Scientific truths are eternal. In the past, despite vitamin supplements being the norm, we had already started emphasizing the importance of wholesome plant-based nutrition. E Excel's Nutritional Immunology has withstood the test of time and today more and more research findings have validated our core principles.
Chapter 2 Live With Dr Chen (LWDC)
Is it true that we have to take vitamin supplements every day? Are there any detrimental effects from overdose of vitamin pills?
Many of us lead busy lives with little time to eat balanced meals. As such, we assume by popping a multivitamin pill we are able to made up for what we lack. We think that even if these pills do not help us, at least they will not harm us.
Moreover, as vitamin labels usually list the US Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals, we assume the pill contains an ideal does.
This assumption is flatly refuted by experts like the US FDA and
British Standards Agency (FSA).
The FDA and FSA advise that popping such pills regularly could do serious harm to the body.
Eg too much Vitamin A can cause fatigue while an excess of vitamin B6 can affect the nervous system. Too much vitamin A or just 5 times the RDA of vitamin D can damage the liver.
There is a difference on how our body function between taking wholesome food and synthetic vitamins. Extraction of nutrient from its original source transforms that nutrient's biochemical structure, Scientists propose that some extracted nutrients like vitamin C will oxidize and release billions of free radicals that are harmful to the body. Whereas when we eat an orange we obtain Vitamin C that is beneficial to the body.
All about where vitamins supplements come from?
Are Vitamin Supplements Good or Bad? Do vitamin supplements prevent diseases?
Must pregnant women take folic acid?
Research links to much Folic Acid- a staple in multivitamins as well as cereal and bread to colon, lung and prostate cancer. Do not mistaken on folate found in our leafy greens and beans compare to folic acid added in synthetic form breakfast cereal, nutrition bars or flour.
We all need the natural folate found in leafy greens, beans, orange, and other foods, and diets high in these foods are perfectly healthy. When cells in the body are healthy, folate helps shepherd along the normal replication of DNA. But when cells are malignant or in danger of becoming so--and as many as half of adults older than 60 could already have precancerous colon polyps, while most middle-aged men have precancerous cells in their prostates--animal studies suggest excess folate in the form of folic acid may act like gas on the fire.
Further reading - Is too much folic acid giving you cancer?
Can taking calcium supplements prevent osteoporosis? Can taking more calcium pills help our bones regain the calcium it has lost?
To prevent osteoporosis, some turn to calcium pills, taking 1,000-1,500 mg of calcium daily. However,
increasing calcium intake seems to offer little protection against osteoporosis.
Very little calcium can be absorbed and calcium absorption decreases with age. During the growing years calcium absorption is rapid - a baby absorbs up to 400mg of calcium a day and excretes only 10 to 40 mg. Unlike children and teenagers, adults only absorb 20%-30% of calcium consumed, with the figure even lower for postmenopausal women at no more than 7%.
There are harmful side effects on calcium pills as it can cause formation of kidney stones. Poor kidney function can cause calcium to accumulate in soft tissues instead of bones, possibly leading to arthritis, heart disease and senile dementia.
Cow's milk is commonly thought to help build strong bones as it is rich in calcium. However, there is little evidence that increasing milk intake will aid in building bones.
Is cow's milk good for us?
In order to build strong bones,
we have to exercise. It helps to increase and preserve bone mass. Secondly, plants naturally contain calcium which they absorb from soil.
Soy is a plant food that is rich in calcium. Soy is also low in fat and cholesterol free. Phytoestrogens unique to soy can effectively prevent bone loss, enhance the body's calcium absorption and increase bone mineral density. Lastly our
human body makes vitamin D when exposed to the sun. About 10-15 minutes in the sun 3 times weekly is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D.
Many people encounter joint pain issues, hence are taking glucosamine, hoping it helps with cartilage to grow. Is it effective? Are there any side effects?
Auto-immune diseases such as Arthritis, Lupus, Psoriasis are getting common these days. What are autoimmune diseases? How can we prevent or improve such conditions?
Eating meat and dairy products raises the risk of autoimmune diseases like inflammatory polysrthritis ( any types of arthritis that involves five or more joints simultaneously). Some studies have suggested that cow's milk based infant formulas and cow's milk consumption in childhood may promote the development of type-1 diabetes.
Consuming Meat and Dairy products causes inflammation on the intestinal lining (Leaky Gut). Food is digested in the stomach and intestines and broken down into small molecules that pass through intestinal walls to enter the bloodstream. The intestinal walls act as a filter and protective barrier. If this "filter" is damaged (due to inflammation) there will be increased intestinal permeability (known as leaky gut). This allows incompletely digested big molecules to pass through intestinal walls into the bloodstream. When these substances accumulate in certain organs in the body, they stimulate the immune system to react by initiating inflammatory responses. While attacking the foreign substances, the immune system may mistakenly attack the organs where these foreign substances are leading to autoimmune diseases.
Our modern diet have excessive omega 6 ( found in vegetable oil and processed fast food), fried food, red meat and dairy cause inflammation to the body and autoimmune disease. We can fight autoimmune diseases with increasing Omega 3 from plant and change our diet.
Other topics that were covered are on sleep, GMO food, Nano technology, mosquitoes bites and right way to lose weight. PM me if you want detail information on any of the topic discussion.
Dr Chen passionately sharing her Nutritional Immunology knowledge with the public
We received G-Art as door gift. G-Art are wholesome plant food Brown algae, Ginger, Alfalfa, parsley, Acerola cherry, Spinach and Cactus. They are food high in glutamine and antioxidant.
I am looking forward to the next session Chapter 3 Live with Dr Chen's in September and this session will be in English.
"Money is a result. Wealth is a result. Health is a result. Illness is a result. Your weight is a result, We live in a world of cause and effect."
Best regards and thanks,
Pei Lin LEE
Health Consultant
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