affect your opinion of his or her competence. If you trust your doctor, and if you’re confident that he or she will always be available in an emergency, you’ve made a good choice.
A final word on the parent/physician partnership – and, again, it’s partly a matter of courtesy. If your physician is taking good care of your child, express your appreciation; doctors like to be thanked, just the same as anyone else. And if you’re not satisfied with the health care your child is receiving, the doctor should know that, too. A physician’s failure to please you may be due to many factors other than professional inadequacy, and if the doctor knows there’s a problem maybe he or she can correct it. If not, your best plan is to find another doctor.
Remember that although the doctor is your partner in caring for your child’s health, you’re still responsible for deciding just who this partner will be.
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28 Apr 09 WHY BABIES CRY
It’s normal for babies to cry. It is, after all, their only way of letting you know they need something. At first it may be difficult to figure out what the baby needs. In a newborn, though, there are only a few things a cry will signify: hunger, needing a nappy change, and needing to be held and comforted. As the baby grows up, he or she will find more reasons to complain: boredom, frustration, loneliness, fear, overstimulation, or maybe being too tired to go to sleep.
Sometimes you and your baby can get into a crying cycle. When the baby cries, you get anxious and nervous. The more the baby cries, the worse you feel, and nothing you do seems to help quiet the baby. The baby senses your feelings, your anxiety in turn makes the baby anxious and uncomfortable, and the child expresses these feelings by crying even more. If you find yourself getting into these cycles, talk about it with an experienced parent or your doctor. They may be able to suggest a solution.
Occasionally, a baby will cry because he or she is in pain. Check to see if you can figure out what is causing the pain. A sick baby may cry but will usually also have other symptoms of illness such as a fever, diarrhea, pulling on an ear, or a runny nose. Generally, a healthy baby will have a strong, loud cry. If your baby’s cry becomes weak, contact your doctor right away.
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28 Apr 09 DIABETES: HUMAN, BEEF AND PORK INSULINS
How are beef and pork insulins made?
Pancreases are collected at the abattoirs from beef or pork. They are quickly frozen and taken in refrigerated vans to the insulin extraction plant of the pharmaceutical company making the insulin. The pancreases are then mixed up with alcohol (spirit) and salt (brine) and acid. The insulin goes into solution in the acid-brine-alcohol mixture and therefore can be separated in solution from the remaining pancreatic pulp, which is washed free of the insulin.
After the insulin is in solution and separated from the rest of the pancreas, it is precipitated out from the solution and is purified and crystallized out as a powder. Bacteria which might cause an infection at the injection site and other impurities are also removed at this stage. The pure insulin is then dissolved in a fluid and bottled ready for use. Further processes may be carried out to combine this pure insulin with protein or zinc or modify it in some other way to produce the various other forms of insulin with a longer duration of action for the modern control of diabetes.
How is human insulin made?
Human insulin is now made by a process which involves genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is a term that describes our ability to take one gene (in this case the insulin gene) and insert it into the genetic structure of another living cell which then acquires the feature of the new gene (in this case the ability to produce insulin). To understand genetic engineering, we need to know about genes and cell DNA. The development of all living cells is governed by the inheritance of their characteristics from previous generations of cells. The inherited characteristics are passed on by genes contained in the cell and the genes are part of a complex substance called DNA. All cells contain DNA. Within the DNA substance of the human islet cells is the gene which produces human insulin.
Human islet cells are not easy to grow in the laboratory, and when they do grow, they do not multiply and produce large quantities of insulin. On the other hand, some cells such as yeast cells and bacterial cells have the ability to multiply very rapidly, so that if they could be given the ability to produce insulin, they could do so in large quantities.
It is now possible to synthesize the gene that is responsible for producing insulin in the human body. One way in which human insulin is produced by genetic engineering involves incorporating the synthesized human gene for insulin into ordinary bakers’ yeast cells. This is the starting point of the process for insulin manufacture, the steps of which are as follows:
1. The gene responsible for producing insulin is first synthesized chemically.
3. The insulin gene is now inserted (by chemical process) into the place that was cut into the DNA material from the yeast cell.
4. Now that the yeast DNA has acquired the human insulin gene, it is inserted back into the yeast cells.
5. The yeast cells are allowed to grow in glucose solutions in large tanks over a period of three weeks. As they multiply and grow, they release insulin into the tank.
6. The insulin is extracted from this solution and the yeast cells discarded.
7. This insulin is purified by a series of processes. No detectable impurities of any sort remain.
8. This insulin is in a pure crystalline form. It may be dissolved as the quick-acting unmodified insulin, or may be modified chemically to prolong its action as cloudy longer acting insulin.
The actual process is of course more complicated than this. For instance, living cells have to make insulin through first producing a larger molecule called pro-insulin which is later broken down to insulin itself. The process of purification also involves a number of steps to ensure the end product is entirely safe.
Other manufacturers use somewhat different processes and may use bacterial cells rather than yeast cells. The end product, of course, is the same as the insulin produced by the human pancreas.
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