Effect of coffee enema

Effect of coffee enema

1) Introduction

I went to America to study as a resident of surgeon in 1963. The previous year, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson was published, in which she warned that the agrochemical and chemical synthetic materials invented in 20^th Century could damage the nature and human body. It is the first sign of warning.

At the time America was in the boom of “mass production and mass consumption to symbolize richness” and was enjoying the food. During that time, in the medical world even very small polyps had to be extirpated by means of abdominal operation. I was having a serious doubt in such surgeries for a long time, and in 1969 I finally developed the epoch-making surgery of extirpating colon polyp using colonoscopy without abdominal operation.

In the process of inspection using colonoscopy, I discovered that people who had good intestinal phase were more likely to have good health. Since then I have done about 300,000 medical inspections and 100,000 polypectomies. As the result, I became confident that fine health was based on proper diet hence normal elimination that makes good bowel condition.

2) The change of diet brings tremendous burden on your bowel

I have had nearly 40 years of experience in medical care both in Japan and America.

During the 1960s, Japanese diet was rapidly westernized and high-calorie and high-protein diet became common. Besides, we were buying more and more fast food and eating out more. At the same time, the hazardous environment change including air pollution, ambient pollution, soil change, overuse of agrochemical and chemical fertilizer started having an effect on our health. My 300,000 diagnoses told me that those bad elements affected human bowel.

What is healthy diet;

1. Eat locally produced natural products
2. Follow the nutritious balance as follows;
   Cereal & beans: vegetable & fruits: meat & fish = 5:2:1
3. Take in animal protein from seafood
4. Keep healthy diet
   Chew food well
   Eat at least 4-5 hours before going to bed
   Eat moderately, do not overeat
   Preferably avoid eating between meals
5. Eat fermented food including miso (bean paste) and natto
6. Eat less sugar
7. Avoid processed food and ready meals with a lot of food additives
   

Those are the advice I having been giving to my patients. It is not always easy to stick to these rules in our busy society.

Even if patients have regular bowel movement everyday, I still find, through the polypectomy examination, a lot of them have food scum in their bowel wall or colon fold. The scum goes off and poison the bowel in the environment of 36.5℃ body temperature within 24 hours. The best thing to get rid of the scum outside your body before it goes off.

3) Digesting mechanism and elimination time

When you eat, digestion in your mouth starts at first with spit. Amylase, one of digestive enzyme is in spit, which has power to melt down amylum. 1g of amylase melts down 5 tons of amylum in 15 minutes. Food becomes acidy in the stomach and after being fully digested with hydrochloric acid and pepsin, the outlet of stomach (exit of stomach) opens from where food is sent to duodena. Digestive fluid in duodena is called bile and pancreatic fluid. Bile is a strong alkaline fluid of ph8.2-8.5.

1g of Lipase, one of digestive enzyme, dissolve 5kg of fat to glycerin and fatty acid. Pancreatic fluid has some enzymes. One of them is pepchitase that melts down amylum and the other is trypsin that melts down protein so that most food is digested in your duodena and then absorbed in your small intestine. Food melted in your stomach is mixed with some digestive enzymes such as pepchitase, lipase, trypsin, etc. and is degraded, then finally changed to nutrient grain. These nutrients are taken in by ciliation or micro-ciliation during passing through your small intestine, which is 6m in length.
The residuum digested is sent to your large intestine.

In your large intestine moisture and mineral get absorbed. The length of your large intestine is about 1.5m and consists of 6 parts including an appendix, an ascending colon, a transverse colon, a descending colon, a sigmoid and an archo. It takes about 9-10 hours for unwanted grain and non-digested material to reach your archo and get removed from anus as feces.

4) Gas-forming caused by inadequately digested food

Examining with a colonoscopy, cancer or polyp is usually found in the fold of large intestine where feces is likely to pile up. The diverticulum or the area where bowel spasm is chronically strong is the places for feces to halt because the feces flow is not smooth.

As you become older, the number of good bacteria in your bowel decreases and on the other hand the number of bad bacteria increases. I find that young people including children who suffer from chronic ulcerative colitis, Chrohn’s disease, atopia and any allergosis such as phthisis have very poor bowel condition (intestinal phase) and having more bad bacteria and less acidophilus (good bacteria).

Bad bacteria for bowel including Welsh bacteria, clostridium, staphylococcal, pseudomonas seruginosa, bacillus coli, are putrefactive bacteria, which rot undigested food and in the process produce a lot of harmful substances such as hydrogen sulfide, indole, carbolic acid, skatole, ammonia, methane and amine arisen. These bowel bacteria and cell of colon mucosa generate radical oxygen ( free radical) and lipid peroxide. Gas and toxin not only make bowel condition worse, but also enter the blood through mucosa of large intestine to give whole body bad influence. Dirty blood causes hematogenous disorder and congestion of lymph. Hematogenous disorder reduces normal body function from skin to cardiovascular and rate of metabolism lowers. Weakened organ can be attacked by every phlogistica and disease such as cancer.

5) Crud in bowel leads to all kinds of disease

Normally healthy person has 50-200 cc of gas in the large intestine and excrete certain amount of gas depending on the type of meal, frequency of excretion of feces, hygienics of intestine (usage of Coffee Enema). The amount of gas is the barometer of your intestinal phase level and health condition (please refer to endoscopic photography at the end of the book).

The number of well-known doctors point out that constipation and fecal impaction, that is retention of contents and the crud in the large intestine, are possible cause of various diseases. Recently not only doctors specialized in stomach and dietetics but also other healthcare practitioner argue the importance of basic hygienic in large intestine, and “clean intestine and cleaning and activation of intestine are important for human health” becomes main issue.

Patients suffering from piles, colon polyp, intestinal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, cardiovascular function disorder, liver and cholecyst diseases, chronic ulcerative colitis, Chrohn’s disease, enlarged prostate, arthritis, rheumatism, atopic dermatitis, allergosis, fibroid, mastopathy, collagen disease, elevated blood pressure, brain infraction, diabetes, etc are likely to have abnormal intestinal function and its dysfunction.

Regardless of quality of food, cancer-causing substances generate in your large intestine. The longer cancer-causing substances stay there, the more likely you suffer from colon polyp and intestinal cancer.

Less serious cases like symptom of asitia, nausea, headache, vertigo, chalk mark, hives, adiposities, comedo and boredom are somehow related to the retention of colon contents. Harmful substances absorbed through bowel wall into blood cause such ill health.

I can say that my patients who suffered from those symptoms have very poor intestinal phase.

*Clean colon There are no waste substances that generate poisonous fumes, and good bowel easily produces good bacteria.	*Dirty colon Crud in the fold of intestine and bowel wall go off and generate toxins that are absorbed into the body to pollute the blood.

6) Laxative damages the natural function of bowel

To keep yourself young and healthy, it is important to get rid of food scum coming into large intestine after absorption of nutrition in small intestine as soon as possible. However in reality many people of all ages suffer from chronic constipation. Constipation and fecal impaction slow intestinal function down and various toxins and active oxygen produced as the result are said to be the most serious causes of adult diseases including hardened arteries, cancer and aging.

Many people easily tend to rely on laxative to solve constipation and fecal impaction. However I must warn you as a doctor that laxative has side effect such as toxicity to bowel movement and mucosa of bowel. Even if the herbal medicines such as aloe, senna or rhuberbe contain chemical substance “anthracin” that changes the color of mucosa of bowel. Herbal medicine causes deposition of pigment called “melanosis” which leads to intestinal cancer or polyp. The more you take laxative, the less your bowel movement you will have.

7) Prevention is the best medicine and dietary education will be important issue from now on.

For 24 hours, your liver works hard to counteract poison. You should keep your large intestine clean to help liver to work smoothly. It is important for you to prevent illness rather than seek help after falling ill. In America the government organization did a huge research and study on diet and disease because of its premature aging society with fewer children. In 1975, MacGarban Report was published and it reported the serious relationship between diet and disease and made a point that improvement of diet would be beneficial for prevention and treatment of disease.

On the other hand, in Japan, the relationship between disease and diet is ignored even now. Many doctors are interested in early detection of disease and treatment method, and patients are not informed about preventive medicine or change of lifestyle and diet.

In Japan insurance revenue is very high and if there is no examination or no prescription for drug, there’s no profit to hospital or clinic. As you pay your attorney or accountant consultation fee, it should be the same with doctors for consultation regarding your health. So the problem of over-prescription or chemical antagonism will be solved.

It is time for Japan to think seriously about the problem of healthcare cost and insurance method just as America did 30 years ago. If not, medical costs would escalate every year and would lead to fateful crisis. In Japan it was recognized that main cause of chronic diseases were poor lifestyle and diet 25 year later than America.

We will have to take care of our own health more if state support for healthcare is to be cut.

8) Take supplement and acidophilus after cleaning colon

The diverticulum is formed at the right of large intestine, if you eat a lot of refined grain (polished rice, white bread or pasta) and the diverticulum is formed at the left side of large intestine, (especially in sigmoid or descending colon) if you eat a lot of meat. Red meat, chicken, and dairy products leave predisposition of cancer or heart disease.

Human beings have natural digestive function suitable for vegetable so cannot fully digest animal protein. If you have young and flexible colon and good intestinal phase, the bowel condition will be better. Good bacteria such as acidophilus will increase. Large amount of good bacteria builds up natural healing power and immune system, and create good circulation that will prevent adult disease.

You should eat nutritious food to maintain good intestinal phase to regulate the bowel function and to maintain ideal amount of good bacteria even when you are old. First thing you have to do is to make sure your bowel is clean to benefit from eating nutritious food.

9) It is Coffee Enema makes that intestinal phase better

Coffee Enema is one of the methods to clean colon by improving constipation and fecal impaction. You can use Coffee Enema twice a day without disturbing the function of small intestine because it only cleans left side of large intestine.

If you are worried that Coffee Enema might be addictive, I can assure you by my data that you will still maintain normal bowel movement. People who use Coffee Enema have good intestinal phase, good bowel movement with few constipation and fecal impaction. Most of my friends are using Coffee Enema once or twice a day although they are not suffering from constipation. They would like to keep clean colon with clean fold of bowel. Especially crud and food scum tend to pile up at the left of large intestine.

10) Detoxication

Coffee Enema is one of Gerson therapies developed by Dr. Max Gerson about 70 years ago. The liver is the biggest organ that generates toxin in the body. It is ideal for the improvement of liver function if you can remove toxin and body wastes generated in the colon by using Coffee Enema as soon as possible.

Whatever you do has only temporary effect unless the large intestine is clean. So I developed coffee for enema by adding to organic coffee the ingredients for to create good bowel condition based on this theory.

Another profound effect of Coffee Enema is that toxin and body waste in the blood can be removed more efficiently. After nutrition of food you eat is digested and absorbed in small intestine, food scum and undigested material stay in the fold of colon and bowel wall. If it stays more than a day, decomposition and fermentation will progress and generate toxin. It is important to get rid of remnants of food as feces using Coffee Enema before decomposition and fermentation.

11) Gerson therapy

Dr. Gerson developed it to treat his own migraine. It is one of the alternative therapies in which you are advised to eat fresh and natural food and to use Coffee Enema at the same time to have normal bowel function in order to recover liver’s detoxifying function.

A large number of patients have been benefited from the therapy and a lot of specialists who are interested in it have proved its effectiveness.

This Gerson therapy requires you to change your life style and your willingness to put it into practice.

At first clean your colon (you do not gain if you throw everything in dirty river)

1. Eliminate unnecessary garbage from the body as soon as possible to prevent toxin from generating.
2. Colon polyp and colon cancer are usually found in archo, rectosigmoid colon and descending colon.
3. If your colon is clean, good bacteria will increase and you have good bowel condition.
4. Even if you have a normal bowel movement, some food scum and crud might remain in the fold of colon or bowel wall.
5. You can get rid of feces and body waste at the same time by Coffee Enama.
6. Food scum in large intestine after nutrition is absorbed into small intestine generates toxin at the temperature of 36.5℃ and absorbed by the body.
7. Heavy metal, agrochemical or food additive tend to pile up in the colon.
8. The crud of colon not only pollutes blood but also slows body function down.

12) Latest frontiers of Coffee Enema

After 300,000 cases of clinical study I developed “CafeCOLON” that consists of adequate thickness of organic coffee and ingredients for improving bowel condition based on this theory.

I use coffee with adequate density, Gulf of Suruga deep water, ribirth sea salt, acidophilus generated extract, EM-X, oligo acid, etc., which are good for creating good bowel condition. In theory it is the coffee made for the purpose to increase and activate good acidophilus. It also contains various minerals to maintain mineral balance in the body after sudden bowel movement.

*Bay of Suruga deep water The deepest area of Bay of Suruga has the depth of 2,500m, which is the deepest sea in Japan. Deep water with the depth of 687m is said to be formed more than 1,000 years ago and has rich mineral.

*Ribirth sea salt Reduced sea salt fermented and matured using the seawater collected under a full moon, which is rich with good bacteria including balm for a long time.

*Acidophilus generated extract Effective substances extracted from fermented substance that is reproduced and matured from 16 different acidophilus including soya bean.

*EM-X 100 % natural antioxidant drink which extracted from materials such as brown rice, papaya, sea weed and fermented with good bacteria of acidophilus and balm.

Flush out the poison

Flush out the poison

Yam Cher Seng

Jan 09, 2008
NST

TOXINS are poisonous substances that are normally chemically unstable in the body. They are an accumulation of normal body by-products that haven't been eliminated. We can divide toxins into two forms: endogenous toxins and exogenous toxins.

Endogenous toxins are normal waste products our body creates in the process of normal functions. If they are not eliminated adequately, they will remain in the body. Uric acid, a by-product of protein metabolism, is a fine example.

Exogenous toxins are those that are not normally found in the human body such as environmental pollutants, food additives, chemicals, heavy metals and pesticides. Body fat tends to be a storage depot for fat-soluble toxins.

You may consider the possibility of toxicity if you experience fatigue, swelling under the eyes, prostate gland, cysts, oedema, skin disorders, headache, joint pain, constipation and tongue-coating.

Organs of elimination are liver, kidneys, large intestines and the skin. A main focus of naturopathic detoxification is improving liver function with targeted food and herbal medicines.

Herbalists the world over have held dandelion in high regard for centuries. The dandelion root has an extremely high nutrient content. Human and animal studies show that dandelion increases bile flow and prevents liver congestion, bile duct inflammation and gallstones. This herb can be best combined with other liver herbs such as milk thistle for better effect.

Milk thistle is traditionally used for liver disorders. This herb contains silymarin, which is an antioxidant to help prevent free radical damage on the liver due to toxins. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can damage other molecules, including those in the cells. Silymarin also increases the glutathione content of the liver by 35 per cent in healthy subjects and by over 50 per cent in experimental rats. It increases the level of the important antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase in cell cultures.

Glutathione is responsible for detoxifying a wide range of chemicals. Increasing the glutathione content of the liver means the liver has an increased capacity for detoxification reactions. Perhaps the most interesting effect of milk thistle components on the liver is their ability to stimulate protein synthesis. This results in an increase in the production of new liver cells to replace the damaged old ones.

It is also important to consider regular bowel movement as part of detoxifying the body. Taking care of your diet is an important step in ensuring a healthy digestive system. It is advisable to increase your intake of vegetables and fruits in your existing diet. Many people find relief in merely modifying their diet to reduce refined carbohydrates such as white flour, white sugar, white bread, noodles and white rice and increasing fibre intake.

According to the American Dietetic Association, it is recommended that we take about 2,535g of fibre daily. It is beneficial in regulating bowel movements and adding bulk to the faeces. Regular bowel movements are essential in aiding the body in eliminating toxins, and thus improving intestinal and liver health. You may achieve this by consuming a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

For many years, fresh fruits and vegetables have been used by natural therapists to help cleanse and restore the body to good health.

Fresh juices have a distinct advantage over just plain water. Juices contain water, vitamins, minerals and other phyto-nutrients that cleanse, nurture and strengthen the body. Best fruit juices include apple, grapefruit, grape, lemon, lime, papaya, pear, pineapple, strawberry; suitable vegetable juices are beetroot, carrot, celery, cucumber, gotu kola (pegaga) and watercress.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as regular exercise, avoiding both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and managing stress wisely is important in ensuring good health.

The writer is a pharmacist actively involved in the dissemination of information on natural healthcare and holistic therapies.

This article was first published in New Straits Times on Jan 7, 2008.

Dark circles under eyes

Dark circles under eyes

Apr 23, 2008
New Straits Times, ANN

Q. I'm 28 years old and I have had dark circles around my eyes since my early 20s. Kindly advise.

A: Dark circles occurring around the eyes can be due to a combination of reasons.

1. Heredity;

2. Age: The skin covering the eyelids thins out as we age and starts to lose its elasticity. With the skin being thinner, the blood vessels underneath become more apparent. To assist in collagen formation and re-vitalising your fragile skin around the eyes, you may want to consider taking higher dosage of vitamin C.

3. Toxicity: Dark circles under the eyes are often related to "toxicity" in the body. Detoxification of the body, especially the liver, could be helpful. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that milk thistle and dandelion improve liver function by cleansing the liver of dangerous toxins as well as stimulating the formation of new liver cells.

4. Lack of sleep or tiredness: Lack of sleep or plain tiredness will also add to the problem of bags under your eyes. It can cause paleness of the skin, which again allows the blood underneath the skin to become more visible and appear darker. If you are suffering from insomnia, try supplementing with calcium and magnesium to improve your sleep quality. You need to get more circulation going around the eyes: Lightly tap, with one or two fingers, on and around these areas a few times a day. This will help stimulate needed circulation. You could also apply cold tea bags or fresh cucumber slices on your eyes to soothe them, reduce puffiness and refresh the appearance of skin around the eyes.

• Readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The New Straits Times does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The New Straits Times disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

This story was first published in the New Straits Times on Apr 21, 2008.

What Is AYURVEDA?

"That is designated as Ayurveda or the Science of Life wherein are laid down the good and the bad of life, the happy and unhappy life, and what is wholesome and what is unwholesome of life, as also the measure of life."

Charaka

In simple terms, Ayurveda is a way of life. The word Ayurveda comes from two Sanskrit roots, "Ayus" meaning life and "Vid" meaning knowledge. Ayurveda shows the way to a harmonious and graceful life by healthy integration of body, mind and spirit. Thus holistic well-being is the aim of Ayurveda, not mere healing of a specific illness.

Genesis

Ayurveda is the oldest and most complete system of health care. Its origins date 4000 years back, to the Vedic Civilization in India. The Vedas are ancient Hindu books of knowledge that are said to have been divinely revealed to the sages of India. Of the four Vedas, the fourth Veda, the Atharva Veda is the source of knowledge about Ayurveda. The Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita are the most famous of the ancient treatises on Ayurveda.

The basic Ayurvedic belief is that everything in this universe, including man, is made up of five elements called panchamahabhutas -akasha (space), vayu (air), agni (fire), jala (water) and prithvi (earth). These panchamahabhutas combine into three doshas or the tridoshas, namely vata, pita and kapha. The tridoshas are vital energies responsible for all psychological and physiological processes in the body.

Ayurvedic medicine is based on the belief that every individual is a unique combination of the tridoshas. Our constituition or our prakriti is determined by our dominant dosha. Each of us was born with a certain prakriti and it remains with us for life.

When all doshas work in balance, good health reigns. This balance depends on various factors like diet, digestion, elimination of body wastes and emotional and spiritual states.

Ayurveda helps us to understand our prakriti and to live in a way that emphasizes the positive aspects.

When the doshas become imbalanced ill health results. The skill of an Ayurveda practitioner lies in assessing an individual's constitution, diagnosing the imbalance and deciding upon the best possible treatment to restore the balance. Ayurveda utilizes diet, herbs, yoga, detoxification by panchakarma, meditation and prayer to achieve this purpose.

Panchamahabhutas are the five great elements of nature. These are air, space, water, fire and earth.. These combine in an infinite variety of ways to form all matter in the universe.

In a single cell, the earth element gives it structure, the cytoplasm is formed by water, the metabolic processes of the cell are manifestations of the fire element, the gases in the cell represent air and the space occupied by the cell corresponds to the space element.

Charaka defines a human being as the assemblage of the panchamahabhutas and the 'immaterial self', the soul. The solid structures of the human body: the bones, nails, teeth, muscles, cartilage, skin and hair are manifestations of the earth element. Space corresponds to the spaces in the body: the mouth, the nostrils the digestive tract, the stomach, the respiratory tract and the cells. Air governs movements like those of the muscles, the lungs, the intestines and even those in the cells. Water is present in blood,saliva, digestive juices, plasma and the cytoplasm. Fire controls the functioning of the enzymes.

The three vital energies
The five basic elements that constitute all matter, the panchamahabhutas, are expressed through the tridoshas, vata, pitta and kapha, and together they work to sustain life. The tridoshas govern our entire physical structure and function. They are responsible for the simplest functions of the cell to the most complex processes in the body systems .Our physical characteristics and our emotional and mental tendencies are governed by the three doshas.

Vata is made up of the elements air and space. Vata is in charge of all motion in the body and mind. Vata governs many of the physical and mental phenomena of the nervous system.

Pitta consists of fire and water. Pitta is the agent of all transformations in the body. Chemical processes in our body including enzymes, hormones and the entire nutritional system are Pitta's domains.

Kapha is formed by water and earth. Kapha is the stabilizing influence in the body. The activities of the skeletal and anabolic system can be attributed to Kapha.

Vata, Pitta and Kapha keep the body healthy as long as they are in balance with each other. Thus the key to health and vitality is the balance of the tridoshas.

The central principle of Ayurvedic belief is the uniqueness of each individual. The combination of the tridoshas is unique to each person. This is his prakriti. Each individual is born with a typical prakriti. This prakriti is determined by the state of the parental doshas at the time of conception. But our diet, environment, stress, trauma, injury etc. can cause an imbalance in our doshas leading to a state known as vikriti Knowing our constitution or prakriti helps us understand ourselves better. It enables us to plan changes in out diet and our lifestyle for achieving a richer life through holistic well-being.

• Vata Constitution Vata's dominant elements are air and space, the mover for bodily processes and persons with vata prakriti are hence associated with motion. They are on the move physically and mentally. They are blessed with a creative and sharp mind. They are active, quick and restless. They are quick at doing things -quick at learning, quick at forgetting, quick at getting excited and equally quick at losing that excitement. Vatas are often anxious and frightened. They can be extroverted and introverted by turn. Vatas have a temper that is unpredictable. They tend to be emotionally insecure. Vatas sleep little and their sleep is often disturbed. They eat little. They like sweet, sour and salty foods. Vatas' energy comes in bursts. Sometimes they are brimming with energy and at others they are totally drained. Vatas are the archetypal impulse buyers. Vata people have trouble making decisions. Vatas are sensitive and avoid confrontation. Vatas need warmth at all levels-from their environment, from their relationships and from their food.

• Fire and water are pitta's elements and hence the fiery quality of persons with pitta prakriti. Pittas have immense resources of initiative and energy. It is very important for them to channelise their creative fire to constructive purposes. They are determined and strong-willed. They are intelligent and have a clear memory. Pittas are efficient, precise and orderly. They are articulate and proud. They can be aggressive, impatient and short-tempered. Pittas tend to be emotionally intense. Pittas can be stubborn in their beliefs. They hate heat. They prefer cold climates and cooling foods. Pittas love to eat. Pittas are perfectionists and can be critical of those who are less efficient than them. They tend to gray soon. Pittas enjoy light sleep.

• Kapha persons are blessed with strength, endurance, and stamina. Their elements are earth and water, which explains their attributes of calmness and groundedness. They gain weight more easily and lose it with more difficulty than do other constitutions. They need time to think calmly and rationally. They can be calm and caring and also lazy and possessive. They tend to accumulate money more easily than do other people. Lust, greed and attachment are their shortcomings. Kaphas have a tendency to cling to old beliefs and attitudes. Kaphas can tolerate intense exercise better than other prakritis. They can also fast better as they have ample body store to keep them going. Kaphas need stimulation in their environment, their relationships and their food. Overcoming stagnation is Kapha's biggest challenge. Kaphas enjoy deep sleep. They like the slow relaxed life. Kaphas eat, walk and talk slowly. They are slow to learn but have a good memory. Kaphas are emotionally secure people.

The influence of our diet on our health and constitution is central to Ayurvedic beliefs. Sages and Yogis of Ancient India believed that foods were vital carriers and balancers of energy in the body. Most diseases can be traced ultimately to incorrect diet.

Charaka prescribes the following principles for healthy eating:

• Food should be hot, tasty and easy to digest. Eat proper amount of food.
• Food eaten should not be too much or too little.
• Do not eat when you are not hungry and conversely do not fail to eat when you are hungry.
• Keep large gaps between meals.
• Eat in congenial and pleasant surroundings with all accessories necessary for the enjoyment of food.
• Eating should neither be rushed nor too leisurely.
• Concentrate on your food while eating.
• Eat food that suits your constitution.

Our diet should be tailored to suit our prakriti. A vata individual should take warm and sweet food articles. A person with pitta prakriti should take cool, heavy, sweet, bitter and astringent food items. A person with kapha prakriti should take food, which is dry, warm, light, pungent, bitter and astringent.

The seasons and time of the day are also important factors for planning our diet. For instance, a pitta diet should be avoided in the summer or at midday when the pitta activity of the body is at its peak.

Avoid cold and frozen foods and drinks. Choose warming foods and spices. Avoid foods like cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts etc that create gas. Beans are cold, heavy and dry and not suited for vitas. Dairy is very calming to vata especially when it is warm. Stick to a regular routine. Sweet, moist, well-ripened fruits serve you well. Dry fruits should be soaked well before you have them. Raw food intake should be minimized. Sweet, sour and salty tastes should be emphasized in your food.

Keeping cool is very important for Pitta's fiery energy. Avoid excess oils, fried foods, caffeine and hot spices. Take lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Emphasize sweet, bitter and astringent tastes in your food. Cooling whole grains like barley, wheat and basmati rice are good for pitta. Pittas need good amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium and Vitamins. Most oils, salt, alchohol, red meat and hot spices are warming foods and hence harmful for pitta. Most dairy products are cooling in nature but cheeses, sour cream. buttermilk and yogurt are best avoided as their fat can aggravate pitta.

Fat consumption should be minimal. Avoid iced foods and drinks. Complex carbohydrates in diet are important to provide the necessary fiber. Light, warming and dry grains like barley, millet, oats rye, and amaranth increase insulin production and should be included in a kapha diet. Dairy products are best avoided. Light, crispy foods like popcorn serve you well. Low-fat proteins like high fiber beans are good for your constitution.

Life is God's precious gift to us and it is up to us to make the best of it. Health is the most basic and crucial requirement for a fulfilled life. Ayurveda prescribes a daily routine, 'dinacharya' and a seasonal routine 'ritucharya' for good health.

A new dawn: An individual should rise early in the morning before sunrise.

Clean habits: Physical and mental purity are pre-requisites for the day's activities. This is achieved through clean habits like brushing the teeth, scraping the tongue, gargling with water which has a pinch of turmeric added to it, bathing, trimming of beard, hair and nails and elimination of body wastes. Meditation enables elimination of mental wastes.

Massage: Daily oil massage strengthens the skin and improves its color and texture. It increases circulation, improves vision and resistance to disease. Massage of the head strengthens and calms sense organs.

Exercise: Exercise is best performed in the morning. should depend on your age and prakriti. Only kapha persons should exercise vigorously. Other prakritis should exercise moderately. Exercise is not advisable for the very weak or for those with respiratory or cardiac disorders. Bathing Soap is not meant for use on the body except when it is really dirty.

Bathing: Bathing within one hour eating is prohibited.

Purification of surroundings: Purification of our bodies and minds should be accompanied by purification of our houses and our surroundings.

The change of seasons affects the state of our doshas considerably. Hence Ayurveda advocates a seasonal routine to ward off imbalances of the doshas.

Vata increases during winter and spring, pitta during summer and kapha during late winter and spring.

Vata Prakriti

Vata prakriti persons are prone to vata-induced diseases. Wrong food, extreme cold or exposure to drafts cause vata to aggravate leading to diseases like: ·

• Rheumatism, Rheumatoid Arthritis and other musculo- skeletal problems. These diseases are pronounced during old age which is the period of vata (vata kala)·
• Problems in the stomach and digestive system -severe pain, constipation and diarrhea·
• Cardiovascular complaints and partial and full paralysis.

Kapha Prakriti

Persons with kapha constitutions are susceptible to diseases caused by aggravation of kapha. Kapha -caused diseases are pronounced during childhood, which is the period of kapha ( kapha kala). Diseases caused by increased kapha are: ·

• Obesity·
• Diabetics
• Sinusitis

Pitta Prakriti

An individual with a pitta-dominant prakriti may suffer from pitta-caused diseases if the proportion of pitta increases considerably in his body. Intake of spicy food, lack of fresh air, lack of cooling foods and increased mental activity and stress, all cause pitta to be aggravated. Middle age is the period of pitta (pitta kala) and hence pitta disorders are more pronounced during this period. Diseases due to aggravated pitta are:

• Diseases of the digestive and metabolic systems. All forms of Hepatitis, hyperacidity, gastric ulcers, stomatitis and acid regurgitation.
• Skin problems like psoriasis, skin eruption, itching and sores.

Ayurveda treatment consists of four basic forms: medicine or drug therapy; panchakarma (the five systems of treatment); dietary regime; and the regulation of lifestyle. Panchakarma is the Sanskrit word for the five purificatory therapies. Panchakarma has three main stages:-

Poorva Karma (Preparatory measures) Poorva Karma includes two therapies, viz, oleation therapy( snehana) and fomentation therapy (swedana) which are the preparatory therapies for Panchakarma. Oleation therapy or oil therapy can be administered through different kinds of foods or through enema and massage. The therapy may take three to seven days depending on the individual's strength and response. Massage with oily substances and medicated herbs improves circulation and by stimulating the system, speeds up the elimination of waste products. Fomentation therapy Fomentaton or sweating therapy follows oil therapy and should be given in a place free from exposure to excessive wind and at a time when the person's last meal has been well digested. In one type of fomentation therapy, external heat is required while the other includes physical exercise, covering oneself with thick blankets, hunger and walking in the sun. Pradhana Karma This is the main treatment and includes emesis(vamana); purgation (virecana); enema (vasti); nasal drops or snuffs(nasya); and bloodletting( raktamokshana). Emesis therapy In this process, the doshas are eliminated through the mouth by vomiting. This is the best way to eliminate kapha dosha. Emesis therapy is administered with drugs suitable to the particular disease and condition of the patient. A feeling of cleanliness of the chest and stomach, lightness of the body, and timely passing of urine and stools are the signs of well-administered emesis therapy. Purgation therapy This therapy aims at eliminating the doshas that cannot be removed by emesis or through other channels. This process of elimination is primarily from the anal region. Purgation therapy is indicated for many conditions like fever, skin diseases, bleeding from upper channels of the body gout, vaginal diseases etc. Enema therapy Enema is an important part of panchakarma therapy. Properly administered, enema helps to rejuvenate the body and provides strength and long life. Oily enema therapy uses preparations containing oils or fats and is indicated when vata is aggravated. Decoction enema therapy uses decoction of drugs and is recommended for various nervous disorders, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, loss of strength, muscular weakness, loss of appetite, urinary calculus etc. Enema is also given through the male urethra or through the vagina in women. This therapy is recommended for men's genitourinary disorders and for women's menstrual disorders. Bloodletting Panchakarma is the fifth karma of panchakarma. In this therapy blood is eliminated from the patient's body in order to tackle diseases caused by rakta and pitta. Bloodletting is done either with metal instruments or by using other methods such as leeches or vegetable gourds. This therapy is indicated in diseases such as skin diseases, tumors of certain types, gout, excessive sleepiness and hallucinations. Nasal Drops Medicines taken through the nostrils are known as nasya therapy. Medicated oils, powders or drugs are used for the treatment of head diseases. Nasya therapy is recommended for diseases occurring above the collar bones- problems related to ear, nose, and throat, loss of hair or premature graying. Paschata Karma (after care) Paschata Karma means the rehabilitative measures after the main treatment. Aftercare is a very important stage of Panchakarma. After the removal of doshas and internal cleansing, the digestive capacity of the individual must be restored. This is achieved through a properly planned diet and changes in lifestyle.

Excuse me, detoxification?

Excuse me, detoxification?

Jessica Rajandran

Dec 28, 2007
NST

DETOXIFICATION is one of the oldest tricks to look and feel beautiful and radiant.

It doesn't involve artificial nonsense nor does it guzzle your money, which already makes it a healthier choice.

A common misconception is that detoxification is only useful for losing weight or as a form of drug rehabilitation but there is more to it.

It helps to cleanse and recharge the body, clear skin, and improve energy, digestion, concentration and clarity. It is actually a natural ongoing process run by our bodies to eliminate environmental and dietary toxins that harm body tissue.

These include chlorinated water, antibiotics, household cleaners, caffeine, food additives, drugs and cigarette smoke.

It is true our bodies detox on their own, but we do need extra assistance to adequately eliminate toxins.

How can we detox?

There are special diets we can go on as well as skin brushing or contrast showers which don't require much effort.

A detox diet programme often includes herbs, supplements, exercise, breathing techniques and sauna therapy, sometimes even fasting.

Detox diets target the different organs involved in detoxification: the skin, liver, kidneys, colon, lungs and lymphatic system. A health care practitioner would be the perfect person to design a programme that would fit your needs best. For example, a person with a skin condition will benefit from a detox regiment that focuses on the liver, intestines, and skin.

Who should detox and how often?

Detox diets are not recommended more than three times a year. In some cases, health practitioners may recommend a longer detox diet or one to be done frequently. Detox diets shouldn't be used by pregnant or nursing women or children. Because disclaimers are essential, please seek advice first from a health practitioner to find out what's recommended for you.

What's an idea of a very basic detox diet like?

Food to cut out for the next two weeks would include coffee, tea (except Japanese green tea), sugar, chocolate, alcohol, fried foods, dairy products, all sauces. You can consume vegetables, fresh beans and fruits, only brown or wild rice, diluted fresh fruit juice and ginger tea.

Restrain from durians and bananas but you must try to consume any sort of sprout, a stick of celery and virgin olive oil once a day. Again, this is very basic. I know someone who takes Hawaiian Volcano Ash as part of her detox regime.

Side Effects?

It's common to have headaches within the first few days of starting a detox diet. Some people experience excessive diarrhoea, leading to dehydration. It is very important to drink plenty of water because of the increase in fibre intake, which might cause constipation.

Don't overdo it as detox diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies, particularly protein and calcium. Other side effects include weight loss, tiredness and acne.

This article was first published in The New Straits Times on Dec 24, 2007.

The Toxic Body

The toxic body

Dr Amir Farid Isahak

Feb 19, 2008
The Star, ANN

WE have often seen scary reports about the pollution that surround us, and the toxins and poisons in our food. We are unknowingly consuming many food items which are contaminated with banned preservatives, food additives, colourings and other potentially toxic contaminants.

We know that even the fish in the deepest oceans are already contaminated by heavy metals, which means the fish nearer to our shores are more heavily contaminated. The fish in the rivers are even worse. Does anyone dare to eat fish from the Klang River? On land, the pollution is much the same, and in some areas even worse.

The problem has come to a point where even though fish is a good source of protein, we have to limit our intake because of the contamination. In the US, pregnant mothers are especially cautioned because of the potential danger to their foetuses.

I recall a study by the US Environmental Working Group (reported in July 2005) that shocked us when it found that all 10 umbilical cord blood samples taken from newborn babies were heavily contaminated. A total of 287 contaminants were detected. Many of these were known or suspected carcinogens, neurotoxins or may cause congenital abnormalities, if present in high concentrations.

If that is the scenario of how our children start their lives, and then get further exposed to toxins and pollutants in the air, water, food and environment, it is not surprising at all that cancer and many other chronic diseases are increasing in prevalence, made worse by our poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle - including smoking, stressful living and lack of exercise.

The main reason why cancer is becoming a menace is the amount of toxins that accumulate in us throughout our lives. Although genes, hormones and infections contribute to certain cancers, the most important factor is the cumulative toxic damage to the cells.

Cumulative damage to the cell by toxins (acting as free radicals at the molecular level) will cause rapid ageing of the cell, with reduction in the efficiency and accuracy of specific cell functions. But as long as the main sequences in the genes remain intact, the cell does not become cancerous.

The first cancer cell is a grossly mutated cell that has lost its instructions to function properly for the benefit of the organ system to which it belongs, and therefore to the body as a whole. Its metabolism becomes abnormal, consuming much more energy in wasteful ways.

It also loses its ability to know when to stop multiplying, and when to stop migrating, thus forming tumours that eat up neighbouring tissues and metastases that eat up distant tissues. How aggressive it behaves depends on the grade (how undifferentiated or how severely mutated) it is.

How to reduce toxin intake

Most of us feel helpless when the country is visited by the almost-annual haze. Sometimes it comes here more often, courtesy of our neighbour. During each episode, we go around wearing masks which actually sieve only the big particles but still let in the cancer-causing minute particles.

It is indeed very difficult to avoid inhaling the dangerous particles during a haze. The only remedy is to stay indoors in a room treated by a good air-cleansing/filtering system, preferably one that also produces negative ions. You should of course avoid the most direct and popular cause of self-poisoning - smoking.

Why buy cigarettes when the haze is free?

The quality of water supplied to our homes is suspect, although much improvement has been made over the decades. We are more conscious of the quality of water we drink.

At home most of us drink treated/filtered water, and when we travel, we drink bottled water. But what about the water used in the stalls and restaurants when we order cold drinks or even fruit juices? Do they use tap water, bottled/treated water or boiled water? If we order hot drinks, we can at least assume that the water is boiled first.

And what about the water we bathe and shower with? Remember that the skin is the largest organ and it absorbs some of the water and whatever contaminants we "wash" it with. Every home should have an outdoor water treatment system that ensures the entire household water supply is clean.

Detoxify your food

When it comes to food, many of you will be shocked to know that even if you wash your foodstuff, you may still be ingesting the residual toxins.

Except for the organic ones, fruits and veggies are invariably sprayed with pesticides in the farms. Some unscrupulous farmers may add gum to the pesticides so that they don't get washed away every time it rains. Unless you scrub, some pesticide may still remain after washing.

Yummy toxins?

Secondly, remember that these pesticides are toxic chemicals which get absorbed into the skin of the fruits and veggies. Even if you scrub, you can only remove what is on the surface. Whatever has been absorbed will go into your body when you eat the fruit or veggie (unless you remove the skin, but for some fruits, the skin is rich in certain nutrients).

To remove some of the absorbed contaminants, you have to ozonise the fruits and veggies. The food detoxifier/ozoniser machine produces ozone (O3) which is bubbled into a container with the foodstuff submerged in water, just like how oxygen (O2) is bubbled into a small fish tank.

The O3 molecules will rapidly split and finally become O2. In the process, the molecules kill germs and dislodge contaminants from the foodstuff, leaving behind fresh, pure, oxygenated foodstuff. The chemical contaminants will be destroyed, and solid contaminants will separate and float to the surface.

Ozonated water can be consumed and also used for body-washing and bathing. Ozone is also used to treat diabetic ulcers, and some doctors are using intravenous ozone to detoxify and decontaminate the body directly (ozone also kills viruses, bacteria and parasites).

Avoid processed meats

Meats (fish, chicken, beef, mutton, etc) are also heavily contaminated and should be ozonised the same way.

A report by the World Cancer Research Fund, entitled Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective (2007), revealed that processed meats definitely cause cancer. They reviewed 7000 studies on diet and cancer.

Processed meats are meat products that have chemical additives to alter their taste and preserve their shelf-lives so that they become marketable. These include bacon, hotdog, sausage, pepperoni, deli slices, canned meats, and many more. The harmful chemical additives are blamed for increasing cancer risk.

Burnt, barbecued meat also has high levels of carcinogens. So when you eat satay or BBQ, avoid the burnt parts. Better still, eat sushi, like the Japanese!

Detoxify your body

The ways you can detox your body include eating a high fibre diet (supplement if necessary), taking chlorella supplements, drinking plenty of fluids, chlorophyll and detox teas, fasting (juice, water or total fasting), body wash/scrub, dry body-brushing, sweating through exercise or sauna, coffee enema ( stimulates the liver ) and colon hydrotherapy/irrigation.

Some herbs like milk thistle, silymarin and others may protect and help the liver, which is the main detox organ. There are also qigong exercises beneficial for liver health.

Those who don't eat enough fruits and veggies will have to take extra fibre supplements. A cheap alternative is breakfast bran. The best is one that combines the nutrients and fibres from many fruits and veggies, complete with enzymes and probiotics, taken as a drink.

If your fibre, water, enzymes and probiotics intake are sufficient, and your bowels are healthy, you will have regular bowel movements (one to two times per day).

Accumulation of heavy metals is blamed for many diseases, including cancer and atherosclerosis (which causes clogged arteries). They can be removed through sweating, nutrition, oral chelation, and intravenous chelation therapy.

Chlorophyll is a natural bowel cleanser, apart from being beneficial for the whole body. It is the plant kingdom's equivalent of our oxygen-carrying haemoglobin. Chlorella (a blue-green algae similar to spirulina) is rich in chlorophyll and a long list of nutrients, and is also a natural body detoxifier.

At the cellular level, antioxidants fight off the toxic free radicals, so an adequate daily dose of antioxidant supplements is recommended as additional defence, in addition to those provided by the fruits and veggies in your diet.

Sweating through exercise or sauna will remove many toxins that would otherwise get trapped in the body because certain toxins are preferentially excreted through sweat.

Sweating a lot also relieves the kidneys and liver from having to deal with these toxins, which would otherwise have to be excreted through these two overworked organs.

Aerobics exercise has added benefits for cardiovascular health, and FIR (far infra-red) sauna nourishes the body with healing energy.

In a previous article (www.superqigong.com/articlesmore.asp?id=26/), I wrote about the Gerson therapy, which is a strict programme based on detoxifying the body while nourishing it with nutrients from fruits, veggies and selected foods.

Dr Max Gerson knew long ago that cumulative poisoning causes the body to develop certain chronic diseases and cancer, and also lose the ability to prevent or overcome other health problems.

For those of us who are still healthy and want to avoid disease, a diet based on plenty of ozonised fresh fruits and veggies (organic if available) with minimal meat is advisable. Or you may even decide to become vegetarian after reading the report on processed meats.

Otherwise, make sure you detox your body and nourish it with plenty of nutritional detox and antioxidant foods and supplements.

Love your body. It's the only home for your soul.

• Dr Amir Farid Isahak is a medical specialist who practises holistic, aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. He is a qigong master and founder of SuperQigong.
• The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

This story was first published in The Star on Feb 17, 2008.

Flush out the poison

Flush out the poison

Yam Cher Seng

9 Jan 2008

NST

TOXINS are poisonous substances that are normally chemically unstable in the body. They are an accumulation of normal body by-products that haven't been eliminated. We can divide toxins into two forms: endogenous toxins and exogenous toxins.

Endogenous toxins are normal waste products our body creates in the process of normal functions. If they are not eliminated adequately, they will remain in the body. Uric acid, a by-product of protein metabolism, is a fine example.

Exogenous toxins are those that are not normally found in the human body such as environmental pollutants, food additives, chemicals, heavy metals and pesticides. Body fat tends to be a storage depot for fat-soluble toxins.

You may consider the possibility of toxicity if you experience fatigue, swelling under the eyes, prostate gland, cysts, oedema, skin disorders, headache, joint pain, constipation and tongue-coating.

Organs of elimination are liver, kidneys, large intestines and the skin. A main focus of naturopathic detoxification is improving liver function with targeted food and herbal medicines.

Herbalists the world over have held dandelion in high regard for centuries. The dandelion root has an extremely high nutrient content. Human and animal studies show that dandelion increases bile flow and prevents liver congestion, bile duct inflammation and gallstones. This herb can be best combined with other liver herbs such as milk thistle for better effect.

Milk thistle is traditionally used for liver disorders. This herb contains silymarin, which is an antioxidant to help prevent free radical damage on the liver due to toxins. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can damage other molecules, including those in the cells. Silymarin also increases the glutathione content of the liver by 35 per cent in healthy subjects and by over 50 per cent in experimental rats. It increases the level of the important antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase in cell cultures.

Glutathione is responsible for detoxifying a wide range of chemicals. Increasing the glutathione content of the liver means the liver has an increased capacity for detoxification reactions. Perhaps the most interesting effect of milk thistle components on the liver is their ability to stimulate protein synthesis. This results in an increase in the production of new liver cells to replace the damaged old ones.

It is also important to consider regular bowel movement as part of detoxifying the body. Taking care of your diet is an important step in ensuring a healthy digestive system. It is advisable to increase your intake of vegetables and fruits in your existing diet. Many people find relief in merely modifying their diet to reduce refined carbohydrates such as white flour, white sugar, white bread, noodles and white rice and increasing fibre intake.

According to the American Dietetic Association, it is recommended that we take about 2,535g of fibre daily. It is beneficial in regulating bowel movements and adding bulk to the faeces. Regular bowel movements are essential in aiding the body in eliminating toxins, and thus improving intestinal and liver health. You may achieve this by consuming a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

For many years, fresh fruits and vegetables have been used by natural therapists to help cleanse and restore the body to good health.

Fresh juices have a distinct advantage over just plain water. Juices contain water, vitamins, minerals and other phyto-nutrients that cleanse, nurture and strengthen the body. Best fruit juices include apple, grapefruit, grape, lemon, lime, papaya, pear, pineapple, strawberry; suitable vegetable juices are beetroot, carrot, celery, cucumber, gotu kola (pegaga) and watercress.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as regular exercise, avoiding both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and managing stress wisely is important in ensuring good health.

The writer is a pharmacist actively involved in the dissemination of information on natural healthcare and holistic therapies.

This article was first published in New Straits Times on Jan 7, 2008.