Detoxification is a step up from self-care. It is what regular self-care leads to. It is the goal that any regimen of self-care habits aims to achieve. And I believe that without setting our perspectives right in relation to our goals and understanding the process that would take us there, we cannot truly begin the long trek towards detoxification.
WHAT IS DETOXIFICATION? Read More »
As for those who choose to go…be grateful for the time you had them..and…for the time..they no longer have you…
Not everybody..is good enough..to have.. something..GOOD…like…YOU.
DID A BREAKUP LEAVE YOU HEART BROKEN? Read More »
Looking closely at every diet type we have discussed, you would discover that they all have their health-related cons even as they have their respective pros. What if I showed you a dieting plan you can never go wrong with achieving a life of wellness? In my book, Lead A Horse To Water, you will discover interesting ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle by eating foods you can easily find around you. A holistic life of spiritual, mental, emotional, and bodily wellness is possible, and that is just about what we are about at Holistic Live Younger!
WHAT IS RIGHT FOOD FOR YOUR BODY? Read More »
WHY DO OUR BODIES RESPOND DIFFERENTLY TO FOODS AND EXERCISES? There is one in a trillion chances for you to have an exact look-alike of yourself living and breathing somewhere in this wide world. The uniqueness about you, however, does not stop at your facial features. It goes deeper than that and influences the functional aspects of your body. Have you, for instance, ever thought that your perception of smell might be significantly different compared to other people? Or that the taste you perceive might not be what everyone else does as well? Because as it turns out, such differences have been confirmed to exist by Dr. Casey Trimmer in a very interesting research. Taste, it seems, really is subjective. ¹ (To some extent at least) But that is merely the tip of the iceberg. What really has an impact on our day-to-day lives are the differences that exist at the level of metabolism, absorption, digestion, and immune function. These differences give strength to the idea that we should be moving away from generalizations in an attempt to personalize our approach to health and wellbeing. AT THE LEVEL OF METABOLISM AND ABSORBTION We differ a great deal in our response to food intake and the way we absorb and metabolize that food. This concept of unique metabolism is in some ways hard-wired within our genes. This also means that a diet that is easily digested by an individual may produce disease in another individual. We all know how some people are especially lactose intolerant. This is due to the LTC gene which encodes Lactase, an enzyme that digests lactose. A lactose intolerant individual harbors a mutation in this gene due to which he is unable to digest lactose and develops symptoms of bloating and flatulence upon consuming milk. Pretty nasty eh? ² DO WE ABSORB THE SAME AMOUNT OF FOOD? We don’t. Surprise surprise! A study conducted at Cornell University proves that individuals with genetic variants that contain more copies of a certain gene can gain a larger amount of glucose from a particular diet as compared to those who have fewer copies of this gene. This can be attributed to the larger amounts of an enzyme “Amylase”, encoded by that gene, which breaks down a higher amount of starch in the diet. This, in turn, favors the growth of a family of bacteria in their guts that breaks down complex starch (which cannot be degraded by Amylase) into absorbable sugars. Sounds complex? You can read it in more detail here.³ THE UNIQUE CASE OF GREENLANDERS It is a commonly observed fact that the environment influences gene expression to enable an individual to adapt. This principle has brought some startling changes in the genetic makeup of Greenlanders in the way they process food in their intestines. A study of their genetic makeup shows that their intestines lack an enzyme, which breaks down complex sugars. These sugars travel directly to the intestine where they are metabolized to Acetate. Acetate, subsequently, decreases appetite, improves metabolism, and enhances immunity. This can be directly correlated to the fact that for Greenlanders, it’s hard to get fat. Call it nature’s gift if you will. ⁴ OUR LIKES AND DISLIKES People belonging to a certain area have particular food preferences, aversions, and allergies. This can also be attributed to the environmental influence on genes. For instance, some people like eating beets while others perceive their taste to be “earthy” and avoid them at all costs.⁵ Another common example is that Europeans have an increased propensity to develop Celiac disease if they take a diet high in Gluten.⁶ GAINING AND LOSING WEIGHT It’s not all your fault. That’s right. Obesity, in many cases, is a heritable trait. And so is persistent leanness. Eating habits are to blame no doubt, but for some people, it might just be too easy to gain weight. ⁷ That doesn’t make it okay of course. The disadvantages to health that obesity brings with it will be just as impactful regardless of how easy it was for you to gain weight. But knowing that you might have such a propensity may keep you more alert at the dining table. That’s not all though. Knowing how to lose weight might be just as tricky. Some diets may work for others but not for you. Some plans may be great for you but fail for others. For example, the weight-loss high-fiber diet, known as the “New Nordic Diet”, works only for those people who have the right combination of gut bacteria.⁸ Thus it is possible for you to continue to gain weight despite the high-fiber diet if you do not have the right mix of gut bacteria. Nutritionists all over the globe have started to recognize these differences and hence the level of personalization is reaching new heights. At the core of these differences lie the complexities of metabolism and genetics that are not so easy to tackle. However, just having the knowledge that everyone functions differently can broaden your perspective regarding your path to weight loss. TREATMENT OF DISEASES The same principle is followed here as well. Some medicines work better for some people than they do for others. Similarly, some medicines have more severe adverse effects on some people while others hardly suffer. A common example is the anti-TB drug Isoniazid which can cause severe side effects in people who are slow-acetylators i.e. they cannot metabolize the drug fast enough. DOES BLOOD TYPE MATTER? It had been postulated that our blood types can determine the right diets for us. The idea was that certain food products are better suited for people with certain blood types because they differ in the way they metabolize that food. This idea, however, has since been debunked by researchers from the University of Toronto who have stated that blood type has absolutely nothing to do with our diets and nutritional needs.⁹ AT THE LEVEL OF IMMUNE FUNCTION The ways in which we differ from each other regarding
HOW GENES AFFECT HEALTH? Read More »
TIPS FROM NATURE ON WHAT TO EAT FOR WHAT In ancient times, food was inseparable from the science of healing and health. It was a phenomenon of nature providing solutions to problems in wildlife and humans being subsets of nature; our best disposition is to allow the heart to heal defects in nature. Interestingly, nature didn’t leave us without clues as to what food directly impacts what parts of the body.¹ Take a close look at figs, and you’d discover that their inner section is filled with seeds, and this fruit grows in pairs. It is scientifically proven that figs help sperm cells retain vitality and increase motility. Also, it is used in the treatment of male sterility as it increases the production of sperm.² This can be traced to its iron-rich nature!³ In what is known as the doctrine of natural signatures, we have enough guidance showing us a path to obtaining holistic health; through natural foods. The science of food shapes and the organs they affect is not old and stale; instead, it remains a reliable way of treating certain diseases; modern science is still trying to find solutions ultimately. Find out everything you need to know about food shapes and organs here! When was it first used? Just like the earth existed long before man found a name for it, the treatment of organ diseases using the knowledge of natural signatures existed long before it was named. The Hakeem’s (Arabic name for health caregivers) had already practiced it long before the 15th century when Paracelsus expounded on the concept, which the modern world can now relate with. In his definition, he mentioned that “Nature marks each growth…according to its curative benefit.”⁴ However, Jakob Böhme gave the name ‘The Doctrine of Signatures” in his 1621 book titled The Signature of All Things. According to Böhme, every natural object was made by God so that its shape passed a sign for what it should be used for.⁵ Having seen where it started, let us consider popular food shapes and what organs they can treat or keep in health. Food shapes and your organs Ginger Ginger doesn’t look very different from the shape of your stomach if you look at the knob that trails from it. Research has proven that Ginger has bioactive chemical substances that help your stomach in cases of vomiting, indigestion problems, and nausea.6 It remedies several other ailments affecting the organ it resembles the stomach most. We could almost call it the superhero of the stomach, from morning sickness, diarrhea, nausea, motion sickness, among others. Ginger helps toughen your stomach’s mucus layer and mitigate the development of tumors in the stomach. Grapes Looking at a hanging bunch of grapes, the little ball-like fruits clinging to a stalk looks like the alveoli. Alveoli are the inner structures of our lungs. This is more than just a resemblance. It has been proven by scientific research that the consumption of grapes presents against cases of lung cancer and emphysema. More so, the proanthocyanidin content of grapes relieves asthmatic problems caused by exposure to allergies. Carrots Taking a glance at the cone-shaped vegetable, it’s hard to tell which organ of the body it looks like. However, when you cut it into slices, without a doubt, you’d see its resemblance with an eye. The innermost core has a slight difference in coloration as it spreads to the edge of the slice. Not forgetting the lines that stretch from the inner core also look like the Iris and pupils of our eyes. Interestingly, carrots have been tested to contain substances that improve sight. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, the precursors of Vitamin A, which is known to protect the eyes from cataracts and improve vision. Avocado Ever seen the diagram of the human uterus? Then you will agree with me that it does bear semblance with an avocado. Interestingly, avocados are rich in potassium and folate, which are of high benefit to pregnant women.7 If you’ve ever been pregnant or know someone who has, you must have been familiar with Folic acid medication. The function of folic acid is to prevent the occurrence of cervical dysplasia or any other congenital problems. That’s what you get from consuming this fruit which looks like the uterus. Interestingly, that’s not all avocados do for the uterus. It also plays a vital role in balancing hormones associated with birth. Mushrooms When you cut mushrooms in half, they look like the outer part of the human ear. Besides the resemblance, mushrooms are rich sources of Vitamin D which aids hearing ability. Vitamin D is important in forming healthy bones, especially the three little bones in the ear, which transmit sound signals to the brain. Research shows that diets that include mushrooms help guard against loss of hearing. Olives This oval-shaped fruit of Mediterranean origin is shaped like a human ovary. Interestingly, research carried out in Italy showed that women who consume olive oil often have a 30% lower chance of getting ovarian. While more research is going on to back this finding, it is believed that the constituents of the oil may have inhibiting properties against the development of ovarian cancer genes. Sweet Potatoes They don’t just look like the pancreas; they help the pancreas produce insulin. Insulin helps your body balance its sugar level. Aside from being a great dietary choice, sweet potatoes improve the health of your pancreas, which in turn aid stomach activities, especially in the breaking down of food particles. According to the Body + Soul website, the American Diabetes Association listed sweet potatoes as one of the superfoods in treating diabetes. This is not out of place as the vegetable is known for its ability to adjust the glycemic index of diabetic patients. Tomato When you slice open this succulent vegetable horizontally, you’d see four comely chambers, and it’s no coincidence. If you remember high school biology, you’d recall that the human heart also has four chambers! Tomatoes are of great
WHY SOME FOODS LOOK LIKE BODY ORGANS? Read More »
REVERSE AGE BY SLEEPING How do you feel about jumping into bed after a long and tiring day? I am sure you would look forward to it. Now try to imagine how you feel when you wake up after a dreamless sleep of 8 hours. You don’t feel one bit of the fatigue you felt the night before. You feel energized and motivated. You feel like you have been recharged. You feel fresh and ready to conquer the world. All of this might seem very normal to you because you go through this cycle every day after all. But what I want to emphasize are the unseen events that occur while you are sleeping that bring about such an incredible change! Because let’s be real; anything that can transform us from being exhausted to the bone to being full of energy in merely a matter of hours has to be something incredible! An old Irish proverb goes like “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” And it’s very close to the truth. Let’s see how… WHAT IS RESTORATIVE SLEEP? The period of sleep where your body heals and detoxifies itself is termed restorative sleep. After a prolonged period of wakefulness, restorative sleep can rebalance the scales and recharge your brain through specific actions upon the nervous system and rest of the body. HOW DOES IT WORK? There are at least 5 different stages of sleep that you go through during the night which consist of Non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and Rapid eye movement sleep (REM). The first 4 stages are can be categorized under NREM sleep. The first stage (N1) is that of drowsiness which lasts for 1-7 mins only. It is very easy to wake up from. The second stage (N2) begins the process of restoration but lasts no longer than 10-25 mins. Stage 3 (N3) and especially stage 4 (N4) show a pattern of slow waves on EEG and are termed as deep sleep. During this period respiratory and circulatory functions drop to their lowest and muscle tone decreases considerably.¹ This is the period of sleep that is the most restive and restorative and occurs in increasing periods whenever you sleep after a prolonged exhaustive period of wakefulness. What marks this period of deep sleep, in particular, is the cleansing of toxic substances that takes place within the brain. Researchers at the University of Rochester have described a glymphatic system that is mainly responsible for this. CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) is pumped into the brain tissue spaces and this washes away the waste material. This revelation has been extremely significant in understanding the healing and detoxifying properties of sleep on the brain as previously it was not understood how the brain, which is a closed ecosystem on its own, got rid of the waste.¹ This period lasts from 20-40 mins and its duration decreases gradually as the night progresses. How fresh and rested you feel after waking up coincides directly with how much of this deep sleep you got during the night. And if you feel weary and tired after waking up, that probably means that the sleep you had was not very restorative. The fifth and final stage that occurs at the end of every 90 minutes cycle is REM sleep. It has its own benefits as it influences learning, memory, and mood. This is also the stage where most of the dreaming takes place. THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM Every process in this world, whether living or non-living, has a cyclic pattern that has to be adhered to. And the human body is no exception. Countless cycles are being followed simultaneously and anything that disturbs these cycles disturbs the normal balance that keeps us healthy. Just to give you an example, think of the cyclic nature in which our blood cells are continuously replaced in a matter of 120 days. There is a rhythm to this process that is integral to its existence. The sleep-wake cycle that repeats itself daily is another manifestation of this rhythmic nature of life. And just like the other cycles, it must be adhered to. Think about what happens when you skip a night’s sleep. It is disorienting, to say the least. What if you skip two or three nights in a row? You will start feeling like a vegetable. This goes on to show how strictly we must adhere to our natural circadian rhythms.³ But that’s not all. What’s interesting is the fact that our sleep-wake cycle coincides directly with the normal day and night cycle of Earth. Our brains are naturally inclined to go into a restive state during nighttime and become more alert during the day.³ Unfortunately, the morbidly artificial life that the modern man lives doesn’t allow him to follow the natural path that resonates most closely with his body. But synchronizing our sleep-wake cycle with the natural order of day and night is the first step towards ensuring long periods of restorative sleep. BENEFITS OF RESTORATIVE SLEEP Detoxification Restorative sleep helps the body to get rid of harmful substances in the body. During REM sleep antioxidant mechanisms are activated that help the body to detoxify free radicals that produce profound damage. Dr. Mathangi conducted an experiment on rats which showed that REM deprivation led to the accumulation of free radicals and an increase in markers of stress.⁴ “FUNCTIONS OF VARIOUS ORGAN SYSTEMS ARE REDUCED AS SHOWN BY THE DECREASE IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND RESPIRATORY RATE DURING SLEEPING. ” Immune Function A good night’s sleep improves the ability to fight off infections. Chemicals, that promote immune function, and cells, which are responsible for mediating immunity, are increased. Interestingly, sleep also enhances immune memory i.e. the ability of the immune system to mount a protective reaction against the previously exposed pathogen. Dr. Lange in his study proves that individuals who had adequate sleep after Hepatitis A vaccination produced higher amounts of antibodies than sleep-deprived individuals.⁵ Brain Function Restorative sleep is mentally
WHY SLEEP IS MOST IMPORTANT? Read More »
IS GLUTEN REALLY BAD? Glutens are a family of proteins that are mostly found in wheat, barley, and rye. They are storage proteins and in previous years were called prolamins. Although, when you want to look at it strictly, gluten refers to proteins that can be found in wheat. However, in medical parlance, glutens are food molecules that contain a combination of two proteins namely; glutelin and prolamin which are found naturally in grains and have the potential of causing health problems for people having celiac disease. Glutens have certain beneficial attributes and have been used for a while in the food industry for instance it gives the bread a stretchy nature that allows it to expand and traps air making it able to swell and retain hydrated at a certain amount. It also makes some foods made from grains have a chewy form.² However, in recent times; consumers are becoming aware of the health implication of having certain levels of gluten in the body system. In this article, you will explore everything there is to know about gluten and how your health may be in for it if you are not careful about what food you consume! Where did gluten come from? The discovery of health problems caused by glutens is relatively new but the consumption of glutens is not new to humanity. For over 10,000, humans have been introduced to glutens via agricultural practices traceable to the Southwestern part of Asia, a region known for its fertility and scintillating landscapes.¹ What common foods contain gluten? Gluten is found in some foods, though they vary in the quantity of the protein substances. They are listed as follows: Foods from cereal or grains include wheat bran, whole wheat, wheat germ, triticale, couscous, semolina, barley, farina, rye, Kamut, etc. Processed foods of grain sources such as pasta, bread crumbs, veggie burgers, bread, cookies, etc. Certain beverages like malt vinegar, soy sauce, barley malt, sauces thickened with flour, etc. How is gluten produced industrially? Although gluten is found in small amounts in wheat and a few other grain crops, it can be extracted industrially. Usually, wheat flour is mixed with water to form a suspension. It is mixed and kneaded by special machines till the gluten content of the dough collects into a lump. The lump would be garnered via the process of centrifugation before it is passed through several continuous processes, one of which is the removal of water from the soaked gluten through a screw press. What is left of the gluten is forcefully sprayed through the nozzle of an atomizer into a chamber where it will receive gentle drying. This is done at a certain temperature that evaporates the moisture content without changing the nature of the gluten. You know, proteins are easily denatured under high temperatures. At this point, you will have a flour-like powder that still has to be milled and sifted to ensure uniformity in the processed gluten.³ What are the health implications of gluten consumption? Some disorders can be traced to the consumption of gluten; they are generally called “Gluten-related disorders”. Popular among these disorders include wheat allergy, dermatitis herpetiformis (DH), gluten ataxia, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), and the most common of them all; celiac disease (CD).⁴ These diseases are traceable to the peptide content of glutens.⁵ Let us take a closer look at these disorders one after the other. Celiac disease It is a chronic disease that affects the small intestine and is caused by the direct consumption of wheat, rye, oats, barley, or foods derived from them. Interestingly, aside from the small intestine, the disease also affects multiple organs by reducing their immunity levels.⁶ Although it is a gastrointestinal disease, it can exhibit some non-gastrointestinal symptoms. The tricky part is that celiac disease sometimes does not even show symptoms at all.⁷ Asymptomatic people find it difficult to trace their chronic ill health to celiac disease so they become used to a life of bad health however when they change diet to gluten-free foods, they notice an improvement in their health.⁸ It will amaze you to know that about 2% of the world’s population is affected by the disease but most of these cases are undiagnosed or untreated, leaving these people with a high risk of having protracted health problems.⁹ When celiac disease is not treated, it may result in iron deficiency, osteoporosis, malabsorption of food nutrients, reduced vitality, intestinal lymphomas, and even death.¹⁰ Autoimmune diseases associated with celiac disease include dermatitis herpetiformis, autoimmune hepatitis, thyroiditis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis among others.⁹ Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) This disorder was first discovered in 2010 and it describes the health condition involving several symptoms which improve after gluten-free food routine is being administered, which is after wheat allergy and celiac disease are excluded.¹¹ At this time, however, its pathogenesis is still under research study however it is the most prevalent disease of the ‘gluten disorder’ family.¹² NCGS is quite difficult to treat because most people who have the disease are unaware of it even though they have gastrointestinal problems. After all, many specialists are inadequately equipped with the knowledge of the disorder or how to treat it. In many cases, these patients suffer unending consultations without improvement with physicians diagnosing their problems like irritable bowel syndrome.¹³ Aside from irritable bowel syndrome, people suffering from NCGS also experience some health problems that are non-gastrointestinal such as fibromyalgia, neurological diseases, atopic diseases, allergies, etc. In 2017, a research work suggested that NCGS may be regarded as a chronic disorder just as celiac disease is.¹⁴ Gluten Ataxia A disease that affects the brain, damaging the cerebellum and distorting the patient’s coordination, walking, speaking and other complex movements; Gluten Ataxia! Gluten Ataxia is an autoimmune disease caused by the consumption of gluten.¹⁵ The treatment of gluten ataxia depends on the duration between the onset of the disease and the time of diagnosis; this is because dead cells in the cerebellum resulting from gluten exposure can never be revived.¹⁶ Patients
WHY IS HAPPINESS A DECISION? One of the basic aspirations of mankind is to remain in a state of health for as long as possible. Despite that we are the most intelligent specie which have walked the earth, our wittiness, meticulous studies, Ideally, the modern man is supposed to live an optimum life. I mean, if you lived a thousand years ago, you would do a lot more physically to enjoy a fraction of the basic amenities you enjoy today. However, as easy as life is for the modern man, he seems to be prone to more diseases than his ancestors in older ages. Could there be a missing link that modern advancements, despite their breakthrough in the field of medicine, seem not to get right? In old times, people paid more attention to other aspects of their lives aside from their bodies. This can be traced to ancient religions emphasizing the care for the mind, emotions, and spirit. The Hadith of Muhammad expressed undeniable wisdom towards achieving holistic health when it encouraged the Muslim: “Fast to heal.” Fast, here, was not only prescribed as abstenance from food and drink, rather an entire cleansing practice in the physical, spiritual, and mental context as well. Fourteen centuries later, Yoshinori Ohsumi won the 2016 Nobel Prize in medicine for his discovery on the role of fasting in reversing age through autophagy; a process where cells eat up aging and unhealthy cells and renew themselves. Health, in Islam as well as in most old world cultures and religions, was viewed through the lens of general wellbeing: mind, emotions, spirit, and body. Could it be that this was the reason they lived happier lives? The facts tend to support this hypothesis. It is also possible that life in its completeness surpasses wealth as it must involve happiness, wellbeing, and holistic health. What does holistic health mean? To get a deeper understanding of this subject, let’s get to the fundamental aspects of the subject. The Canadian Holistic Medical Association defines holistic medicine as a system of health care that fosters a cooperative relationship among all those involved, leading towards optimal attainment of the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of health.¹ This means that bodily wellness depended on the wellness of other aspects of the person; emotion, mind, and spirit. Holistic health practitioners believe that a human being is made of a body, a soul, and a spirit and that they are interdependent. “WHILE THERE COULD BE MANY DEFINITIONS TO WHAT HAPPINESS IS, MY FAVORITE IS: HAPPINESS IS CLARITY OF THOUGHTS.. AN YOU ONLY NEED TO THINK OF THE OPPOSITE TO FIND OUT HOW TRUE.” — NIDAL SAKR In modern medicine, however, medicine tends to diagnose the problem in the body alone and seek a cure for bodily wellness without the active participation of the sick person in his or her recovery to health. Modern medicine depends largely on drugs, surgeries, and the interaction of chemicals on the body, however, holistic medicine emphasizes the person’s ability to engage in self-care, a sort of health promotion that is self-directed in such a way that allows a person to be part of his or her healing process. Thomas McKeown, a 20th-century philosopher, and physician proposed a thesis where he stated that medical practitioners placed more emphasis on cure rather than care. He was promulgating an approach that inculcated the principles of holistic medicine. He concluded with a plea for a more humanistic, less technocratic role for the medical profession.² Considering the definition of health as given by the World Health Organization, you would discover that although modern medicine is practiced without interacting with every aspect of the human person, the world governing body on health seems to have a holistic health view. It defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing, and not just the absence of infirmity.³ Did modern medicine affect the practice of holistic medicine? In 1970, National Geographic traveled to the northern region of Pakistan to learn more about the Hunza people. The longevity and vitality the Hunza people enjoyed first drew global curiosity when Sir Robert McCarrison wrote about them in his famous 1921 book “Studies in Deficiency Disease.” The revelation which unfolded showed the modern world how the deviation from the natural ways of life has cost us in the aspect of health. The Hunzas attribute their longevity and vitality to a holistic health approach to living.⁴ They fed on natural foods such as berries and nuts, breathed unpolluted air, and had rigorous daily schedules which involved climbing mountainous terrains, farming, and domestic chores. In general, they had a way of life that sponsored soulish and bodily happiness and tranquility. No doubt, the worldwide acceptance of modern medicine makes people unreceptive to the administration of holistic medicine. However, Tu Youyou may have changed how the world viewed holistic medicine especially in the field of alternative medicine. In 2015, Tu Youyou won the Nobel Prize for medicine when she extracted a cure for malaria from sweet wormwood. Is holistic health practicable in today’s world? Holistic health or medicine is practiced with reference to some principles. These principles, ten of them, to be precise,⁵ are applicable in everyday life and some of them without the presence of a holistic doctor. For instance, a principle emphasizes the need for personal fulfillment in the pursuit of soulish wellness. In Abraham Maslow’s 1962 book titled “Towards a psychology of being”⁶ he revealed how the fulfillment of personal needs can bring one to a state of true happiness and whole health. He represented those needs in the form of a triangle which is known famously as the Maslow triangle of needs. We may not go deep into Maslow’s work but it is clear that in pursuit of personal happiness, what we subtly practice is a principle of holistic medicine. Conclusion Holistic medicine isn’t a new concept, it is perhaps the oldest recorded form of man’s pursuit of wellness. No doubt, it struggles
WHAT IS HAPPINESS? Read More »
Every living thing needs food to support its existence and humans are not left out. Food supplies our body with the necessary chemical energy for our organs to thrive optimally. However, we would not be just in our definition to relegate food to the place of sustaining survival alone. Promulgated by faith and supported by science, we have seen that diet has direct effects on our health. The health of our cells (the basic unit of every life) depends on what we eat and how we eat. Diets are so important to health that even the world’s most popular religions regard it so much to have prescribed how food should be taken, how it should be prepared, and from what source it is to be gotten. A healthy life is what we all are looking for. Sometimes we pay for it, other times we pray for it but isn’t it rather more convenient that we perpetually live in health rather than wishing for recovery? Let us consider how healthy dieting as faith prescribes can give us a life of health. We will look at the principles of Halal and of course Kosher and how we can gift ourselves a life of wellness by following the wisdom they share. What does Halal mean? Halal is an Islamic term for foods that are permitted for Muslims to consume. You can look at it as a set of dietary laws for the Muslim faithful. When you pay attention to the guidelines of Halal, one cannot deny the health and overall life advantages it offers to anyone who keeps its principles. For instance, the consumption of alcohol is forbidden from the diet of the Muslim faithful. This is corroborated by scientific research as excessive alcohol intake has been linked to heart diseases, liver damage, brain, and nervous system problems, anemia, cancer, digestive problems, and seizures among others.¹ This goes to show the level of importance the Islamic faith places on dieting for health’s sake. Interestingly, it does not just hope to make man the benefiting party at the detriment of nature. For instance, the Islamic faithful is instructed to allow animals for slaughter to range freely or at most tied to a leash that permits the animal to move around. Also, the principles of halal recommend that before slaughter, animals should be fed, watered, and soothed.² Where animals must be fed with feed from natural sources without synthetic additives such as hormones and antibiotics. Interestingly, science does not hold a different view about the stance of halal on animal feed and treatment before slaughter. The National Research Council which is a part of the National Academy of Sciences gave an opinion on the effect of antibiotic mix in animal feed on human health. It was deduced that the use of antibiotics in animal feed is linked to the development of resistant microorganisms in the bodies of the animals and that these organisms are transferred to humans as zoonotic pathogens³ and they are largely untreatable sometimes leading to the death of affected humans.⁴ Considering these facts, it is before your very eyes the wisdom in the principles of halal to give you wholesome meat that doesn’t pose any threat to your health. The concept of Halal just proves to us how humans stand a chance of living a life of health if we could inculcate the principles of halal into our dietary codes. Halal also shows us that the Islamic faith links wellbeing to dieting and this cannot be more factual than it already is. A scientific report confirmed that feeding on healthy food helps in the growth of special bacteria that increases the production of neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are responsible for your brain’s ability to decode neural messages clearly and help keep your mood light and cheerful. The connection between your mental health and your digestive system is so important that your gastrointestinal tract is called ‘the second brain’.⁵ What we eat affects our bodily and mental health truly! Little wonder the Prophet (PBUH) said “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink, and one third with air.” The Prophet (PBUH) admonished that eating should not be done solely for pleasure but to sustain good health and keep the body active. It is proven that many diseases can be traced to unhealthy eating habits which corroborate the health benefit of His teaching. “A SCIENTIFIC REPORT CONFIRMED THAT FEEDING ON HEALTHY FOOD HELPS IN THE GROWTH OF SPECIAL BACTERIA THAT INCREASES THE PRODUCTION OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS. THESE NEUROTRANSMITTERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR BRAIN’S ABILITY TO DECODE NEURAL MESSAGES CLEARLY AND HELP KEEP YOUR MOOD LIGHT AND CHEERFUL. ” When Yoshinori Ohsumi claimed the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2016 for his findings in the role of Muslim “total starvation” fasting in the renewal of cells through a process called ‘autophagy’, it only showed the recognition by the world’s highest scholarly authority in medicine to the advancement and the still ongoing cutting edge validity of both halal and Islamic medicine. This is because the Muslim fast is an important part of the Halal dietary code. How does Kosher help improve health? Just like Halal, Kosher is a set of dietary rules that guide traditional Jewish meals and how they are prepared. The rules show the potential of keeping one healthy as they prioritize hygiene in the preparation of meals. For instance, equipment used in the preparation of meat is to be separated from equipment used in the preparation of dairy products. This limits the chances of harmful bacteria from the gut of animals from contaminated utensils. Final Thoughts It took modern medicine 400 years to catch up to what has been a conventional practice for over 1400 years to more than a billion and
LEARN HOW OUR BODIES ARE DESIGNED TO BE FOREVER YOUNG The wheel of time turns and drags us along with it until we are thrown off. And that’s what we call death. Despite all the struggles of life, most people are afraid to be thrown off. We want to keep running on the wheel for as long as possible. Modern medicine is working towards that goal in some ways which allow us to drag our withered bones and old bodies along the wheel for a few more years. But it’s never enough because eventually, death comes for all. I want to ask a simple question. Is it really worth it to prolong our lives in such a manner where our worn-out bodies can be kept from dying for a limited time? We all know that the prime of our lives is the time of our youth. We feel the potential to do whatever we want to without our own health standing in our way. That is the time of life that allows us to fulfill our goals, enjoy ourselves and be happy. Old age, in contrast, comes with a lot of problems that diminish our energy and our health. Is it really worth trying to prolong our lives in this old age? That’s what anti-aging is. The idea is to slow down aging, to stall its advance. But all it ends up doing is to give us a sense of delaying the inevitable. Doesn’t sound all that fancy does it? What if we could go in reverse and restore our youths? After all, it is the prime time of our lives. What if we could prolong our youth instead of merely our ages? Valid questions. And the answer lies, not in anti-aging, but in age reversal! Age reversal is the idea of prolonging and restoring our youth. It is meant to restore our health and our energy. It is meant to keep us fit and happy. It is meant to keep us disease-free. It prolongs that phase of our lives which can be the most physically and mentally fulfilling. In doing so, it would keep old age from disturbing the peace of our youth. It is meant not to make us live longer per se, but to live younger and happier till we are eventually thrown off the wheel. Now that does sound interesting, doesn’t it? WHAT DOES AGING REALLY MEAN? Typically, aging is merely associated with its physical manifestations such as graying of hair, wrinkling of the skin, or generally as a decline in health and increased propensity to get diseases. The current efforts to counter aging are only directed towards reducing these symptoms of aging, just to look younger. Aging is actually a cellular process. As the cells start to lose the ability to divide and become worn out, we say that they have aged. These cellular alterations then manifest at a macroscopic level. How do we know that the cells are aging? It’s simple. The DNA in our cells undergoes epigenetic modifications in the form of DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling, collectively referred to as epigenetic markers. Steve Horvath developed an epigenetic or internal clock that measures epigenetic alterations to determine the biological age of cells which closely relates to the chronological age.¹ In addition to epigenetic modifications, other mechanisms that contribute to the process of aging include telomere shortening and cellular senescence. Telomeres are short segments of DNA that progressively shorten with each replication. Therefore, the cell loses the capability to replicate after a certain number of replications and eventually meets death. In addition, various insults incurred upon our DNA and the inability to repair the damage results in accumulation of DNA damage. This coupled with free radical mediated inflammation within our cells and tissues results in damage to our cellular health, which gradually leads to aging. You can read about it in more detail here. All of these changes are closely related to our lifestyle habits, environment and nutrition. Age reversal focuses on these very factors to bring about the restoration of youth which is our goal! CAN AGE BE REVERSED? Research indicates that it can be reversed. One particular experiment showed that the administration of growth hormones along with metformin (a diabetes drug) and other chemicals decrease aging.² There are dozens if not scores of such experiments that indicate that biological ageing can not only be halted but reversed. And this isn’t even a new discovery. And filling yourself up with various drugs isn’t the only way to age reversal. Let’s talk about some other methods that work just as well. NUTRITION Many experiments indicate that calories restriction modulates the activity of signaling pathways which protect the cells from harmful effects of aging. It also leads to the release of chemicals called sirtuins which play a beneficial role in promoting longevity through various mechanisms³. Fasting is a traditional and religious custom that has been a part of many cultures for more than a millennium that serves this very purpose of caloric restriction. Remember what I said about age reversal not being a new discovery? Apart from how much we eat, what we eat matters just as much. Many food products like various fruits, onions, prunes and fish (just to name a few) have anti-oxidant properties which neutralize the free radical mediated inflammation in our cells. Research has shown that this prevents DNA damage and contributes to the health of cells⁴. And that’s not all. Remember telomeres that keep on shortening with every cell division which leads to eventual cellular senescence? This means a cell can no longer divide and hence must eventually die. But believe it or not, in a landmark research many food products (legumes, nuts, and various fruits) have been positively linked with maintaining or increasing telomere length. That means continued cell division and continued supply of healthy cells. Crazy what watching what you eat can get you.⁵ EXERCISE The importance of physical activity and exercising cannot be overstated.
WHY AGE REVERSAL NOT ANTI AGING? Read More »