Go Unprocessed – Take a Stand for Your Health

1. WellnessPost Vol1,Issue2,Jan2016 Gounprocessed-takeastandforyourhealth Processedfoodshavebeenfoundtobemoredangerousforhealththanweearlierthought. Frequentconsumptionofprocessedfoodspromotesobesity,metabolicsyndrome,andcardiovasculardiseases.Recently,processedfoodshave alsobeenimplicatedaspromoterofautoimmunediseases. Theincidenceofautoimmunediseasesisincreasingworld-wide.Inparallel,industrialfoodprocessingandfoodadditiveconsumptionisalsoon rise.Researchershaveputforwardanideathatupsurgeinincidenceofautoimmunediseasesislinkedtotheincreasinguseofadditivesusedin processedfoods. Let'shaveanunderstandingofhowthesefoodadditivesdothedamage. Thesurfaceofhumanintestineismadeofepithelialcells.Itisthissingle-cellliningthatformsabarrierthatseparatestheintestinallumenfrom the host's internal milieu. Epithelial cells are held together through tight junctions which control the passage of macromolecules. These tight junctionsalsoprotectintestinaltractagainstinvasionandcolonizationbybacteria,andthuspreventonsetoftheimmuneresponse. Whenthereisaproblemwiththetightjunctions,theintestinalpermeabilityincreaseswhichcompromisestheprotectivefunctionofintestinal epithelia. The intestinal barrier becomes permeable to allergens, bacteria, and toxins; this activates the immune system of the body causing destructionofthebodytissueandabnormalorgangrowthandfunction. There is a defect in the functioning of the tight junctions in many autoimmune disorders including ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, inflammatory joint disease, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, type1diabetesmellitus,etc. Researchers are of the opinion that common additives in processed foods including sugars, salt, emulsifiers, organic solvents, gluten, microbial transglutaminase, and nanoparticles disrupt the permeability of the intestinal membrane by bringing about transformation in tight junctions. This results in entryofforeignimmunogenicantigensandactivationofautoimmunecascade. Weguess,thisgivesusallareasongoodenoughtolimitintakeofprocessedfoods inourdietsandthriveonnaturalwholefooddiets. Referfollowingscientificarticlestoknowmoreonthistopic: Autoimmun Rev 2015; 14:479-89. CurrAllergyAsthmaRep2014;14(1):404. Gutbacteriaasapossibletreatmentforobesity:researchunderway Microbes in the human gut carry out a number of body functions including digestion and breakdown of complex carbohydrates, maintaining immunity,etc. Prior studies have linked imbalance in the gut microbiota with a number of diseases. More recently, it has been found that changes in the composition of gut microbiota are associated with obesity. Research has suggested that gut bacteria impact fat storage, glucose balance, and appetiteregulatinghormonesinourbody. Early evidence that gut microbes might play a role in obesity came from animal experiments wherein intestinal microbiota of slim and obese twinswasinducedinmice.Micefedwithmicrobiotafromanobesetwindevelopedobese,whilethosefedwithmicrobiotafromaleanindividual hadnormalbodyweight.Microbiotaofslimtwinevenpreventedthedevelopmentofobesityinmicewiththemicrobiotafromtheobesetwin. Ithasbeenfoundthatthebacterialdiversityinthegutwaslessandtheproportionofdifferentgutmicrobeswasalteredinobesemiceaswellasin obesehumans.Forexample,therewasadecreasedabundanceofBacteriodeteswithaproportionalincreaseinFirmicutesstrain. Basedontheaboveevidence,itisnowbeingbelievedthattransplantationofbacteriafromleandonorexcrementtoanobesepersonmaybecome aviabletreatmentoptionforweightlossinthefuture.Inadistantpartofthe world,researchersarecontemplatingaclinicalstudywhereinpoopsamplesfrom lean and healthy donors will be freeze-dried and then given to 21 obese individuals.Researchersbelievethatthisstudywillgivemuchmoreinformation aboutthepotentialofthepooppill. To those of us who want to lose weight, a healthy diet or regular exercisewould now sound a whole lot better idea than consuming someone else's poop in pill form! Referthefollowingtoknowmoreonthistopic: http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/01/freeze-dried-poop-pills-being-tested-for-obesity-treatment/ WorldJGastrointestPathophysiol2015;6(4):110-9. PolishJMicrobiol2015;64(2):93-100. Whatweeataffectsoursleep:studysuggests InastudyconductedatColumbiaUniversityMedicalCenterinNewYork,researchersfoundthateatinglessfiber,moresaturatedfat,andmore sugarledtolighterandlessrestorativesleepwithmorearousals. Thisstudyinvolved26normalweightadults(13menand13women).Participantsspent5daysinsleeplabwheretheysleptforanaverage7 hoursand35minutespernight.Whenoncontrolleddietwhichwaslowerinsaturatedfatandhigherinproteincontent,participantsfellasleep fastercomparedtowhentheyatefoodsoftheirchoice. Ittooktheparticipantsanaverageof17minutestofallasleepaftereatingthecontrolledmeals;whileittookthem29minutestofallasleepafter eatingfoodsoftheirchoice. Asingledayofgreaterfatintakeandlowerfiberintakeinfluencedthesleepparameters.Greaterpercentageofsaturatedfatindietwasassociated withlessslowwavesleep(deepsleep)andagreaterpercentageofsugarwasassociatedwitharousals. Researchers are of the opinion that the finding - 'diet influences sleep' can have tremendoushealthimplications,giventheincreasingrecognitionofroleofsleep in the development of chronic disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovasculardisorders. Thoseofyouwhohavedifficultysleepingandwhodonothavesoundsleep,our adviseis–addplentyoffreshfruitsandgreenleafyvegetablesinyourdiet,and avoideatingoilyfoodsandsweets. Referthefollowingtoknowmoreonthistopic: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160114213443.htm JClinSleepMed2016;12(1):19-24. HormMolBiolClinInvest2014;17(1):29-37. ForgettheBMI-waistsizealonecanindicatetheriskoflargebowelcancerinmen Obesityhaslongbeenassociatedwithincreasedriskofcolorectalcancer. Ithasbeenreportedthatriskofcolorectalcancerinobesepeoplewastwicecomparedtonormal-weightpeople.Withevery5kg/m2increasein bodymassindex,riskforthecolorectalcancerincreasedby18%. Researchhasnowshownanincreasedriskofcolorectalcancerinpeoplewithabdominalobesity. Resultsofa10-yearlongfollow-upstudypublishedinInternationalJournalofEpidemiologyprovidedevidenceforincreasedriskofcolorectal cancerwithincreaseinwaistcircumference.Colorectalcancerriskwasincreasedby59%inmenwhogainedwaistcircumferenceby10cmor more.Thisincreasedriskofcolorectalcancerwasregardlessofweightchange. Researchersareoftheopinionthatimprovedlifestyle,particularlybetterdietary choices and being more physically active, can help prevent obesity and hence, lowercoloncancerrisk. We are of the opinion that more studies and evidence based data is required specially for Asian populations before any categorical guidelines are formed on this,butfornowitisverymuchinourinteresttokeepourweightincontroland ourwaistlinesfrombulging. Referthefollowingtoknowmoreonthistopic: Int J Epidemiol Sep 2015. JClinOncol2015;33(31):3591-7. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151027074816.htm NEWSLETTERVol1,Issue2,Jan2016| www.vlccwellness.com