Honey changes everything
- Sweet deal
- Honey Care Africa sells low-paid farmers everything they need to start producing honey and guarantees a price for the product. (Copyright: Jonathan Kalan)
The social business in East Africa that is using bees and smartphones to help lift subsistence farmers out of poverty.
Bees. Specifically African bees are probably not the first, or even fifth idea, that comes to mind when you think of alleviating poverty. Yet these little insects are causing a buzz by helping thousands of rural farmers in East Africa.
For the past twelve years, Kenyan social business Honey Care Africa has developed its innovative ‘Business in a Beehive’ model that has allowed low-income farmers to easily earn more money by producing honey.
The package gives farmers everything they need to start producing honey- a beehive, equipment, training, hive maintenance, and – most importantly of all - a contract for a guaranteed cash purchase of the resulting honey at fair market prices.
A simple beehive requires just 1 sq m (10 sq ft) of land and two to three hours of labor per month. With minimal effort, farmers can earn extra cash from producing honey.
That makes it an attractive investment for small rural farmers who often subsist on income from a single crop. With no monthly paycheck, inconsistent harvests make predictable income difficult. The honey, on the other hand, is a relatively stable and easy source of cash that farmers can depend on.
“We’ve created a modern supply chain connecting poor rural households in east Africa to global markets for honey,” says Madison Ayer, Honey Care Africa’s CEO.
The idea comes at a convenient time. Global demand for honey constantly exceeds supply, and with bee colonies mysteriously disappearing in the US and Europe, pure honey is becoming a valuable – and expensive - commodity. The price of honey in the US is rising more than 6% annually, and the market globally is expected to hit $12 billion by 2015.
The reason is that “there’s a certain magic to honey,” Ayers claims. “It’s the only food that insects produce that humans eat regularly, it’s packed with healthy micro-nutrients, and for thousands of years honey has been used for its medicinal value.”
Aside from being a healthy and natural sweetener, honey is an antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal.
Yet the production of honey is a very slow, decentralized process. It’s impossible to artificially produce or mass manufacture pure honey. You need honeybees, space, wild flowers and ample time to for the bees to pollinate and produce it.
Sweet bonus
In East Africa there are plenty of honeybees ready to meet the growing demand. But, until now, challenges of infrastructure, knowledge and capital have left many locals to consider beekeeping a ‘cottage industry,’ and not a commercial business.
“One of the biggest challenges of honey production in Kenya is the fragmented value chain,” says Fred Ogana of TechnoServe, an international NGO that invests in business solutions to poverty, and recently completed an in-depth study of Kenya’s honey industry.
While many rural farmers keep bees, the traditional method of collecting honey results in low quality honey and low harvesting yields.
“Smallholder farmers typically produce honey in traditional logs, and when harvest day comes they pack it in old fruit juice bottles, and hawk it on the road sides” says Ogana.
Honey Care tries to make this process more efficient and predictable. Its package costs around $50 for two hives, and it has partnered with micro lending institutions like Kiva.org and local microfinance banks to help farmers get loans to purchase the package. Farmers can earn on average 15,000 Kenyan Shillings ($175) per year from two hives, making their return on investment substantial.
The organization has even found a way to help those people who are afraid of bees, but like the idea of a sweet income, by hiring fulltime beekeepers within villages to manage individual farmers hives. As an added bonus, pollination from the bees actually helps improve crop yields 15-30%, further adding to income.
In Kenya, this little extra cash goes a long way. Families are able to pay for school fees, medical bills, increase their land and invest in more livestock - or hives.
Shelf life
Although bee-keeping is a traditional – and relatively low-tech business – the organization is beginning to bring it into the 21st Century.
Its latest innovation is its Swarm Database smartphone app, which allows a fleet of beekeeping technicians who inspects hives across the country to enter troves of live data on farmers, hives, honey and harvesting into Samsung smartphones.
This information feeds into a central dashboard, which helps the company track production and improves the efficiency of their honey supply. Alerts encourage regular hive inspection, whilst analytics automatically highlight opportunities and trends.
The app also allows global consumers to connect more with Kenyan beekeepers, says CEO Ayer.
For example, imagine picking up a jar of Honey Care Africa honey off the shelves of your local supermarket, scanning a QR code on the jar, and seeing the family, trees and hives that produced, along with harvest date all on your screen.
“It’s a great way to visualize traceability,” remarks Ayer.
“Honey is so easily adulterated, consumers want to keep an eye on it,” he says. “We have our eyes on honey from the bees to the shelf.”
BM Hegde*
“Opinions cannot survive if one has no chance to fight for
them.”
– Thomas Mann.
Up until the 1930s every American food manufacturer used only coconut oil in food preparation. Palm oil had to be imported as little coconut grew in the US. The local farmers, after the economic depression of the 1930s, insisted that there should be no import of edible oils. Around that time, maybe a little later, after the second world war, a new disease was born – the fat theory of atherosclerosis1. Many factors contributed to its success, least of all the affluence of Europe and increased food consumption there. Concurrently, there was a parallel effort at disease labelling (inventions) going on2. Scientific research had better backing from the governments and there was money available for research. A new theory of “risk factors” was born. Reductionist science is blind to its own inherent lacunae of looking at bits and pieces and not the whole. We have seen the birth of evidence based medicine full of problems with its evidence base3.
Epidemiology did serve us well in the arena of contagious disease control. Sadly, the same was applied to chronic degenerative disease field without much scientific foundation, resulting in epidemiologists creating imaginary epidemics! One such was coronary artery disease, which was with mankind from “times out of mind.” A Chinese lady, aged 39, was recently discovered buried twelve feet deep in the snow in northern China. It is estimated that she should have died around 2,500 years ago. Her heart had a large myocardial infarct associated with a fully blocked left anterior descending artery! The best description of angina pectoris was given thousands of years ago in the Indian Ayurvedic text, Madhava Nidhana, which could never be bettered even today. Curious are the ways of the world of science4!
– Thomas Mann.
Up until the 1930s every American food manufacturer used only coconut oil in food preparation. Palm oil had to be imported as little coconut grew in the US. The local farmers, after the economic depression of the 1930s, insisted that there should be no import of edible oils. Around that time, maybe a little later, after the second world war, a new disease was born – the fat theory of atherosclerosis1. Many factors contributed to its success, least of all the affluence of Europe and increased food consumption there. Concurrently, there was a parallel effort at disease labelling (inventions) going on2. Scientific research had better backing from the governments and there was money available for research. A new theory of “risk factors” was born. Reductionist science is blind to its own inherent lacunae of looking at bits and pieces and not the whole. We have seen the birth of evidence based medicine full of problems with its evidence base3.
Epidemiology did serve us well in the arena of contagious disease control. Sadly, the same was applied to chronic degenerative disease field without much scientific foundation, resulting in epidemiologists creating imaginary epidemics! One such was coronary artery disease, which was with mankind from “times out of mind.” A Chinese lady, aged 39, was recently discovered buried twelve feet deep in the snow in northern China. It is estimated that she should have died around 2,500 years ago. Her heart had a large myocardial infarct associated with a fully blocked left anterior descending artery! The best description of angina pectoris was given thousands of years ago in the Indian Ayurvedic text, Madhava Nidhana, which could never be bettered even today. Curious are the ways of the world of science4!
Whereas Heberden only guessed that his chest pain could
have come from his heart, while his own student thought
that the teacher must have had syphilitic aortitis,
Madhavan Nidhana, an Ayurvedic text, clearly stated that
angina was a classical disease of the heart. Unfortunately,
modern medicine labels this disease as Heberden’s angina.
It is, in fact, a truly Indian disease. A study published in The
Lancet in 1987 by Stehabens found no evidence of even
one per cent absolute recent epidemic rise or a later fall
in this disease in the last one hundred years. The apparent
relative increase was found to be due to labelling errors,
advancing age of the population, and wrong death
certification without postmortem confirmation5. In fact,
many sudden (electrical) deaths, and those due to
alcoholic cardiomyopathy, had been (I think are still being)
labelled as heart attacks!
Despite all these evidences to the contrary, epidemiologists went ahead and produced a monster, coronary artery disease epidemic, and discovered as many as two hundred forty odd risk factors. Steven Milloy, a renowned American epidemiologist, writing in his book Science without Sense, goes to prove that epidemiology in chronic disease scenario is a curse6. If I, for example, were to state that wearing a tight brasserie daily is a risk factor for cancer breast, it would take epidemiologists to study five hundred million women (double the population of the US) to disprove that hypothesis–a task impossible. Similar is the fat hypothesis for atherosclerosis.
The first ever Diet-Heart Study in Framingham, which began in 1954 ending in 1959, after having spent $110 million American tax payers’ money, only showed that the two are not connected! Alas, the study did not see the light of the day in print as the vested business interests, who by then had already established a billion dollar business on food fats and heart healthy foods, etc., saw that the results never got published7.
A recent study of elderly French women living in a nursing home showed that those with the highest cholesterol levels lived the longest; the death rate was more than five times higher for women with very low cholesterol8. One has to remember, though, that cholesterol lowering agents net billions of dollars in cash to the Pharma lobby annually.
Despite all these evidences to the contrary, epidemiologists went ahead and produced a monster, coronary artery disease epidemic, and discovered as many as two hundred forty odd risk factors. Steven Milloy, a renowned American epidemiologist, writing in his book Science without Sense, goes to prove that epidemiology in chronic disease scenario is a curse6. If I, for example, were to state that wearing a tight brasserie daily is a risk factor for cancer breast, it would take epidemiologists to study five hundred million women (double the population of the US) to disprove that hypothesis–a task impossible. Similar is the fat hypothesis for atherosclerosis.
The first ever Diet-Heart Study in Framingham, which began in 1954 ending in 1959, after having spent $110 million American tax payers’ money, only showed that the two are not connected! Alas, the study did not see the light of the day in print as the vested business interests, who by then had already established a billion dollar business on food fats and heart healthy foods, etc., saw that the results never got published7.
A recent study of elderly French women living in a nursing home showed that those with the highest cholesterol levels lived the longest; the death rate was more than five times higher for women with very low cholesterol8. One has to remember, though, that cholesterol lowering agents net billions of dollars in cash to the Pharma lobby annually.
The MRFIT study (1976-80), which initially screened
360,000 Americans to get a sample of around 12,000 high
risk subset for studying coronary risk factor control. It used
250 researchers in 22 centres in 18 US cities spending
around $ 150 million. After all that effort, the result is here
for all to see. “In conclusion, we have shown that it is
possible to apply an intensive long-term intervention
programme against three coronary risk factors with
considerable success in terms of risk factor changes. The
overall results do not show a beneficial effect on CHD or
total mortality from this multifactor intervention”9. They
do not want to destroy their rice bowl, at any cost.
With this background, the poor coconut oil got the boot in the west as newer polyunsaturated fats came in a big way and thousands of industry funded “scientific studies” had proclaimed to the world that coconut oil is very bad because it is a saturated fat. The misinformed lay press and the public believed the “scientific” world. All saturated fats were said to be the reason for the cholesterol induced epidemic of coronary disease. This powerful lobby could influence the thinking of the medical world through a plethora of studies, all of which when scrutinised scientifically, fall by the way side1, 3, 7 , 8. Coconut lobby was not there and even a few individuals who thought otherwise were silenced effectively by the vested interests. Truth cannot be suppressed for all times. Most, if not all, of the polyunsaturated fats sold to the gullible public have been shown to be dangerous and a search for better fats landed researchers in the backyard of coconut palms, the cholesterol myth notwithstanding.
Let us analyse coconut oil’s horoscope scientifically. Coconut oil had the bad Shani Desha since the 1930s, but the times have changed and it is going on to the Guru Desha now. Hopefully, it will have this good Desha for all times to come. Fats are more scientifically classified into three varieties based mainly on the number of carbon atoms they possess and the length of the chain–Short Chain having between C4 - C6 carbon atoms, Medium
With this background, the poor coconut oil got the boot in the west as newer polyunsaturated fats came in a big way and thousands of industry funded “scientific studies” had proclaimed to the world that coconut oil is very bad because it is a saturated fat. The misinformed lay press and the public believed the “scientific” world. All saturated fats were said to be the reason for the cholesterol induced epidemic of coronary disease. This powerful lobby could influence the thinking of the medical world through a plethora of studies, all of which when scrutinised scientifically, fall by the way side1, 3, 7 , 8. Coconut lobby was not there and even a few individuals who thought otherwise were silenced effectively by the vested interests. Truth cannot be suppressed for all times. Most, if not all, of the polyunsaturated fats sold to the gullible public have been shown to be dangerous and a search for better fats landed researchers in the backyard of coconut palms, the cholesterol myth notwithstanding.
Let us analyse coconut oil’s horoscope scientifically. Coconut oil had the bad Shani Desha since the 1930s, but the times have changed and it is going on to the Guru Desha now. Hopefully, it will have this good Desha for all times to come. Fats are more scientifically classified into three varieties based mainly on the number of carbon atoms they possess and the length of the chain–Short Chain having between C4 - C6 carbon atoms, Medium
Chain having between C6 - C10 or so and Long Chain with
C11 - C24 atoms. The saturated, unsaturated classification
is for the convenience of the fat lobby to sell their wares.
Science is what scientists do. Science is only curiosity and,
as such, could never be bad, but scientists could definitely
be bad when the circumstances warranted. The problems
for man would not cease as long as the present market
economy lasts. God help mankind!
Little over 50% of coconut oil is medium chain fatty acid, Lauric acid and another 7 - 10% is a medium chain Capric acid. Lauric acid gets converted inside the human system into Monolaurins– the best fat that mother’s milk has10. Other than mother’s milk, monolaurins are found only in coconut oil. New born babies and infants depend on the monolaurins for their immune system development and their capacity to withstand any infection11. In addition, coconut oil can be digested by the salivary lipase, getting absorbed very fast to give energy like carbohydrates. All other fats need the pancreatic lipase for digestion that the infants do not have. The best alternative food fat for the infant when mother’s milk is not available is coconut oil (in baby foods). Other fats might be dangerous12. Very recently, a study published in the British Medical Journal showed the dangers of using soya fat for babies. The article also warns adults to take soya oils cautiously13!
Coconut oil is a low calorie fat and as such helps control body weight. In addition, coconut oil stimulates metabolism to get itself metabolised fast to supply quick energy unlike all other fats. This also helps control body weight. Changing the food fat to coconut oil could help reduce weight in obese individuals14. It also helps to control blood fat levels in diabetics. Because most of the coconut oil is medium chain fat, it gets absorbed and metabolised so fast that it rarely gets transported to fat depots like other fats, altering the lipoprotein fractions of blood– another great boon. Coconut oil contains so many anti-oxidants that it resists oxidation even if it is preserved for as long as a year whereas all other fats would have been already oxidised and have become transfatty acids by the time they come on the food store shelves! Coconut oil resists oxidation even on boiling at 76 degrees centigrade. So there are no transfats in coconut oil15. While fried foods are not good for health, if fried in coconut oil, fried foods are not that bad, after all.
Little over 50% of coconut oil is medium chain fatty acid, Lauric acid and another 7 - 10% is a medium chain Capric acid. Lauric acid gets converted inside the human system into Monolaurins– the best fat that mother’s milk has10. Other than mother’s milk, monolaurins are found only in coconut oil. New born babies and infants depend on the monolaurins for their immune system development and their capacity to withstand any infection11. In addition, coconut oil can be digested by the salivary lipase, getting absorbed very fast to give energy like carbohydrates. All other fats need the pancreatic lipase for digestion that the infants do not have. The best alternative food fat for the infant when mother’s milk is not available is coconut oil (in baby foods). Other fats might be dangerous12. Very recently, a study published in the British Medical Journal showed the dangers of using soya fat for babies. The article also warns adults to take soya oils cautiously13!
Coconut oil is a low calorie fat and as such helps control body weight. In addition, coconut oil stimulates metabolism to get itself metabolised fast to supply quick energy unlike all other fats. This also helps control body weight. Changing the food fat to coconut oil could help reduce weight in obese individuals14. It also helps to control blood fat levels in diabetics. Because most of the coconut oil is medium chain fat, it gets absorbed and metabolised so fast that it rarely gets transported to fat depots like other fats, altering the lipoprotein fractions of blood– another great boon. Coconut oil contains so many anti-oxidants that it resists oxidation even if it is preserved for as long as a year whereas all other fats would have been already oxidised and have become transfatty acids by the time they come on the food store shelves! Coconut oil resists oxidation even on boiling at 76 degrees centigrade. So there are no transfats in coconut oil15. While fried foods are not good for health, if fried in coconut oil, fried foods are not that bad, after all.
The monolaurins in the coconut oil have been found to be
very powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal agents.
Most viruses, including the retrovirus HIV, are sensitive to
coconut oil. Coconut oil has been found to be an excellent
moisturiser for dry skin conditions and is known to be even
absorbed from the skin surface of preterm babies. A diet
rich in coconut oil reduces diurnal postprandial variations
in circulating tissue plasminogen activator antigen and
fasting lipoprotein-a compared with a diet rich in unsaturated
fat in women16. Coconut oil is said to penetrate hair roots to
keep hair healthy and clean17. They have even found some
very interesting therapeutic values in coconut oil18. A recent
report shows how it could be used to treat aluminum oxide
poisoning (agricultural pesticide content) for which there
had never been any specific antidote so far19.
Coconut oil’s regular use in diet would regularise blood fats and is known to increase the HDL cholesterol fraction while decreasing the LDL and triglycerides significantly; disproving the myth that coconut oil increases cholesterol and triglycerides15, 20. Coconut oil has been now classified as a functional food. Functional food was defined as “food that provides health benefits over and above the basic nutrients.” No other fat could claim that status except the Indian clarified butter–ghee, which according to Ayurveda is an excellent food for good health and strength. Even the West has now learnt a bitter lesson. After having realised the dangers of polyunsaturated fats in margarine, they have coined a new slogan: “butter is better”.
In conclusion, one could easily surmise that coconut oil that has been our staple food for thousands of years, could not have suddenly become so bad in the 1930s that it had to be thrown out of the window. Our thousands of years of observational research is any day more reliable compared to the short term cross-sectional motivated research today. Although Aristotle did say that truth could only influence half a score of men in a century, truth will have to triumph at the end. The sad state of the Polynesian migrants to the west coast of America is there for all to see. Prof. Castle’s elegant studies did show the curse of acculturation of these long living sturdy people whose main food was coconut till they became American citizens. With modernity, Polynesians were succumbing to all the degenerative diseases precociously. They never had
Coconut oil’s regular use in diet would regularise blood fats and is known to increase the HDL cholesterol fraction while decreasing the LDL and triglycerides significantly; disproving the myth that coconut oil increases cholesterol and triglycerides15, 20. Coconut oil has been now classified as a functional food. Functional food was defined as “food that provides health benefits over and above the basic nutrients.” No other fat could claim that status except the Indian clarified butter–ghee, which according to Ayurveda is an excellent food for good health and strength. Even the West has now learnt a bitter lesson. After having realised the dangers of polyunsaturated fats in margarine, they have coined a new slogan: “butter is better”.
In conclusion, one could easily surmise that coconut oil that has been our staple food for thousands of years, could not have suddenly become so bad in the 1930s that it had to be thrown out of the window. Our thousands of years of observational research is any day more reliable compared to the short term cross-sectional motivated research today. Although Aristotle did say that truth could only influence half a score of men in a century, truth will have to triumph at the end. The sad state of the Polynesian migrants to the west coast of America is there for all to see. Prof. Castle’s elegant studies did show the curse of acculturation of these long living sturdy people whose main food was coconut till they became American citizens. With modernity, Polynesians were succumbing to all the degenerative diseases precociously. They never had
atherosclerosis in their natural habitat – what with 80% of
their calories coming from coconut. Long live the coconut
tree, the venerated kalpavriksha, for the common good
of humankind.
“Free man is by necessity insecure;
thinking man is by necessity uncertain.”
References
References
– Eric Fromm.
1. Jacobs D, Blackburn H, Higgins M et al. Report of a
conference on low cholesterol and mortality association.
Circulation 1992; 86: 1046-60.
2. Bleck J. Disease Inventors 2000 (German).
3. BlackburnGL,KaterG,MascioliEAetal. Areevaluationof coconut oil’s effect on serum cholesterol and atherogenesis. J Philippine Med Assoc 1989; 65: 144-52.
4. Hegde BM: “Angina- an Indian Disease”. Jr Assoc Physi India 1999; 47: 440-2.
5. Stehbens WE. An appraisal of the epidemic rise of coronary heart disease and its decline. The Lancet 1987; 182: 399-405.
6. Milloy S. Science without Sense. 1997. Cato Institute Washington DC.
7. Shepherd J et al. Pravastatin in elderly individuals at risk of vascular disease (PROSPER): a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet 2002; 360 (9346): 1623-30.
8. Forette B et al. Cholesterol as risk factor for mortality in elderly women. The Lancet 1989; 1: 868-70.
9. Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group: Multiple risk factor intervention trial. Risk factor changes and mortality results. JAMA 1982; 248: 1465-1977.
10. Halden VW, Lieb H. Influence of biologically improved cocoanut oil products on blood cholesterol levels in human volunteers. Nutr Dieta 1961; 3: 75-88.
11. HierholzerJC,KabaraJJ.InvitroeffectsofMonolaurinson enveloped RNA and DNA viruses. J Food Safety 1982; 4: 1- 12.
12. HodgsonJM,WahlqvistML,BoxallJA,BalazsND.Canlinoleic acid contribute to coronary artery disease? American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1993; 58: 228-34.
13. Siegel-ItzkovichJ.HealthCommitteewarnsofthepotential dangers of soya. BMJ 2005; 331: 254.
14. Willett W. Editorial: Challenges for public health nutrition in the 1990s. American Journal of Public Health 1990; 80: 1295-8.
15. NevinKG,RajMohanT.Beneficialeffectsofcocoanutoilin lipid parameters and in vitro LDL oxidation. Biochem 2004; 37: 830-5.
16. Muller H, Lindman AS, Blomfeldt A et al. A diet rich in cocoanut oil reduces diurnal postprandial tissue plasminogen activator antigen and fasting lipoprotein A. J Nutrition 2003; 133: 3422-7.
2. Bleck J. Disease Inventors 2000 (German).
3. BlackburnGL,KaterG,MascioliEAetal. Areevaluationof coconut oil’s effect on serum cholesterol and atherogenesis. J Philippine Med Assoc 1989; 65: 144-52.
4. Hegde BM: “Angina- an Indian Disease”. Jr Assoc Physi India 1999; 47: 440-2.
5. Stehbens WE. An appraisal of the epidemic rise of coronary heart disease and its decline. The Lancet 1987; 182: 399-405.
6. Milloy S. Science without Sense. 1997. Cato Institute Washington DC.
7. Shepherd J et al. Pravastatin in elderly individuals at risk of vascular disease (PROSPER): a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet 2002; 360 (9346): 1623-30.
8. Forette B et al. Cholesterol as risk factor for mortality in elderly women. The Lancet 1989; 1: 868-70.
9. Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial Research Group: Multiple risk factor intervention trial. Risk factor changes and mortality results. JAMA 1982; 248: 1465-1977.
10. Halden VW, Lieb H. Influence of biologically improved cocoanut oil products on blood cholesterol levels in human volunteers. Nutr Dieta 1961; 3: 75-88.
11. HierholzerJC,KabaraJJ.InvitroeffectsofMonolaurinson enveloped RNA and DNA viruses. J Food Safety 1982; 4: 1- 12.
12. HodgsonJM,WahlqvistML,BoxallJA,BalazsND.Canlinoleic acid contribute to coronary artery disease? American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1993; 58: 228-34.
13. Siegel-ItzkovichJ.HealthCommitteewarnsofthepotential dangers of soya. BMJ 2005; 331: 254.
14. Willett W. Editorial: Challenges for public health nutrition in the 1990s. American Journal of Public Health 1990; 80: 1295-8.
15. NevinKG,RajMohanT.Beneficialeffectsofcocoanutoilin lipid parameters and in vitro LDL oxidation. Biochem 2004; 37: 830-5.
16. Muller H, Lindman AS, Blomfeldt A et al. A diet rich in cocoanut oil reduces diurnal postprandial tissue plasminogen activator antigen and fasting lipoprotein A. J Nutrition 2003; 133: 3422-7.
18 Journal, Indian Academy of Clinical Medicine Vol. 7, No. 1 January-March, 2006
Journal, Indian Academy of Clinical Medicine Vol. 7, No. 1 January-March, 2006 17
* Former Vice-Chancellor,
MAHE Deemed University, Manipal - 576 119, Karnataka, India, and Visiting Professor of Cardiology, London University, U.K.
MAHE Deemed University, Manipal - 576 119, Karnataka, India, and Visiting Professor of Cardiology, London University, U.K.
There’s a Secret to Japanese Longevity and Youthful Skin
The people of Japan have one of the longest life expectancies in the world and the women keep their smooth, firm skin well past their 50s. Why not add a nutritious “power food” to your diet to gain the benefits of Japanese longevity and great skin: The secret is seaweed.
Seaweed contains 14 times more calcium by weight then milk, is high in protein, low in fat and contains little or no carbohydrates. It also contains B12, which is rarely found in vegetables.
Yet the beneficial properties of seaweed go deeper:
• Seaweed has important anti-bacterial and anti-virial effects.
• Seaweed can reduce cholesterol, high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis. (Research shows improved metabolism which reduces the accumulation of fats.)
• Seaweed can combat tumors.
• Seaweed is rich in iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese and 60 trace minerals.
• Some seaweeds, like kelp, is a source of iodine, necessary for thyroid function and to prevent goiter.
• Seaweed has anti-inflammatory properties (from B complex vitamins) that can ease arthritis.
• Seaweed can reduce cholesterol, high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis. (Research shows improved metabolism which reduces the accumulation of fats.)
• Seaweed can combat tumors.
• Seaweed is rich in iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese and 60 trace minerals.
• Some seaweeds, like kelp, is a source of iodine, necessary for thyroid function and to prevent goiter.
• Seaweed has anti-inflammatory properties (from B complex vitamins) that can ease arthritis.
Protection From Radioactivity
After the Fukishima nuclear disaster, more people learned about seaweed’s ability to eliminate toxins and harmful substances, like radioactivity, from the body. A McGill University study in 1965 found a substance in kelp and common seaweed that could reduce by 50 to 80 percent the amount of radioactive strontium absorbed through the intestine. Another compelling study began with a doctor and his patients who were in Nagasaki when the atom bomb dropped in Japan. They had been on a strict macrobiotic diet of seaweed, miso, brown rice and sea salt. Dr. Akizuki and his patients survived and lived into old age, escaping the fallout’s devastating effects, even though they were just 1.4km from the blast and were near to others in the hospital who were not spared.
Beauty Secret
The extract of Wakame seaweed is packed with antioxidants and minerals and, according to the “Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine,” may be the secret to beautiful skin for generations of Japanese women. Known as Phytessence Wakame, it is the dried form of the wakame sea kelp. This edible seaweed
has been a daily dietary staple and medicine in Japan for hundreds of years. It contains a substance that blocks hyaluronidase, an enzyme that leads to premature aging because it breaks down vital hyaluronic acid in the skin. Several of its compounds including sulphated pilyfucose can protect your skin from UV rays and pollution.
has been a daily dietary staple and medicine in Japan for hundreds of years. It contains a substance that blocks hyaluronidase, an enzyme that leads to premature aging because it breaks down vital hyaluronic acid in the skin. Several of its compounds including sulphated pilyfucose can protect your skin from UV rays and pollution.
In addition to eating the raw form of the seaweed, you can find it as a supplement. It is also used in skin creams, which have recently made their way into western markets.
, which have recently made their way into western markets.
Phytessence wakame contains vitamins A, C, E, K, folate and riboflavin; the minerals sodium, iron, potassium and calcium; antioxidants and the amino acids tryptophan, threonine, leucine, valine, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid.Types of Seaweed
Seaweed tastes good when properly prepared. Uncommon in western diets except for island nations, like Ireland, you may have eaten it in miso soup or sushi rolls. For maximum nutritional value, these popular seaweeds should be served fresh.
-Kombu is a sea vegetable which grows in deep sea waters around Hokkaido. It is sold dry in hard sheets or in powder form. It is mostly used in Soups as a stock. (Try Kombu and Wakame in Miso Soup with Spinach and Mushroom)
is a sea vegetable which grows in deep sea waters around Hokkaido. It is sold dry in hard sheets or in powder form. It is mostly used in Soups as a stock. (Try Kombu and Wakame in Miso Soup with Spinach and Mushroom)
-Wakame is a sea vegetable, which grows in cool to cold sea waters. It can be used in soups, salads, with other dishes and as seasoning. (Use Wakame in White Bean and Asparagus Stew)
is a sea vegetable, which grows in cool to cold sea waters. It can be used in soups, salads, with other dishes and as seasoning. (Use Wakame in White Bean and Asparagus Stew)
-Dulse is a red color and has a delicious fresh crisp flavor. It comes in soft sheets in a package or dried granules that can be sprinkled on food either during cooking or at the table. (Try crispy pan fried dulse in “nachos” instead of chips , or on a BLT instead of bacon, or in risotto)
is a red color and has a delicious fresh crisp flavor. It comes in soft sheets in a package or dried granules that can be sprinkled on food either during cooking or at the table. (Try crispy pan fried dulse in “nachos” instead of chips , or on a BLT instead of bacon, or in risotto)
-Nori is thin and its oily iridescence reflects the colors of the rainbow. This is the most popular Seaweed for eating, both historically and today. We mostly know it from eating Maki Sushi. It comes in sheets in a packages or dried granules that can be sprinkled on food either during cooking or at the table. (3 recipes for risotto, salad, sushi bowl, and, Miso soup.)
-Arame is a dark brown sea vegetable when fresh and blackish when dried. As all other dried seaweed, it is very rich in minerals, particularly calcium and protein. Arame can be used as a substitute for wakame or hijiki in many applications. (Try Carrots with Arame)
is a dark brown sea vegetable when fresh and blackish when dried. As all other dried seaweed, it is very rich in minerals, particularly calcium and protein. Arame can be used as a substitute for wakame or hijiki in many applications. (Try Carrots with Arame)
- Also, there is Kelp which is the most nutritious; it is very high in iodine, contains iron, sodium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium and vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E, plus amino acids. It is a very strong tasting seaweed which overpowers most foods so not often cooked with. Kelp is often taken in capsules or tablets.
or tablets.
Types of Seaweed authored by Diana Herrington at RealFoodforLife.comPhotos: (top) Steven Depolo; (center) Timothy K. Hamilton; (bottom) Barron Fujimoto; (homepage) plasticboystudio PhotoJUNKY - CC licenses
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH)
- What is BPH?
- Definition
- The Prostate (and its functions)
- How BPH Develops
- Who gets BPH?
- Symptoms of BPH
- Seeing the Doctor
- Treatment of BPH
- Things you can do to Help
BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH) is a condition affecting men, in which the prostate (a gland) becomes enlarged as part of the aging process.
BENIGN - NON-CANCEROUS
PROSTATIC - OF THE PROSTATE GLAND
HYPERPLASIA - INCREASE IN SIZE
From puberty until middle age, prostate growth is negligible. However, around the age of 40 years hormonal changes in men trigger prostate growth usually through the activity of a key hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This non-cancerous ("benign") growth is called "hyperplasia". While having BPH does not seem to increase a man's risk of prostate cancer, both conditions can be present at the same time. Therefore, it is recommended that all men over the age of 50 talk with their doctors about having an examination once a year to screen for prostate cancer.
The prostate is an organ about the size of a walnut (15 grams) and is situated at the base of the bladder in front of the rectum. It surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder during urination, and seminal fluid during ejaculation. Its function is to secrete fluid into the semen, which helps to carry and nourish sperm, aiding in the process of conception.
As a man gets older the prostate tends to enlarge and often compresses against the bladder and urethra, thereby restricting the flow of urine. The more the prostate grows, the more the urethra is constricted and the harder the bladder muscles have to squeeze to allow the flow of urine. The muscles of the bladder wall thicken and become more sensitive, creating the need to urinate frequently, even when the bladder only contains a small amount of urine. Over time, this can cause urinary tract infections (UTI's). Also, the abdomen becomes swollen and painful. The bladder muscles can begin to weaken and urinary incontinence (a "weak bladder") can occur with only small dribbles of urine. In most men this usually requires surgery to repair the damaged bladder.
About one-tenth of men with BPH go on to develop Acute Urinary Retention (AUR), a condition characterized by a sudden and unexpected inability to pass urine. It can be extremely painful and inconvenient. Nearly one in three men over 80 years will go on to develop AUR. AUR is most often caused by increased resistance to urinary flow - i.e. blockage. Hence, BPH is the most common cause of AUR.
The risk of BPH increases with age. If you have a family member who has BPH you are more likely to develop this condition. Interestingly, married men are more inclined to experience BPH than single men. It is one of the most common diseases to affect men over 40, with almost half of men over 65 experiencing problems associated with an enlarged prostate. Studies have found enlarged prostates in about 40% of men over 55, rising to 70% in men over 70, and to 90% in men aged 85 and over.
Symptoms of BPH develop slowly over time, and eventually begin to impact on the sufferer's quality of life. Common symptoms of BPH include:
Difficulty in starting to pass urine - getting the flow going
Frequent urination
Weak flow of urine despite a strong urge
Burning sensation while urinating
Waking during the night with a strong urge to urinate
Continuing pain in the lower back, pelvis or upper thighs.
Passing urine may be a stop-start process, with a feeling that the bladder hasn't been fully emptied. The bladder may then leak urine. Sometimes the need to pass urine will be very urgent and you will want to urinate more often. Over half of men with symptoms of BPH feel that their symptoms worsen with time, with only about one-third finding they remain stable. Some men learn to live with their symptoms if they are not too severe.
In the initial stages, men rarely need to alter their lifestyle, but with time, as the condition progresses, there are social consequences, such as staying close to a toilet and wearing dark trousers to conceal leakage.
It may happen that you will not be able to urinate if the bladder muscle has become over-stretched and cannot pass urine. Your doctor will have to insert a catheter to drain the bladder, after which you are likely to need an operation to correct the problem. In addition to the possibility of developing a UTI, the symptoms of BPH can lead to:
- Kidney or bladder damage
- Bladder stones
- Incontinence
If you are experiencing these symptoms your doctor will have to do various tests to confirm you have BPH. These tests include:
- Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) examine your prostate by putting his/her finger in your rectum
- Rectal ultrasound - rule out prostate cancer
- Urine flow study - determine the emptying capacity of your bladder
- Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) - check your kidney function
- Urine test - test for blood or infection in the urine
- PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test - rule out cancer
Often it may be necessary for the doctor to do a cytoscopy - a thin tube with a telescope at the end is inserted into the urethra. In this way, any conditions affecting the bladder, the urethra or the prostate can be identified, diagnosed, and the appropriate procedure/s accurately recommended.
BPH is more likely to affect a man's quality of life, rather than his "quantity" of life. It is therefore the degree to which the patient's symptoms bother him that will determine the need for, and extent of treatment. Treatment can be either surgical or non-surgical, but thanks to advances in various therapies and drugs, treatment has become less surgery-oriented.
SURGICALWhile surgical procedures are not 100% successful in all patients, more than two-thirds of men who have the operation are very pleased with the results.
The most common operation for BPH is called: Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP). The prostate and the bladder is examined through a very thin telescope inserted in the urethra (cytoscopy). Prostate tissue that may be blocking the passage of urine is "burnt" away with an electrical current to restore flow. If the prostate is very enlarged and the blockage is more severe, the whole prostate may need to be removed. The operation to relieve the obstruction is called a "prostatectomy". This procedure is only likely to be performed if there is complete blockage of urine or if there are complications, such as infection or bleeding. This will be done through a cut in the lower abdomen in a separate operation.
Another operation that is commonly performed is a Trans-Urethral Incision of the Prostate (TUIP), in which a cut is made in the bladder neck or along the length of the prostate to relieve the pressure on the urethra. A TUIP is usually performed if the prostate gland is only moderately enlarged.
Microwave and laser therapy are two procedures that are also being conducted but these forms of therapy are still being investigated and not yet widely practiced.
NON-SURGICALNon-surgical procedures are naturally a preferred option. Firstly, you can "watch and wait" if the prostate is only slightly enlarged. Symptoms need to be watched to see if there is any worsening of the condition. If not, treatment may not be necessary at this time. Secondly, there are drugs that can be safely used. A class of agents called alpha-blockers can be used to reduce muscular spasms at the base of the bladder, allowing urine to flow more freely. Another type of agent, the 5 a-reductase inhibitor, blocks the male hormone, testosterone, thereby shrinking the prostate. An advantage of using an alpha-blocker to counter the symptoms of BPH is that it is also prescribed for high blood pressure (hypertension). This is useful if a male patient has both BPH and hypertension at the same time, which is often the case.
Treatment for the more advanced condition, AUR (Acute Urinary Retention), will involve similar treatment options as BPH; however, there is a higher likelihood of surgery needing to be performed.
Rather than wait until you experience the uncomfortable and inconvenient symptoms of BPH, there are some common-sense things you can do to help yourself:
- Eat a well-balanced diet - fruit/vegetables
- Exercise more
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake
- Reduce stress in your life and sleep more
- Go to your doctor if you have blood in your urine or a stinging sensation when you urinate
- Take note of how much liquid you are drinking during the day and avoid strong tea/coffee
And, if you are over the age of 50, it might be a good idea to visit your doctor to have these basic tests done. After all, a gram of prevention is worth a kilogram of cure!
DISCLAIMER:
The health information contained herein is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with a healthcare provider. All decisions regarding patient care must be made with a healthcare provider, considering the unique characteristics of the patient.
- References:
- The Merck Manual of Medical Information. Second Home Edition Online. Access Date: 12 September 2005.
- www.hsc.stonybrook.edu. Access Date: 12 September 2005.
- www.uclaurology.com. Access Date: 12 September 2005.
- www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier. Access Date: 12 September 2005.
22/CAR/09/05/PA
Men Above 40 Prone To Prostate Enlargeme
By The Nation, 17 Jul 2014 05:11 AM(17 Jul) Many men in their 40s are suffering from prostate enlargement without knowing what to do. WALE ADEPOJU reports that the condition is treatable, if detected early.
Can prostate enlargement be managed naturally? The answer is Yes. According to a traditional medicine practitioner, Dr. Olasunkanmi Azeez, the Managing Director of Qumas Herbs Nigeria Limited, eating one type of food or another probably won't prevent an enlarged prostate, often called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or relieve its symptoms, but a healthy diet can help. Several men from 40 years and above are vulnerable to prostate enlargement. Dr Azeez said a study in urology found that men who ate a lot of cereals and some types of meats had an increased BPH risk. He said, "but a diet that is low in starches and meats and high in vegetables and polyunsaturated fats seems to be best for preventing BPH and relieving its symptoms. "It is important to remember that just because a supplement is labelled"natural" doesn't always mean it is safe.
The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) doesn't regulate herbal remedies like it does drugs. That means no one can be totally sure that what's listed on the label is inside the bottle. Also, herbal remedies can cause side effects, and they can interact with other medicines you take. So it is advisable to carry you practitioner along when taking supplements for the condition." According to him, it is a disease common in senior citizens. "It is not cancer, and it does not raise your risk for prostate cancer. In suferers, it causes severe pain, anxiety, discomfort and loss of consciousness in men", he said. This condition, he said, affects the male organ known as prostate gland which produces semen, the male coloured fluid that nourishes and transports sperms during ejaculation. Dr Azeez said prostate condition af Azeez, who is the chairman, Herbal Therapy Society of Nigeria (HTSN), Lagos State chapter, said application of special herbal therapy against prostate enlargement and prostate cancer can provide remedy for the ailments. He said a prostate case not detected early enough can degenerate, saying that men in their 40s and 50s are dying of prostate problems. "Men in this age bracket are expected to go for tests particularly prostate scan, to confirm their status and go for early intervention if it is confirmed that they are having prostate enlargement challenge," he said. Azeez said medical doctors find it difficult to diagnose the causes, adding: "It cannot be unconnected with ageing and changes in the ratio of male hormone testosterone level that stimulates prostate growth". He identified hormonal imbalance as one of the major causes, adding that this occurred among men who enhance their sexual performance by taking drugs, thus activating the level of their testosterone hormone beyond the normal. The traditional medicine practitioner said sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as gonorrhoea, syphilis, and staphylococcus among others may degenerate into prostate enlargement if they become chronic if untreated on time. He said the prostate is about the size of a pea during childhood. "But it grows a bit and at the age of 25, it develops fully. Part of the danger associated with prostate enlargement is that a man may not be able to urinate due to enlargement of the prostate gland," he said. He said people plagued with prostate enlargement are usually unable to maintain a flow of urine. "Men often experience a break during urination, and dribbling at the end. Other symptoms include recurrent pressure to urinate, increased frequency of urination at night, urgent need to urinate, inability to empty the bladder, blood stained urine, weak urine and urinary tract infection." He advised men having this condition to avoid condiments and alcoholic beverages because it lessens bladder irritation which may promote infection. They should avoid cold conditions or allow urine to accumulate before passing it. Diagnosis, he said, can include Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test and Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) test which are simple clinical procedures for detecting prostate enlargement through the use of finger digits. He said prostate enlargement worsen when the sufferer can no longer empty the bladder, hence the need for a catheter to draw urine. "But the danger of this is that bladder infection is most likely. Prostate enlargement can lead to death, especially if it is left untreated and becomes chronic. But no matter the magnitude of the ailment, herbal medicine has a remedy," he saidThe Untold Health Benefits Of Banana
— Jul 19, 2014 |
Ultimately, banana has an array of benefits in your body. It contains three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber which gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Studies have proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous workout. Little wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. In this piece TUNDE OGUNTOLA writes on the health benefits of banana and you’ll never look at a banana the same way again after discovering the many health benefits and reasons to add them to your diet.
Weight Loss
Finding foods to fit into your weight-loss diet can be challenging, but bananas make a perfect fit. Bananas are naturally sweet and can help curb your sweet tooth if you get that afternoon sugar craving. A 6-inch banana has a minimal 90 calories, about one-fourth of the calories you would get from a chocolate candy bar. Additionally, about half of the fiber content in bananas is soluble. When soluble fiber reaches your digestive tract, it absorbs water and slows digestion. Food is forced to sit in your stomach for a while, making you feel full. If you have a banana before lunch, you’ll be less likely to overeat when your food comes to the table.
Depression
Bananas help overcome depression due to high levels of tryptophan. According to a recent survey undertaken amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. Bananas are officially recognized as being able to lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke.
Eye Health
Bananas have a small amount of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is vital for protecting your eyes and normal vision. The term “vitamin A” refers to a series of compounds, including beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. These compounds preserve the membranes that surround your eyes and are a component of one of the proteins that brings light into your cornea.
Temperature Control
Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.
Anemia
Strengthen your blood and relieve anemia with the added iron from bananas, conversely, banana is high in iron; it can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Brain Power
Bananas make you smarter and help with learning by making you more alert. Eat a banana before an exam to benefit from the high levels of potassium. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making scholars more alert.
Constipation
Banana is high fiber and can help normalize bowel motility; including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito Bites
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
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