We Are What We Eat: Pay The Farmer Not The Pharmacy Meera & Ashok Vasudevan

There is too much alarmist surround sound on obesity. Yes, it can be problematic but before we jump to “cure” here’s some good news. Recent research shows there is no increased risk of mortality from obesity if other metabolic factors are in check, like BP, blood sugar, cholesterol. The risk of obesity related complications are further mitigated by exercise.
Join us today on a journey of some interesting factoids on food groups and how they can help deal with obesity.
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Collagen, Calcium, Phosphorus, and Vitamin D are each crucial for bone health as we age.   Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body that forms the scaffolding that gives our body its structure and strength. Calcium homeostasis is an even distribution of Calcium in the bones and is crucial for skeletal health. This process is aided by Phosphorus and Vitamin D that ensures the absorption of Calcium in our body.
 
Vitamin C, amino acids, zinc and Copper are required for pro-collagen, the precursor to the protein collagen. 

Listen on for a bone friendly menu instead of mere supplements.
 
A word of caution: Excess Vitamin A is not necessarily a friend and has been known to make bones fragile. So avoid excess orange and yellow vegetables.

A very small dietary change can make a huge difference to the quality of our lives. 

Pollen, pets, dust mites and foods are common triggers for skin allergies and/or asthmatic episodes. Sometimes a hyperactive immune system triggers a battle between our antibodies and some foods, creating all the familiar allergy symptoms. 

Some allergies including eczema are alleviated by avoiding dairy, gluten, peanuts, eggs, honey and highly processed foods. Some of these are easy to identify through allergen tests.  A dietary cure though is trickier, requiring careful monitoring & record keeping and will vary from person to person. Here are three tips.
 
1.  Become familiar with anti-inflammatory foods. 

2. Choose natural and organic foods where possible.

3. Avoid sodas, ultra-processed foods, fried foods, sugar, HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and sulfites. 

For those who suffer it, migraines are a painful, unexpected & debilitating condition. They are often genetic with no known cure. Common triggers are stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, alcohol, hunger etc. There is not enough evidence that some foods can cure migraines. Results widely vary from person to person. For instance, coffee is known to help some, harm others.
 
So, what is one to do?

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The bustling hawker centers, food carts and street stalls are a major source of the wafting aromas of South east Asian cuisine across the region. Deeply influenced by Chinese, Indian and Islamic culinary traditions, Malaysian food is both a melting pot and a distinctive mosaic with a cornucopia of colors, tastes and flavors. 

In turn, Malaysia has lent its influence to the uniquely Peraaaa nakan cuisine of Singapore. Also known as Nyonya, it is a blend of Chinese, Malay and Javanese cuisine that is gravy rich, spicy and colorful.

Further east the rich tropical fruits, vegetables and coconuts blend effortlessly with the Malayo-Polynesian-Hispanic influence that comes together like the United Nations that best describes the Filipino cuisine.
 
All these areas represent ancient cultures and wisdom that effortlessly corelated food with wellness

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The Incas, Mayans, ancient Chinese, Indians, Mediterraneans had long ago figured out that “we are what we eat”, and correspondingly built up a staggering knowledge of plants, nutrition and their impact on our wellness. In many ways scientists today are still playing catch up as they point out goodness of chemicals & molecules in foods through “analysis”, “evidence-based science” and “observation”. 
 
This newsletter is committed to providing you evidence-based tips that will uncover the magical pharmacy in our kitchens. We love meta studies and peer reviewed articles, but we also hear the voices of our elders speaking to us through the centuries, gently guiding us to be aware that we are what we eat.
 
Today, we explore 2 ancient but powerful systems, still being practiced, though a mere shadow of their former selves, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda.  There is much to learn. Superfoods are different for different people. There’s logic to seasonal foods, occupation-based diets, stage of life foods, importance of color in foods, personality-based diets etc.