Tag Archives: Health

Jul21

Busy Bee and D4D!

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My non-blogging summer goes a little something like this:

I’m working three different jobs/internships in three different cities. There is not one day that I don’t drive my little, red Civic at least 120 miles! I’m tutoring two “precious,” loud teenage boys, working for an online farmers market delivery service in San Francisco called LolaBee’s, and I’m planning the 5th Annual 5K Fundraiser for Dogs4Diabetics (D4D).

Now, I know what you must be thinking, why don’t I still have time late in the night to quickly write a post … well … I’ll admit it, when I finally get the chance to relax, usually around 12 am, I tend to spend my time reading the addicting Fifty Shades series … And I know you secretly are as well!!

On another note, what I really want to share with you today is a little different than my usual toxic knowledge. I wanted to take this time to share with everyone why I want to be involved in D4D and why you should too.

My baby brother, Dylan, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 6. He is the strongest, bravest person I know! Dylan not only has to monitor his blood sugar throughout the day, measuring his food intake and pumping his insulin, but he also has to estimate the impact of physical activity and stress on his body’s blood sugar chemistry. It’s tough!!!

A little over a year ago, he was gifted a Dogs4Diabetics service dog, and let me tell you, he was ecstatic!!! And for a good reason too, Celeste, his dog, is a miracle. She is on alert 24/7 and has the ability to sense changes in blood chemistry that occurs as Dylan’s blood sugar begins to rapidly drop–which can result in seizure and even death in a matter of minutes.

Whether she is alerting at a SF Giants baseball game or waking my parents up at 4 am because my brother’s blood sugar is dropping, she is always by my brother’s side. They complete each other and support each other through thick and thin. Which is why I’m so passionate about planning the 5th Annual Walk!

To learn more about D4D, please visit their site at dogs4diabetics.com.

And lastly, here’s a quick description of the walk, see below:

5th Annual Walk for the Dogs

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Heather Farms Park/Sports Basement Parking Lot

(1881 Ygnacio Valley Rd.)

Registration 8:00AM

It’s that time again! It’s time for the annual Walk for the Dogs! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 11th and come out and join our canine heroes for a morning of fun! You can now register online on the D4D website. The registration fee is $30 and will include a 2012 5th Annual Walk T-shirt, a complimentary raffle ticket, and a goodie bag. If you haven’t joined us for this event in the past, we will have entertainment, refreshments, prizes, our amazing dogs and other furry friends!

Don’t want to register?? Not in the area?? You can still donate to this great cause! We are also tax-deductible, Employer ID #20-2250869.

Thanks for stopping by, and remember, keep your diet naturally colorful!

Come back soon, I’ll be sharing a little something, something about my other internship, LolaBee’s, the online farmers market delivery service in San Francisco.

Jun24

Kentucky Fried Nitrosamines

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Hey guys … sorry for the long delay … but I’m back again! And ready to blog!!!

Here’s your toxic tip of the day!!!

N-Nitrosamines

Now, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about science, it’s that reading it can be somewhat of a bore. But I wanted to expand on my last post, more specifically about the toxicity of nitrosamines.

Here it goes.

N-Nitrosamines are produced from nitrites and secondary amines (or proteins). There are over 400 different nitrosamines, 90% are carcinogenic. More specifically, cancerous forms of nitrosamines form under acidic conditions similar to those found in the human stomach–meaning human stomach cancer!

Nitrosamines can be found in beer, fish, meat, cheese, and in food preserved with sodium nitrite, like nitrile-cured bacon. In other words, nitrosamines are commonly found in our food!

On a more personal note …

I went to Kentucky this past week to meet my boyfriend’s grandparents for the first time. It was a very interesting experience … especially because I’m terrified of big bugs–more specifically wasps/bees/big flying scary things!!! And let me just tell you … Kentucky wasps are humongous!!!! But besides the bugs, I loved his family and their beautiful farm! His grandparents were amazingly nice and sweet and made me feel right at home! We indulged in tons of fruits and veggies–my fave!!!  And we even made homemade ice cream–which I enjoyed after quite a few lactase pills!  I took a ton of photos, specifically for my blog, and wanted to share a few!

The B-E-A-U-TI-FUL Farm

Tea Of Course!!!

Super Cute Baby Peacock!!

Even Cuter Baby Peacock!

I Wanted To Take Them Home With Me!

Phil Making The Ice Cream!

The Oh-So-Delicious Ice Cream Maker/Freezer!

The Spontaneous Dish I Made For The Fam!

Which Ended Up Being Super Yummy!!!

And last but not least …

The Baby Picture I Found of Phil

What A Lovely Trip!!!

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Jun18

Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines … Oh My!

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I hope everyone had a nice Father’s Day!

I know I did!

* I enjoyed some nice family time paired with delicious pizza from Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria.

* I introduced my mom to their vegan “Asante” pizza, which she became absolutely obsessed with!

* And I made a very refreshing “fruit-infused-jasmine-green-sun-tea-cooler” with my dad. A recipe I will share with you all tomorrow!!

But as promised, today, I will be sharing my knowledge on the toxicity of …

Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines (HAs)

Brace yourselves… this is a long one!

As I mentioned before, HAs are toxins (potent mutagens) generated in muscle (not organ) meats when cooked at normal “home-cooking” temperatures. What I mean by “home-cooking” temperatures, is that HA exposure is most prevalent in home cooked meats. On average we intake about 26 ng/kg body weight/day … which is a lot considering that 17 different HAs may pose a human cancer risk.

There are four main factors that influence HA formation.

1. Cooking Temperature

2. Cooking Time

3. Cooking Method

4. The Food Being Cooked

The food toxicology lecture slide below displays how different cooking temperatures and cooking times can make a great difference in the formation of HAs.

Furthermore, as you can see by the other food toxicology lecture slide (below) cooking methods also make a difference in the formation of HAs.

Frying, broiling, and barbequeing produce that largest amounts of HAs (see the food toxicology lecture slide below).

There are also two types of HAs.

1. 2-Aminoimidazole type (IQ-Type)– formed in muscle meat when amino acids react with creatine (a protein found in muscle meats) at high temperatures.

2. 2-Aminopryridine type (Non-IQ-Type)– formed from the decomposition of protein at high temperatures.

Long story short, the IQ-Types seem to be more carcinogenic because California Prop 65 lists IQ, MeIQ, MeIQx, and PhIP (all IQ-Type HAs) as carcinogens.

Hang in there, I’m almost done with all this science talk …

Toxicity

HAs are mutagenic. They tend to be potent liver carcinogens in rats and mice and are thought to be responsible for a great deal of the intestinal cancer in humans.

HAs are activated in our bodies by cytochrome P450 enzymes and are detoxified by our glucuronoyltrasferase and sulfotransferase enzymes.

And thankfully, we have these detoxifying enzymes to help us metabolize daily dietary toxins! But remember, MODERATION and COMBINATION is key! Moderate your intake of these dietary toxins and combine them with antioxidant rich fruit to help induce your detox enzymes!

And lastly, just as a recap from my previous post, if you microwave your meat for 2 minutes, before cooking, you can remove HA precursors and sequentially get rid of 90% of HA content.

Have a great day!!! And happy summer!!!!

Stay tuned for the delicious and refreshing jasmine-green-sun-tea recipe!!!
Jun15

I’m Back!

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I’m back!

My finals are finally over!

Which means …

It’s SUMMER time and WATERMELON season!!

And more importantly, BLOGGING time!!!

Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines (HAs)

HAs are toxins (potent mutagens) generated in muscle meats when cooked at normal “home-cooking” temperatures. But I’ll tell you more about that later!

So, for now, here’s a quick toxic tip:

If you microwave your meat for 2 minutes, prior to cooking, you can remove HA precursors and sequentially get rid of 90% of HA content.

May30

Step Away from the Cheap, Dented Can!!!

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Recently, I received a request to write a toxicological post about canned fruit and its nutritional value. Unfortunately, I have not yet learned much about canned foods, but I do know one interesting toxic fact …

To Be Safe, Do Not Buy or Eat Contents From Dented Cans!

Here’s why …

Dented cans can provide residency for Colstridium botulinum, a bacteria that produces a toxin known as botulism. Although boltulism is rare, it is best to AVOID food containers that are leaking, bulging, badly dented, cracked, have loose or bulging lids, or have a foul odor. Even a small amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly!!!!!

So, pay attention! If you’re the type of person who shops in the 50%/”half off” section at grocery stores (introduced to me by my economist for a boyfriend), then check your cans often, that’s usually where you will find the dented ones. Once again, I DO NOT recommend buying these dented cans just because they are CHEAP–there is a reason they are so cheap and that reason is potentially unsafe.

On the positive side, as long as the can is in good shape, the food contents should be safe! But, canned food taste, texture, and nutritional value can decrease over time. So as a general guideline, be sure to store canned foods and other “shelf” products in a cool, dry place. Furthermore, if the can is in good shape, high acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit should only be stored up to 18 months, while low acid foods such as meats and veggies can be stored 2 to 5 years.

However, if the can is NOT in good shape, please DISCARD! Botulism is more likely to grow in low acidic environments like canned peas, corn, green beans, and beets, but only if the can is deeply dented, leaking, bulging, cracked, etc.

click on the images for their sources

For more information please visit the USDA website @ 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Shelf_Stable_Food_Safety/index.asp

May25

When Life Gives You Lemons …

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Toxic Food Fact of the Day

Let’s talk about a food additive that prevents the wastage of food…

Antioxidants

I’ve talked about antioxidants before in “An Antioxidant a Day, Keeps the Free Radical Away” but now I’m taking a different approach.

I’m going to talk about using antioxidants, natural and synthetic, to prevent the oxidation of food. Our bodies use antioxidants to prevent oxidative stress, similarly, we add antioxidants to food to do the same thing.

Read on young grasshoppers…

Natural Antioxidants:

Fruits and veggies produce antioxidants (carotenoids, polyphenolic, ascorbic acid or vitamin C, and vitamin A) to prevent oxidation. But once the fruit or veggie is not living anymore it will stop producing antioxidants and will be vulnerable to oxidation. Unfortunately, oxidation can decrease the nutritional value of the food by degrading essential fatty acids and vitamins.

Think about it…

You’ve seen oxidation occur … It’s the browning effect! For example, when you cut an apple and let it sit, what happens??? The apple turns brown.

So, what’s the trick…. LEMON JUICE! Lemon juice can prevent the browning of cut apples, thanks to the antioxidant action of vitamin C in the lemon juice. 

click image for source

Synthetic Antioxidants:

Synthetic antioxidants are used for the same reason as natural antioxidants. They are added to food products in order to protect food against oxidative deterioration of vitamins and essential fatty acids, delay and detain unwanted and unusual odors, extend self-life, and lastly, hinder the production of toxic by-products.

Synthetic antioxidants include:

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), Propyl Gallate (PG), and Tert-Butylated HydroxyQuinone (TBHQ).

Last thoughts: I hear apples taste even better with a little lemon… maybe you should try it… especially those folks who eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away … give your apple a little spunk … When life gives you lemons, squirt some on your cut apples … that means you gramps!

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May14

Raw Food is Not Always Better Food!

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This past weekend was not only Mother’s Day, but it was also The Whole Earth Festival. It’s a time when people from all over the Pacific Northwest come to Davis to frolic to the Bohemian music and sell and buy expensive, organic, homemade, recycled, earthy products. Not only is this a festival for the hippies and the un-showered folks from out of town, it’s the happiest place on earth for vegetarians and vegans. The quad is FILLED with ONLY vegan and vegetarian food options; not one item has meat!!!! There was even a RAW food stand. But raw food diets are not always good for you!

Lectin

Lectin is a glycoprotein, in other words, sugar + protein. This natural toxin is found in plants, animals, viruses, and bacteria. The plant sources include red kidney beans, castor beans, peas, lentils, sweat peas, and soybeans. In addition, the lectin toxin is found mostly in the seed of the plant.

More specifically, lectin binds to specific sugars on the surface of cells. And is considered to be a direct predecessor of the immune system. Lectin intoxication is usually associated with acute toxicity; including symptoms like gastrointestinal distress; however, coupled with a fast recovery (3-4 hours). Not all lectins are toxic but typically this toxin causes clumping of red blood cells, or hemagglutins.

Thankfully, lectin can be destroyed by heat (cooking). Which is why human poisoning occurs when you eat UNDER-COOKED beans!!

Raw kidney beans contain 20,000 to 70,000 hemagglutinating units (hau) while fully cooked kidney beans only contain 200 to 400 hau.

This is also why some raw food diets are NOT so good for you!

Sometimes cooking food can denature the toxic proteins.
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May10

What Makes it Gummy?

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Gelatin vs. Pectin

So, I have recently given up gummy candy and Jell-O like products because I’m a little grossed out by gelatin. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing really bad about gelatin and it is safe to consume … except for the fact that it grosses me out! Gelatin is a protein obtained from animal hides and bones and is used as a thickening and gelling agent. In addition, it has little nutritional value, due to the absence of essential amino acids. It can be found in powdered dessert mixes (Jell-O), marshmallows, yogurt, ice cream, cheese spreads, beverages, and jelly.

However, I learned today that there is a solution if you are also grossed out my gelatin.

Pectin!

Pectin is often used similarly as gelatin, but instead of being made of animal hide and bone it is made from plants. Pectin is a safe carbohydrate found in the cell walls of fruits and veggies such as, citrus, apples, beets, and carrots. Pectin is used for fruit jellies and to thicken barbeque sauce, cranberry sauce, canned frosting, and yogurt. Ergo, pectin is a great substitute for those of you who find gelatin made from animal bone and hide displeasing.

 “Mott’s for Tots”

When I gave up gummy fruit snacks because of the gelatin, I thought that was the end of my gummy days. But, I recently stumbled upon “Mott’s for Tots” which replaces gelatin with pectin … so, I bought a box and I’m excited to try it! In addition, “Mott’s for Tots” is gluten free and fat free, and contains no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives.

May9

You’re Invited to the Tea Party!

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As I mentioned before, MODERATION is KEY! Remember, sometimes beneficial compounds are accompanied by potential toxins.

Tea Time, Round Two

Oxalates

Oxalates are derived from oxalic acid, which can be found in plants such as spinach rubarb, TEA, cocoa, and celery. Oxalates become a problem when they bind with calcium, iron, magnesium, or potassium in the gut and interfere with calcium metabolism. This leads to calcium deficiency and ultimately calcium oxalate stone formation in the kidneys– KIDNEY STONES! Think about it: 75 percent of all kidney stones are made up of calcium oxalate.

Unfortunately for you fellow heavy tea drinkers, there has been talk that high consumption of tea may lead to kidney stones. More specifically, black tea, which undergoes hours of full oxidation before steaming and drying, has the highest concentration of oxalate as compared to other teas that only undergo partial oxidation (oolong tea) or no oxidation (green tea). Unfortunately for Americans, black tea is the most common type of tea consumed—especially iced.

It is suggested, by a LIMITED number of studies, that a major source of soluble oxalate found in black tea could increase risk of kidney stones due to an increase in urinary oxalate excretion. However, a more recent study shows that there is very low bioavailability of tea-derived oxalate, meaning tea-derived oxalate is not readily absorbed and therefore may not increase the risk of kidney stones. In addition, this same study found that spreading the oxalate intake over an extended period of time may actually lead to an increase in oxalate bioavailability.

The take home message:

Based on most studies, there is LITTLE support that kidney stone formers should limit their intake of black tea. This is because black tea-derived oxalate has low bioavailability (is not readily absorbed). HOWEVER, please remember that moderation of tea consumption is KEY! Because although there is little support that black tea-derived oxalate can lead to kidney stones, little is not the same as zero support! In addition, tea also has caffeine, another popular, toxic chemical that will be discussed later!

P.S. One study suggests that by taking supplements or eating foods with calcium carbonate or magnesium oxide you can be significantly lower your load-derived oxalate levels within 24-hours after ingestion. More specifically, the study showed that the efficiency of oxalate absorption for the calcium carbonate (5.1%) and magnesium oxide (7.6%) treatments were lower than the control (13.5%).
May8

Tea Time

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Some say, that next to water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the WORLD! And believe me, I’m definitely on that bandwagon! As you may already know from some of my previous posts, I’m OBSESSED with tea!  So, I did some research and found some promising benefits related to drinking tea.

FLAVONOIDS

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that can be found in tea, cocoa, fruits, vegetables, and wine. Flavonoids contribute to the taste and color of these products and are HIGHLY responsible for upholding some normal, healthy body functions.

Many flavonoids are shown to have antioxidative activity (see An Antioxidant a day, Keeps the Free Radical Away for more information on antioxidants), free-radical scavenging capability, coronary heart disease prevention, and anticancer activity. Some flavonoids even exhibit potential for anti-human immunodeficiency virus functions. Furthermore, other studies show that teas may also encourage weight loss, lower bad (LDL) cholesterol, and bring about mental alertness (alertness is however due to the caffeine and theanine in tea).

Black, green, white, oolong, and pu-erh tea are all full of natural sources of flavonoids, providing 100 – 300 milligrams of total flavonoids per 240 milliliter serving. In addition, the majority of flavonoids are infused from the tealeaves to the brewed tea after about 4 minutes of brewing.

Now, remember the more processed the tealeaf the less flavonoid concentration. Oolong and black teas are oxidized or fermented so they tend to have lower concentrations of flavonoids than green tea, which are steamed. However, oolong and black teas still have great antioxidizing potential.

The following list of teas and benefits were found on WebMD:

Green Tea: is made with steamed tealeaves and has a high concentration of flavonoids. Antioxidants interfere with many cancers; prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, reduce risk of stroke, and improve LDL cholesterol levels.

Black Tea: is made with fermented tealeaves and has the highest caffeine concentration compared to other teas. Black tea can protect lungs from cigarette smoke and reduce risk of stroke.

White Tea: is uncured and unfermented and studies show white tea has anticancer properties.

Oolong Tea: animals given antioxidants from oolong tea were said to have lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Pu-erh Tea: (considered a black tea) is made from fermented and aged leaves that are pressed into cakes.

In conclusion, my mantra for this blog is not only “know what you’re putting in your mouth,” it’s also … “too much of one thing is never good for you!” Something I personally need to work on! Remember the quote from Paracelsus; “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy.” It is important to keep your diet balanced because where there is a benefit there is also may also be a cost…. For example, teas also have oxalates… more on this next time, see you tomorrow!
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