Uncategorized

TOXIC STORIES

The FDA has, for decades, ridiculously insisted that mercury fillings pose no health threat whatsoever to children. While dismissing hundreds of studies showing a clear link between mercury amalgam fillings (“silver fillings”) and disastrous neurological effects in the human body, the FDA denied the truth about mercury and effectively protected the mercury filling racket that has brought so much harm to so many people. For over a hundred years, a cabal of “mercury mongers” made up of the American Dental Association, mercury filling manufactu-  rers and indignant dentists have reaped windfall profits by implanting toxic fillings into the mouths of children, all while insisting that mercury — one of the most toxic heavy metals known to modern science — posed no health threat whatsoever.

That reign of toxicity ended  in June 2008. Thanks to the tireless, multi-year efforts of people like Charles Brown, National Counsel for Consumers for Dental Choice (www.ToxicTeeth.org), the FDA was forced to acknowledge a fact so fundamental that, by any measure of honest science, it should have adopted the position decades ago. What position is that? Simply that mercury is toxic to humans.

The FDA has to be sued to do its job of protecting consumers. The FDA’s stonewalling on this issue has been nothing less than a circus of politically-motivated denials, much like the Big Tobacco executives swearing under oath that “Nicotine is not addictive.” In similar style, the FDA insisted for decades that “Mercury is not toxic.” Both statements, as any sane person can readily conclude, are the outbursts of lunatics. Sadly, those lunatics somehow remain in charge of America’s food, drugs and cosmetics (and dental care), meaning that any real progress to protect the People must come from outside the FDA.

And that’s exactly what happened. Consumers for Dental Choice teamed up with Moms Against Mercury (www.MomsAgainstMercury.org) and sued the FDA and its commissioner whose name sounds like an evil-minded villian right out of a Marvel comic book: Von Eschenbach. The lawsuit, entitled, Moms Against Mercury et al. v. Von Eschenbach, Commissioner, et al was concluded in June 2008 with a reluctant agreement by the FDA to both change its website on the issue of mercury and to reclassify mercury within one year, following a period of public comment (which the agency will no doubt try to drag out as long as possible in order to avoid actually sticking to the terms of the lawsuit agreement).

Remarkably, the FDA’s website no longer claims mercury is harmless. The language has now been changed in dramatic fashion, reading: “Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetus.”Speaking of people going mad with mercury, that’s the history of the term “as mad as a hatter.” As explained by Wikipedia:
There is scientific evidence behind the meaning of insanity. Mercury was used in the process of curing felt used in some hats. It was impossible for hatters to avoid inhaling the mercury fumes given off during the hat making process. Hatters and other men in working mills died early due to the residual mercury caused neurological damage, as well as confused speech and distorted vision. As the mercury poisoning progressed to dangerously high levels, sufferers could also experience psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations.

Be well

Dr Sundardas

November 2, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , ,
3 Comments

Manage Menopause Naturally

When a group of scientists began to study the incidence of osteoporosis in different countries, they found the highest incidence in countries like UK, Sweden, the United States of America and the lowest in China where the diet avoids all of the risk factors mentioned above as well as including all of the protective items that follow below. Osteoporosis that is not due to dis-ease can develop from malnutrition and malabsorption of Calcium and or Vitamin D. It can   also be triggered by a Vitamin C deficiency and a high acid ash (high protein) diet. A high phosphate intake or an iron overload can aggravate the condition also. Also smoking and drinking lots of milk.

Women’s bones are greatly influenced by hormonal fluctuations, poor nutritional uptake, diet, childbirth and exercise. Men’s bones are influenced by stress, diet and exercise only. While mild osteoporosis leads to stress fractures only, serious osteoporosis amongst the elderly result in hip fractures. While having bed rest for hip fractures, further bone loss occurs. The bed sores can get infected and gangrenous and they die. Hip bones and the  lumbar spine are particularly prone to fractures.

According to Dr Maurine Tsakok, head and senior consultant of Singapore General Hospital’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology, women taking soy bean products from dougan to miso soup to legumes like peanuts and beans are naturally increasing their estrogen levels. This is because soya products contained plant estrogens and if sufficient quantities are consumed (which was about three times more soya products a week than normal). In a retrospective study of 98 menopausal Singapore women only half were found they needed Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Dr Tsakok also found that two-fifths of the women who did not need HRT exercised regularly compared with about one- tenth of those on HRT.

Phytoestrogens and phytosterols have complex biochemical effects – acting as natural forms of estrogen stimulators (agonist receptor-site action) and protect against higher levels of estrogens by competitive inhibition (antagonist receptor-site action). This dual behaviour results in increasing declining natural estrogen levels as well as providing protection against sites that stimulate breast and uterus cells from becoming cancerous (normally caused by high levels of estrogen production).

Herbs can effectively lessen the effects of menopause and work as estrogen stimulators. The following are commonly used and ones you will find in Menopausal combined-herb formulations:

Black Cohosh – relieves hot flashes and vaginal dryness

Don Quai – relieves hot flashes and improves circulation. Contains beta-sitosterol.

Ginseng – balances stress, improves circulation, stimulates the immune system.

Vitex Agnus-Castus or Chasteberry – affects the pituitary and the stimulation of the three pituitary releasing hormones. Normalizes progesterone levels.

Valerian – natures valium. A calming agent.

Wild Yam – a prohormonal support

Licorice Root – Stimulates the adrenal glands by compensating for “weak adrenal” syndrome. simulating Aldosterone, the major blood pressure hormone (mineralocorticoid).

Be well

Dr Sundardas               www.NaturalTherapies.com

October 4, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , ,
2 Comments

Andropause and Mid-life Crisis

As men age past age 40, hormonal changes occur that perceptibly inhibit physical, sexual, and cognitive function. The outward appearance of a typical middle-aged male shows in- creased abdominal fat and shrinkage of muscle mass, a hallmark effect of hormone imbal-lance. Loss of a feeling of well-being, sometimes manifesting as depression, is a common psychological complication of hormone imbalance. Until recently, these changes were attri- buted to “growing old,” and men were expected to accept the fact that their bodies were entering into a long degenerative process that would someday result in death.

A remarkable amount of data has been compiled indicating that many of the diseases that middle-aged men begin experiencing, including depression, fatigue, abdominal weight gain, alterations in mood and cognition, decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, prostate disease, and heart disease are directly related to hormone imbalances that are correctable with currently available drug and nutrient therapies. The onset of these symptoms usually appears in the early 50s, although with smokers the onset is significantly earlier.

Andropause is about biochemical changes that brings about physical and emotional changes. Mid-life crisis is an emotional event that brings about more emotional and less physical changes .They may occur independently or they may occur at the same time in which case the impact is multiplied. I think until their 40’s men generally buy into “I am a man and I have to do all this”, cultural and social programming. They do not t question that the load is heavy. At forty as they reach a certain maturity, they may begin to question why it has to be this way. They may even become aware of the load they are carrying and wonder why they should do this.

Certain characteristics displayed by individuals experiencing a mid-life crisis often include but are not limited to a vague and undefined feeling of restlessness for what they do not know . It can include the search of an undefined dream or goal, desire to achieve a feeling of youth- fulness, acquiring of unusual or expensive items such as clothing, muscle cars, jewelery, pay- ing extra special attention to physical appearance, need to spend more time alone or with cert- a certain peers, a deep sense of remorse for goals not accomplished, an underlying desire to initiate new sexual partnerships.

A poll conducted by Desertion Survivors found that 37.1% of respondents’ spouses/partners had deserted them after 20-30 years together, suggesting a strong link to mid-life crisis, with the 20-25 year bracket being the most common, accounting for 20.9% of the overall total.

Positive effects only occur if the individual succesfully negotiates the mid-life crisis.. When they do then they realise  they  are actually in a time of their lives when they can afford to do the things they wanted to do when they were young, which may explain the indulgences in certain commodities or activities. Physically we can do specific hormones and blood tests that would help identify what hormones and issues need to be addressed. We routinely check our male patients’ blood levels of estrogen, testosterone, thyroid, and DHEA to determine what they real picture is. Psychologically, I run specific seminars and programmes that help to clean up old psychological baggage as well as develop new proactive strategies for living.

Be well

Dr Sundardas               www.NaturalTherapies.com,   www.fftcentre.com

September 20, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , , ,
1 Comments

The Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

A few months ago, many of us heard about the sad demise of Ranjan Das from Bandra, Mumbai. Ranjan, just 42 years of age, was the CEO of SAP-Indian Subcontinent, the youngest CEO of an MNC in India. He was very active in sports, was a fitness freak and a marathon runner. It was common to see him run on Bandra’s Carter Road. Just after Diwali, on 21st Oct, he returned home from his gym after a workout, collapsed with a massive heart attack and died. He is survived by his wife and two very young kids.
It was certainly a wake-up call for corporate India let alone corporate Asia. However, it was even more disastrous for runners amongst us. Since Ranjan was an avid marathoner  ( in Feb 09, he ran the Chennai Marathon) the question arises as to why an exceptionally active, athletic person succumbs to heart attack at 42 years of age.

Was it the stress?

While Ranjan had mentioned that he faced a lot of stress, that is a common element in most of our lives. We used to think that by being fit, one can conquer the bad effects of stress. So I doubted if the cause was stress.

However, everyone missed out a small line in the reports that Ranjan used to make do with 4-5 hours of sleep. This is an earlier interview of Ranjan on NDTV in the program ‘Boss’ Day Out’: Boss’ Day Out: Ranjan Das of SAP India.

Here he himself admits that he would love to get more sleep ( and that he was not proud of his ability to manage without sleep, contrary to what others extolled ).

I have outlined the key points below in the hope it will save some lives.

· Short sleep duration ( <5 or 5-6 hours ) increased risk for high BP by 350% to 500% compared to those who slept longer than 6 hours per night. Paper published in 2009. As you know, high BP kills.

· Young people ( 25-49 years of age ) are twice as likely to get high BP if they sleep less. Paper published in 2006.

· Individuals who slept less than 5 hours a night had a 3-fold increased risk of heart attacks. Paper published in 1999.

· Complete and partial lack of sleep increased the blood concentrations of High sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-cRP), the strongest predictor of heart attacks. Even after getting adequate sleep later, the levels stayed high!!

· Just one night of sleep loss increases very toxic substances in body such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (cRP). They increase risks of many medical conditions, including cancer, arthritis and heart disease. Paper published in 2004.

· Sleeping for <=5 hours per night leads to 39% increase in heart disease. Sleeping for <=6 hours per night leads to 18% increase in heart disease. Paper published in 2006.

For lack of space, I cannot explain here the ideal sleep architecture. But in brief, sleep is composed of two stages: REM ( Rapid Eye Movement ) and non-REM. The former helps in mental consolidation while the latter helps in physical repair and rebuilding. During the night, you alternate between REM and non-REM stages 4-5 times.

The earlier part of sleep is mostly non-REM. During that period, your pituitary gland releases growth hormones that repair your body. This part of sleep is when HGH or Human Growth Hormone is naturally generated. If you are not asleep, what happens is that you generate cortisol which is a stress hormone that has the long term effects of accelerating ageing and leading the production of toxic substances like IL-6, TNF-alpha and cRP.

In Chinese Medicine we have the concept of chi and its movement in different meridians at different times. The Liver Meridian is particularly active from 1.00 am to 3.00am. If you are asleep, your Liver Meridian can properly detoxify as well as your mesenchymal matrix. If you are not, then this function is perverted and your natural cellular detoxification mechanisms start shutting down. This prepares your body for the development of severe and chronic diseases.

The latter part of sleep is more and more REM type. For you to be mentally alert during the day, the latter part of sleep is more important. No wonder when you wake up with an alarm clock after 5-6 hours of sleep, you are mentally irritable throughout the day (lack of REM sleep). And if you have slept for less than 5 hours, your body is in a complete physical mess ( lack of non-REM sleep ), you are tired throughout the day, moving like a zombie and your immunity is way down ( I’ve been there, done that ).

Unfortunately, Ranjan Das is not alone when it comes to missing sleep. Many of us are doing exactly the same, perhaps out of ignorance.

Two years ago, I developed a devastating infection called rheumatic fever and experienced heart failure (heart function dropped to 30%). This was a period in my life when I was eating well, exercising well (too well- averaging almost 12 hours in aerobics, weights and Martial arts) and sleeping 5 hours a day. There was one month when I worked right through non-stop and the infection struck. My blood profile was perfect except for elevated  CRP, Creatinine Kinase and the infection marker. All the other markers of heart disease like cholesteol, triglycerides, glucose, sodium and potassium were perfect. It has taken me almost two years to get back to normal.

Please forward this blog to as many of your colleagues/friends as possible, especially those who might be short-changing their sleep. If we can save even one young life because of this blog, I would be the happiest person on earth.

Be well

Dr Sundardas

August 5, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , , ,
6 Comments

Toxic Water

Toxic Water

The Associated Press (US) has done a study, and they’re reporting today that all kinds of chemicals are found in your tap water, and this time we’re not talking about lead, mercury, pesticides, synthetic hormones, or anything like that. Today we’re talking about pharmaceuticals in your water.

Sounds pretty crazy doesn’t it? But it’s true. Pharmaceuticals are now found in 24 major metropolitan cities. I mean the water supplying those cities is contaminated with pharmaceuticals. Not just one or two either, but six different pharmaceuticals so far – that’s what has been found – including anti-depressant medications, anti-seizure medications, anti-inflammatory medications, painkillers, even caffeine. Yes, there is caffeine in the water. You don’t even need to drink coffee in the morning anymore!

Get up; slam some tap water, and you have your chemicals for the day! Well, that’s just an exaggeration of course. They’re not found in large amounts in the water, and we’re going to talk about that over the next few minutes – talk to you about the dangers of these chemicals found in the public water supply and reveal what you can do to protect yourself from these chemicals. All that’s coming right up.

Now this might be kind of a scary talk, actually. If you know where your water comes from you may not want to drink it anymore. In fact, I think anyone drinking out of the tap is probably not well informed yet. We’re going to help you get informed here in the next few minutes.

Here is how the water really works. Many cities take their water from the rivers. Now, this is where you get your water, and they just treat it. So whatever actually comes downstream to those cities is put into their municipal water supplies. Now many consumers have the misconception that these cities actually remove all the dangerous chemicals and substances from the water before they put it into the pipes that go into your kitchen and your bathroom and your home.

That’s not true. They don’t remove everything. Sure, they remove the dirt, the sand, and the leaves but they don’t even remove microorganisms and bacteria. No, that’s not their job. They don’t remove them. They just kill them.

Their only job is to sanitize the water so that what you get is drinkable. It will not kill you, but it’s not clean. They use chlorine for that usually. They dump chlorine chemicals into the water; chlorine kills the microorganisms, and then you end up drinking chlorine and dead bacteria at the tap.

Public water treatment systems rely on chlorine to kill harmful bacteria. Until recently, concerns about drinking water focused on eliminating pathogens. Chlorination of drinking water was a major factor in the reduction in the mortality rates associated with waterborne pathogens. The use of chlorine was believed to be safe until recent years, when halogenated organic compounds, such as chloroform, were identified in chlorinated drinking water supplies. Recent surveys show that these compounds are common in water supplies throughout the North America. These concerns about cancer risks associated with chemical contamination from chlorination by-products have resulted in numerous epidemiological studies. These studies generally support the notion that by-products of chlorination are associated with increased risk of cancer and other health problems. These risks arise from both drinking and bathing in chlorinated water.

Figures for the U.S. shows that in the 1880,the death  rate from typhoid was about 90 per 100,000 Americans.  Thanks largely to chlorinated water, the death rate today is only  about 0.1 per 100,000.   Recent research done in the 1950’s, has enabled scientists to establish a link between chlorine and arteriosclerosis’s in chicken.  It was also suggested that this was because of chlorine’s ability to destroy Vitamin E. Vitamin E promotes heart muscle function, strengthens capillary walls and dilates blood vessels. It thereby reduces blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. Vitamin E functioning as an anti-oxidant also protects against cancer.

In a 1988 survey, scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that drinking chlorinated water increased  the risks of high blood cholesterol.  The survey which covered 1,520 residents of 46 towns in Wisconsin, found that both men and women who d rank chlorinated water had higher levels of LDL, the “bad” cholesterol.

In 1989,researchers at the EPA’s Health Effects Research Lab (HERL) reported that mice showed “abnormalities” in fat metabolism when they were given chlorinated water and a typical, modern high-fat diet.  The mice too, had higher levels of “bad” cholesterol.

While links between chlorinated water and cancer are harder to establish, it is known that chlorine reacts with organic matter in water to form compounds called  trihalomethanes THMS) which are cancer-causing. Chloroform which one of the THMs was once used as an anaesthetic. It has since been banned by the US Food and Drugs Administration in 1976 because of its carcinogenic properties.   Recently, HERL scientists found that chlorine reacts  with organic compounds in water to form two other cancer-  causing agents: MX and DCS.  These substances both contribute to cell mutation and tumour growth.

So what can you do? Drink clean filtered water that gets rid of all the chemicals like chlorine.

Be well

Dr Sundardas

July 22, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , , ,
1 Comments

Why Being Happy is a Choice

Do you find yourself at the mercy of your emotions, a victim of reaction, behaving in ways that you’re not proud of and often regret? Are you one of the millions of people who avoid conflict and confrontation because you don’t know how to deal with other people’s emotions? Perhaps you avoid emotions entirely, not allowing yourself to feel deeply – out of fear or simply because you never learned how to experience, enjoy, and manage deep emotions such as love, joy, sadness, or happiness.

Perhaps you have become numb to emotions, not recognizing what or that you’re feeling something. Without the skills to handle them, you might “stuff” your emotions, exploding at some later time when you reach your breaking point.

Then there are those who were taught not to feel, who grew up learning that feelings were bad and you shouldn’t have them at all. And when you do feel something, you cannot let anyone know about it. Well, you’re not alone. Everyone has emotions and many people have no idea what to do with their emotions when they experience them. So, welcome to the Club.

Learning more about emotions, understanding what happens to you when you become emotional; learning to control yourself and your responses to emotions are your personal responsibility as an adult – regardless of what you may have learned or witnessed as a child – and they a big part of living a successful life.

Success cannot only be defined by what you do or what you have; it’s defined in your heart by how you feel about how you are living your life, the things you do, and the impact you make on others including how you make other people feel. Emotions are what make life grand. Emotions bring life to living.

What does it mean to be intelligent about your emotions?

It means being able to recognize and manage your emotions as well as control your behavior in response to emotion. It also means you are aware of the emotions of others and are able to manage relationships using empathy and competence. This is the practice of becoming emotionally confident and it takes time, vigilance, and practice in order to enjoy your emotions and respond to them appropriately as well as becoming more adept at handling the emotions of others and dealing with conflict.

Obviously, the better you are at knowing and managing yourself and your emotions, the better you become at dealing with other people’s emotions. The first step in learning about emotions is to become more conscious to what you are feeling in any given moment.

When your friend, employee, child or spouse doesn’t behave or perform in the way you had expected, it may seem natural to feel very angry, frustrated or resentful. But ultimately, will a strong flood of uncontrolled emotion get you the results you need? How do you find a better way?

A staff member doesn’t handle a problem with a customer well, and you, as the manager, are upset. You think to yourself, “Why on earth would he do such a thing? Doesn’t he know better? He should know that’s not how to deal with a customer!”

Your young child is playing upstairs. You decide to go and check on her and discover that she’s been drawing on the wall. “Look at my beautiful picture!” this small face smiles up to you. You, of course, are enraged and think before responding, “Haven’t I taught her not to draw on the wall? Doesn’t she know better?”

There are probably thousands of examples of these moments, moments when you think “What would make someone do that?” It is at this very moment when we reach a fork in the road and quite often, we get stuck. The stuck point is the assumption that the person knows better. This is the expectation. You have an expectation for how an employee should behave, how your children should behave, how things should function, even how you should be and what you should do. This the tyranny of the “shoulds”.

Expectations in and of themselves are not bad. We need to have some direction, some vision, and some idea of what we want. Of course, some expectations are unrealistic and this causes tremendous stress, anxiety, anger, struggle, and discontent. But other expectations are reasonable and realistic. Whatever the case, it’s not having the expectation that gets us in trouble; it’s when the expectation is not met that gives us difficulty.

When your expectations are not met, you can experience a psychological response including anger, resentment, anxiety, frustration, disappointment, etc. In fact, disappointment always points to an unmet expectation. This physiological response often causes people to choose the path at the fork that leads to what I call “The Ugly,” the inappropriate, unproductive, and unprofessional expression of emotion – loss of temper, yelling, conflict, bad feelings, name-calling, gossip, etc. In fact, this response leads to poor relationships, decreases morale, and can be deadly to a leader’s reputation as well as detrimental to the environment or culture of the workplace or your home. It leads to fear, causes shame, and requires effort to correct as well as time to heal. The opportunity for choosing a better response is at the stuck point, that moment when you feel the anger start or the frustration creep in. What are you assuming here? Take a step back and question your assumption. That is the beginning of running your mind. This is the beginning of making a choice to embrace peace and happiness.

The pursuit of happiness is not about embracing hedonism. It is about recognizing what matters to you. What matters to the others in your life. Then armed with this you pursue the outcomes in a way congruent with you and your values. Along the way, stop and smell the flowers. When you run into obstacles and road blocks embrace the leaning.

Be well

Dr Sundardas

http://www.biologyofbliss.net/

June 15, 2010 By : Category : General information importance of wellness Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , ,
0 Comment

The Soya Fraud

The Cornucopia Institute (www.cornucopia.org) has just released a new report about organic soy products that’s sending shockwaves through the soy industry. By compiling information on the sourcing of soybeans, the use of toxic chemicals for soy protein extraction, and the use or avoidance of genetically modified soybeans, the Cornucopia Institute has created an Organic Soy Scorecard that reveals which soy product companies are truly trustworthy vs. those that are not.

The scorecard (http://www.cornucopia.org/2009/05/s…) takes into account:

• Where the soybeans are sourced from (many companies use “organic” soybeans sourced from China!)
• How the soybeans are processed (some companies bathe soybeans in toxic chemicals, then put the resulting extracts into infant formula!)
• How forthright the companies are in providing information to investigators.
• Whether the company tests for and avoids genetically modified soybeans.

You can read the full report on www.Cornucopia.org

Here’s who came out on top:

The soy companies scorecard

5-star rating
• Eden Foods – 100% of their soybeans are grown in the U.S. and Canada.

Vermont Soy (Vermont) – 100% of soybeans also grown in U.S. and Canada (mostly in Vermont). Low-heat pasteurization helps preserve soybean nutrients.

• Small Planet Tofu (Washington) – Buys solely from American farmers.

• FarmSoy (Tennessee) – Real tofu made from soybeans bought from American farmers.

• TwinOats (Virginia) – Buys soybeans from an organic family farm in Virginia.

• Unisoya / Green Cuisine (Canada) – They grown their own organic soybeans on 400 acres.

4-star rating
• Organic Valley
• Great Eastern Sun
• Fresh Tofu
• Wildwood
• Tofu Shop

3-star rating
• Harris Teeter

2-star rating
• Trader Joe’s – refused to disclose sourcing information

1-star rating
• Pacific Natural Foods – Buys soybeans from China and refused to disclose the name of the organic certifier in China. Refused to respond to questions about the certification of their “organic” soybeans. Cornucopia wonders whether Pacific Natural Foods is engaged in “a marketing gimmick” when it claims its products are “Certified to the Source.” (Certified by who?)

• Vitasoy USA – Buys soybeans from China.

• Westsoy / SoyDream (both owned by Hain Celestial Group) – Refused to share sourcing information.

• Silk (Dean Foods) – Refused to participate. Says the report: Since Dean Foods acquired WhiteWave, its founder, Steve Demos, has left the company, along with almost all of the pioneering management — those who believed in “green” values. According to Demos, the company is now all about “green, with the dead presidents on it.”

Phenolic food compounds are all somewhat related, having a common ring formation (phenyl ring) as part of their molecular structure.  There are literally hundreds of phenolic compounds in plants that are responsible for most of the odour, colour and other characteristics of the plants.  In recent decades, agriculturalists have selectively bred plants with increased levels of certain phenolic compounds to make them more resistant to fungus. In doing so, they have  created plant foods that may cause adverse reactions in  humans. For example soybean plants of today have 200 times the amount of phenylisocyanate as in soybeans of just 30 years ago.

There are multiple sources of exposure to aromatic compounds. Aromatics are in pollens, food additives,  toothpastes, tobacco smoke, drugs, insecticides, perfumes,  dyes, ink, carpeting, cleaning solvents, auto exhaust fumes  as well as foods.   The list of problems associated with these compounds is long. It includes hyperactivity and learning disabilities in children, the irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, ear infection  in children, arthritis and migraine headaches. Phenolics appear to affect mood so that a person can be cheerful or depressed, according to the presence or absence of phenolics in the brain.

In a earlier post I also wrote about Soya and brain damage in men.

“Why Soya is not good for you”

Soya anyone?

Be well

Dr Sundardas

May 25, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , ,
0 Comment

Why you should detox.

You may wonder about the significance of looking at environmental toxicity and its relevance to your health. More than two decades of practice and eleven thousand patients later, I am convinced that apart from nutritional deficiencies, environmental toxicity is the biggest factor behind the modern day tendency for disease and illness.

We are living in times fraught with stress and tension.  We are living lives where the food we eat,the water we drink and the environment we live in could be poisoning us. The aim of this blog is not to alarm but to inform.  Given the  state of the world today, it is not really possible to run  away to a safe haven. Instead by a process of adopting an appropriate diet, simple safety pre-cautions and judicious nutritional supplementation, it is possible to reduce the  extent of damage.

What are free radicals? There has been a great deal of mention made about them. They are often treated like mysterious strangers in the night that cripple you, weaken you and accelerate your aging. What are they really? Oxygen is essential for basic cell-function in humans and most humans. However it appears that this is a mixed blessing. Although it gives us an evolutionary advantage over those life forms that do not require oxygen, it is simultaneously a threat to our survival. Oxygen can produce toxic substances in our body such as peroxide, superoxide, hydroxyl radicals and “excited state oxygen”.

To those who never had the benefit of chemistry lessons,I will briefly recap as follows. An atom or a molecule consists of a core of positive particles called neutrons and spinning around them are electrons or negatively charged particles. So long as the total number of positive and negative charges are equal, the atom or molecule is stable and all is well. However when we take in molecules that are not  electrically balanced and are capable of oxidising  substances by stripping electrons from other stable  molecules, we are dealing with a free radical.

When we say oxidation we are referring to the chemical reaction where a electrically unbalanced molecule takes an electron from a another balanced molecule.   We can see this destructive chain reaction occurring all around us as in metal when it rusts, rubber as it perishes, apples and potatoes as their cut surfaces turn brown. Similar processes also take place inside us, rapidly  when tissues are in contact with toxic substances such as  strong acids or more slowly when fatty substances in our  blood oxidise (become rancid) or as we age. For it is largely  free radical activity that causes our cells to age and  protein synthesising machinery to become less efficient. Itis this that causes skin to wrinkle and muscle tissue to harden.

A deficiency of specific nutrients may allow some toxins to produce severe damage to our cells by a process of free radical oxidation as we have already discussed above. Oxidation also occurs dramatically when fats inadequately protected by anti-oxidants like Vitamins C and E become rancid. Too much cholesterol/fat in your arteries causes oxidation, damage to their lining and eventually arteriosclerosis. On the obvious level, free radical damage can take the form of poor quality skin and lack lustre hair. It can aggravate whatever skin problems you may have. It can rob you  of your energy and leave you feeling lethargic, tired and  yes, even depressed.   Oxidising heavy metals such as lead, excessive iron or copper and cadmium produces similar damage; as do free  radicals in smoke and alcohol. Cells so affected can become cancerous or part of an arthritic or any other inflammatory process. In general free-radical activity can be held responsible for any if not all forms of degenerative disorders from cancer to diabetes. Symptoms of free radical damage can include the following;

Poor Skin                      Oily Skin              Weight Gain

Cellulite                         Fatigue                 Lethargy

Sore and tired eyes       Arthritis                Cataract

Infertility                       PMS                     Mood Swings

Cancer                           Fibroids                Tumours

Atherosclerosis             Heart Disease        Fibroids

Birth Defects                Endometrosis         Cancer

What steps should you take?

1) Drink clean filtered water

2) Eat clean (organic) food

3) Reduce your exposure to DDTS, PCBS and watch what you use in your household products, cosmetics, toiletries and cleaning agents. Also reduce exposure to radiation ie computer, handphones etc

4) Start internal detox programmes. Start with your blood type diet.

5) Start cleaning your gut. Try digestive enzymes and probiotics together with liver and gall bladder cleanses.

6) These can include replacing your mercury amalgams in your mouth and doing a heavy metal detox with oral chelation agents.

7) Start taking vitamins, minerals and supplements to correct deficiencies and reduce free radical stress.

8) Reduce stress in your life. This will reduce toxic hormones being generated in your body.

For quite a few years, we have been offering this programme to our clients. Its is called the “Cellular Rejuvenation Program”.

http://www.naturaltherapies.com/cell rejuvenation program.htm

Be well

Dr Sundardas

May 11, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , ,
3 Comments

Death Begins in the Gut

The human intestine maintains within its inner cavity a complex, crowded environment of food remnants and microbial organisms (called “the intestinal flora”) from which the body derives nourishment and against which the body must be protected. The relationship between the human host and her army of microbes is described by the Greek word, symbiosis, which means “living together”. When symbiosis benefits both parties, it is called mutualism. When symbiosis becomes harmful, it is called dysbiosis.

The first line of protection against dysbiosis and intestinal toxicity is strict control of intestinal permeability, the ability of the gut to allow some substances to pass through its walls while denying access to others. The healthy gut selectively absorbs nutrients and seals out those components of the normal internal milieu which are most likely to cause harm, except for a small sampling which it uses to educate and strengthen its mechanisms of immunity and detoxification.

Bacteria form the largest segment of the intestinal flora. The number of bacteria in the large bowel (about a hundred trillion) exceeds the number of cells in the human body. Intestinal bacteria perform some useful functions, so that our relationship with them is normally one of mutual benefit. They synthesize half a dozen vitamins, supplementing those which are obtained from food. They convert dietary fibre–that part of food which humans cannot digest–into small fatty acids which nourish the cells of the large intestine. They degrade dietary toxins like methyl mercury making them less harmful to the body. They crowd out pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella, decreasing the risk of food poisoning. They stimulate the development of a vigorous immune response. Four-fifths of the body’s immune system is located in the lining of the small intestine.

Bacteria are dangerous tenants, however, so that dysbiosis is a common problem. As powerful chemical factories, bacteria not only make vitamins and destroy toxins, but also destroy vitamins and make toxins. Bacterial enzymes can inactivate human digestive enzymes and convert human bile or components of food into chemicals which promote the development of cancer. Some by-products of bacterial enzyme activity, like ammonia, hinder normal brain function. When absorbed into the body, they must be removed by the liver. People whose livers fail this task, because of conditions like cirrhosis, develop progressive neurologic dysfunction resulting in coma and death. For them, the administration of antibiotics which slow the production of nerve toxins by intestinal bacteria can be life saving.

The immune reactions provoked by normal intestinal bacteria may be harmful rather than helpful. Inflammatory diseases of the bowel, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease (ileitis), and several types of arthritis have been linked to aberrant immune responses provoked by intestinal bacteria. Two types of aberrancy have been described. First, intestinal bacteria contain proteins which look to the immune system very much like human proteins; they confuse the immune system and may fool the body into attacking itself. Second, fragments of dead bacteria may leak into the wall of the intestine or into the blood stream due to a breakdown in the mechanisms which regulate intestinal permeability. Circulating through the body, bacterial debris is deposited in tissues such as joints, provoking an attack on those tissues by an immune system trying to remove the foreign material.

Unlike bacteria, parasites appear to serve no useful function. The part of the immune system which they stimulate does not strengthen the organism to resist serious infection; instead it contributes to allergic reactions, so that parasitic infection increases allergic tendencies.

Our digestive system is perhaps the most significant system in terms of its importance to us. It is simply not possible to live and continue growing if we cannot digest and assimilate the food we take in. It has also been labelled the “brain” of the body. In Oriental Medicine, the abdominal area which houses the Hara for the Japanese and the Tan Tien for the Chinese is the reservoir of life force and vitality. It is also our early warning system. When we are feeling a little under the weather, we often feel queasy when we think of food. When we are feeling nervous and agitated, we say we have butterflies in our stomach.

Most literature on detoxification refers to liver enzymes, as the liver is the site of the majority of detoxification activity for both endogenous and exogenous compounds. However, the first contact the body makes with the majority of xenobiotics is the gastrointestinal tract. Over the course of a lifetime, the gastrointestinal tract processes more than 25 tons of food, which represents the largest load of antigens and xenobiotics confronting the human body. Furthermore, since most drugs are consumed orally, the gastrointestinal tract is also the first contact with many drugs. It is not surprising, then, that the gastrointestinal tract has developed a complex set of physical and biochemical systems to manage this load of exogenous compounds.

Several factors influence how much of a chemical ends up in the system, requiring detoxification by the liver. The gastrointestinal tract initially provides a physical barrier to exogenous components. As previously discussed, the gastrointestinal tract is the second major site in the body for detoxification. Detoxification enzymes such as Cyp3A4 and the antiporter activities have been found in high concentrations at the tip of villi in the intestine. Adequate first pass metabolism of xenobiotics by the gastrointestinal tract requires integrity of the gut mucosa. Compromised barrier function of the mucosa will easily allow xenobiotics to transit into the circulation without opportunity for detoxification. Therefore, support for healthy gut mucosa is instrumental in decreasing toxic load.

In the last 20 years of practice, I have found all allergies and complex chronic disease have their origins in some kind of gut dysfunction. Keep your gut healthy. For the last twenty years I have been helping people have healthier “guts”.

http://www.naturaltherapies.com/detox.htm

Be well
Dr Sundardas

April 23, 2010 By : Category : General information Uncategorized Tags:,
91 Comments

Is Your Thyroid Happy?

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland fails to function adequately, resulting in reduced levels of thyroid hormone in the body. Cretinism is a type of hypothyroidism that occurs at birth and results in both stunted physical growth and mental development. Severe hypothyroidism is called myxedema.

There are many causes of hypothyroidism. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland, may lead to hypothyroidism. Some medical treatments, such as surgery or radiation to the thyroid gland, or certain drugs like lithium and phenylbutazone, may also induce this condition. Extreme iodine deficiency, which is rare in the United States, is another possible cause. Failure of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus to stimulate the thyroid gland properly can cause a condition known as secondary hypothyroidism.

Some people with goiter (an enlargement of the thyroid gland) also have hypothyroidism. Goiter can be caused by iodine deficiency, by eating foods that contain goitrogens (goiter-causing substances), or by other disorders that interfere with thyroid hormone production. In many cases the cause of goiter cannot be determined. While natural therapies may help to some extent, thyroid hormone replacement is necessary for most people with hypothyroidism.

Dietary changes that may be helpful: Some foods, such as rapeseed (used to make canola oil) and Brassica vegetables (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower), contain natural goitrogens that appear to act by interfering with thyroid hormone synthesis. Cooking has been reported to inactivate this effect in Brussels sprouts.Cassava, a starchy root that is the source of tapioca, has also been identified as a goitrogenic food. Other goitrogens include maize, sweet potatoes, lima beans, and pearl millet.

Lifestyle changes that may be helpful: Preliminary studies have found an association between multiple chemical sensitivities and hypothyroidism. One study found a correlation between high blood levels of lead, a toxic substance, and low thyroid hormone levels in people working in a brass foundry. Of the 47 workers tested, 12 were considered hypothyroid; many of these individuals also complained of depression, fatigue, constipation, and poor memory (symptoms of hypothyroidism).

What is of great concern is not clinically evident hypothyroidism that is clearly testable and reasonably understood. It is sub-clinical hypothyroidism which is harder to detect and far more prevalent. Subclinical hypothyroidism can be detected or identified in the following ways:

1) Barnes Test: Measuring your temperature when rising in the morning on a daily basis.
If your temperature is consistently one degree centigrade or less, suspect your thyroid is under the weather.

2) Iodine patch test: Paint an iodine patch on your skin and watch to see how long it takes to disappear. If your thyroid is functioning well the patch will take more than 24 hours to disappear.

3) Blood Tests: Most physicians measure only T4 and TSH. However, T3 is a more sensitive marker for subclinical thyroid function. The T3 reading is often in the lower third range or clinically in the low range. Alternatively you can do both a T3 and reverse T3 test. In the presence of subclinical hypothyroidism, the reverse T3 will be high and T3 will be low.

Occupational exposure to polybrominated biphenyls and carbon disulfide has also been associated with decreased thyroid function. Nutritional supplements that may be helpful: The relationship between iodine and thyroid function is complex. Iodine is required by the body to form thyroid hormones, and iodine deficiency can lead to goiter and hypothyroidism.

Sources of iodine include foods (iodized salt, milk, water, seaweed, ground beef), dietary supplements (multiple vitamin/mineral formulas, seaweed extracts), drugs (potassium iodide, amiodarone, topical antiseptics), and iodine-containing solutions used in certain laboratory tests. Many nutritional supplements contain 150 mcg of iodine. While that amount of iodine should prevent a deficiency, it is not clear whether supplementing with iodine is necessary or desirable for most individuals. People wishing to take a nutritional supplement containing iodine should consult a doctor. Experimental animals with severe zinc deficiency developed hypothyroidism, whereas moderate zinc deficiency did not affect thyroid function.

Selenium also plays a role in thyroid hormone metabolism. Recently, severe selenium deficiency has also been implicated as a possible cause of goiter. In one study, it was reported that giving 50 mcg of selenium per day to people who were deficient in both selenium and iodine decreased thyroid function in those who were already hypothyroid. Other researchers have suggested that selenium should not be given to people who are deficient in both selenium and iodine, without first giving them iodine or thyroid hormone supplementation. There is no research demonstrating that selenium supplementation helps people with hypothyroidism who are not selenium-deficient.

Desiccated thyroid, also called thyroid extract, is used by some doctors as an alternative to synthetic thyroid hormones (such as thyroxine and levothyroxine) for people with hypothyroidism. Thyroid extract contains two biologically active hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine), whereas the most commonly prescribed thyroid-hormone preparations contain only thyroxine. One study has shown that the combination of the two hormones contained in desiccated thyroid is more effective than thyroxine alone for individuals with hypothyroidism. One doctor reported that in his experience, thyroid extract works better than standard thyroid preparations for some people with hypothyroidism.Glandular thyroid products, which are available from health food stores, have had most of the thyroid hormone removed and would therefore not be expected to be effective for individuals with hypothyroidism. Intact desiccated thyroid is available only by prescription. People with hypothyroidism who want to use desiccated thyroid must first consult with a physician.

Be well
Dr Sundardas

April 9, 2010 By : Category : Uncategorized Tags:, , , , , , , ,
6 Comments