What about minerals? Where must I be careful?

It is really a good question. Minerals are part of the body’s composition. Every day the body produces 200 billion red blood cells and the whole blood is totally replaced in every 120 days. Every 90 days the bone structures are renewed. The skin regenerates every 2 to 3 months. Acid-base balance and water content of the body are regulated by minerals. Minerals are also part of the enzymes which help our metabolism function properly. As we know magnesium is present in 300 enzymes and zinc is present in more than 350 enzymes. We know the importance of calcium very much. Iron is important but, very problematic. Selenium is necessary to scavenge the free radicals and to remove poisonous metals like mercury from the body.

If you have to take a mineral supplement it is better to take an organic compound as inorganic compounds are mostly useless.

Calcium must be taken very carefully. Calcium should not be taken after meals. It can disturb the absorption of iron. Calcium also should not be taken with magnesium. Calcium should be taken between two meals. Remember too much of calcium even from the food makes more calcium to excrete. Too much of protein intake influences more excretion of calcium. It is same with the excess sodium. Excess sodium intake makes more calcium excreted from the body. Calcium supplements need not have vitamin D. If you eat normal you get enough vitamin D from your food.

Aluminium can also disturb the absorption of iron as calcium. Moreover excess iron is poisonous. Too much of iron can be stored in organs like liver and heart and produce many hydroxyl free radicals which are very dangerous for our health. If it is necessary we can take iron supplements only few weeks under the supervision of your doctor.
Zinc and selenium should not be taken together. If zinc is taken in the morning selenium must be taken in the evening.

Excess calcium supplements can cause gas, bloating or constipation. For each mineral there are recommendations for daily intake. This must be followed very strictly.

When do you need mineral supplements? Women over the age of 50 need calcium. This is well studied. Here not only calcium is important but also the enough physical activity to make the bones strong. Moreover, from your food intake it is easy for your dietician to tell whether you take enough minerals.

The minerals are also excreted continuously from the body through kidneys. Uncontrolled intake of minerals may spoil the kidneys too. Therefore, before you take supplements you consult your doctor or dietician.

Change your food habits with the help of your dietician and mostly this makes wonders.

What should I know about my food if I’m a vegan?

No single food can provide all the macro- and micronutrients your body needs. The vegan diet is a more restrictive diet as eggs and dairy products are avoided. Therefore, we must know which nutrients can be a problem from the normal vegan diet. We must be careful to get these from our foods or if necessary the right supplements must be considered.

These nutrients include:

• Calcium
• Iron
• Iodine
• Zinc
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D
• Protein
• Omega-3 fatty acids

Calcium – It is difficult to get enough calcium if we avoid milk and dairy products. The dark green vegetables are the good sources of calcium. But, these vegetables must be eaten in sufficient quantities. 400g to 500g vegetables are to be eaten daily. Calcium enriched and fortified juices, cereals and soy products can also be taken. Remember calcium is very important for your bone health. Supplements must be organic salts.

Iron – the role of red blood cells in transporting oxygen to all our cells are well known. From plant foods it is difficult to absorb iron and so almost double the amount of iron must be taken compared to non-vegetarians. Dried peas and beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grain products, dried fruits and dark leafy green vegetables are good sources of iron. Vitamin C is needed to absorb iron and so with every meal vitamin C rich foods must also be taken. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage and strawberries are rich in vitamin C. Consult with your doctor before you use iron supplements. These should not be takes for longer periods.

Iodine – it is important for thyroid hormones which help to regulate growth, metabolism and the function of important organs such as the heart, brain, thyroid and kidney. The best way to get iodine is to use iodized salts in everyday cooking. It is advisable to keep the iodized salts on the table.

Zinc – it is an essential element in more than 350 enzymes and plays a vital role in cell division and protein synthesis. It is important for our immune system and free radical scavenging system. It plays a vital role in the reproduction. Whole grain products, soy products, nuts, seeds, lentils, beans and wheat germ are good sources of zinc. Zinc is not easily absorbed from the plant food. Organic salts of zinc can be considered as food supplement.

Vitamin B12 – it is important to prevent anemia, to produce red blood cells and in the regulation of homocysteine. It is found exclusively in animal food. Vitamin B12 supplements enriched cereals and fortified soy products are recommended for regular intake.

Vitamin D – it is important for calcium absorption and thus is essential for bone health. Sun light produces in our skin vitamin D from cholesterol. If there is not enough sun light it is better to take supplements from plants.

Protein – it is important for muscles, organs, bones and skin. It is possible to get enough protein from the vegetarian food. Legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grain products and soy products are rich in protein.

Omega-3 fatty acids – these are important for cardiovascular health and in the development of eyes and brain. They reduce inflammation and very important for cell health also. The foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, soy products and dark green vegetables.

A vegetarian food is very healthy if we limit the amount of carbohydrates intake. Vegetarians consume too many carbohydrates than non-vegetarians.

What are the healthy foods for eyes?

Eating the right and healthy food are very important for eye care. The food must contain the necessary vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Eating the right foods can lower the risk of many eye diseases.

The important nutrients for eye health include:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin

A major US study has found that vitamins A, C, E, selenium and zinc can slow down the age-related macular degeneration in existing and low grade patients. Vitamins C and E may help to prevent development or to reduce the progression of cataracts.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are deposited in the eyes and these antioxidants help to scavenge or neutralize free radicals which can cause cell damage in the eyes. Overexposure to the sun’s UV radiation is a main cause of oxidative damage of the eyes. Dark coloured fruits and vegetables contain lutein and zeaxanthin and they include: spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, kiwi fruit, mango, prunes, water melon, squash, broccoli, orange peppers, grapes, papaya, pumpkin, sweet corn, green beans, peas, oranges, peaches, sweet potatoes and dark green lettuce.

For maximum benefit eat the vegetables lightly cooked so that the cells are break down and the bioavailability of lutein and zeaxanthin is increased.

Vitamin A is rich in liver, carrots, spinach, mango, cantaloupe and kale. Vitamin C is rich in papaya, green bell pepper, oranges and in other citrus fruits, broccoli, sweet potatoes and red chilli. Plant oils are rich in Vitamin E.

Brazil nuts, ground nuts and other tropical nuts contain lot of selenium. In countries where the soil is poor in selenium many foods are enriched with this important mineral. Meat, nuts, pulses and beans are rich in zinc.

I have low haemoglobin. One of my friends advised be to eat chicken liver. Will it help me?

Organ meat is rich in minerals and vitamins and it is a good food. It contains iron and vitamin B12. These are good for the production of more haemoglobin.

If the liver meat is from the free-running animal it is a very good food. These hen and cock eat natural food. But the hen from the mass production gets animal feed and may also get medicines like antibiotics. In this case it is not advisable to eat this liver. Only if this liver is available eat only 30 to 40 g per day and three times a week. Continue this for 3 to 4 weeks.

This is also applicable to lamb liver also. In my diet plans I recommend liver meat because they contain lot of zinc and selenium.

Liver meat contains cholesterol. 100 g edible liver meat contains 490 mg cholesterol. A good dietician can accommodate liver meat in your food without any problem.

I hear about eggs only negative things because of cholesterol. Is egg so bad?

Egg has cholesterol, but it is a very good food. Cholesterol is important for our body. Without cholesterol your body cannot function. Only LDL-cholesterol is not healthy.

100 g edible egg contains:

Water………………………74.4 g
Protein……………………...12.8 g
Fat………………………….11.3 g
Carbohydrate………………0.7 g
Minerals……………………1 g
Sodium……………………..145 mg
Potassium…………………..145 mg
Magnesium…………………12 mg
Calcium…………………….55 mg
Iron…………………………2000 microgram
Copper……………………...6 microgram
Zinc…………………………1300 microgram
Fluoride……………………..110 microgram
Iodide……………………….10 microgram
Selenium……………………10 microgram

Vitamin A, B1, B6, B12, E D, K, Nicotinamide, Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Folic acid are also present.

Cholesterol…………………395 mg
Lecithin……………………2.7 g

Raw egg can also be eaten, but it may be contaminated wit salmonella. You must be very careful.

Our liver produces daily 1.5 g to 2 g cholesterol everyday. Before excretion a part is also reabsorbed because it is important for our life. Egg is a very good food.

Egg is rich in iron and is very useful to increase the haemoglobin amount in blood.

Can you explain me the relationship between food and immunity against infections?

The immune system is body’s defence against bacteria, viruses and other foreign organisms. It is a very complex system which has to function properly to protect us from the harmful bacteria and other organisms in our environment that may infect body.

What is the relationship between immune system and food?

Your genetic make up influences your immune system and so do the environmental factors. From the scientific studies it is increasingly clear that you can manipulate your immune system by what you eat. Foods, containing vitamins, minerals and other unique compounds, can stimulate immune functioning, increase your resistance to various bacterial and viral infections, as well as cancerous growths which flourish or die according to the strength and operation of immune mechanisms.

How food can influence your immune system?

What you eat can strongly influence the performance of white blood cells, the frontline soldiers against infection and cancer. The B-cells produce critical antibodies which rush to destroy bacteria, virus and tumor cells. Many research documents of various foods and food components help to control the amount of white blood cells and their strength.

The quality of food must be good to prevent infections. Raw or lightly cooked eggs, shellfish or soft cheese may contain bacteria. Therefore, we must be always careful with all the food because the danger of infection may be everywhere.

Is vegetarian immune system better than others?

Fruits and vegetables have always a good influence on immune system because there are numerous substances, including vitamin C and beta-carotene and vegetarians have more strong immune defences. Vegetarians have more beta-carotene in blood than meat eaters and it has a documented influence on immune system.

Eat enough spinach, carrots and other fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene. Pulses, beans, nuts and seeds are also very important.

What is the role of our normal yoghurt here?

Eat some yoghurt every day and you do something good for your body and it is a known fighter against disease. Approximately eating 200 gram yoghurt daily can prevent cold and diarrhea in adults and elders. Yoghurt in animals and human beings stimulates the activity of natural killer cells which destroy tumor cells. The heated and frozen yoghurts, in which the bacterial culture is often killed, could strengthen our immune system.

What is shiitake mushroom?

Shiitake is a big, brown and fleshy mushroom of Asian origin. It contains an antiviral substance called lentinan which exhibits strong immunostimulating activity. It is used in Chinese traditional medicine and it can modify cells to resist the spreading of lung cancer cells. Thus shiitake mushroom may help immune system to fight as well as to prevent cancer.

Is garlic a weapon against microbes?

Garlic is a fighter of bacteria, virus and cancer cells and it stimulates the potencies of T-lymphocytes and macrophages, the main cells in immune functions. Garlic extract helps macrophages to generate more free radicals to kill microbes and tumor cells. It is a cheaper weapon to strengthen our immune system.

Zinc, is it really an immune element?

Your immune system cannot function properly if you fail to eat food rich in zinc. It helps to strengthen the immune sytem, including the production of antibodies, T-cells and other white blood cell activities.

What about drinking, I mean water or soft drinks?

Drinking plenty of fluid can help to prevent infection; it keeps your mouth moist and healthy and flushes out kidneys and bladder which prevents the build-up of waste in our body where the bacteria can grow. Three to four liter of fluid does good to our body but at least 70% must be drinking water.

Fat and immune system, what is the correct way?

Reducing fat in the diet is important not only for weight control but also seems to influence the function of our immune system. Diets that are high in fat seem to depress the immune response and thus increase the risk of infections. Reducing fat content in the diet can decrease the risk of infections. Moreover, it is not the amount of fat but also the origin of fat is important. Food rich in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids are fatty fish, nuts soya or linseed oil.

Immune system and alcohol, where are we now?

Drinking little alcohol, especially wine, can boost your resistance to some infections and the reason may be, it can destroy or disable disease-producing organisms. Wine can kill any number of bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli and Staphylococcus which are the common cause of food poisoning. Wine may be better because of grape skin and fermentation but other alcoholic beverages in small amount can destroy unwanted bacteria. Consuming contaminated food and alcohol at the same time may lessen the chance of becoming sick. For example, eating raw oysters may not be safe even with alcohol and avoidance is the best solution.

What about probiotic supplements?

These may be good. These come under food supplements; so no clinical studies and side effects. Nobody knows how the standardisation is done. We have to wait for further research.

What is the relationship between infections and kisses?

Millions of bacteria are transferred from one mouth to the other and there may be many harmful bacteria causing infections.

Do not kiss a child in the lips because the risk of infection is great.

Enzymes

Enzymes are the most important substances which are present in human beings as well as in animals and plants. These are complex protein molecules in all living cells and catalyse and regulate almost all biochemical reactions that occur within the human body.

Our digestion, our energy, the functions of our body, our immune system and much more depends upon the presence of enzymes and their capacity to function.

Enzymes are catalysts. The reactions which need high temperatures such as 50 or 100 or 150 degrees C can be performed in our body at 37 degree C with the help of the enzymes as catalysts. This is the wonder of our creation.

There are two groups - digestive and metabolic - enzymes. They are stored in organs, such as, liver and be used wherever they are needed.

Some important biochemical reactions that occur inside our 100 trillion cells are the energy production, detoxification and oxygen free radical scavenging. It is aptly said that our cells can survive only with the help of the metabolic enzymes.

The important duties of the digestive enzymes are the digestion and absorption of all nutrients from our food. The major work is to digest carbohydrates, protein and fat. The digestive enzymes include pepsin, trypsin, lipase, protease, ptyalin and amylase. Our body cannot produce cellulase, an enzyme necessary for the digestion of certain fibre and here the raw foods are the best source.

Our body accepts the enzymes from our raw food thankfully which are saved till the body needs. Therefore, the foods containing enzymes are very healthier to us.

Fresh raw vegetables and fruits are very good source of enzymes. Cooking makes different degrees of degradation. The production of these enzymes is a very complicated process in our organs utilising different, important nutrients including many metals like zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese and others.

Enzymes are also organizing the necessary functions or synthesize new bio-chemicals in the body which are necessary to build and repair the bones, cells, other organs and the tissues.

Enzymes are responsible for synthesizing, delivering, distributing, constructing, repairing and also eliminating wastes from our 100 trillion cells by giving the substances and chemicals to our body to live. Without enzymes there is no life.

Enzymes play a vital role in many diseases, such as, high blood pressure, diabetes, liver diseases, respiratory infections, cold, flu, heartburn, indigestion, weakened immune system, depression, burn out syndrome, migraines, pre-menstruation-syndrome, candida, fibromyalgia, arthritis, hyperactivity, anxiety, lack of concentration, constipation, fatigue, allergies, obesity and many others.

There are substances or metals which can inhibit the action of the enzymes and they are as follows:

• Almost all chemicals in excessive amount are poisonous to enzymes
• Heavy metals such as mercury present in amalgam, aluminium in antacid, deodorants, tea and cucumber, cadmium from seafood and tobacco smoke and lead can take the place of essential elements in the enzymes thus preventing the action of the enzymes.
• Over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs such as novalgin, aspirin, cannabis, cocaine and other designer drugs can be inhibitors.
• Pesticides and all the other chemicals used in the agriculture
• Solvents from household, industries and car exhausts, such as benzene, chlorinated solvents, ethylene glycol
• Alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol etc.
• Caffeine from coffee, tea and chocolates
• Tobacco smoking and passive smoking
• Oxygen free radical and other free radicals

All the chemicals used in the food processing are not good for the enzymes, I have examined the blood sample of people who ate only processed food for months together without taking fresh raw vegetables and their enzyme status is mostly bad compared to an average person. Women are worse than men.

Grilled meat is worse than cigarettes. But smoking is worse than one time of eating grilled meat, since cigarettes are being smoked everyday.

Stress in the family or in the office or extreme worries and financial problems can affect the amount of enzymes produced and it is same with diseases also.

Aging causes the body to produce fewer enzymes and the whole metabolism and digestion can become slow.

Why is raw food in our diet important?

Depending upon your cooking process, an average of 50% of the enzymes gets destroyed. Fresh, raw foods contain the highest amount of enzymes which catalyse thousands of chemical reactions in our body. Dried and denatured foods have no enzymes which in course of time do not promote health and longevity.

Of all known fruits, pineapple contains a large amount of digestive or metabolic or both enzymes. Eat pineapple regularly if you have no allergy.

Zinc

Zinc is a very important mineral for our health. It is important for growth and development. It helps to keep the sense of taste. It is necessary for the proper functioning of more than 350 enzymes, thereby necessary to develop stronger immune system.

Zinc is our natural defence against colds. It promotes also healing skin wounds, burns and eczema. It plays a role in Hair growth. It is also important for reproduction and semen contains very high amount of zinc and selenium.

What are the symptoms of zinc deficiency?

Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:

• Frequent infections
• Slow wound healing
• Lack of appetite
• Loss of senses of taste and smell
• Skin problems including acne
• Loss of hair
• Dandruff
• Impotence
• Decrease in sexual drive
• Dwarfism
• Night blindness

What is the recommended daily intake amount of Zinc?

The recommended daily intake amount of Zinc is as follows:

AGE                              DAILY INTAKE [mg]

Infants:
0 to 12 months          3 t0 5

Children:
1 to 3 years                 8
4 to 6 years                10
7 to 9 years                12
10 to years                 12

Adolescents:
13 to 14 years            15
15 to 18 years            15

Adults:
Above 19 years         15

Pregnant:                 +10
Breastfeeding:      +10

What is the amount of supplementation if it is necessary?

The necessary zinc supplementation is 20mg per day. It is better to take organic zinc tablet like zinc orotate for better absorption.

What are the foods rich in zinc?

• Onion
• Garlic
• Nuts
• Pulses
• Beans
• Milk, yoghurt and cheese
• Meat
• Liver
• Eggs
• Seafood

Fruits and vegetables contain only little zinc. The vegetarians must be careful in their food. Nuts, pulses and milk and dairy products may be the rich sources.

I have seen tens of thousands of blood results and there are many who needed supplementation for some time, may be weeks or months. Once they take the right food for them this supplement is stopped.

Coca Cola

What is coca cola?

Coca cola is a carbonated soft drink with phosphoric acid, caffeine, high fructose corn syrup, natural flavours and caramel colour. Light or diet or zero Coca Cola contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame and acesulfame potassium. The latest one is a new healthy soda diet Coca Cola, called diet coke plus with vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin and zinc!!!


Do you drink Coca Cola?

Yes I do, but very rarely.

Why do you drink very rarely?

I do not know whether everybody knows how to drink Coca Cola. If you want to enjoy the whole taste of coca cola, it must be drunk exactly at 4 degrees C which is always not possible in a hot country. More over, as a clinical toxicologist, I look very carefully what I drink because I have normally more facts than several others.

I have read so many positive things about coca cola in the internet, is it correct?

I have also read the good points given by Coca Cola, India, but there is always the other side of the medal. My duty is to give the correct information to help the people. In internet, one can write whatever he likes because there is no control about the veracity of the points or the truth. Moreover, there are several questions about coke which I want to answer.

What is the real picture of Coca Cola in the world?

There are two groups in the world, one says it is a devil’s drink and the other says the angels have brought them this wonderful soft drink. Both are beliefs as well as myths.

What is the truth about coca cola and osteoporosis?

Coca Cola contains 140 mg of phosphate per litre which can give problems for the absorption of calcium as well as calcium metabolism which can reduce the bone mass density. This is present as inorganic acid and reacts with calcium in our body to form calcium phosphate which is useless for the bone formation because we need only calcium molecules but not calcium phosphate. This decreases the bone mass density and the result may be osteoporosis. The dose makes the poison.

Do not forget, Coca Cola is not only the source of phosphorous, the modern processed foods contain a lot of it and the cumulative effect plays a negative role in our life.

Is there any relationship between phosphorus and hyperactivity in children?

I have seen in several cases, phosphate increases the hyperactivity in children and in some Western countries you can get also phosphate free breads which are baked extra for them in a particular day in a month. The mothers buy enough on that day and deep freeze it for their children. Coca Cola and other similar soft drinks are not good for such children and must be avoided.

According to a study in the Harvard School of Public health, the teenage girls who drank regularly Cola drinks had 5 times more bone fracture during the sports than the others who did not drink it.

Coca Cola and our teeth, is it dangerous or not?

The phosphoric acid can remove the calcium from the tooth enamel and the problem starts here. It is not only for coca cola but also applicable to all soft drinks which contain phosphate. Enjoy the coke like most of the Indian friends drink their whisky; close the nose and one very big gulp, the whole whisky, no, coke is inside. There are many persons throughout the world who take sip after sip during the whole day, thus keeping their mouth always acidic and this enhances the removal of calcium and caries is the result of this.

Attention, never brush your teeth immediately after drinking coca cola or other soft drinks which increases the loss of calcium.

The doctors and dieticians opine that a glass of Coca Cola will not do any harm, but the problem starts if one drinks a litre a day, believe me, I know persons who drink two to three litres per day, caffeine dependence?

One of alcoholic drinks which people, young or old, men or women, like in Western countries is Coca Cola mixed with Bacardi, rum or whisky and I have noticed people drinking eight such glasses in a party that means 8 x 400 ml = 3.2 litre of Cola in 4 to 6 hours. I have no idea about such habits in India and I must do the research when I come next time.

Coca cola and meat, which is the relationship between them?

This is a well known myth that coca cola can dissolve the meat. If you put a steak overnight in coca cola, it looks thick and funny next morning but it is not at all dissolved. The group against cola hears the word phosphoric acid and produced this myth.

The hydrochloric acid present in our stomach is much stronger and there is no risk with coca cola for our stomach muscles. But, drink less and enjoy, do not forget the 4 degree C, if it is too cold or too warm, it is a waste of money.

What is the truth about coca cola and diabetes?

If you are healthy and there is no family history of diabetes, there is no problem, but it is better to be careful with sugar. But in coca cola high fructose corn syrup is used to sweeten to reduce the costs since 1985. There are two dangers, the corn syrup may come from genetically manipulated plants; excess of fructose could be quickly converted into fat in our liver, causing increase in weight, obesity and this is a risk of type-2-diabetes. Moreover, fructose is metabolized in the liver and it has to do lot more than its normal work which is also too much for it if other risks like alcohol or environmental and other poisons are there. Drink less and enjoy and remember always the dose makes the poison.

Coca cola and more hunger can lead to obesity, is aspartame the culprit?

It is very interesting to see the quarrel between different groups; Coca Cola Company says there is no scientific study to prove the weight increase. Group of chemists and dieticians who accept the release of more insulin from the mimic sweetening effects of aspartame say that this has an effect on sugar metabolism. Reducing the blood sugar means increasing the hunger.

However, observation with colleagues showed that if they drink three or four glasses of Cola light, we have seen a drop in their blood sugar values, once the blood sugar is below 80 mg, the colleagues consumed more food than normal. There is no mechanism in our body to make the insulin disappear and it does its duty by reducing the normal blood sugar values to low level. With all the possibilities what coca cola and the different research institutes have, it is not a big thing to do proper research and find out the real side-effects, but nobody is willing or doing or even nobody is thinking of that. So, in this case you are your own judge, drink a litre cola light every day, note your weight before and after 14 days, if you are weighing more at the end, you can make your judgement for you. Nobody is interested in your health, only you have to save yourself!!

Is Coco Cola a medicine for diarrhoea?

The grandmother’s medicine for diarrhoea in Germany is Coca Cola and Salzstangen (wheat flour sticks with crystal salt). It is correct because of electrolyte, sugar and enough fluid at first thought, but there is no equilibrium between the high amount of sugar and low salt content. The adverse effect is the diarrhoea can become worse. Moreover, from 1985 there is only corn syrup fructose.

When I tell this to my patients, the immediate question is which is the alternative to have the balance between salt and sugar, it is very easy, take a glass of boiled and cooled water, add half a teaspoonful salt and five teaspoonful glucose and you have mixture which will do the best to you.

If it does not help, go to the doctor immediately.

What is Mentos Eruption?

The reaction between diet Coca Cola and mint flavoured candies result in a fountain which is called the mentos eruption. The ingredients of diet coca cola, caffeine, aspartame, potassium benzoate and carbon dioxide and gum Arabic and gelatine produced this jet effect. When such a reaction happens in our stomach the inner organs may get damaged because of the production of a large amount of carbon dioxide. But, the Coca Cola Company assures that diet coca cola and mentos candies are used throughout the world without any problem.

This effect could also be produced with other similar soft drinks.

Is Coca Cola an efficient spermicide to use in birth control?

It is totally false and it is impossible to kill all the sperms with a post coital douche, this matter about Coca Cola prevails in the internet even today and it is one of the myths. The excess fructose in the cola can only make yeast infection, an annoying difficult to cure health problem.

If it works in Africa, it is the pure luck of the woman and nothing to do with coke because shortly after intercourse the sperms are away from the reach of Coca Cola douche. Never try, you may be unlucky, you can become pregnant even at the first time. There are several other methods and devices for contraception and consult your doctor to select the right one for you.

What is E 211, is it dangerous?

It is a food additive, E 211 or sodium benzoate, in diet coca cola which is a controversial additive linked to hyperactivity in children and also linked to DNA damage. Coca cola has agreed to remove this additive as soon as a satisfactory alternate is discovered. This additive is present in some other cola drinks also. If it is not declared on the label, ask your local coca cola office to find it out

What about Kerala, India and coca cola?

Even in a country like Germany where we take drinking water from below 3000 meters, even this have traces of pesticides. It is the duty of the industry to use only water free from pesticide residues. The techniques and filters are available; mostly it is the mistake of the local management to control their own workers or to save money at the wrong ends.

Government of India has formed a committee to find the world’s first pesticide residue standards for soft drinks. It is great.

So many information, which is your final suggestion?

Drink three to four or more litres of fluid every day, 70% of that must be pure drinking water to excrete the wastes produced from your cells and to detoxify the environmental poisons from your body continuously. Two cups of coffee or tea a day, one to two glasses of fruit juices like apple, orange and pineapple or a maximum of one glass of soft drinks like coca cola or other beverages, I prefer here the fresh fruit juices. Tender coconut is a good alternative. Now and then surely drink a glass coke.

What our friends from Kerala do is also good, different teas with spices like Jeeragam, coriander etc. They are very healthy.

This information is from my book “Food and our Health – Facts and Misconceptions” published in March 2009. For more particulars visit www.aaronverlag.com

Tobacco - Cigarettes

Everybody knows that tobacco or tobacco products are not good for our health, cancer producing and passive smoking are worse than smoking. I have also seen proud men who didn’t even want to stop smoking although there are small children in their families. These are false prestige. Here I write about cigarettes and the dangers connect to it. In the coming days I will write about the other tobacco products like Beedies, cigars and pipe smoking. It is never too late to stop smoking and I too stopped smoking when I got my heart attack in February 2004.

Cigarettes - Active and passive smoking

What are the health effects of tobacco using?

Tobacco is used in different ways, smoked, snuffed or chewed and the major health effects from smoking are lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The cause of worldwide premature death is a preventable risk.

What are the other diseases connected to smoking?

These are:

• Several forms of cancers including lung, kidney, larynx, breast, bladder, pancreas, stomach, liver, cervical, colorectal, gall bladder, blood and small intestine cancer
• Cardiovascular diseases are stroke and heart attack.
• Respiratory diseases like cold, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Birth defects by pregnant smoker’s baby.
• Blindness because of cataracts
• Increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
• Brain shrinkage
• Impotence because of narrow arteries

Is pipe or cigar smoking as harmful as smoking?

The risk of lung cancer is lower because they inhale less smoke than cigarette smokers but their risk of lung cancer is several times higher than the non-smoker.

The paper used to roll the tobacco contributes also to the bad effects of the cigarettes.

What about chewing tobacco?

The risk of chewing tobacco is mouth and jaw cancer.

What are the immediate benefits of non-smoking?

The blood pressure, pulse and body temperature become normal, heart attack risk decreases and also blood circulation improves. The smell and taste nerves are working better and this ability is enhanced.

What are the substances from tobacco which makes it dangerous?

Nicotine is one among several substances and tar which is a mixture of several active chemical compounds. There are about 3000 chemicals which are found in tobacco smoke and many are dangerous to our health. 50 of these chemicals are cancer producing. Long time exposure to the substances like carbon monoxide, cyanide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons cause the damage of lungs, arteries and responsible for several other complications.

What about the risk of chewing tobacco?

Similar chemicals for the health dangers are present in chewing tobacco and they are generated during the curing of tobacco. Here the tobacco reaches our stomach all the nicotine present goes into our blood and in this case it is worse than the cigarettes.

Are there radioactive chemicals in tobacco smoke?

There are radioactive carcinogens also present in tobacco smoke and they are lead-210 and polonium-210.

What are the reasons of nicotine addiction?

The rest nicotine which is in the cigarette smoke after burning is very small and it is enough for physical and psychological dependence. Amount of nicotine absorbed is dependent on the quality of tobacco, inhalation of the smoke and use of filter. Nicotine is a stimulant and it is a main factor for continuous smoking.

The chain smokers hate the cigarettes because it is only addiction, but no enjoyment. But they smoke further to supply nicotine to the body only.

Many want to stop smoking, but without success, why?

If you want stop smoking, stop drinking or regulate diet you must have the strong will power. With this power only you can convince your brain to stop. If this could not be done, it is lost from the beginning. When you stop smoking, the first 14 days are very difficult. Nicotine is normally produced in small quantities in our body to make nicotine amide which is very important for our metabolism. In smokers, it is no more produced in the body because it is available from the cigarette. Once the body’s own production is started you have the feeling or urge not to smoke. There is nicotine patch or nicotine gum to supplement nicotine for these 14 days.

Are low tar or light or ultra light cigarettes better than the normal cigarette?

There is no evidence that low tar, light and ultra light cigarettes are safer than normal cigarettes. This is also a way to attract young women to smoke because many think light means safe. Many think, like reduced fat or coca cola light, light cigarettes are safe and so the acceptability becomes more and more. It is a marketing strategy, only one product is less attractive. We may not like it if one product is available, many varieties with light labels and many may accept and become a prey for that. If you attend some of these marketing seminars, you may think that you are in Mars that is entirely a different world.

In Western countries the young women and men are not very much interested in smoking because of the strong campaign from the governments and NGOs. The result is fewer cigarettes are sold. The big cigarette companies are planning to attract Indian, Chinese and other Asian young women to explode their sales. Many young women think it a fashion to smoke like in the Western countries during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Now many young women hate cigarettes because they have understood the dangers of smoking. 2.6% Indian women in India smoke regularly cigarettes. If we take our population is 1150 millions, it is nearly 3 crores women smoke. Compare the total population of Germany is 8.1 crores.

Men, don’t be happy, you must also stop it.

Has cigarette contains only tobacco or some other chemicals also?

Few years ago there was a big discussion between scientists, government agencies and the tobacco industry about these foreign substances in cigarettes. There are several additives used by the tobacco industry which make a person addict to cigarettes. The opinion of the scientists is that it is not only the nicotine but also other added substances cause addiction. Nothing came out at last because the interests of the different groups are different. The billions of VAT played a vital role here.

Has cigarette smoking influence on human reproduction?

There are evidences of the poisons from tobacco smoke damage the sperm cells. Tobacco plants contain cadmium, a poisonous heavy metal which replaces the essential element zinc from DNA polymerase which plays a role in sperm production. It also damages testes.

Are pregnant woman affected by tobacco smoke?

Spontaneous abortions happen often when the pregnant woman smoke and there are other dangers to the health of the foetus.

Passive smoking has the same danger to the foetus.

Is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) connected to tobacco smoking and passive smoking?

Passive smoking is connected to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Infants who die in SIDS have nicotine and cotinine, the metabolite of nicotine in their lungs and it is from passive smoking. Smoking during pregnancy and passive smoking of infants are equally harmful. Passive smoking is dangerous even the parents are non-smokers to the infant.

The nicotine goes to the mother’s milk and so also it reaches the infant. Passive smoking means you inhale the smoke present in the room which is smoked by others and it is equally or more dangerous like normal smoking because you inhale continuously.

Positive smoking is a big environmental problem.

What is the relationship between smoking and drinking alcohol?

The simple rule is if you drink alcohol you smoke more and if you smoke more, and then you drink more alcohol. The risk of oral cancer and other cancers increase very rapidly. Smokers drink in average 2.5 times more than the non-smoker. It is a devil’s circle.

What is the reduction of life of smokers?

Smokers live 2.5 to 10 years less than the non-smokers.

Food & Fertility: Food rich in vitamin B6, Folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium and zinc

Food rich in Vitamin B6

• Vegetables
• Whole grain products
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Fish
• Poultry
• Meat
• Milk

Plant food loses less Vitamin B6 than meat and milk during cooking. Milling reduces vitamin B6 and so white flour (Maida) has very little vitamin B6. All the processing techniques including freezing, cooking, canning etc. can make vitamin B6 loss.

Food rich in Folic acid

• Meat and inner organs like liver, kidney etc.
• Nuts
• Beans and legumes
• Leafy vegetables
• It is present in all vegetables in small quantities and it is very difficult to take the necessary amount from the food or from raw food. The loss in cooking is always very high. Here we have to think about the supplement.

Food rich in Vitamin C

• Citrus fruits like oranges, grape fruit and lemon
• Vegetables with dark green leaves
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Strawberries
• Kiwi
• Spinach
• Cabbage
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Capsicum
• Liver
• Oyster

Vitamin C is unstable. Losses occur from exposure to air, light, heat and copper.
Also dissolves in cooking water and is mostly wasted.

Food rich in vitamin E

• Edible vegetable oils such as sesame oil, coconut oil, groundnut oil
• Unprocessed cereals
• Unprocessed nuts
• Seeds
• Green leafy vegetables
• Fish
• Poultry
• Fruits and vegetables contain small amount of vitamin E

Vitamin E is relatively stable except at deep frying temperatures.

Food rich in Selenium
• Meats
• Seafood
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds, particularly nuts from tropical countries including coconut
• Whole grains are rich in selenium

The problem is in most countries the soil is poor in selenium and the local food contains almost no selenium. That is why in most of the developed countries it is added in bread or in other food stuff. Or they must eat nuts imported from tropical countries. If nothing helps supplementation is the last step.

Food rich in Zinc

• Onion
• Garlic
• Nuts including coconut
• Milk, yoghurt and cheese
• Meat
• Liver
• Fish
• Eggs
• Seafood

Fruits and vegetables contain only little zinc. The vegetarians must be careful in their food. Nuts, pulses and milk and dairy products may be the rich sources.

Seafood contains poisonous metals like mercury, cadmium, lead etc. and one must be careful to eat them.

Food and Fertility

What are the best foods for fertility?

The following are the best foods for women who want to become pregnant:

Nuts, whole grains, beans and pulses can promote ovulation and polished grains and flours and, sweets, chocolates, cakes and soft drinks decrease fertility.

Whole milk but not low fat yoghurt increases fertility although normally animal fats are not good.

What about fruits and vegetables in fertility?

Several hundreds of plants have phytoestrogens and these have weak estrogenic activity that means these help to regulate the female sexual hormone. These have influences on hormone concentration which positively regulates sex drive, reproduction and menopausal symptoms and may help to prevent breast cancer.

Foods rich in phytoestrogens are wheat bran, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, legumes and pulses.

What about meat or animal fat?

For both women and men, if they plan a baby it is better to cut completely animal fat except milk for women. Particularly, a fatty diet may play havoc in male sex hormones and so, his sex life. After sometimes of high fat intake, testosterone level comes down and that makes problems.

In women fatty food increases the estrogens levels, thus helps fertility. Normally low fat food can protect from breast cancer.

What is the relationship between vitamin C and sperm?

Vitamin C can give agility to sperm because it is an antioxidant which protects sperm from the attack of oxygen free radicals. Intake of 1000 mg of vitamin C for two months can remove most of the environmental chemicals from the semen and make it fertile. But, there may be other causes for the infertility and it is necessary to diagnose correctly and only this additive effects will lead to success.

Fruits which are rich in vitamin C are well known to you. If you need supplementation, first consult your doctor because in overdose this antioxidant may act as pro-oxidant, this is against our interest.

What about folic acid?

Folic acid is necessary for safety of the foetus against neural tube defect. It should be taken immediately as you plan a baby because these defects may occur in the early days of pregnancy.

What are the other important things that I must know?

Drinking 3 to 4 litre of water daily and taking care of iron status in the body and eating lean red meat are advisable.

What about the vitamins other than vitamin C and folic acid?

The other two important vitamins are vitamin B6 and E which influence the hormone balance and their deficiency results in reduced fertility. You know already which foods are rich in vitamin B6. Oils or fat which are rich in vitamin E should be taken only in small quantities. It is better to supplement vitamin B complex because from our studies we know that many, even in Western countries, have vitamin B6 deficiency.

Are excessive vitamins good for fertility?

Do not take excessive amount of vitamins and this may reduce fertility. Further, high level of vitamins can also cause side-effects. For example, excess vitamin B6 can cause neurological damage and vitamin C could act as pro-oxidant and reduce fertility.

Are the oysters a good source of good Zinc?

Yes. Oysters are rich in zinc. However, it is advisable not to eat oysters. Oysters also contain poisonous heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic and mercury. There are other far better sources of zinc.

What about the myth about figs or eggs?

These are normal food, nothing more than that, but their shape has nothing to do with the fertility and it is only a wrong belief.

Many pharmaceutical companies say vitamin supplements are much needed, is it so?

Too much of vitamins will only do harm, try to take them from your food and if it is not possible consult your doctor.

What about coffee?

Some say for women decaffeinated and for men strong coffee, but one to two cups can be taken a day, tea or coffee by both.

What about trans-fat?

Trans-fats are used almost in all processed foods including chocolates. They have no nutritional value, but these are added only to increase the shelf life of food. These fats affect the fertility of women.

Is selenium very important?

Selenium is important because it helps to scavenge free radicals. Semen contains lot of selenium and zinc.

Next: Food rich in Vitamin C, E, B6, Folic acid, zinc and selenium