Travel to Health

It is now widely appreciated that humans did not evolve as a single species, but rather that humans and the microbiomes associated with us have co-evolved as a "super-organism," and that our evolution as a species and the evolution of our associated microbiomes have always been interwined. -William Parker, Duke University When we are born, our body is sterile , meaning our skin, lungs, and intestines don't contain any bacteria at all. When we pass through our mother's birth canal, we are exposed to outside world. Over time our body gets colonized by a diverse and distinct brew of bacterial species determined by genetics and by bacteria surrounding us. The gut is literally at the center of our body and plays a central role in our health, just as our " gut feeling " plays a central role in our instinct. In this article, we will look at gut flora and its links to our health. Gut Flora There are estimated 100 trillion microbes that ...

I have been a vegetarian since 2006.  As the chart shown below, my lipid panel has improved after my diet changes: Based on my family physician's records, the following two problems were reported to me: Impaired fasting glucose (01/10/2005) Pure hyperglyceridemia (08/01/2006) Without doubt, I had  metabolic syndrome  in the period of 2004-2006. Metabolic Syndrome Metabolic syndrome  is related to insulin resistance .  It also reflects other health findings that accompany serious insulin resistance. Metabolic syndrome can be diagnosed by any three of the following: Increased waist circumference ≥  35 inches in women ≥  40 inches in men Fasting blood sugar   ≥  100 mg/dL Blood pressure   ≥  130/85 Low HDL < 50 mg/dL for women  < 40 mg/dL for men High triglycerides > 150 mg/dL Higher fasting triglyceride predicts higher risks of diabetes mortality in US adults  (S...

The onset of type 2 diabetes is gradual, with most individuals progressing through a state of prediabetes , a condition now striking approximately 1 in 3 Americans, but only about 1 in 10 even knows it. Video 1.   How to Prevent Prediabetes from Turning into Diabetes (YouTube link ) Type 1 vs Type 2 Type 1 diabetes Occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough of the hormones needed to alert the body to sugar Is now widely treated by supplemental insulin Type 2 diabetes (aka age-associated diabetes) Occurs when pancreas is able to make enough insulin but the body is deaf to it . The 9 percent of all adults globally with this disease need a drug (i.e., metformin ) that restores their body’s sensitivity to insulin so cells take up and use the sugar that’s coursing through their bloodstreams. That’s important for at least three reasons : [4] It gives the overworked pancreas a rest It prevents spikes of freely floating sugar from essentially caramelizing proteins in ...

Source: [36] A national survey found that only 41% of Americans tested had normal kidney function, a drop from 52% about a decade earlier. [1] If your kidneys do not function property, metabolic waste products can accumulate in the blood and eventually lead to such symptoms as weakness, shortness of breath, confusion, and abnormal heart rhythms .  If your kidneys fail completely, you will either need a new one or have to go on dialysis. However, the average life expectancy of a person on dialysis is less than 3 years . [3] So, it's better to keep your kidneys healthy in the first place. Video 1.   Treating Chronic Kidney Disease with Food (YouTube link ) Kidney Problems Healthy kidneys work hard to retain protein and other vital nutrients, preferably filtering toxic or useless wastes out of the blood stream via your urine.  Patients with kidney problems can range from experiencing no symptoms to leaking protein into urine or to  end-stage renal dis...

Nearly 200,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed each year, and nearly 28,000 men die. [19] In a prostate cancer patient's testimony, he describes the disease as: [20,32] "This is serious, life-changing stuff : There’s blood in your urine , a catheter snaked up your penis, scars stitch your gut , and you might be impotent and incontinent for a few months, a couple of years, or the rest of your life." Scary! Isn't it? Prostate Problems The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and base of the penis, just in front of the rectum. It surrounds the urethra, the outlet from the bladder, and secretes the fluid portion of semen. Just as glandular tissue in the breast can become cancerous, so can glandular tissue in the prostate. If the cancer is caught while still localized with the prostate, the chances of it killing you within the next five years are practically nil. However, if the cancer spreads far enough, your chances of survi...