Toxins - The (nearly) Invisible Health Enemy
Mar 14, 2024
ALUMINIUM
From baking cakes and cookies to packing our lunch with Aluminium foil on a daily basis, to cooking grilled veggies, fish or chicken, aluminium foil is an essential part of the lives of millions of cooks worldwide. However, little did we know, that this staple of most kitchens would be questioned as we explore healthier options? It has been found that keeping food wrapped in aluminium foil for too long especially in warn or hot conditions can make the aluminium leach into the food.
Interestingly the levels of aluminium leached are significantly higher if the food touches the hot foil, also if the food is spicy or acidic. Also, the hotter the heat, the more leaching of Aluminium occurs. Also it is irrelevant what side of foil is used!!!
What’s wrong with increased exposure? Aluminium interferes with digestion of calcium and phosphorus, and can even result in osteoporosis. It damages the liver, and impairs the kidneys. It is linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons. It is connected to colic, sleep disturbance, anemia, eyesight issues and speech problems.
Similarly do get rid of all Aluminium cooking pans or pots in the house. Trace quantities of aluminium have been traced even in the eye!! Every cooking pot or pan we use should be looked at carefully to ensure that we are only eating the food (and not trace quantities of the metal in which the food is being cooked)
DO YOU KNOW WHATS IN YOUR RICE
Could you ever guess that inside that delicious looking bowl of steaming rice there may be dangerous heavy metals?
Are you aware that virtually every type of rice in the world has some heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury etc? How so, you ask?
Well, due to rapid industrialisation and a narrow focus on profits only the waste from industrial plants has polluted the ground water to an extent that it may be impossible to clean in the long run. And whether something is grown organically or not, the impact of ground water is the same on both. Yes, if you buy organic, at least the additional load of pesticides and fertilisers will be less, however the impact of heavy metals will still be there.
Heavy metals are difficult to detox from the human body relative to other toxins. And heavy metal toxicity is connected to thyroid disorders as well as other metabolic disorders. In fact according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Metabolic syndrome (MS) is the co-occurrence of conditions that increase one’s risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. The worldwide increase in the prevalence of MS cannot be fully explained by lifestyle factors such as sedentary behavior and caloric intake alone. Environmental exposures, such as heavy metals, have been implicated in the occurrence of diseases like hypothyroidism and type 2 diabetes.
So let’s try our best to avoid exposure to foods known to contain heavy metals. Many of us who are gluten free rely on rice, rice crackers, rice pasta, rice bread and so on. However exposure to too much rice may not be the best for any of us.
Some doctors suggest that to reduce heavy metal exposure one can soak the rice overnight in 2 inches of water. Throw the water out completely the next morning. Then add fresh water and soak for another 30 minutes. Then scrub the rice grains between your palms till all the grains are scrubbed. Then soak for another 10 minutes and rinse really well. Some studies suggest rinsing for 30 minutes removes 80% of the surface toxins. After this, cook with a pinch of turmeric and pepper and sea salt.
RICE BRAN OIL
Lot of people messaged us about using Rice Bran Oil! So here is some information that may help you decide! Plus you will see how important it is to become aware and empower yourself to make the best choices for your health.
Rice bran oil is obtained through extraction of rice bran (which is a by-product while milling rice). The extraction process uses a chemical solvent hexane which is highly flammable and has high toxicity. Also the high temperature creates undesirable by products in the oil as a result of oxidative deterioration. Also the oil becomes rancid and off-flavour. Then a number of steps are used to remove the above!!
All oils go through a process called RBD. (Refined bleached and deodorised). In refining, the oil is heated to high temperatures (as we all know oil should not be used after it is heated up to frying temperature once) All branded oils that are refined are heated to high temperatures. Then the oil is bleached with chemicals like caustic soda to remove the dark color of the oil. . This is done mostly because the roasted raw material makes the oil brown.(For example instead of letting coconut dry in the sun, large companies just quickly roast the coconut till it is brown thus imparting brown color to the oil) Then they assume that consumers will not like the dark color so they bleach the oil to remove the dark color. Then they deodorize it to remove the strong smell and also to remove the taste to make it neutral so consumers will accept it. This process also makes the oil last longer. In spite of this they add preservatives like BHT (butylated Hydroxy toluene) BQHT etc. Toluene is a known carcinogen. Then more dangerous chemicals are added: anti-foaming and anti-splashing agents. (Not for “your” convenience haha- it is for “their” convenience that the oil does not drop while it’s being poured from containers to other vessels during production, bottling etc)
In addition, Rice bran oil contains 20 times more omega 6 fatty acids than omega 3 fatty acids. Excess amounts of omega 6 fatty acids promote the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
OILS TO AVOID
Wow, who could have thought that the simple oil you use for cooking maybe impacting your heart health, diabetes, thyroid, aches and pains, coughs and maybe even your periods!!!!
The main purpose of using cooking oil is to quickly transfer heat to the food that’s being cooked. This is why frying is usually quicker than boiling or roasting. Oil has good tolerance against high temperatures, i.e. it doesn’t boil /break down right away.
Plus cooking oil provides additional flavor and brings out the fat-soluble nutrients in the other ingredients.
However, the main issue with vegetable oil is that when it is heated, it releases trans-fat, free radicals and toxins that can leach into your food and wreak havoc on your health.
They are rich in trans- fat, which is a synthetic fatty acid that inhibits your body’s production of prostacyclin, a factor that keeps your blood flowing smoothly. If your body cannot produce enough prostacyclin, blood clots can form in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease.
Aside from endangering your cardiovascular health, trans fat may even impair your memory. According to a study published in Time, participants who consumed high levels of trans-fat remembered 11 fewer words compared to those who consumed lower levels.
Much of the reason why vegetable oils contain trans-fat is because they are hydrogenated, a process wherein hydrogen gas is forced into the oil at a high pressure during manufacturing. Companies use this method to extend the shelf life of their products, but at the cost of people’s health.
Furthermore, vegetable oils produce oxidized cholesterol when heated, increasing thromboxane formation, a factor that clots your blood, as well as two toxins: cyclic aldehydes and acrylamide.
In light of all this information, which vegetable oils should you avoid?
REFINED FLOUR INCREASES DIABETES
Did you know that refined flour may increase blood triglycerides, blood sugar levels and cause insulin resistance? All of these are major risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
So what’s wrong with refined flour?
The consumption of refined flour raises blood sugar and insulin, causing a metabolic dysfunction.
Refined flour is depleted in nutrients and contains harmful additives.
Refined flour displaces healthier foods from the diet. Consuming cookies, store bought breads, pastas, other snacks often leads to 1) digestion issues 2) imbalance in gut bacteria thus lowering immunity 3) deficiencies of certain nutrients as “empty calories’ are consumed.
4)over the long term creates various imbalances that take time to correct plus creates a situation ripe for diabetes type 2 and heart disease.
FLOURIDE CAN DAMAGE YOUR THYROID
Could your toothpaste be making you sick?
Anything that hinders iodine absorption into the tissues …is harmful for your health.
Most toothpastes in the world contain fluoride and while many dentists may tell you that it’s fine, it’s quite to the contrary.
Fluoride is toxic to your thyroid because it impacts the conversion of T4 hormone to the T3 hormone. The T3 hormone is the one that gives your energy.
While many natural toothpastes seem attractive, READ the labels. You will find that most don’t make the cut. Wherever in the world you may live, read the label to ensure there is no flouride in your toothpaste.
SUGAR INCREASES INFLAMMATION
Did you know why sugar is the “big bad guy” in the world of health and healing? Well, the link between sugar and inflammation is well established now and inflammation is now considered at the root cause of most disease including cancer. There is a huge well-informed population in the world today that lives a normal life without adding sugar to their tea or coffee and even desserts. How do you feel about that? Is that something that will be easy to do?
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