Wonder why at least one in each of our family members of the entire population is affected by one or a combination of metabolic disorders like Diabetes , Hypertension, Obesity , Fatty liver , Cholesterol, Heart disease , PCOS and Infertility , collectively called " the Plagues of Prosperity ". It has been widely rampant several times in the last 50 years after the introduction of the Green revolution, Industrial farming and globalization of foods.
Fast foods are literally defined as easy and ready to make in minutes.
Fast foods can be cooked Fast , raise blood sugar very Fast and we end up living Fast to meet the maker in heaven soon !!!!
" Most of the foods are inherently healthy but what we have done to the food has made it toxic "
Ultra Processing of foods - removal of fibers and addition of excessive sugars made them ultra palatable and addictive. Our system is not designed to sense and assimilate the UFP ( High sugar & Low fiber ) properly because the liver is flooded with a lot of glucose within a short span of time that the pancreas makes a lot of Insulin to keep the blood glucose within normal limits in such situations. High insulin levels & Insulin resistance are the primary drivers of Metabolic disorders.
Almost all of us believe " all home cooked foods are healthy " ; an absolute myth that needs to be debunked. Maybe this could have been relevant prior to Industrial farming and the green revolution but certainly not in this present era !!! Hard to believe ? Bitter truth and the ground reality. Almost 75 % of our population is suffering from chronic Non-communicable diseases ( NCDs ) due to poor lifestyle choices. All these metabolic disorders which were largely unknown & mainly affecting the affluent society ( Kings & Queens of the past ), a century ago have become so rampant that it affects even the poorest of the poor sparing no families !!!
White polished rice is easy to cook in 10 min whereas the traditional organic rice varieties need 30 - 45 min for proper cooking !!!
Grains contain three layers viz epicarp full of husk and multilayered bran ; endosperm contains only the carbohydrate and germ contains healthy fats and micronutrients.Traditionally we use to hand pound the rice , removing only the husk and few layers of bran. Consuming it in wholesome form with minimal processing supplies low glycemic Load and necessary nutrients like B-vitamins and minerals ( acting as cofactors of metabolism) packed in them for proper Metabolism.
Removing the fiber from the grains, particularly rice and wheat, increases the shelf life for years whereas the fiber rich unpolished grains cannot be stored for months. The problem arose when "Food became Commodities". Moreover, it is highly incompatible in restaurants to use unpolished rice which cannot be stored for months whereas polished rice and white flours can easily be stored for years !!!! Another problem is deficiency of B-complex vitamins which acts as cofactors in many of the reactions related to Energy Metabolism & Methylation pathways. The intake of pulses has gone down drastically after the green revolution because of the monopolization of crops viz , Rice , Wheat , Corn & Soy along with cash crops. We are actually depriving the gut microbiome with a low fiber diet.
Our soil is deprived of nutrients particularly minerals with 5 decades of industrial farming and hence our food supply has micronutrient deficiencies particularly minerals and vitamins & we are treating micronutrient deficiencies with pills !!!
NUTRIENTS |
CHEMICAL FARMING |
ORGANIC FARMING |
| Organic Matter | -14% | +29-99% |
| Total Nitrogen (N2) | -7-22% | +21-100% |
| Available Phosphorous (P) | 0% | +63% |
| Available Potassium (K) | -22 % | +14-84% |
| Zinc (Z) | -15.9-37.8%
| +1.3-14.3% |
| Copper (Cu) | -4.2-21.3% | +9.4% |
| Manganese (Mn) | -4.2-17.6% | +14.5% |
| Iron (Fe) | -4.3-12% | +1 % |
The problem with Wheat is that hybrids were introduced in the green revolution which are responsive to artificial fertilizers and sprayed with pesticides, Insecticides, herbicides and weedicides. Gluten content in wheat from chemical farming is at least three times higher compared to organic traditional wild variety. It affects mitochondria slowing down the metabolism, adversely affects gut microbiome and produces gastrointestinal disorders including leaky gut , which predisposes to autoimmune disorders & Metabolic disorders.
Most of the home cooked foods nowadays are mostly ultra processed and high Insulin diets ( a combination of high refined carbs and refined oils ). The glycemic index, glycemic load and the insulin response of home cooked foods are as comparable to that of foods served in fast food restaurants.It is not only the fast foods in restaurants that impact our health but the effect of home cooked ultra processed foods is far more higher in producing the metabolic disorders because most of us , use to dine out mostly during the weekends and not on a regular basis in day to day life.
Food industry and Big pharma have fabricated scientific research to their economic advantage, demonizing the saturated fats that humans have been using for thousands of years. In the 1960s , Heart disease was rampant in the general population and the government funded a lot of research studies to decode the science and reason behind it. Ancel keys conducted a large scale study in 22 countries and found no correlation between the expected dietary fat and heart disease. He tricked the world by eliminating the countries which didn't show a positive correlation. Out of the 22 countries where studies were conducted, only 6 countries showed a positive correlation between dietary fat and heart disease whereas the rest of the countries showed no correlation at all.He published in the research paper that dietary fat is the cause of Heart disease. Following that recommendations and guidelines were given for populations who were scaremongered about saturated fat and Cholesterol. This scaremongering is still prevalent in the public !!! People switched over to eating a lot of refined carbs and excessive sugars and decades passed away.Now Heart disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide.Largely influenced by the food industry Saturated fats that increase cholesterol and hence they are bad according to the Diet- Heart hypothesis. Even the heart associations are advocating PUFA ( PolyUnsaturated Fatty Acids) as Heart healthy not knowing about the Oxidative damage they bring to our system. The altered cholesterol numbers are just a reflection of metabolic health status and Insulin Resistance and have nothing to do with intake of saturated fats or cholesterol in diet per se !!!
Liver makes cholesterol 2-3 g/day which is absolutely essential for cellular homeostasis- repair and regeneration , synthesis of steroids and sex hormones , membrane fluidity and receptor functions , neuronal health and Quorum sensing for Immunity. LDL-Cholesterol has been wrongly demonized as bad fat and scientific communities are using statins & PCSK9 inhibitors to keep it near zero for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes. The entire population is affected by the scaremongering about the Cholesterol & cholesterol phobia is very prevalent around the world.
Refined oils are mostly made from Soybean, cottonseed , corn , canola and tagged as heart healthy vegetable oils !!! It is high in PUFA ( PolyUnsaturated Fatty Acids) which are more prone for Oxidation.In Fact these oils increase the chances of heart attacks and strokes !!! It is widely used not only in restaurants and commercials but also in most homes as it is much cheaper and looks clearer. Most of us are still unaware of the effects of refined oils in our biological system one is that they are mostly PolyUnsaturated Fatty Acids ( PUFA ) prone to oxidation and produce oxidative damage and free radicals inside our system.To neutralize this excess free radicals, we need more and more antioxidants like Glutathione ( the most important free radical scavenger) primarily in Liver. It is reflected by elevated liver enzymes ( GGT- Gamma Glutamyl Transferase ) & AST ( Alanine aminotransferase ). Moreover , the Oxidative damage inside the liver causes inflammation ( Steatohepatitis ) and one runs the risk of easily developing Insulin resistance syndrome since the metabolic buffer of PFT ( Personal Fat Threshold ) is bypassed. The so-called " Bucket handle " hypothesis that when subcutaneous fat storage is saturated and overwhelmed, fat spillover occurs and causes Fatty liver and systemic insulin resistance is not very valid to a major portion of the population in this modern era. The metabolic syndrome is most often explained by Main lining Hypothesis that Liver plays a central role in energy homeostasis and Fatty liver is a harbinger of Systemic Insulin Resistance. Liver fat is driven by excess Fructose ( sugars ) consumption and hyperinsulinemia causing De novo Lipogenesis (DNL) ie., conversion of sugars into fat. One become fat and sick in the past to suffer from metabolic disorders ( before 4-5 decades ) BUT In the present day modern era, one may not have to become obese and overweight since most of the ultraprocessed foods are directly hitting the liver and produce Fatty liver and hepatic insulin resistance and thence systemic insulin resistance.
Another important aspect in the food chain is the Hybridization of Fruits in the last 100 years to make it taste like honey & its abundance throughout the year. The natural taste of fruits is Tart !! as most wild fruits. Fruits towards the end of summer give the animals a survival advantage to eat more and more & store it as fat so as to survive the periods of adversity ( Food scarcity in the winter months ).This is particularly seen in hibernating animals. We are living in a world of surplus and unlikely to suffer droughts or food scarcity. Now we are "Cactus in the Rainforest". The survival advantage has become a Curse !!! Although fruits are natural energy bars loaded with micronutrients and electrolytes it is worthwhile to take locally available seasonal fruits.Hybridized high sugary fruits in large quantities are not fine for someone with metabolic disorders.
Low sugary fruits are fine when consumed in wholesome form. It is often mistaken that fruit juices are fine ; Absolute myth !! The fruits when consumed in wholesome form have both soluble and insoluble fibers with low Glycemic Load and Low Insulin response whereas the juices contain only the soluble fibers with high Glycemic Load and high insulin response. Insoluble fibers form a lattice network in the inner lining of the small intestine whereas soluble fibers form hydrogel over the lattice network preventing rapid absorption of glucose and fructose into the blood circulation. Since most of the insoluble fibers are removed during Juicing , Sugars flood the liver pretty quickly driving DNL producing Fatty liver. Fruit juices are no different from soda !!
Most of the ingredients ( grains , vegetables, spices and fruits) used for cooking at home are loaded with pesticides, herbicides, weedicides , Insecticides all of which are Biocides that have its impact on our biological system particularly gut microbiome and mitochondria.Our Mitochondria is derived from bacterial genes by maternal inheritance ( mother's side ) & Our gut microbiome is an integral part of human biology. Biocides inhibit the 'Shikimate' pathway of the microbiome and act as mitochondrial toxins slowing down the metabolism and ultimately produce Insulin Resistance and Metabolic disorders. It affects the integrity of the inner lining of the gut wall producing Leaky gut and potentially many of the gastrointestinal disorders and Autoimmune disorders.
Basically the differences that we see between fast food restaurants and home cooked foods is the use of Flavor enhancers ( MSG - Monosodium Glutamate or Ajinomoto which is excitotoxin to the neurons producing neuronal damage) the very reason why we are hooked towards fast foods in restaurants , food additives and preservatives and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS ) and corn flours.
Hydrogenated fats ( Trans Fats ) are nothing but vegetable oils bombarded with hydrogen to make it solid at room temperature and preferred in most restaurants as they are cheap and easy to handle. But it contains a lot of trans fat in it. It is very new to our body that it cannot metabolize , resulting in Fatty liver and adverse cardiovascular consequences like Heart attacks and Strokes.Although it is banned in most of the developed countries like the European Union and USA , the ban is still waiting to happen in India.Most of the restaurants use this kind of cheap oils for their routine use. The sad story is it is also widely used in cooking at home merely because of its cheap price in the name of vegetable ghee !!!
Home cooked foods of the modern era are at least 75% as bad as fast foods !!! Little do we know this very basic information and still we are in great delusion that home cooked foods are healthy and continue to suffer from chronic diseases lifelong.
"Your eyes cannot see what you mind does not know "
What we need the most in alleviating the chronic metabolic disorders like Diabetes , Hypertension, Obesity and Heart disease is Education , enrich your knowledge & empower yourself to lead a disease free drug free life. We need to shift our focus towards Organic foods , reduce our sugar consumption , routine use of unpolished or slightly polished traditional rice and millets by organic farming , and avoid vegetable oils. This could be the only sustainable and scientific solution to prevent, treat and reverse metabolic disorders from its roots rather than treating them with drugs , lifelong !!!
We are living in a digital world of misinformation ; fabricated scientific researches and false propaganda of mass media, wondering why we are stuck with false knowledge ?
Finally , choose your food plate wisely !!!
because ,
" Good food is Medicine &
Bad food needs medicine "
Dr. Thangadurai
It's not infrequent that we hear from our friends and family members saying "I literally got a heart attack watching that match" particularly a thriller or a high profile game with a lot of expectations and a nail biter.
Is it a fact or fiction ? Let's explore scientifically
Normally , our body functions in a well coordinated manner controlled primarily by nervous system and endocrine system
Heart is innervated by autonomic nervous system both sympathetics and parasympathetics.Sympathetics is more and more concerned with Flight/Fight response in periods of acute stress,which is necessary for survival. Parasympathetics calms down the body, for rest, digestion and repair which is a basal state to keep the body in harmony.
Sympathetics increase heart rate and cardiac output and are augmented by adrenal hormones secreted in times of stress.
Emotional stress is a well-known trigger of acute coronary syndromes.The increased sympathetic drive is generally considered a dangerous chronic condition in patients with occult or known coronary artery disease.
Emotional stress is driven to our brain by the peripheral sensitive apparatus eliciting a complex reflex including central and autonomic nervous systems with sympathovagal recruitment and adrenal stimulation with increasing catecholamine plasmatic concentration. The final effect of rising blood pressure, tachycardia , sweating , and peripheral vasoconstriction.
When one is emotionally attached to cricket match, in terms of nationality, he gets deeply connected that the sympathetic system is several times more and more activated to increase the heart rate and cardiac output that for few minutes he may feel the pounding heart in the close context.He may experience the same level of stress which the player experiences in the field just by watching the broadcast.The basic difference is the player is fit physically to endure the amount of stress involved in a game because of increased cardiovascular reserve and collateral circulation which come into play to tackle the inadvertent situations whereas the normal ordinary men in the middle age & old age , most of them being metabolically unhealthy with poor cardiovascular reserve and poor collateral circulation.
If the coronary circulation is blocked by atherosclerotic plaque , it is manifested by symptoms of chest pain during physical exertion which is otherwise unrevealing during normal day to day activities.This is what we call stable angina.Our Indian sub-population is having poor cardiovascular health because of poor nutrition and sedentarism, even our former Indian Skippers like Kapil Dev & Savrou Ganguly are not exemption who suffered from heart attacks and underwent angioplasty.
We always have heard in the news about tens of heart attacks and unprecedented deaths while watching cricket matches particularly between India & Pakistan. When it is a close contest between the two sides, the nervousness is increased several fold.In India cricket is a sensation and not just a game of bat & ball. For people with normal cardiovascular reserve, it is not much of a problem tackling the sympathetic overdrive. But for people with compromised cardiovascular reserve , particularly the old aged and middle aged-increased sympathetic stimulation during excitement increases heart rate by 2-3 times that of normal, with heart pounding fast. It can cause discrepancy i.e., increased demand in cardiac work vs poor increase in blood supply demand.It can cause myocardial ischemia when sustained for a considerable time can finally trigger heart attacks with poor outcome.Coronary spasms occur most commonly in smokers , insulin resistance & emotional stress.
Heartbreak and broken heart are popular definitions of sudden cardiac death related to grief.
In patients with chronic coronary artery disease, the so-called “vulnerable patients” with multiple risk factors such as metabolic syndrome, active smoke, hypertension and diabetes the emotional stress can elicit a catecholamine direct toxic effect on a vulnerable plaque in the coronary artery tree leading to vessel occlusion.
Also, short-term severe stressful situations often can cause severe but usually temporary heart failure. This condition is called broken heart syndrome, also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, apical ballooning syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy
Cricket is a game to be enjoyed in a sportive manner just like any other sport.
High Emotional attachment is unnecessary and unwanted ones : love cricket ; play cricket & watch cricket but you should be grounded to reality. It is never a matter of life and death. Know your purpose in your life.Media hypes it for their commercial purpose !!!
There are a lot of things going on in Cricket in terms of politics, Corporates and entertainment sectors which become more and more evident during IPL matches being played every year.
“ Give them bread and circuses and they will never Revolt”. The modern day circuses are the IPL cricket and T20s.
Roman’s Colosseum: The era of Gladiators
Cricket stadium : The Modern day Colosseum
The evil was not in bread and circuses per se, but the willingness of the people to sell their rights as free men for full bellies and the excitement of the games which the other human hungers which bread and circuses can never appease.
In a political context, the phrase means to generate public approval , not by excellence in public service or public policy, but by diversion, distraction , or by satisfying the immediate or base requirements of a populace, by offering them a palliative : for example food ( bread ) or entertainment ( circuses ). It is particularly relevant to the current Indian Political system.
It’s possible that stress reduction exercises might calm down the mechanism that converts stress to heart attacks and strokes.
In fact, stress reduction tactics—like increasing your physical activity, practicing mindfulness, deep breathing, even seeing a funny movie— reduce both the size and activity of the amygdala, while having beneficial impacts on other brain tissue, too. So do your heart a solid by calming your racing mind.
Increase physical exercise.
Find an exercise regimen that works for you. This can include daily walks or riding a bicycle. Start slow and gradually lengthen these regimens over time.
Practice relaxation exercises.
Incorporate muscle relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, to deal with anxiety and stress into your daily routine.
Make a connection to your spirituality.
Spirituality helps to give your life a clearer purpose and a greater connection to the world and others. It's not necessarily connected to a specific belief system or even religious worship. Try prayer, meditation or keep a journal to express your feelings and focus your attention.
Seek professional help.
Get an annual physical and talk to your health care provider about your health, including psychosocial stress.
* Eat a healthy diet
* Avoid added sugars, refined oils , trans fats, and highly refined carbs
* Limit alcohol- it acts a toxin and hence no safer upper limit
* Stop smoking.
* If you smoke, plan to quit.
* Monitor your heart health.
* Know your numbers for blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol.
Dr. Thangadurai
