Is there any safe pill to reduce my weight?

There are no safe pills to reduce your weight. All the pills have side effects and they bring only very low weight reduction..

It is better to understand your metabolism and food. If you have good knowledge in these you have no problem to reduce weight. Many eat simply without knowing what they are eating.

There are many hidden calories which you never think. These are in soft drinks, snacks and in sweets. Avoid these and eat fresh vegetables and fruits everyday.

Gym or quick walking also helps to reduce weight. Why do you need then chemicals?

Can you tell me three important things which I must avoid to reduce my weight?

Although there are many important points for the weight reduction I consider the following three points are very decisive.

They are:

• Avoid trans-fat
• Avoid high fructose corn syrup
• Avoid sugar

If you avoid these three foods then you avoid most of the unhealthy food. These are in many junk foods and in processed foods.

Enough vegetables and fruits and physical activity are a must. Your goal is easily attainable if you have the will power.

I have 10 kg overweight. But, I hate to do exercise. What is your suggestion?

If you are lazy to do physical activity it is difficult to reduce your weight. Right food and exercises are important for weight reduction.

Try to find some friend and go for swimming or to gym. Two people are better than one for this purpose. But if you have no friend, then it is not possible.

For indoor exercises you can put on your radio for your music. It helps because you are concentrated to hear the music and the exercises go automatically.

When I was working I used to hear the evening news during my exercises. I had no problem to do them.

If you go out for a walk you can use your cell phone today to hear the music. The best thing is you must have the will to reduce the weight. If the will is there the way is also there.

Start from today and you can achieve your goal surely.

What is good, light or deep kissing?

Kissing is interesting and this we know all. Light kissing or deep kissing, both have risks.

Light kissing is typically a closed-mouth kissing. Deep kissing is done with the mouth slightly open and here the tongues are also involved. It is also called “French Kissing”.

Light kising carries a slight risk for catching herpes and scabies. If somebody is sick then never kiss that person.

We have millions of micro-organism in our mouth and this is different in individuals. In the deep kissing there is excange of saliva and this increases the risk. Herpes simplex, syphilis, hepatitis B and other diseases may be transmitted.

It is important to know your partner well. It includes the sexual history and the current health status.

Kissing is a natural way of showing affection and love between friends and family members. Deep kissing is natural way to show love and affecton to a boyfriend or girlfriend. Never forget it is also a foreplay and may lead to more sexual behaviour.

Can Air-Conditioners cause Allergies or Infections?

The air-conditioner does not make you directly sick. The filter you have there and the regular maintenance plays a vital role in the quality of the indoor air.

The dust and dirt are not the major problem. The mix of dust mites, mold, smoke, pollen and even pet dander can reduce the air quality drastically and can trigger allergies.

When the airconditioner filter is clogged the air quality decreases further. The result may be the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and bronchitis. It can also cause dry eyes, headaches, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue.

Change the filter at least once in three months. This should be done not only in the home but also in the office. Do not forget the filters in your car and this must also be changed.

Do plant foods better than the dairy products for kidney health?

The plant foods are good for kidney health. Two points support this very strongly.

Dairy products have much protein which makes the urine acidic and excretes more calcium from the body. It is a risk factor for osteoporosis and renal function.

But plant foods reduce microalbuminuria and thus keep renal function good. This is a finding of the recent research results. All the vegetables contribute to this good effect. Microalbuminuria is a type of proteinuria and it is a kidney disorder resulting in an abnormally high amount of albumin in the urine.

Plant foods have many other positive effects on our health.

Can you explain me the diverticular disease and the food that help?

Diverticular disease consists of two conditions which involve in the development of sacs, pouches or pockets in the wall of the colon, including diverticulosis and diverticulitis.

What is diverticulosis?

It is the formation of tiny pouches called diverticula in the lining of the bowel and these can be tiny or much larger. These are formed by increased pressure on the weakened parts of the intestinal wall by gas, liquid or waste. It can also be formed by the straining during bowel movement, such as constipation and these are most common in the lower portion of the large intestine.

Diverticulosis occurs above the age of 40 and 50% of persons above sixty. Many have no or very few symptoms. About 20% may develop complications with rectal bleeding which is called diverticular bleeding.

What is diverticulitis?

Diverticulities are the infection of one or more diverticula. These occur when pouches become blocked with waste, allowing bacteria to build up and cause infection.

The symptom of diverticulosis is only abdominal cramps and the symptoms of diverticulitis are alternating constipation with diarrhoea, painful abdominal cramps and fever.

High fibre foods, cereals high in bran and plenty of fruits and vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, carrots and beans can help. Boiled rice is also a good food.

Drink at least 3 to 4 litres of water and do not calculate the other beverages here. This helps to prevent diverticular disease.

Food with seeds and hulls such as tomatoes, strawberries and popcorn may be avoided because they may promote inflammation and a painful attack.

Does soy bean contain much oxalate?

Soy beans and soy products are very healthy food. But, we know that legumes are high in oxalate which can increase the risk of kidney stones.

Soy beans, a legume and soy products like soy milk, tofu, soy energy bars or anyother product which contains them are rich in oxalate. The levels of oxalates are far above than is recommended for those who suffer with kidney stones.

The American Dietetic Association suggests that patients with calcium oxalate kidney stones limit oxalate levels to no more than 10 milligrams per serving. Some of the soy products contain more than 50 times of this. Texturized soy protein has 638 milligram per average serving of almost 3 ounces. Soy cheese contains 16 milligram per servings.

Oxalate has no nutritive value. Healthy persons usually pass it from their body in urine without any problem.

There are many legumes or vegetables which also have much oxalate.

What are Flavonoids?

Flavonoids are a group of substances found in plants which prevents the cancer forming. There are three important groups and they are flavonoids, isoflavonoids and neoflavonoids. These are known for their strong anti-oxidant activity.

The flavonoids have less toxicity and this is the reason for cancer prevention. The body sees flavonoids as foreign substances and with the help of the detoxification system these are excreted. In the same process cancer producing substances are also eliminated. Small amount is necessary for this purpose in our body and high dose supplements are not recommended.

More than 5,000 flavonoids from various plants are isolated and characterized in different groups. This number can go up in future. Few rich sources of flavonoids include:

• Grapefruit - There are six flavonoids found in this citrus fruit including quercetin and they increase the intracellular levels of vitamin C, has positive effects on capillary permeability and blood flow.

• Ginkgo – The active ingredient of ginkgo is flavoglycosides and is extracted from the ginkgo leaves. It is also sold as herbal supplement.

• Green Tea – Catechins and epigallocatechins are potent antioxidants and these may help to prevent cancer. But black tea does not have catechin because it is lost by oxidation during the processing.

• Bitter Chocolate – bitter chocolate from cacao contains also flavonoids.

• Wine - Flavonoids as well as polyphenols are found on grape skins and both red and white wine contain the flavonoids. Red wine contains more flavonaids and other polyphenols such as resveratrol.

Most of the flavonoids are important but quercetin and epicatechin are in the upper part of the list. Quercetin is anti-cancer agent and is also a strong antioxidant.

Bitter chocolate has epicatechin which supports heart by improving the blood flow.

Sun light and vitamin D production; can we get vitamin D in toxic levels from working or playing in the sun light whole day?

No, from the sun light exposure we never get excess of vitamin D. When UV-B rays from sun light strikes the skin, it converts 7-Dehydrocholesterol, a precursor of cholesterol into vitamin D.

Between 10,000 and 20,000 IU of vitamin D are synthesized during a 30 minutes of whole-body exposure of pale skin without clothing or sunscreen. If the person is brown or black it takes more time. These quantities are enough to satisfy the needs of the body.

What will happen if we are overexposed to sun light? The body has two mechanisms to prevent an excess of vitamin D. Further radiation with UV-B rays converts excess vitamin D in the skin to a variety of inactive metabolites. Moreover, the pigment melanin from the skin tissues decreases the production of vitamin D.

This controlled production of vitamin D is also one of our nature’s wonder.

What do you think about the gene analysis to find out one’s health risks?

This service is offered by private laboratories in USA. According to them, they could find out 28 health risks including breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

The biggest problem is we know about the genes, that is all. It is only a part. We do not know the interactions between them and many other unknown mechanisms. This is the opinion of professors from the US also. 1000$ is the charge for this analysis and some recommendations, that is all. In few states of the US the authorities are closely watching these laboratories.

The disadvantages include:

• Continuous stress for you
• Are the data safe? If not you may not get an insurance or may not get a job because you belong to a risk group
• It can affect your whole life

I am against this gene analysis because we do not know everything about the genes.

Lead a healthy life; eat enough fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grain products. Do some physical work every day. Keep up your weight normal. With this you can minimise many health risks.

Is there any way to excrete alcohol quickly? What is the role played by the fat here?

No, there is no way to make the excretion of alcohol quickly. Approximately 0.11 o/oo alcohol is excreted per hour. If you have 1.0 o/oo alcohol in your blood it takes 10 hours to be completely excreted.

After alcohol consumption never drive a car or operate a machine. It is dangerous for you and others.

If you have enough fat in your stomach alcohol binds with fat and this is not absorbed to the blood. The free alcohol only can reach the blood and brain.

If you drink alcohol then you must take a taxi to go home. It is also the duty of the host if he serves alcohol to prevent you in driving a car. By the way too much of alcohol is not good for your health. Enjoy the other wonderful things and there are many in this world.

Do not offer alcohol to youth. If somebody says “No” to alcohol respect this. Everybody think that they are having their alcohol consumption under control but many have not.

Alcohol can make you an addict and can spoil you and your family.

We read here so much about raw food. Are they really good?

Raw food is good if they are fresh or frozen. Whether you eat normal or raw you need all the macro- and micro-nutrients to run your metabolism.

Take for example a person drinks a glass of fresh orange juice and few small raw tomatoes with his breakfast. At 10 a.m. she / he eats a tasty apple.

For lunch he takes everyday a good salad and his normal food. In course of day he / she eats a banana or few slices of mango. Carrots and cucumber are eaten raw throughout the world. She or he likes raw almond, cashew nuts and other seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

For dinner, there are fruit juice and other fruits also. With this without any problem a normal person eats 50% raw. If it goes to more than this percent then you need help.

Every medal has two sides. Raw food also has many substances which could interfere with the absorption of few nutrients. You must have thorough knowledge about food.

To be healthy it is important to know the other 50% or less very well. Food supplements are also not an easy answer for every food problem.

At first try to calculate how many percent you eat raw everyday. After that it is easy to decide.

You know a lot about narcotic drugs and party drugs. Have you ever tested or used these drugs?

These drugs are only abused because they make us addicts. I have never tasted these drugs and not even cannabis.

To my work I had all these drugs in my safe and the concerned authority have given us also the permission to buy them.

Once I wanted to test a substitution medicine to see that how long this medicine could stay in my body. With the permission from the necessary departments I was allowed to take only for four days.

I must promise that during these four days I would not drive my car. To go to the office I took a taxi.

Everything which makes us addicts is not good for us, our families and for our society. Drug addiction not only destroys you but also your whole family.

Say “No” to drugs always.

Music CDs are sold to bring down high blood pressure and high blood sugar? Is music a medicine?

Music is not a medicine directly. I can say it is a supporting medicine. If we have a bacterial infection music cannot cure us.

What is the role the music plays to help us to become healthy? We are sick, the bacteria are there in our body and a good music can act on brain and the brain activates our immune system. A strong immune system can destroy the bacteria. This means we need the antibiotic drugs to fight with the bacteria. The activated immune system supports the medicine and we become quickly healthy.

In the case of high blood pressure the music can reduce the stress. But right food, physical activity and medicines are also necessary.

If you think about the depression here the music helps to break your continuous thoughts and so they support the medicines or other therapies.

It is also not only hearing the good music or the music you like but also the music played by you help to become one healthy. Here also the medicines and other therapies are important.

My friends say you are too old. Are you against when the youth love?

What your friends say is wrong. I am not against love. Love is our part of love. Love does well to our body and soul. I am going to be 63 years. I have no problems with my age and I do not know why others think too much about this.

But now there are many worst things are happening in the name of love and definitely I am against that. Love is for me soul to soul and not only there because our hormones and emotions need it. A love at first sight must become quickly a mature love.

Love is for many, in certain part of their life, a hobby or fun. This brings bad luck to many.

Love is giving and taking. If one gives always and other only takes it is not a love, or may be one sided love.

Nothing should be routine in our life. If you want to love your partner both must develop their common interests in life. Both must also increase their knowledge continuously.

When your sexual urges are reduced the love must be still there. I am for this true love. It is easy to be happy in your life and you must understand and practise this.

I have written a love story and this you can read in my blog. http://drkpadmanaban.blogspot.com/2009/10/sethu-samudram-project-alternative-plan_15.html. That will tell you clearly my opinion about love.

Youth, you have all the rights. What you do with that is important for you and to your family.

I’m 18 years old female. You preach so many things. Are you a smoker?

I never preach anything. I try to give you the right information and facts and it is you who has to decide what you want to do. I am not at all afraid to give particulars about me if asked in a polite way.

Yes, I have smoked for a long time although as a chemist or clinical toxicologist I knew all the dangers of smoking. But, I’m also a human being with strengths and weakness. Fortunately I could stop now and then for few months and I started always once again.

Smoking has affected my health when I was 56 years old. So I told it is over and after that I have not smoked even a single cigarette. Now, I’m a non-smoker more than six years.

My information is not simply theories. It is based on my experience as well as the experience of the many persons.

Smoking and passive smoking is bad to your health. It is scientifically and medically proved completely.

Tell me now, are you a smoker? Stop smoking and there are many wonderful things in our world to enjoy.

Is Napoleon Bonaparte a victim of arsenic poisoning? Are there more such famous cases?

Yes, Napoleon Bonaparte is a victim of arsenic poisoning. In his hair arsenic was found.

Many prominent persons who died by accidental or deliberate arsenic poisoning include:

Napoleon Bonaparte, France, 1769 – 1821
Francesco I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
George III of Great Britain, 1738 – 1820
Charles Francis Hall, USA, 1821 – 1871.
Huo Yuan Jia, China
Clare Boothe Luce, USA, 1903 – 1987.

Emerald Green, a pigment used by impressionist painters contains arsenic. Cezanne, Monet and van Gogh had diabetes, blindness and neurological disorders, respectively. It is said that the contamination originated from Emerald Green.

Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Zucker und Fruchtzucker?

Zucker ist Glukose und Fruchtzucker ist Fruktose. Wir brauchen für Zuckerstoffwechsel Insulin, aber Fruktose wird in der Leber verstoffwechselt.

Viele denken, dass nur Fructose wird in den Früchten vorhanden. In Obst sind Fruktose, Glucose und Saccharose vorhanden. Saccharose ist ein Molekül von Glukose und Fruktose in gleichen Anteilen. Die Früchte haben also etwa gleiche Menge an Glukose und Fruktose. Tafel Zucker ist in der Regel Saccharose.

Fruktose-Sirup, die in vielen alkoholfreien Getränken vorhanden ist, wird in der Regel eine Mischung aus etwa gleichen Teilen Glucose und Fruktose.

Fruktose ist genau wie Alkohol in den Leber verstoffwechselt. Fruktose Stoffwechsel ist bevorzugt und ist nicht optimal für die Gesundheit der Leber.

Beide überschüssige Glukose und Fruktose sind in Triglyceriden in der Leber umgewandelt. Wir müssen vorsichtig mit Zucker als auch mit Fructose umgehen.

Beeren, Melonen, Baum Früchte sind reich an Fruchtzucker. Honig und einige Wurzel-Gemüse enthalten auch erhebliche Menge an Fruktose.

My friend told that the chemical toluene is poisonous. Is it so?

All the chemicals are poisons. The dose makes the poison. Toluene is an aromatic solvent and is poisonous.

Toluene is a colourless, voletatile, flammable liquid with an odour, resembling that of Benzene. It is obtained from crude oil or can be synthesized from benzene and is used as a solvent and as a raw material in chemical industries.

Toluene is used as an industrial solvent for paints, pharmaceuticals and rubber. It is found in petrol, paints, varnishes, paint thinners, printing inks, glues, rubber, adhesives and shoe polish.

Inhalation of toluene put in plastic bags may cause sudden death and this is the most serious risk. In many countries the poor inhale this to forget their hunger. The solvents make them addicts.

Long time exposure to toluene and other solvents cause the damage of central nervous system, heart, kidney, liver, blood and lung.

Almost 50% chronic solvent abusers are women in their best childbearing age. When I asked them for the reason the prompt answer was we felt happy and liked the smell.

I had a colleague, a laboratory medicine M. D. whose husband was a gynecologist. In his small cabin where there was no window he used to prepare the stains from his patients. He used regularly a small amount of toluene for more than 25 years. Suddenly he became sick, later he was diagnosed to have an incurable form of leukaemia and within three months he passed away. It was because of the exposure to toluene vapours for a long time.

When you buy a fresh newspaper or magazine, the solvent smell is due to presences of toluene. Therefore, the newspaper may be kept outside till the vapours are gone. Newspapers or magazines which are immediately packed in plastic foils after printing are dangerous because they contain more vapours. These are very dangerous to our health and environment.

Welche gesundheitlichen Vorzüge haben Zwiebeln?

Ohne Zwiebeln ist unsere Nahrung unvollständig. Sie wird seit Tausenden von Jahren in allen Kulturen verwendet, ihr kulinarischer und medizinischer Wert macht sie zu einem wichtigen Teil unserer täglichen Ernährung.

Zu den gesundheitlichen Vorzügen gehören:

• Hilft die Cholesterinwerte in den Normbereich zu bringen
• Senkt den Blutdruck
• Hat eine antiallergische, entzündungshemmende und antimikrobielle Wirkung
• Es wird ihr eine Anti-Krebs-Wirkung nachgesagt
• Verringert die Gefahr von Blutgerinnseln
• Verbessert die Lungenfunktion
• Verringert den Knochenverlust bei postmenopausalen Frauen
• Durch ihren hohen Chromanteil, unterstützt sie den Zucker-Stoffwechsel und verhilft zu einem positiven Hormonhaushalt zur Besserung des Prämenstruelles Syndroms
• Förderung des Wachstums und der Funktion einer gesunden Darmflora - sie wirkt probiotisch

Die meisten Menschen vertragen Zwiebeln sehr gut. Jedoch kann der Verzehr größerer Mengen zu Magen-Darm-Reizungen führen, welche in Übelkeit und Durchfall resultieren können.

Is benzene a chemical which can cause cancer? Please explain me…

Yes, Benzene is a carcinogen, i. e., a substance capable of causing cancer..

Benzene, a liquid aromatic hydrocarbon, is mixed in petrol. It is an environmental pollutant and found everywhere in air. It is a very important solvent for the industry. Moreover, it is also a raw materials.

Benzene exposure has very bad health effects. Exposure to low level causes drowsiness, dizziness, fast heart rate, headache, confusion and unconsciousness and higher level can result death.

Long term exposure causes damage to the bone marrow and the immune system; decreases the number of red blood cells and increases the chance of infection.

Women who have long- time exposure suffer from irregular menstrual periods and decreased size of ovaries.

Lead has been removed from the petrol throughout the world. But to maintain the properties of leaded petrol the industry mixes benzene with petrol.

Benzene is more harmful than lead and now it is omnipresent.

Are soft drinks healthy?

There are many soft drinks in our world. There are many chemicals present in these soft drinks. These chemicals may have adverse effects on our health. Of course the major part is water, but all the other things present are not healthy.

The soft drink contains many chemicals and they include:

• Sugar – soft drink manufactures are the largest single user of refined sugar in our world. Sugar increases insulin levels. The result can be diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides. Weight gain and premature aging and many other health problems go to the account of sugar.

• Aspartame – many diet soft drinks contain this chemical, as a sugar substitute. Many side effects are associated with aspartame intake. Weight gain, diabetes, birth defects and many other health problems go to aspartame’s account. If stored in a warm place for a long time it is automatically converted in to methanol which is converted to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are carcinogens. Acesulfame-K and Saccharin are the other artificial sweeteners mostly used.

• Phosphoric acid – it may interfere with calcium metabolism. The result may be softening of bones, teeth and osteoporosis. Too much of this can affect the utilization of nutrients.

• Carbon dioxide – it is used to produce carbonated soft drinks. The adverse effects are acidosis and adverse effects in calcium metabolism. Brushing your teeth after drinking an acidic soft drink can increase the damage to your tooth enamel and dissolving down the gum line.

• Caffeine – excess caffeine is not good for our health. Two cups of coffee per day is good but too much from the soft drinks are not good.

Obesity is a big problem and one of the main reasons is soft drinks.

Moreover, the taste what we enjoy with soft drinks are also only chemicals. It is better to avoid all soft drinks. If it is not possible now and then a glass is good. Particularly we must inform the youth about the dangers of soft drinks. If explained properly surely they will understand the problems with the soft drinks.

Pure drinking water and fresh fruit juices are the best drinks.

Who should not take oral contraceptive pills?

To know this you have to talk to your gynaecologist. He can give you the necessary information.

If you have following conditions your doctor will discourage you to take the combination birth control pills, oestrogen and progestin containing pills:

• Breast feeding
• Smoker
• Older than 35 years old
• Heart disease
• History of blood clots and stroke
• History of breast, endometrial or liver cancer
• History of thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
• Kidney, liver and adrenal gland health problems
• Diabetes complications
• Migraines with aura
• Unexplained uterine bleeding
• Bedridden because of a major surgery
• Taking antiepileptic drugs
• Taking St. John’s wort

Like all drugs the combination pill has many side effects.

The mini pill which contains only progestin may be discouraged by your doctors for the following reasons:

• Breast cancer
• Unexplained uterine bleeding
• Taking antiepileptic drugs and anti-tuberculosis drugs

Without consulting your doctor do not take the hormone oral contraceptive pills. Inform him all the prescribed or over-the-counter drugs or food supplements you take.

The mini pill also has side effects.

I am 18 years old woman. Can you tell me which birth control method gives protection from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases?

I am glad that you ask this important question. Young people often forget about these dangerous sexually transmitted infections.

The only methods of birth control which offer reliable protection from HIV and sexually transmitted diseases are the male and female condom.

Even if you use other contraceptives it is better to use a male or female condom to prevent the infections.

If you use latex condom use only water based lubricants. Fat based lubricants can spoil the condom and thus the protection.

Sharp finger nails have the danger of bursting the male condom and this happens often as you think.

I have too much stress. Can stress cause hair loss?

There are two types of hair loss if you have too much physical or emotional stress. This can be pregnancy, surgery, severe weight loss or gain or death of a family member.

In this condition large number of growing hair are pushed into a resting phase. In due course the affected hairs may fall out suddenly. You lose many hairs during combing or hair wash or taking bath. The hair can grow back once your stress is gone, but normally it takes time, may be many months.

The second condition of hair loss by intense stress is medically called alopecia areata. Here the white blood cells attack the hair follicle and this stops the hair growth. Within weeks the hair loss starts as a small round patch. But it may spread to the whole head. In some cases the body hair can also fall. Normally the hair grows back, but this problem can come repeatedly.

If you have this kind of hair losses go to your doctor immediately. Sudden hair loss may be caused by underlying health problems and these must be treated.

Stress can be managed well if you really want this. If you have problems take necessary help to reduce your stress.

Which is healthy, margarine or butter?

Margarine is product from vegetable oils. It contains the healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These fats are good to reduce the LDL- or bad-cholesterol.

As a plant product margarine contains no cholesterol.

Butter is made from animal fat. So it contains high levels of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol.

But the story is not ending here. Margarine from the supermarket is not always margarine. Margarines are produced by hydrogenation of fats and this makes possible the formation of trans-fats which are unhealthy. If the margarine is very hard it contains more trans-fats. Trans-fats can also increase the bad LDL-cholesterol. Moreover, trans-fats can lower the good HDL-cholesterol.

Adulteration with margarines is another problem. In some countries animal fat is mixed with margarine and these are bad for vegetarians.

If you do not like margarine you can use butter always. Eat the minimum amount and it is also then good. The dose makes the poison.

Is drinking water during or after meal good or bad?

First of all you must drink enough water, 2 to 3 litres everyday. If you sweat much or do hard physical work you have to drink more.

Drinking water during or after a meal will not make any problems for digestion. Indeed, water helps digestion. They will not dilute digestive juices or interfere with digestion. Water and other fluids help to break down the food in your stomach. It keeps also the digestive system healthy.

Eat enough fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables and whole grain products. Healthy life style and enough physical activity will keep your digestion good. Try to live a stress free life.

Do not drink water or eat your food very quickly. If you gulp lot of air with that you may get stomach problems.

So the direct answer is drinking water during or after meal is good.

What are the different polyunsaturated fatty acids?

Essential fatty acids are nutritional elements which your body cannot produce. So you need to take them from your diets.

The major polyunsaturated fatty acids are divided into two groups. They are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are contained in fish oils and some plant oils. Omega 6 fatty acids are contained in plant oils.

Omega-3 fatty acids include:

• Alpha-linolenic acid
• Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA)
• Docosahexanoic acid (DHA)

Omega-6 fatty acids include:

• Linoleic acid
• Arachidonic acid

Alpha linolenic acid is important for wound healing, energy metabolism, brain development and for cardiovascular health.

EPA and DHA are found in cell membranes, in the brain cells, nervous system and receptor in the eye. These are also important for cardiovascular health because of their positive effects on platelet aggregation, blood lipid profiles and blood pressure.

Your food must contain all the three omega-3 fatty acids and all the three are important.

Omega-3 fatty acids can be destroyed by exposure to light, air and heat.

Omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development.

Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, and some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation.

Can you explain me the difference between vitamin A and beta-carotene?

There are two forms of vitamin A, the preformed original vitamin A and as carotenoids. These carotenoids are called provitamins and the most well known is beta-carotene.

Beta carotene is converted into vitamin A once digested. Vitamin A is found in fats such as butter and margarine, but beta-carotene rich in fruits and vegetables which have bright colours.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant. It can reduce the risk of heart disease and few cancers. It is very healthy if you take this from your fresh foods. Synthetic beta-carotene supplements can increase the risk of cancer. It is noted particularly among smokers.

What are the home remedies to regularize menstruation?

Many factors play a role in irregular or missed periods. But the common factor is the hormonal disturbances in women.

The other factors are different diseases and infections. There are many home remedies for this in our world and they include:

• At first what you have to try is a diet which is rich in protein and foods containing iron. White pumpkin, papaya, dates, drumstick, snake guard, bitter guard and cucumber are good to regularize menstruation. Avoid junk food and processed food
• Drink fresh carrot juice for a period of 2 to 4 months and this helps
• An infusion of ginger with honey helps often to regularize
• Fenugreek is good to regularize the period
• Sesame seeds are very useful
• Asafoetida is not only a good spice but also helps to regularize menses. It increase the production of progesterone, the female sex hormone
• Mint powder and honey equal amounts, thrice in a day can regularize menstruation

If there is no improvement or you have no periods for several months or too much bleeding or breakthrough bleeding or very painful bleeding you must see the help of your doctor.

We talk about vitamins and minerals. What are they exactly?

A vitamin is an organic substance which our body needs but cannot synthesize it. Vitamin D is the exception. All the other vitamins we must get from our food.

Minerals are inorganic substances such as sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, selenium, iodide, calcium, magnesium etc. The essential minerals are a must for our good health. Some minerals we need more and others very little.

Vitamins and minerals are very important for the smooth functioning of thousands of chemical reactions in our body. A good functioning metabolism is a guarantee for our good health.

We need constant and adequate supply of vitamins and minerals. Our good foods have enough of them.

Can Vitamin D supplements interfere with my prescribed drugs?

I do not know which medicines you are taking, but vitamin D supplements can interfere with certain medicines. Its level in the blood can increase. It is better to consult with your doctor before taking the supplement.

These prescribed drugs include:

• Estrogens – Hormone replacement therapy with estrogens can increase vitamin D level in the blood. This has a positive effect on calcium and bone metabolism. This benefit is lost when progesterone is added in the therapy
• Isoniazid – This is a drug used to treat tuberclosis, may raise blood levels of vitamin D
• Thiazide – Diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide can increase the effect of vitamin D and can lead to very high calcium levels in the blood.
Vitamin D levels may be decreased if you take the following drugs:
• Antacids – long time use can affect the bioavailability of vitamin D
• Calcium channel blockers – These medicines are used to treat the high blood pressure and other heart diseases. They may decrease the production of vitamin D by the body
• Cholestyramine – This decreases the cholesterol. It interferes with the absorption of vitamin D
• Antiepileptic medications such as phenytoin, Phenobarbital and others may accelerate the body’s use of vitamin D
• Weight loss medications – Orlistat binds with fat and thus prevents the absorption of vitamin D and other fat soluble vitamins.
• Vitamin D may enhance the effects of doxorubicin, a drug used in treating cancers
• If you take digoxin, a drug used to treat irregular heart rhythms and vitamin D together, the high level of calcium can increase the drug to toxic ranges
• Corticosteroid drugs such as prednisone, used to reduce inflammation can reduce calcium absorption and impair vitamin D metabolism. This increases the risk for osteoporosis

Never increase the dose of the medicine by yourself. Even if you take food supplements talk to your doctor.

I like noodles very much. Are they healthy?

Noodles are processed food and may contain wheat flour, eggs and water. There are also whole grain and polished grain noodles. These are the most important carbohydrate sources as well as a major component in our food. It is prepared in different forms throughout the world.

Although it is a processed food uncooked noodles are normally very hard and so it must be cooked in low flame. After the first boiling, put down the flame and the noodles are ready in 9 to 13 minutes.

Two famous gravies are there, one with tomatoes and the other one with minced meat and tomatoes. Put the tomatoes in the mixi and make it a pulp, put it in the frying pan, add the spices and some oil according to your taste.

The next method takes 15 to 20 minutes more because the minced meat must be cooked well. Put the minced meat in the frying pan, oil is not necessary because the fat from the minced meats is enough. When it is cooked, add to this the tomato pulp, spices and finally some vegetable oil. Both of these are the best choices not only for children but also for adults. But, there are hundreds of various preparations with noodles and gravy.

Noodles are very healthy food, but I have problems when they are coloured or have all possible tastes, chicken or whatever it may be. Here come many chemicals in the picture, which may not be healthy. Most of all these flavours are not natural and are only chemicals. It is better that we eat healthy food wherever it is possible. Cooking noodles and gravy with our fine vegetables and spices make you and your family healthy.

Wheat and eggs are used normally but from mung bean, rice and potato you can also make noodles. Most of the south Asian countries make noodles from these grains and potato and is also an important food.

You promised me to write about diabetes. When could I expect this?

To explain diabetes very simply we can say that it means excess of sugar in blood. There are three reasons for that: pancreas secretes less insulin or no insulin and the secreted insulin is ineffective to do its metabolic function, which is to send the glucose inside the cells for the production of energy.

Insufficient insulin secretion causes increase of blood sugar, thirst and excessive urination, fatigue and cardiovascular and kidney damage.

There are two types of diabetes. In type-1 there is no secretion of insulin and the patients must take insulin injection. In type-2 insulin is there but this is resistant and not able to do its function.

Age, weight and physical activity also play a role in type-2 but we should not also forget the hereditary factor.

Whatever you eat, there is an effect on your blood sugar because carbohydrate is inevitable in our food. We must select the food correctly so that we can have a control on the blood sugar.

There are many effects of food on diabetes. Food can also act in a helpful manner by supporting insulin or decreasing the sugar by itself.

Antioxidants from food can bring the free radicals under control so that the beta cells in pancreas are not damaged. Carbohydrates and excessive sweets increase the blood sugar value very sharply.

The allergic reaction to food constituents in type 1 are much delayed, e.g. protein in milk.

People regularly eating fish have only 50% of the risk to get diabetes than the people who do not eat fish normally. The food which contains a lot of saturated fat gives problems. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for diabetes type-2.

Broccoli is rich in chromium and chromium supports the insulin and the sugar value is reduced. Nuts, barley, mushrooms, whole grains, yeast, tea and broccoli are the foods rich in chromium.

Fenugreek is well known for its action against sugar and cholesterol, both are lowered. But you must be careful if you have only high blood pressure or diabetes.

Cinnamon also has the effect to lower blood sugar.

Legumes which have complex carbohydrates and high fibre also lower cholesterol as well as sugar.

The diluted juice of bitter gourd helps to reduce the blood sugar but the exact mechanism behind this action is not clearly known.

It is better to take food high in antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and beta-carotene. Sugar metabolism produces harmful free radicals and these must be scavenged from our body, otherwise they can oxidize LDL.

To prevent type-1 diabetes, avoid dairy products to the babies at least till they become one year old.

To prevent type-2 diabetes, you must reduce weight and do more physical work. Eat fish, nuts, legumes, whole grain food and food containing antioxidants.

If you have diabetes, contact your doctor or dietician for a course which will inform you clearly the connection between diabetes and food. Whole grain food, boiled rice, potato, legumes including soy beans, noodles, fish and lean meat are the better food.

Whenever I talk to persons about fruits, the topic touches always fructose (commonly known as fruit sugar in India) and they do not know what it is exactly. Fructose is not alone present in the fruits. Glucose, fructose and sucrose are present in fruits in different amounts and that makes it difficult to say how much sugar is present in a fruit. To take banana as example, here approximately 50% sugar and 50% fructose is present in it. Fructose is metabolized through liver and has nothing to do with insulin and sugar metabolism.

It is also important to know that too much of fructose is harmful to the liver and thus to your health. Sucrose has sugar and fructose in equal amounts.

What is the correct diabetic food? About 40 to 60% of total calories come from carbohydrates
Less than 20% from mono and polyunsaturated fats
Less than 10% from saturated fat, for example animal fat and plant fat
It is not easy to take the necessary amount of food that contains the required quantity of fibre daily. But this is the optimum.

It sounds so easy and you may ask where the problem is? Each diabetes patient is different. He has different weight, his job is different, his physical activity is different and his stress is different.

One is lucky because his wife manages the whole diet very good. The other is a single woman or man. We cannot make a general diet plan. The plan must be individual and tailor made. This makes the whole thing difficult.

The second important problem in the management of diabetes is the fat metabolism. Excess sugar is converted in the liver to fat, the triglyceride and excess fructose is also converted into triglyceride. Apart from this excess protein is converted in the liver to sugar. In turn this sugar is also converted to triglyceride. Now, you know why the diet plan must be tailor made.

With an individual diet plan and a good explanation to the patient diabetes is very good manageable for decades.

What are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)? What has grilled meat to do with PAHs? What are the relationship between PAHs and mustard seeds?

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemical compounds which are widespread organic pollutants. Some of these are carcinogens and are formed by incomplete burning of wood, coal, diesel, fat and tobacco. Tar has also PAHs

PAHs are known for their carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic properties. These are benz(a)anthracene, benz(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluroanthene, benzo(j)fluoranthene, benza(k)fluoranthene, benzo(ghi)perylene, coronene, ovalene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, and dibenz(a,h)anthracene.

The sources for the exposure include:

• Workplace exposure in industries where things are burned
• Cigarette smoke, wood smoke, automobile exhaust and smoke from agriculture wastes
• Air, water, food, traffic exhaust and soil near hazardous waste depots
• Eating grilled (fried over burning or glowing coal) meat products and processed or pickled foods
• Contaminated cow milk, drinking water and mother’s milk

The cancers caused by PAHs include lung cancer, skin cancer and stomach cancer.

There are ways to avoid the formation of PAHs and they include:

• Avoid exposure to tobacco smoke, active or passive
• Avoid open burning of tyres, garbage, burning of agricultural wastes, leaves, garden wastes and building materials
• Petrol, diesel, heating oil and motor oil should be disposed properly to prevent the water and soil contamination
• Eat less smoked fish
• Eat less grilled meat. Grilling is a form of cooking where the heat is applied from below with glowing coal. The meat or sausage is placed on a grill which is an open wire grid. The falling hot fat burns in the hot coal and this process produces PAHs. Eat with grilled meat mustard paste or gravies which contain lot of ground or in hot oil fried mustard seeds
• Instead of driving your car use the public transportation if it is possible

Whenever Germans enjoy grilling parties in the summer months they eat lot of mustard seeds paste. It is available very hot, hot, mild and even sweet paste. Meat, beef, pork, poultry and sausages are fried normally on glowing coal.

When we cook south Indian food we pour edible oil first, heat it and put the mustard seeds. They burst out and after that you continue your cooking. Here lies the secret. Mustard seeds if eaten raw cannot be broken by our digestion enzymes and are useless. That is why our intelligent forefathers started practising this method. The German way of preparing food is different and their intelligent forefathers found the mustard seeds paste.

What do you tell about the recent news about sexual abuse of children and youth by church-men in Great Britain and Germany?

It is bad and this may be happening in all the countries. In Germany this came out after 30 years and in Great Britain it is not different. Parents trust the church persons and give them there their children. The churches are slowly accepting their mistakes with much difficulty.

The British go with extreme steps and every person who comes in contact with children and youth must be registered and controlled. This is a good beginning.

In all religious institutions it may be possible to do such horrible evils. It is the duty of every person to inform the concerned authorities about the abuse.

This problem of sexual abuse is everywhere there. Most of the abuses are done by close family members and close friends of the family. Here it is very difficult to found out. Be watchful and if you come to know sexual abuse of children report it to the authorities immediately. This is a very serious crime and the abusers must be punished heavily.

For further information read my book “Sexual Abuse of Children and Sex Health Education”. www.aaronverlag.com