You are not alone…….your genetic fingerprint is a lot less human than you think and your house if FULL of the dog’s germs. Don’t panic ! Most of these unexpected house guests don’t get up to mischief, they can help with appetite suppression and cases of plant poisoning, which are not as rare as you might think, thankfully many plant “poisons” can be very beneficial. Some invaders are party animals, their antics summon security, leading to unsightly pimples and other metabolic disturbances. Draining overstuffed fat cells just a LITTLE, can help de-stress the security forces, leading to BETTER BODY CHEMISTRY. Hope you get a visit from some special guests from the North Pole this month, MERRY CHRISTMAS.
The E-spoons E-zine is a monthly compilation of stories appearing on Better Body Chemistry blog. The stories are based on the latest science tit bits and will help you become a little healthier, wealthier and wiser by explaining the why. As a friend of Spoonful of Science you have been included on our mailing list – should you wish to unsubscribe follow the link at the bottom of the E-zine.
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Your genetic fingerprint is a lot less human than you think
Every human being is unique. The uniqueness comes from the fact that conception is a game of Russian roulette, an egg and a sperm that have been shaken and stirred, by the process of “independent assortment” and meiosis, manage to meet. Creating a unique package of gene sets…..
These gene sets, dictate what you look like, they define our humanity – creating our features, our eyes, nose and toes…….
But this human genome is only part of the story. Another gene set influences our nature – this gene set is not human.
Your microbiome
For every human cell in your body, there are 10 bacteria. And there are hundreds of different species of bacteria living within us… Each species of bacteria carries it’s own unique set of genes. Leaving us with more microbial genes than human genes. These microbial genes dictate what the microbe looks like and what is gets up to, whilst it is living on/inside you.
What is gets up to impacts you. Read more…
Treat your microbiome like an asset – feed it, seed it and protect it from harmful chemicals.
Don’t be afraid of being in the dog house
Dogs are “dirty”……… but despite the muddy paws, continual hair shedding and drooling/slobbering, we love them. Most of us – there are exceptions.
The exceptions are seldom against dogs per se – what is not to like about tail wags of love and devotion. Dog friendships are unconditional and can be beneficial.
The problem is the DIRT.
But dog dirt is special ……A dog in the house, impacts the house microbiome. Houses with dogs have EXTRA bacteria. Read more…
This is a good thing….
WE NEED MORE GOOD BACTERIA IN OUR SQUEAKY CLEAN WORLD.
When these good guys are missing, our immune systems have a tendency to get a little bored – causing inappropriate immune responses, leading to auto-immune diseases.
Cultivating the RIGHT microflora helps create BETTER BODY CHEMISTRY. You want to live in a DOG HOUSE, to ensure you’re exposed to lots of good bacteria.
PS. If you’re really can’t handle the dirt that comes with having a dog as a pet or you live somewhere that doesn’t allow dogs, make sure you choose friends who have dogs and then visit often, this is what I do !
Worming your way to appetite suppression
When we lose our appetite – WE PANIC. Forcing ourselves to EAT SOMETHING, because….
Loss of appetite means death is imminent ……………NOT ALWAYS.
Researchers from Manchester University found suppressing your appetite, is your body playing it’s trump card, at the dinner party.
The research team threw a dinner party in a group of mice, the dinner guests included the round worm known as Trichinella spiralis, an organism considered to be an intestinal parasite. The mice responded to the unwelcome dinner guest, by squirting out lots of the hormone cholecystokinin – sending the “I AM FULL MESSAGE”.
A smart move – dinner guests won’t hang around, if you don’t feed them DINNER. Read more…
Feel like you need a worm !
I don’t recommend swallowing worm eggs, as a weight loss strategy – it’s risky and unnecessary. You don’t need a worm to bump up your cholecystokinin levels, it is part of the normal hormone crew…..
The food that triggers cholecystokinin release is saturated fat. Carbs don’t do it. So, obey the rule of thirds, make sure you include fat in your bites – you will then get cholecystokinin working for you.
Could beetle juice be the solution to gluten intolerance
Plants are SITTING DUCKS……. sitting being the operative word. If you SIT in one spot, you and your kin, are vulnerable to being eaten by anything that passes by. Savvy plants, realizing the constraints of SITTING, long ago made a plan.
The plan…………….. POISON the thing trying to eat you.
Okay, POISON is a bit extreme, but the aim of the game, make eating YOU, a not so pleasant option. So plants have sophisticated weaponary to “fight back”…… but hungry beetles (and humans), need to eat.
Researchers from Penn State University have uncovered how the Colorado potato beetle, fights back against tomato plant’s defences.
Their secret weapon – BEETLE JUICE.
What is beetle juice ? In a word – spit, gob, saliva. Beetles do not actually have salivary glands or teeth, for that matter. So when a beetle sits down for dinner, it has to spit secretions on the leaf, to get the digestive process going. These secretions contain a mix of enzymes and things, plus an assortment of the beetle’s special friends. Beetles, just like humans, have a collection of gut flora, who help with digestion.
The beetles bacterial crew, neutralize the jasmonite weapon of the tomato plant, which is designed to give marauding beetles, a gigantic tummy ache. Allowing the beetles to keep munching. And munching. And munching.
Leading to healthy beetles and happy bacteria. And…… not so happy tomato plants.
Only when the bacteria are forcefully removed from the beetle juice, by dosing the leaves with antibiotic, do plants succeed in thwarting the beetle attack. Click here to read more about beetle juice.
For decades, man has been ahead in the wheat wars, but more and more people are succumbing to the gluten weapon. The evidence that wheat upped it’s game and is fighting dirty, is not supported by science. It is far more likely, we’ve lost the services of a friend or two….
Cultivate your microflora, to give yourself the edge in the wheat wars.
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Feeling fatigued, frumpy, fed-up ? Complete a body audit to discover how small lifestyle changes can improve your health, so you create BETTER BODY CHEMISTRY.
To book your body audit, drop me an e-mail at drsandy@spoonfulofscience.com
Thinking like a cabbage is good for you (video)
Watch how you store your veggies – a dark cold fridge will not make your cabbage think it is under attack, something you want your cabbage to do to maximize those beneficial chemicals hiding in your cabbage salad
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Acne happens when a wild pool party is curtailed by security (video)
I’m sure it’s happened to you – you went to bed looking normal and woke up with a pimple the size of mount everest on your nose. What happened ?
Being a fat cell is hard, so cut your fat cells some slack
Fat cells – YUK ! When you glance at yourself in the mirror, assuming you’re not too afraid…
- do you call your fat cells out, maybe even call them derogatory names ?
- do you fantasize that a fairy god mother will fly in and extract them all ?
The trouble might not be them, the trouble may be the neighbourhood in which they’re living.
Researchers from University of Iowa have used a little wizardry to create fat cells that live “forever”, something that “normal” fat cells don’t do. REALLY ! The team then exposed these “live forever” fat cells, to superantigens, a type of toxin routinely produced by the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. S.aureus is a bacteria that lives on human skin, not everyone has it, but lots of us do. This means, fat cells going about their daily business, could encounter this bacterial toxin.
These researchers discovered, when they do – it is an upsetting experience. Read more…
Draining overstuffed fat cells just a LITTLE, WILL help you
Your doctor has just announced, you are pre-diabetic. He advises that you lose some weight. You feel hollow and very afraid, you have so many pounds to lose, the task feels overwhelming.
Will it really help ?
The big trouble with being overweight, is not actually the extra rolls and padding that it brings, but the metabolic chaos it creates, when overstuffed fat cells draw the attention of the immune system. This inflammation is causing the health troubles.
A team of Australian researchers have shown, modest weight loss reduces inflammation. Read more…
So the answer is YES. If you need help shedding those pounds, enrol in the Tame your Sugar Gremlin on-line programme.
Other stories from the blog this month…………..
- Oreo biscuits don’t just taste good, they’re addictive
- Artificial sweeteners are calorie free but not impact free
Thank you for taking the time to read the e-zine. I love hearing from readers, so drop me an e-mail to let me know which story you enjoyed the most, did you learn something new or do you have a different perspective.
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Next month we will be PAINTING THE TOWN. Look out for the next edition of E-spoons in your inbox on 1 January 2014 (the first Wednesday of the month).
Yours scientifically
Dr Sandy
Phone : +27 (0)11 452 2207
Cell : 083 262 5023
E-mail : drsandy@spoonfulofscience.com
The cartoons were drawn by Guy Alain Ngangob – drop him an e-mail if you need a cartoon or two. If you want to access the science articles used to compile the newsletter, visit the relevant pages on the blog and follow the link.
Copyright © 2013 by Sandra Evans. YOU ARE WELCOME TO COPY the e-Zine’s contents for use in your own newsletter, company or club publication, BLOG or website. Please give proper credit and a link back to https://www.betterbodychemistry.com.
Disclaimer : The e-zine is provided as a service. Dr Sandy’s reports and opinions are for information only, and are not intended to diagnose or prescribe. For your specific diagnosis and treatment, consult your doctor or health care provider.