Monday, November 12, 2007
Ginkgo: Another Antioxidant You Can Drink
On a recent trip to Korea, I was amazed at the seemingly countless varieties of ginkgo I came across.
What I primarily think of as a natural memory booster, and an increasingly popular skin care ingredient, is quite a delicacy in Asia - and it can be very expensive, too. I returned to the States inspired to investigate ginkgo further, and I encountered several interesting facts and studies:
Ginkgo, which has been popular in the East for many years, comes from the nut of the Ginkgo biloba tree, believed to be the oldest living tree species.
Ginkgo is full of a substance called quercetin, a common and powerful antioxidant. In fact, mounting research indicates that ginkgo's anti-inflammatory and defensive properties are particularly strong. While I certainly wouldn't suggest abandoning other antioxidant mainstays entirely (the research into coenzyme Q10, green tea, and vitamin C, for example, is still much more thorough), anyone with acne, eczema, or other types of facial redness and inflammation, in particular, may benefit from products with ginkgo.
A 2003 study also suggested that ginkgo may effectively halt de-pigmentation - that is, the patchy loss of skin's natural color - and aid in re-pigmentation. While I will need to see much more research before I can comment on ginkgo's success in this department, promising new treatments for pigmentation disorders are always welcome!
For all its potential benefits, though, ginkgo does have one known downside: It can lead to increased bruising from dermatological injections like Botox or dermal fillers. If you take ginkgo orally, stop about a week before those procedures (and, as always, discuss any new supplements with your doctor).
So how can you apply these fun ginkgo facts to your skin care routine? More and more American companies are incorporating ginkgo into their products (it's been popular in Asian products for years), although it's rarely listed as an active ingredient.
Instead, look for ginkgo as an inactive ingredient, included for its antioxidant benefits and ability to soothe potential inflammation from other harsh skin care ingredients. June Jacobs Pore Purifying Mud Masque and Osmotics Intensive Moisture Therapy and Aubrey Organic Moisturizer SPF 15 all contain gingko.
Personally, I think one of the easiest ways to incorporate ginkgo into my day is in tea. You may have heard me tout the benefits of green tea in this column, and I actually like the taste of ginkgo a little more. (But don't ditch your green tea entirely - again, the evidence into its antioxidant benefits remains unparalleled.)
Wishing you great skin!
Dr. Baumann is author of the best-selling book, " The Skin Type Solution." To learn more about her revolutionary skin typing system, visit her Web site, SkinTypeSolutions.com.
Dr Amir Farid's advise
I am an ardent fan of Dr, Amir Farid. Met him once at the medical and beauty expo in KLCC around in May 07. Had a short conversation with him and found him to be very humorous. That's the way to live. I read in the Sunday Star and found this article very interesting and decided to put it up on my blog - a daily dose of advice.
20 steps to optimum health
ART OF QI By DR AMIR FARID ISAHAK
This is the first of two articles on holistic approaches to optimum health.
Today I would like to deliberate on the holistic approach to achieving optimum health.
In this first part, I will list the first 10 points. There is space here only for brief notes to each point. These are the principles I teach all those who come to me to recover from any disease; to improve their health; or to slow down their ageing.
Optimum health and disease are two ends of the same spectrum of wellness. If the body’s systems falter or fail, you will develop disease.
Mind-body exercises like yoga, tai chi and qigong will recharge your qi.Cancer and other chronic diseases only develop because the body’s intricate systems have failed somewhere. If there are infections, you may fail to stop the invaders and succumb. You will also age faster. And if you develop any of the serious chronic diseases, you will die earlier.
Current statistics show that two-thirds of Malaysians above 40 have some form of chronic health problem, especially obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes.
Many are already on daily multiple-drugs for their poor health. Anti-cholesterol and anti-hypertensive drugs top the list, followed by drugs for heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and lung diseases.
If you maintain your health in the best possible way, then you are least likely to develop any disease. You will age slowly, and be able to live an active life.
Many of us who are not on medication may presume we are healthy. Those who do not go for medical checks may be making erroneous assumptions.
Many who have their annual health examinations also presume they are healthy because the tests say so. However, to achieve optimum health requires a higher level of commitment in terms of lifestyle and nutrition; and to confirm that your health is optimum requires much more testing than is usually done.
1. Spiritual commitment to health
My prescription always starts with a spiritual understanding – that it is our duty to take good care of the body gifted to us by our Creator, so that we may fully experience and enjoy our physical existence, while fulfilling HIS commandments.
For example, even angels do not get the privilege of experiencing love and making love. But you have to be healthy to be able to fully enjoy the physical act!
2. Charge your life-force (qi) and bio-energy
The cell uses qi to power up its engine and micro-currents to maintain electrical charges that allow the exchange of important electrolytes and the excretion of waste to the surrounding extra-cellular fluid.
Many of us are walking around like toys with half-dead batteries. Mind-body exercises like yoga, tai chi and qigong will recharge your qi, while taking adequate organic minerals provides material to make electrolytes. There are many ways to improve the bio-energy levels.
3. Safe and adequate exposure to sunlight
The sun is not only the ultimate energy source for all life on earth, it also influences our biorhythm, and is important in the production of cortisol (a stress-regulating hormone) and vitamin D.
However, be mindful of the harmful effects of sun-radiation. Get exposed to the sun in the mornings for health. After 10am, make sure you apply sun-block.
4. Increase oxygenation
Although medical science advocates additional oxygen only when you are oxygen starved, for optimum health, you should consider giving your cells extra oxygen.
Chronic oxygen deprivation has been blamed for many chronic diseases. More free radicals are released during inefficient cellular respiration. When you exercise, some cells are forced into anaerobic respiration, which produces harmful acids.
You can feed your cells with higher oxygen through better breathing techniques, increased ambient oxygen, and increasing the oxygen dissolved in the blood plasma (not just the red blood cells).
5. Adequate clean healthy water
In the past you could just turn on the tap and drink the water. Nowadays, with greater health awareness and scientific knowledge, water is just not water anymore. You are confronted with water that is filtered, chlorinated, distilled, RO, alkaline, mineralised, ionised, micronised, clustered, energised, magnetised and many more. It can be confusing. You must know what’s best for you.
6. Caloric energy
While most people have inadequate qi-energy, it is the opposite with calories. Many are walking around with so much excess calories (stored as glycogen and fat) that now over 40% of those above 40 are overweight or obese.
In the US, it’s nearly 70%!
Calories are the energy from food that is burnt as fuel by the body. Modern foods and modern affluent lifestyles mean very little physical activity, unless an effort is made to exercise.
Their petrol tanks are overflowing but their batteries are flat. Extra calories are not good for you.
7. Protect, repair and make new genes
The genes are the “operating system” of the cells, and any damage here will cause faulty instructions and malfunctioning of certain cell functions.
Protection starts with sunblock against UV radiation and plenty of antioxidants to combat the free radicals that cause damage at the molecular level.
For repair we need nucleic acids, which are the building blocks to replace damaged genes, and also make new genes for the millions of new cells we make daily. These can be obtained from wheat germ and other plants. For anti-ageing and rejuvenation, you need nucleic acid supplements.
8. Optimise and balance your hormones
There are over 20 hormones and pro-hormones that need to be checked and optimised in order to be in perfect health.
The “executive profile” blood tests done as part of your annual check-ups only include two or three of these. The other hormones are only tested by doctors who know about their value, and more importantly, how to adjust them to achieve optimum health.
Hormones are important because they set the “activity level” setting of the target cells.
For example, diabetics have plenty of sugar in their blood, which should give them tons of energy, yet they are all tired and prone to multiple organ damage. It is because they lack the hormone insulin, or their cells have become “resistant” to the insulin, despite the high levels.
All the other hormones also have specific instructions for the cells.
9. Nutrient-dense diet
As explained above, unless you want to gain weight, you should eat only enough calories for the day’s requirement. If you need to lose weight, then eat even less.
What we need from our food is plenty of nutrients. We need sufficient amino-acids, saccharides, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, co-enzymes, fiber, probiotics, and a whole range of phytonutrients or phytochemicals, many yet to be discovered and named.
The basis of your diet should be fresh raw fruits and veggies. If you like meats, then fish is preferable to chicken. Red meats should be minimised. White flour, white rice and white sugar are all “empty calories” with little nutrients and should be rationed.
Even vegetarians become fat and unhealthy when they eat too much of these low-nutrient foods. Add “white salt” to the list also, as it causes hypertension.
10. Supplements for health
This is the most controversial issue as there are many divergent opinions about their necessity. It was only three years ago that medical scientists admitted that vitamin and mineral supplements are beneficial for health.
The scientists are cautious for good reasons. Many people are spending money buying supplements without really knowing if they work. Some may even be harmful.
It may shock you to know that in November 2004, the John Hopkins University released the results of their review of over 136,000 people on vitamin E supplements that concluded that those who took 200IU or more of vitamin E supplements daily died at a higher rate than those who did not take at all. Yet people are not aware of this, and most who do take 400IU or more daily. They are paying money to die faster.
Vitamin E is not just vitamin E anymore. About 99% of the vitamin E supplements sold contain only the alpha-tocopherol isomer, while there are eight known health-enhancing isomers in our foods (four tocopherols, and four tocotrienols; a ninth isomer has been discovered but its health benefits have not yet been studied).
What the body needs is a combination of these isomers. The study quoted above refers to alpha-tocopherol supplements only.
Now there are some supplements which contain a combination of tocopherols and/or tocotrienols. It is a pity that while we are the world’s largest exporter of the complete and balanced vitamin E supplement with all the eight isomers, our own people do not know the above facts and very few are using it.
This is just one example to show that you need to update yourself before you spend money on supplements. Are they necessary? Which ones? What dose? How cost effective?
I will continue in the next instalment.
20 steps to optimum health
ART OF QI By DR AMIR FARID ISAHAK
This is the first of two articles on holistic approaches to optimum health.
Today I would like to deliberate on the holistic approach to achieving optimum health.
In this first part, I will list the first 10 points. There is space here only for brief notes to each point. These are the principles I teach all those who come to me to recover from any disease; to improve their health; or to slow down their ageing.
Optimum health and disease are two ends of the same spectrum of wellness. If the body’s systems falter or fail, you will develop disease.
Mind-body exercises like yoga, tai chi and qigong will recharge your qi.Cancer and other chronic diseases only develop because the body’s intricate systems have failed somewhere. If there are infections, you may fail to stop the invaders and succumb. You will also age faster. And if you develop any of the serious chronic diseases, you will die earlier.
Current statistics show that two-thirds of Malaysians above 40 have some form of chronic health problem, especially obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes.
Many are already on daily multiple-drugs for their poor health. Anti-cholesterol and anti-hypertensive drugs top the list, followed by drugs for heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and lung diseases.
If you maintain your health in the best possible way, then you are least likely to develop any disease. You will age slowly, and be able to live an active life.
Many of us who are not on medication may presume we are healthy. Those who do not go for medical checks may be making erroneous assumptions.
Many who have their annual health examinations also presume they are healthy because the tests say so. However, to achieve optimum health requires a higher level of commitment in terms of lifestyle and nutrition; and to confirm that your health is optimum requires much more testing than is usually done.
1. Spiritual commitment to health
My prescription always starts with a spiritual understanding – that it is our duty to take good care of the body gifted to us by our Creator, so that we may fully experience and enjoy our physical existence, while fulfilling HIS commandments.
For example, even angels do not get the privilege of experiencing love and making love. But you have to be healthy to be able to fully enjoy the physical act!
2. Charge your life-force (qi) and bio-energy
The cell uses qi to power up its engine and micro-currents to maintain electrical charges that allow the exchange of important electrolytes and the excretion of waste to the surrounding extra-cellular fluid.
Many of us are walking around like toys with half-dead batteries. Mind-body exercises like yoga, tai chi and qigong will recharge your qi, while taking adequate organic minerals provides material to make electrolytes. There are many ways to improve the bio-energy levels.
3. Safe and adequate exposure to sunlight
The sun is not only the ultimate energy source for all life on earth, it also influences our biorhythm, and is important in the production of cortisol (a stress-regulating hormone) and vitamin D.
However, be mindful of the harmful effects of sun-radiation. Get exposed to the sun in the mornings for health. After 10am, make sure you apply sun-block.
4. Increase oxygenation
Although medical science advocates additional oxygen only when you are oxygen starved, for optimum health, you should consider giving your cells extra oxygen.
Chronic oxygen deprivation has been blamed for many chronic diseases. More free radicals are released during inefficient cellular respiration. When you exercise, some cells are forced into anaerobic respiration, which produces harmful acids.
You can feed your cells with higher oxygen through better breathing techniques, increased ambient oxygen, and increasing the oxygen dissolved in the blood plasma (not just the red blood cells).
5. Adequate clean healthy water
In the past you could just turn on the tap and drink the water. Nowadays, with greater health awareness and scientific knowledge, water is just not water anymore. You are confronted with water that is filtered, chlorinated, distilled, RO, alkaline, mineralised, ionised, micronised, clustered, energised, magnetised and many more. It can be confusing. You must know what’s best for you.
6. Caloric energy
While most people have inadequate qi-energy, it is the opposite with calories. Many are walking around with so much excess calories (stored as glycogen and fat) that now over 40% of those above 40 are overweight or obese.
In the US, it’s nearly 70%!
Calories are the energy from food that is burnt as fuel by the body. Modern foods and modern affluent lifestyles mean very little physical activity, unless an effort is made to exercise.
Their petrol tanks are overflowing but their batteries are flat. Extra calories are not good for you.
7. Protect, repair and make new genes
The genes are the “operating system” of the cells, and any damage here will cause faulty instructions and malfunctioning of certain cell functions.
Protection starts with sunblock against UV radiation and plenty of antioxidants to combat the free radicals that cause damage at the molecular level.
For repair we need nucleic acids, which are the building blocks to replace damaged genes, and also make new genes for the millions of new cells we make daily. These can be obtained from wheat germ and other plants. For anti-ageing and rejuvenation, you need nucleic acid supplements.
8. Optimise and balance your hormones
There are over 20 hormones and pro-hormones that need to be checked and optimised in order to be in perfect health.
The “executive profile” blood tests done as part of your annual check-ups only include two or three of these. The other hormones are only tested by doctors who know about their value, and more importantly, how to adjust them to achieve optimum health.
Hormones are important because they set the “activity level” setting of the target cells.
For example, diabetics have plenty of sugar in their blood, which should give them tons of energy, yet they are all tired and prone to multiple organ damage. It is because they lack the hormone insulin, or their cells have become “resistant” to the insulin, despite the high levels.
All the other hormones also have specific instructions for the cells.
9. Nutrient-dense diet
As explained above, unless you want to gain weight, you should eat only enough calories for the day’s requirement. If you need to lose weight, then eat even less.
What we need from our food is plenty of nutrients. We need sufficient amino-acids, saccharides, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, co-enzymes, fiber, probiotics, and a whole range of phytonutrients or phytochemicals, many yet to be discovered and named.
The basis of your diet should be fresh raw fruits and veggies. If you like meats, then fish is preferable to chicken. Red meats should be minimised. White flour, white rice and white sugar are all “empty calories” with little nutrients and should be rationed.
Even vegetarians become fat and unhealthy when they eat too much of these low-nutrient foods. Add “white salt” to the list also, as it causes hypertension.
10. Supplements for health
This is the most controversial issue as there are many divergent opinions about their necessity. It was only three years ago that medical scientists admitted that vitamin and mineral supplements are beneficial for health.
The scientists are cautious for good reasons. Many people are spending money buying supplements without really knowing if they work. Some may even be harmful.
It may shock you to know that in November 2004, the John Hopkins University released the results of their review of over 136,000 people on vitamin E supplements that concluded that those who took 200IU or more of vitamin E supplements daily died at a higher rate than those who did not take at all. Yet people are not aware of this, and most who do take 400IU or more daily. They are paying money to die faster.
Vitamin E is not just vitamin E anymore. About 99% of the vitamin E supplements sold contain only the alpha-tocopherol isomer, while there are eight known health-enhancing isomers in our foods (four tocopherols, and four tocotrienols; a ninth isomer has been discovered but its health benefits have not yet been studied).
What the body needs is a combination of these isomers. The study quoted above refers to alpha-tocopherol supplements only.
Now there are some supplements which contain a combination of tocopherols and/or tocotrienols. It is a pity that while we are the world’s largest exporter of the complete and balanced vitamin E supplement with all the eight isomers, our own people do not know the above facts and very few are using it.
This is just one example to show that you need to update yourself before you spend money on supplements. Are they necessary? Which ones? What dose? How cost effective?
I will continue in the next instalment.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
For all of us born after the World War II, as so called baby boomers, we have always been energetic, sporting, innovative, curious, and rebellious. Hey! we're in no rush and certainly in no hurry to grow old gracefully! We want to stay just as active, humourous, scintillating youthful, limber ... and yes, sexy! ... for as long as possible. We are just a bunch of recycled teenagers. That means we got to keep staying in touch with the latest medical knowledge, technology and scientific breakthroughs – and also each other.
Join us as we explore exciting new avenues of enhancing our health, our looks, our relationships, and our lives! More so, not to leave out the generation X and generation Y too. Please do join us. Starting young will be more ideal. Most new discoveries and technology are brainchild of the new generations. Wanna walk out and give folks there a guess on your age???????? Thrilling - isn't it?
Anyone here who have grandmother's or grandfather's remedies to any of the above, feel free to pen in a sentence or two. Who knows, it may work wonders and we will be joining Laura Branigans singing Forever Young…..I want to be forever young……..Don’t you want to live forever…. forever young.
Join us as we explore exciting new avenues of enhancing our health, our looks, our relationships, and our lives! More so, not to leave out the generation X and generation Y too. Please do join us. Starting young will be more ideal. Most new discoveries and technology are brainchild of the new generations. Wanna walk out and give folks there a guess on your age???????? Thrilling - isn't it?
Anyone here who have grandmother's or grandfather's remedies to any of the above, feel free to pen in a sentence or two. Who knows, it may work wonders and we will be joining Laura Branigans singing Forever Young…..I want to be forever young……..Don’t you want to live forever…. forever young.
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