Foods, Facts and Fairytales….

When populism rules -- wisdom, questions and insight depart.

With the previous articles, I have attempted to show what causes chronic disease – how our bodies go from healthy to unhealthy. What is actually causing ‘Metabolic Syndrome’ (as far as possible) based on hundreds of articles, research papers and comments from a multitude of disciplines. Trying to get to the bottom of the problem, without the sensationalism, half-truths, innuendo and different agendas or motivations. This is what is under discussion (and how much it is costing governments to treat this -- if they are treating it – which some are not doing despite statements to the contrary…)

Metabolic Syndrome        Source: Milkthistle

If you are suffering from diabetes, ask yourself : “Did your government health service provide you with an instrument with which to monitor your blood-sugar? No? Did they just prescribe tablets when you also needed insulin? Yes? Then the terrible cost quoted by Departments of Health regarding ‘the cost of diabetes to the State’ , is not applicable – you are not getting what you need from them. The same applies to all the above medical conditions – as well as obesity (also a disease).

Is all of the above caused by sugar -- No. Why are non-nutritive sweeteners included in a sugar tax? I cannot tell you – it is certainly not about health or disease. Actually, some sweeteners can be very dangerous to some people, and now we are seeing more sweeteners in food and drink.

I have not yet written about what we can do to change the prevalence of chronic diseases – that will probably only be addressed after October 2018 -- and after the United Nations high level commission WHO meeting on 27 September 2018 … yes, it is just around the corner. We must pray that the deliberations will be conducted with wisdom and insight – not convenient, one-dimensional quick fixes that will just worsen our individual health issues. Individual health issues? Most certainly. It has been shown unequivocally that chronic diseases are individual issues requiring individualized solutions. A ‘one-size-fits-all approach' will not do.

When you read journals, follow published health trends and advice, follow the reasoning for the development of chronic diseases, and listen and read what some experts, organizations and governments have in store for us to ‘improve our health’, you will not be amiss when you start to think the solutions would include

1.    Do not eat – except for leaves – no rather not, due to pathogens that WILL kill you. Rather just do not eat, period...;

2.    Do not drink – water pollution or -unavailability;

3.    Do not breathe – air pollution;

4.    Do not enjoy life or be happy – you will use more energy when you are not depressed (and will then probably not be obese – and then the excuse for these taxes disappear);

5.    Do not eat bread – just the butter – on second thought, rather have margerine –scrap that – make it oil – oops, no -- rather no fats or lipids at all;

6.    Do not eat meat, just meet online;

7.    Do not eat fish – they are endangered and polluted (red tide and plastic);

8.    Do not provide your body with what it requires, you may be less depressed (learn to force your body -- be in control);

9.    Do not eat a balanced meal in moderation – the writers of diet books and fad diets will cry all the way to the bank;

10. Be miserable, that way your health issues can be blamed on anything except the bad advice that you are given;

11. Do not listen to anyone or any advice if it is not from the World Health Organization – even if it does not make sense and their ‘research’ is questionable;

12. Do not think about anything except being thin, even if it results in more face wrinkles and looking 20 years older – plastic surgeons also need a living;

13. Do not blame the environment – it will be taken ‘care’ of as part of the other Global Sustainability Goals probably funded by the health levy or sugar taxes or more taxes down the line – if it does not interfere with tax normally collected for the State;

14. Do not blame taxes -- for making healthy diets unaffordable;

15. Do not blame stress – that leads to high blood pressure, heart disease and poor diets;

16. Do not blame ….. anything that you are not told to blame…

Why is this so?

Most of the advice provided to consumers, patients … you… comes from a very restricted, limited view of the causes of disease (if not an apparent total lack of knowledge at all). What is making us sick, ill, less healthy, obese ….? What is causing any condition that we may or may not suffer from, that is not caused by something (a virus or bacterium) that is communicable (transferred from one person to another)?

Do we know?

Yes – if we take a 360° view of all the research – not just a singular, simplistic view of the physiological realities of the human organism (one food or ingredient that you eat), but also of the environment in which you function.

The effect of the environment on human quality of life cannot be overemphasized. Pollution of the air, water, soil, homes, working environments with (for example) vehicle exhausts, coal dust, mining dust, chemical imbalanced air, industrial emissions, acid mine water, sewage pumped into rivers and the sea, destruction of oxygen or carbon dioxide providing/destroying plants or trees, chemicals used in the food chain, climate change or -adaptation (drought, floods, dead animals decomposing, heat, cold, extreme variations) and more, contribute to health developing into chronic disease. The lungs of people (adults and children) living near coal dumps look the same as those of a chain smoker … the lung cancer that may develop can hardly be blamed on sugar.

This is the reality – and if research proving it is distrusted – look around you. What do you see? If you live in a developed country you may have to watch television to see how the largest part of the world population actually live in developing countries. We are talking about policies and populist views ignoring what is in reality going on around us – every day. Taxing any food, beverage or ingredient that we eat will not change the effect of this on our health and lives at all – and the organisations, governments and the UN that propagate and force countries into the course of action, most probably know this as well….yet refuse to change their course.

Being single-minded diet-centrist in the approach to human chronic health and quality of life, is dangerous. When it comes from the United Nations and the World Health Organization apparently run amok, it is frightening.

Why?

Is it because they do not want to see; they do not want to be ‘wrong’; it is a battle to ‘win’, it is about sacrificing the poor to ‘save the world’ for…? When in fact it is about your life and the lives of your children and grandchildren most of whom cannot afford to eat today – not to mention tomorrow and next year.

Earlier this year, the Minister of Health in South Africa called the health promotion levy (sugar tax) implementation “a foot in the door” – one that he savored, stating “this is only the beginning”. Indeed. If taxing and re-taxing of sugar is allowed, any food or ingredient can and will be taxed at will. The sugar tax will also increase – it was a promise from a minister. It is disgusting to think the funds are going to the fiscus – not for health…. We are not important at all. We are already paying 15% Value Added Tax (VAT) in South Africa on ALL except a few food items. This Health Levy is additional tax. This is after Income Tax and tax on just about everything in our lives (or not in our lives – pay anyway).

Is it the same in your country wherever you live? Most probably. Reports on the so-called ‘success’ of sugar taxes are based on computer modeling – not facts. Did you know that? Look at the research that is quoted so diligently – some of them based on obesity and chronic disease figures that are more than a decade old…..and extrapolations done to present as the ‘truth', 'fact'.

Is it simply about money? An additional source of revenue at all cost? Look at the economies worldwide, the migration figures, corruption, theft, currency devaluations, bloated governments and organizations needing ever more money, to answer the question.

Over time, many people will probably pay with their lives. Not because the tax was not implemented, but because it wás implemented. It opened the door to completely unaffordable living.

What about the proof?

Where are the results to prove that countries that instituted these taxes have a decline in obesity and metabolic syndrome diseases? They are not spoken about – close investigation could indicate what journalists on the ground in Mexico is seeing – the tax is not curbing obesity or chronic diseases. It does not matter whether the sales of sugar sweetened beverages have declined, increased, moved sideways or not at all – it does not even matter if it can be shown that consumption of these products declined. It is irrelevant. If there is no decline in obesity and other chronic diseases, the tax or levy is obsolete. The proposed solution is incorrect.

Let us review more actually true facts that is not really spelled out for us when it comes to health and disease …

 Normal, Healthy Metabolic Pathways -- Source: Dev.Biologists.org

Taking the information in previous articles posted on LinkedIn as read, let us discover Endocrine disruption which affects (inter alia) the Metabolic Pathways (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5365353/ or https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089062381630363X?via%3Dihub ).

Do you know what Endocrine disruption is? If not, read on….

According to Heindel, J.J. et.al., https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089062381630363X?via%3Dihub “Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex condition characterized by insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia; it is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, T2D, stroke, chronic kidney disease and cancers. Its prevalence is increasing along with the increase in obesity, and it is reaching epidemic proportions affecting between 24% and 34% of the adult US population….. Obesity among children and adolescents has similarly increased. Approximately one third of US children are overweight or obese, and over 60% of obese children will become obese adults. There is also an obesity epidemic among infants six months of age and younger; an age group where food choices and limited physical activity cannot explain this outcome. … obesity is neither necessary nor sufficient to cause T2D; these conditions can occur independently. Indeed, 20% of adults with T2D were not overweight and 57% of obese individuals do not have T2D. …

The obesity epidemic is not limited to humans but has also been observed as upward trends in body weight among primates and rodents living in research colonies, as well as among feral rodents, horses and domestic dogs and cats. …

In the medical community, epidemics of metabolic diseases have largely been attributed to genetic background and changes in diet, exercise and aging. However, there is now considerable evidence that other environmental factors may contribute to the rapid increase in the incidence of obesity, T2D and other aspects of MetS observed over the past three decades”.

 Schematic illustrating the neuroendocrine control of energy balance (modified from Schwartz et al Nature 404, 661-71, 2000) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5365353/

“Before any effects on humans were recorded, the concept of “endocrine disruption" was already known from reports that have taught us that synthetic chemicals or other compounds introduced into the environment by human activity (environmental contaminants) may disrupt the endocrine system of animals [we humans are also animal in nature]. Indeed, any chemical with the ability to interfere with, mimic or antagonize the function and/or the production of hormones may cause adverse effects by disrupting organ function and subsequent development. Such molecular compounds are called endocrine disruptors (EDs) and are defined by the European Commission as “exogenous substances that alter function(s) of the endocrine system and, as a consequence, cause adverse health effects in an intact organism". This was never mentioned by any endocrinologists in public hearings for the taxation of sugar (which became even broader in application to be known as ‘a health levy’ in some countries).

These man-made chemicals, as well as a few natural ones, include persistent, bio accumulative, organohalogen compounds (including pesticides such as fungicides, herbicides and insecticides) and industrial chemicals, other synthetic products and some metals [… for example]:

Xenoestrogens are one particular class of endocrine disruptors characterized by their estrogenic activity. These estrogenic compounds are part of our daily environment since they are found in numerous man- made or natural products such as pesticides [e.g. Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) derivatives, methoxychlor, kepone], in products associated with plastics (e.g. BPA, nonylphenols), in pharmaceutical agents (e.g. DES, tamoxifen, raloxifen), in ordinary household products (breakdown products of detergents and surfactants), in industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in UV filters [e.g. 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) and octocrylene (OC)] as well as in food (soy-derived phytoestrogens such as genistein, daidzein).

 The estrogenic activity [as with soy] of plastic stabilizers was discovered when researchers from Tufts University Medical School (Ana Soto and Carlos Sonnenschein) found that control breast cancer cells were proliferating just as much as estrogen-treated cells. They later found that the source of estrogen contamination was the tubes that contained their serum. They finally identified p-nonylphenol, which is used to stabilize polystyrene plastics such as in cans containing beverages or food. Since this finding, the concept of xenoestrogens affecting sexual development has been applied to many other compounds such as the infamous BPA, Di(n-butyl)phthalates (DBP), and ethinylestradiol found in oral contraceptives”. (https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:1995).

“Endocrine disruptors can mimic the effect of natural hormones (agonists), interfere with the binding of hormones to their receptor (antagonists), block the synthesis of hormones or directly interact with hormones. Because of the important role that hormones play during development, the consequences of such disruption can be severe. These effects may include reproductive, endocrine, metabolic, immunological, neurological, behavioral and neoplastic changes”. (https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:1995).

Is this all we need to know? No.

To find out more, it is important to read the review published in 2017 by Heindel, J.J. et. al., in Reproductive Toxicology, entitled : “Metabolism disrupting chemicals and metabolic disorders”. The highlights from the review is listed as:

• “The recent epidemics of metabolic diseases cannot be attributed only to genetic background and changes in diet, exercise and aging.
• Metabolic diseases have their origins during development due to altered programming that increases susceptibility to disease later in life.
• Metabolism disruptors are endocrine disruptors that increase the susceptibility to metabolic diseases.
• Some metabolism disruptors may cause metabolic diseases per se while others act via increasing the sensitivity or set point for disease.
• The metabolic disruptor hypotheses provides a focus on preventing metabolic diseases”. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089062381630363X?via%3Dihub

There is much, much more to the development of obesity and other chronic or non-communicable diseases than meets the eye.

It is nót the results of individual ingredients, foods or beverages, however impossible it may seem.

 

What about allergens that can be caused by food or environmental conditions?

Source: EMSL Analytical Inc

The role of allergens in the development of non-communicable diseases and metabolic syndrome disorders have apparently also been underestimated. Allergens are ingested, absorbed, touched and/or breathed into the lungs (or caused by ingesting foods that cause food intolerance or food sensitivity). Individuals that are affected by such allergens whatever the origin, have an increased auto-immune response. This implies that the body reacts to these allergens in the same manner as to a communicable disease (such as a viral infection). This in turn places the body under stress and once again activates the process which culminates in metabolic disorders (chronic, non-communicable diseases and/or obesity)..

This is very important since many of the milk replacers (for example) contain other allergens such as soy as well as a list of other ingredients including sugar, starch and in some instances even other milk ingredients. This could be a concern in baby foods especially, given the additional constraint with regard to soy due to the oestrogen-linked effects that may have been underestimated up to now.

It is also important to note that endocrine disruptions in children are associated with obesity and chronic diseases in later life. What happens to babies influence what they become later in life – this includes obesity, metabolic disorders and non-communicable diseases. It starts in the cradle.

Some medication can have the same effect as allergens.

 Source: Aidsinfo NHI

Interactions between different medications may have side-effects that assist the development of metabolic disorders. It is also possible to create non-communicable diseases by taking medication while ignoring the instructions on how to take it. For example, when medication must be taken with food, versus before a meal or after a meal, not taking it as required can make the difference between causing damage to the stomach or not, determining whether the medication is absorbed correctly or not, and so on.

Source: Pharmacywatch.com

Which ‘things’ can cause chronic disease in some people (not all people). The list is long and includes, for example:

• smog,
• all forms of pollution (air, home, soil, water, work-place, farming, mining etc.),
• spores, moulds and yeasts growing in homes (under paint, in the kitchen or bathroom, in moist or clammy areas also caused by leaks, poor hygiene and more),
• inhaling insecticides,
• a lack of oxygen rich air,
• a lack of sufficient sleep,
• poor quality sleep,
• lack of darkness when sleeping,
• sleep apnoea,
• a lack of time in the sun,
• exhaustion,
• artificial light,
• a lower metabolic rate due to inactivity,
• shallow breathing (decreasing oxygen levels in the blood).

All of these and more disrupt the rhythms that are so important to regulate human biological functions. When the body’s clocks are not synchronized, metabolic disorders and non-communicable diseases is the result.

Can these ‘clocks’ (circadian clocks) be reset?

Yes.

Enough for now? Next – the development of health and disease has the image of a Daisy….

More sources available on request.

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