What's Wheat Gotta Do With It? (Part 1)

Wheat.

The bane of most gastrointestinal systems.

And yet wheat has been in existence for approximately 10,000 years.

But somehow more and more people are 'becoming sick' from ingesting wheat.

Thus, the revolution of 'gluten-free' came forth.

But yet, there are many people who are on the 'gluten-free' diet who can eat kamut and spelt. Both of which contain gluten! How is this possible?

Do spend some time to watch this video. Quite an interesting video regarding wheat.

(to be continued...)

The Tank & Its Inhabitants

Perfect!

We added 3 ottos to the tank. 

If you can see a zebra coloured shrimp, that's our new baby who was recently birthed forth. 

Did You Know....

... That a fresh egg will sink in water and that a stale egg will float?

Egg shells are porous. Thus, over a length of time, more air will be absorbed into the eggs. Older eggs will have more air in them. Fresh eggs will have less air in them.

Click on LINK to read more about freshness of eggs.

2015 Reunion Dinner

Here are some of the recipes to the food in the pictures above:

1. EMPRESS CHICKEN

2. FRENCH BEANS FRIED EGGS (omit the sugar)

3. BAKED PRAWNS (I did not cook them with butter this round)

(*Everything was cooked WITHOUT the use of sugar.) And it was delicious and yummy to the tummy!

GOAT XI FA CHAI!

A very happy Chinese New Year to all of you who celebrate it.

May the Year of the Goat 'bleat' blessings in all that you do,
May the Year of the Goat bring you nothing 'butt' joy, love, wealth and health,
May you be blasted with the 'baaaas' of harmony and peace.

Goat Xi Fa Chai!

Did You Know....

... That the fastest muscle in our body is in the eye?

Yes!

It allows us to blink 5 times a second!

And on an average, we blink 15,000 times a day.

The ABCs - K is For K2

What is K2?

Vitamin K is basically essential for coagulation. It also plays an essential role in the conversion of certain enzymes.

It is believed that K2 plays quite an important role in maintaining healthy levels of bone mineral density (BMD). A deficiency in K2 increases the risk for fragile bones.

*K2 with a combination of calcium and vitamin D can decrease bone turnover. (*taken from HERE)

K2 is essential for maintaining bone strength for menopausal women.

Activator X

Dr. Weston A. Price (a dentist and researcher) discovered that his dental patients had excellent 'teeth health' when given a high-vitamin-cod-liver-oil with a nutritious diet which consisted of milk, organ meats, unprocessed grains, vegetables and fruits. Some even had their dental problems disappear!

The key-element was in the vitamin-rich-butter and butter-oil concentrate which was extracted from it.

He named the key-element as activator X.

As a researcher, Price experimented with various brands of butter. He realised that butter which was made from milk of cows which grazed on grass grown on rich soil (fast growing wheat grass and alfalfa) had very high concentration of activator X (which is what we now know as vitamin K2).

Cows that were kept in pens and fed on commercial diets did not produce milk which had high levels of this activator X!

(click on LINK to read more)

It is interesting to note that K2 is indeed an activator for certain proteins for vitamin A and D!

Source of K2

Did you know that a certain type of bacteria in our gut (the good guys) produce vitamin K2 from K1? Amazing!

Natural K2 is also found in bacterial fermented foods, such as mature cheese and curd. The Japanese have a naturally-rich-in-K2-dish which is called natto. It is made of fermented soybeans and Bacillus subtilis. The downside of this dish is that it has a very intense smell and strong taste.

To read more about K2, click on K2, The Missing Nutrient.

H20 - Part 1 (An Introduction)

Our body is made up of approximately 60% water.

Our brain tissue is approximately 75% water!

Our body needs water to produce saliva.

Our body looses approximately about 4 cups of water per hour when we exercise. The more intense the exercise or the higher the temperature, the more water our body looses.

Dehydration causes constipation as our body will absorb whatever water it can get.

Kidney stones cannot form if our body has enough water.

(... to be continued)

Stir-Fried Eggs With Celery

Ingredients:

1. 10 medium sized eggs (beaten)
2. 2 celery sticks (peeled and sliced into thin pieces)
3. Sea-salt
4. Sunflower oil

-------------------------------------

1. Heat a wok on medium heat.

2. In a large mixing bowl, pour the beaten eggs, celery sticks, sea-salt and sunflower oil. Mix thoroughly.

3. Once the wok is heated up, pour the egg mixture into it.

4. Stir fry until one side is slightly browned before turning it over.

5. One the other side is slightly browned too, scoop it up onto serving plate.

6. Serve hot.

Bon appétit!

The Glorious Heavens - Part 23

Full moon!

An angel!

'The sun is new every day.' - Heraclitus

Vitamin Sleep - Part 2 (The Circadian Rhythm)

Circadian Rhythm

According to *'The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary, the circadian rhythm is defined as a daily rhythmic activity cycle which is based on 24-hour intervals. (*taken from HERE)

This cycle is influenced by regular variations in the environment such as the alternation of night and day. 

The circadian rhythms affect the sleeping and waking in animals, the opening and closing of flowers in angiosperms and the tissue growth in fungi. 

So in layman's term, this circadian rhythm which is present in humans and most animals is generated by an internal clock that is synchronized to light-dark cycles and other cues in an organism's environment. It causes one to wake up at the same time every day without the use of an alarm clock! The circadian rhythm also causes the nocturnal to function in the night and the diurnal in the day. 

The Interruption of the Circadian Rhythm

If one's daily schedule changes, it can interrupt the circadian rhythm. An example would be jet lag. The shift in time and light forces the body to change its usual cycle of regular pattern. Another would be working at night-shift. Or constantly being indoors with artificial lights with no exposure to sunlight. 

The SCN

*The Circadian Rhythm is controlled by a part of the brain called the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN). This is a group of cells which are in the hypothalamus that respond to light and dark signals. 

Light travels from the optic nerve of the eye to the SCN which then triggers the internal clock that it is time to be awake. This SCN also plays a part in hormones, body temperature and functions that play a role in making us feel sleepy or awake. 

The exposure to daylight triggers the SCN to send signals to raise the body temperature and produces the cortisol hormones. 

The SCN also responds to light by delaying the release of the melatonin. Melatonin plays a part in promoting sleep as it is produced when the eyes signal to the SCN that it is dark. Hence, when there is less light, the SCN tells the brain to produce more melatonin to make you sleepy. (Thus it is a bad idea to watch TV or be in front of computers/tablets/smart phones as they can screw up your signals!)

People who work at the night shift produce less melatonin. Also people who are constantly in offices (with artificial lights) and with no windows, tend not to have a stable circadian rhythm. 

It is good to be exposed to morning sunlight as it helps the circadian rhythm to regulate. 

It is also very important to keep a regular sleep schedule to allow deep and quality sleep. 

(*taken from NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION)

Circadian Rhythm Disorders

*The circadian rhythm disorders can be triggered by pregnancy, shift-work, time zone changes, medications, changes in routine where sleeping is concerned, health problems and mental health problems. 

(*taken from HERE)

Common Circadian Rhythm Problems

1. Jet-Lag - Excessive sleepiness or a decline in daytime awareness due to the change in time zone.
2. Shift-Work Sleep Disorder - Unable to sleep or have quality sleep due to rotating of shifts or works at night.
3. Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS) - Only able to fall asleep very late at night and unable to wake up in time for work, school or appointed schedules. 
4. Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPD) - Excessive sleepiness much too soon before bedtime (6pm to 9pm) and waking up earlier than desired (1am to 5am).
5. Non 24-Hour Sleep Wake Disorder - This affects blind people as the gateway to the CNS is not functioning. As a result, sleep time, quality and problems staying awake persist. 

How To Treat Circadian Rhythm Disorders

1. Sleep Hygiene Techniques - Practices, habits and environment factors that are important in getting quality sleep. 
2. Sleep Restriction Therapy - The bed is only for sleeping and nothing else. Thus, time in bed is limited. 
3. Chronotherapy - A behavioral technique where bedtime is gradually and systematically adjusted until a desired bedtime is achieved. 
4. Bright Light Therapy - Used to reset a patient's circadian rhythm to a desired pattern.

Circadian Rhythm Trivia

1. The SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) contains about 20,000 nerve cells!

2. Even fruit flies, cyanobacteria, algae and fungi (YES! Fungi!) have genes that direct the circadian rhythm.

3. The 'after-lunch-sleepiness-syndrome' is not caused by lunch. It is the body's natural circadian rhythm where our energy levels naturally dip between 1 to 3pm, where 3pm being its lowest.

4. Morning sunlight is the most powerful regulator for our biological clock (circadian rhythm).

5. In order for a biological rhythm to be called circadian, it must fulfill three criteria: The rhythm must persist in constant conditions for a 24-hour period (entrainment), the rhythm can be reset by external stimuli (light and heat) and the rhythm must maintain the circadian rhythm even though temperature changes. 

6. A French scientist by the name of Jean-Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan discovered circadian rhythms in 1729. Click on LINK to read more.

Interesting Articles to Read

Disruption of Circadian Rhythm May Contribute to Inflammatory Disease When Coupled with High Fat & Sugar Diet

Why Circadian Rhythm Affects Your Health

Ideal Work Schedule As Determined By Circadian Rhythms

Key Element in Circadian Clock Speed Discovered

Circadian Clock An Orchestra With Many Conductors

Sleepless in America

Bitter Gourd & Mushroom Egg

Ingredients:

1. 8 large free-range chicken eggs (beaten)
2. 1/4 of a bitter gourd (washed and sliced thinly)
3. 6 fresh shitake mushrooms (sliced thinly)
4. Sea-salt
5. Sunflower oil

------------------------------------

1. Mix all ingredients above in a large mixing bowl.

2. Heat up a wok on high heat.

3. Turn to medium heat and pour the wet mixture into the wok.

4. Stir fry until eggs are browned and fragrant.

5. Scoop up onto serving dish.

6. Serve with hot rice.

Bon appétit!

Did You Know....

... That some of the household dust is made of humans' dead skin cells?

YES! We shed like dogs and cats do!

Click on LINK to read more about it.

Vitamin Sleep - Part 1 (An Introduction)

As the human society progresses, sleep is becoming more and more of a luxury. Some people even say that 'they'll sleep all they want when they are dead', not knowing that having a lack of sleep will accelerate their 'sleeping-forever-at-six-feet-under'!

A study done by the University of California, San Diego has found that people who live the longest sleep for six to seven hours each night. (Click on LINK)

Those who lack sleep have been shown to be high at risk where weight gain, hypertension and Type 2 diabetes are concerned.

I wrote about the four stages of sleep and what sleep deprivation does to you back in 2013. Here's the LINK.