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The Gut Health (Gut Microbiome)

The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates once said, “All disease begins in the gut.”

This proclamation was made over 2000 years ago, yet it is now gaining significant attention. Emerging research is shedding light on the profound connection between gut health and a wide range of diseases, from digestive disorders to autoimmune conditions, mental health issues, and more.

But where is our Gut? The entire digestive tract, from mouth to anus. This includes many organs such as the stomach, small and large intestines, gallbladder, and pancreas. A significant portion of the immune system resides in the gut.

An imbalance in the gut microbiome (a diverse community of bacteria in our body) can:

  • compromise immune function, making the body more susceptible to infections and autoimmune diseases
  • promote inflammation, contributing to the development and progression of chronic low-level inflammation such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer
  • can lead to food allergies, eating disorders, obesity
  • may contribute to anxiety, depression, and even neurodegenerative disorders
  • can lead to skin dermatitis such as acne and eczema

When there is an imbalance in the gut, it is known as dysbiosis. This can happen if there

  • are too many “bad” species
  • not enough “good” species
  • not enough diversity of species

Once the communication between the gut microbiota and immune cells is disrupted, it can lead to many diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases, celiac diseases, obesity, and metabolic disorders.

Gut-brain Connection

Gut-brain connection or gut-brain axis is complex and bidirectional. Signals pass both ways between your digestive system and central nervous system (CNS), health or disease in one can affect the other.

The brain communicates with the body through nerves. Your brain and gut are like besties. The gut is practically like our second brain. More information passes between them than any other body system. There are more nerve cells in the gut than anywhere else in the body outside the brain. Their communication includes hunger and satiety, digestion, mood, stress levels, immunity, behavior, etc. An unhealthy gut may contribute to anxiety, depression, and even neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The Gut-skin connection

Gut-skin connection is another intriguing area of research. Conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis may be influenced by gut health.

Signs of a healthy gut

  • You feel well after eating
  • You do not experience acid reflux, bloating, or digestive pain
  • Your bowel movements are fully formed, solid, smooth, brown, with no straining.
  • You do not notice undigested food, mucus, or blood in your stool

Foods for Gut Health

Dietary Fiber

Dietary Fiber produces high levels of SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) that help to maintain a healthy intestinal mucosal barrier. Butyrate, a type of SCFA with anti-inflammatory regulates the immune system.

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid
Omega-3 PUFAs can decrease the growth of Enterobacteria, increase the growth of bifidobacteria, and produce anti-inflammatory chemicals called short-chain fatty acids SCFAs.

Importance
Avoid antibiotic overuse. Antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome.
Chronic stress can also affect gut health.

Heal your gut and you may be able to heal your body.

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Fever is not an illness, it is the body’s natural reaction against pathogens

A fever is not an illness by itself. It is usually a sign that the immune system is hard at work.

During an infection, the immune system raises the body’s temperature by secreting certain chemicals that increase the production and activity of immune cells. This slows down an invader’s ability to reproduce, resisting its attack.

Lowering a fever may make it more difficult for the immune system to overcome the infection. Fever medications have side effects. Even paracetamol. It can lead to side effects such as the death of liver cells and kidney cells, and neurotoxicity.

Ai
preventivescience@gmail.com
+65 96840122

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The case of Japan Dietary Supplement “beni-koji” (red yeast rice) for reducing cholesterol, leads to hospitalisations and deaths

Products that have been recalled.

I believe most would have heard the news from papers or social media that there are numerous fatalities and over 100 hospitalizations after consuming red yeast rice dietary supplements from Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., the Japanese drugmaker. 

Red yeast rice consists of rice fermented with a mould culture. It has been used in food, alcoholic drinks, and folk medicines for many centuries around East Asia. The manufacturer Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said they detected a potentially toxic acid produced by the mould at one of its factories.

Although the precise cause has yet to be determined, investigations have revealed the presence of puberulic acid, a compound derived from blue mold, which is suspected to be linked to the reported illnesses. Red yeast rice is typically produced via fermentation with red yeast, raising the possibility that contamination occurs during the manufacturing processes. Questions are also raised about the factory’s quality control, with the company admitting that its production line had not obtained a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification.

I am glad that Nutritional Immunology Products do not undergo any fermentation process involving yeasts or mould culture. E.Excel manufacturing facilities also maintain GMP certification and ensure rigorous quality control and thorough checks for microbial content in each batch produced.

Ai
preventivescience@gmail.com
+65 96840122

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With the rising mercury…

With the intense heat and temperature rise, this is my saviour. Wiping my body with these wipes saves my body from the sticky sweat-feel which can be pretty uncomfortable. Now I can feel fresh the whole day, be it at home or when running outside! It is best applied after bathing.

Bring the wipes with you when you are out there, especially for those who may perspire frequently. You may need repeat wipes 🙂

Elemente Stay Fresh Anti-Bacterial Body Wipes

By the way, these aren’t normal wipes! It uses not just food-grade alcohol, but also silver ions that provide a very lasting anti-bacterial effect. Safe for children as well.

The benefits of silver ions:

Silver kills bacteria in three main ways:

  • By creating holes and puncturing the microbial cell wall.  
  • By disrupting the bacteria’s metabolism and energy production. 
  • By disrupting bacterial DNA and stopping it from replicating. 

In other words, the wipe is also good in preventing bed sores, for skin areas that are proned to infections, and areas that may generate bad odour.

Active ingredients: Alcohol, silica, menthol, silver, ginseng berry, cactus fruit, grape seed, rose, seaweed.

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2024 Dr EE Zhang’s 1st Webinar Talk – Prediabetes

From Bella Magazine September 2023

PreDiabetes is the first topic zoomed in by Dr. EE for the year 2024.

It is good to know more about this topic because Singapore has the second highest proportion of Diabetics in developed nations, after the U.S.A 🙁

Prediabetes damages the heart, blood vessels, eyes and kidneys. The disease lowers our immunity and increases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

Prediabetes can be asymptomatic as mentioned in her webinar, so it is good to know what may contribute to a higher risk of the disease. She cited a few, including being overweight, obesity, and a family history of diabetes. The good news is, prediabetes is reversible! However, if this period is not addressed and the condition prolongs, one risks getting Type 2 Diabetes – a disease that no one will want to have a fling with in their life.

Life quality will be affected. You can get tired easily as the body has issues converting the glucose to energy; one can succumb to diseases such as kidney failure, blindness, depression, blood vessel damage, and nerve damage that can lead to amputation.

Prevention is always better than cure. There is no magical pill by the doctors for the cure. We have to depend on ourselves. The following tips are by Dr EE on reversing prediabetes. A reversal can take from weeks to months, depending on one’s determination!

Lifestyle Changes That Can Reverse Prediabetes:

  1. Exercise Regularly.
    Exercise increases insulin sensitivity and helps muscles to use blood sugar for movement, which leads to lower blood sugar levels.
  2. Consume Plain Green Tea.
    Chronic inflammation can lead to diabetes. For instance, inflammation can impair the functions of beta cells that produce insulin; inflammation can also disrupt the cells’ signal pathways and promote insulin resistance, plaque formation in the arteries.
    Green tea contains catechins which can reduce inflammation.
  3. Eat Breakfast before 8.30am.
    Blood sugar is naturally higher in the mornings to provide us the fuel and get us moving! Eating breakfast stimulates insulin production, allowing our body cells to take up the glucose in the bloodstream. Eating early in the day reduces insulin resistance and lowers blood sugar levels.
  4. Stay Hydrated.
    Water helps the kidneys flush out excess sugar through the urine. Studies show people who drank more water had a lower risk of developing high blood sugar levels. If you are not drinking enough water, the body’s natural response is to hold the water, including holding on to the sugar.
  5. Eat More Fiber
    Fiber slows down the digestion of carbohydrates and delays its absorption into the blood. Fiber promotes a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels.
  6. Get Enough Sleep
    Lack of sleep affects glucose metabolism which can lead to insulin resistance.
  7. Eat Healthy Snacks More Frequently
    Eating smaller portions makes it easier for the body to manage, leading to a more stable blood sugar level. It provides the body with a consistent energy supply.
  8. Maintain A Healthy Weight
    Excess fats in the body cause inflammation, especially abdominal fats, and fats around the organs. These can affect many functions in the body. For example, fat accumulation around the pancreas can impair pancreatic function and affect insulin production and regulation. Once these fats (weight) are reduced, insulin sensitivity will be improved!

I am happy that E.Excel Triflora Tea has been my staple drink. With Triflora, I can ensure I have ample fluid intake. Somehow with just plain water, my fluid intake tends to be low :_) With its natural ability to reduce inflammation and high antioxidant levels, this is the tea which I definitely will not want to miss.

(Ingredients: Green tea leaves, jasmine flower, ginseng, chrysanthemum flower)
Nice drink to rejuvenate your mind and de-stress

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The OliOli – in time for covid aftermath

欧密 – 消炎的最佳营养品

E.Excel never fail to launch a new product(s) every year. The latest one is OliOli (2023)!

As an avid consumer and Independent Distributor, me and my Distributors can always have something new to look forward to, something new to consume, some new effects to experience, and some new excitements to share!!

E.Excel OliOli
丞燕【欧密】

It comes in time for covid as I find this product good at reducing overall body’s inflammation.

OliOli comes with a box of 30 sachets, S$100 before GST. The ingredients for OliOli are: Olive leaf, black goji berry, and jujube fruit (red dates).

Many are familiar with olive fruit, but not olive leaf; yet its antioxidant level is higher than the fruit for its phenolic compounds.

Image by Sketchepedia on Freepik

Olive leaf also has a high content of valuable bioactive phytochemicals, such as phenolic derivatives, phytosterols, and rutin. It can protect the heart, improve blood pressure, and reduce LDL. Some use it to prevent gout.

OliOli also contains black goji berry, a rare food as it grows at high altitudes and is pricky to harvest.

Image by azerbaijan_stockers on Freepik

Both red goji and black goji contains phytochemicals phenolics. But the specific phenolics in each of them give them different colors! Red goji are high in carotenoids while black goji are high in petunidin derivatives. Its antioxidant levels are five times higher than red goji. It has strong anti-inflammatory properties which are derived from its LRGP3 polysaccharides. Nutrients in black goji may significantly reduce gout-related inflammation, may aid inflammatory bowel disease as it can inhibit colonic inflammation, and can help to reduce triglycerides, total cholesterol and improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Black goji anthocyanins could improve memory capacity and reduce neuronal oxidative stress and inflammation in the hippocampus tissue. The anthocyanins can also encourage the growth of healthy human gut microbiota. Black goji can also improve the body’s T cells and B cells proliferation, and macrophage activities. What a list of benefits!

Lastly the ingredient Jujube. Jujube is also a very nutritious fruit with a variety of polysaccharides, polyphenols, fiber, vitamins, and minerals; often used to reduce inflammation. It aids kidney health and can improve the production of red blood cells.

Image by whatwolf on Freepik

Research has shown that jujube helps to increase iron for the formation of new red blood cells, and improves blood pressure. Polysaccharide in Jujube induces the proliferation of lymphocytes in the spleen.

A sachet that contains just these three precious ingredients in high concentration, yet costs less than S$4… no wonder it is said Nutritional Immunology products are getting cheaper.

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The best book to the human immune system!

Just this month, July 2023, Dr EE Zhang released her first book titled Educate, Act, Thrive.

Dr. EE a gifted student graduated from the University of Glasgow School of Medicine with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree. She completed her medical training and obtained her medical license at just 23 years of age! She has worked at the prestigious Queen’s Hospital in London and National University Hospital in Singapore.

This release of the book is a must-read to get a good understanding of how the human immune system works and how one can prevent diseases through this understanding.

This book is content-rich! It is available in English and Simplified Chinese at S$14.04 per book. It can be purchased from The Zall Bookstore located in Wheelock Place, second level, effective 5 Aug 23. E-books/ Audiobooks will be launching soon too. If you are unable to get down to the Zall Bookstore, you can also get the book from me and this includes free delivery 😉

Have a sneak preview of the book! ☺️💯👍

人类免疫系统最好的书！

就在本月，2023 年 7 月，EE博士发布了她的第一本书，题为《教育、行动、茁壮》。

EE博士是一位天才学生，毕业于格拉斯哥大学医学院，获得医学学士学位和外科学士学位(MBChB)。 她年仅23岁就完成了医学培训并获得了行医执照！ 她曾在著名的伦敦女王医院和新加坡国立大学医院工作。

为了更好地了解人体免疫系统的工作原理以及如何通过这种理解来预防疾病，这本书是一本必读的书。此书内容丰富！ 该书有英文版和简体中文版，每本书售价 14.04 新元。 这本好书可在误解了位于会德丰广场(Orchard Road Wheelock Place) 二楼的 The Zall 书店购买，8 月 5 日起。电子书/有声读物也将很快推出。 如果您无法前往卓尔书店，您也可以从我这里获取这本书，免费送货 😉

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Effective and Safe Nutritional Supplement

If you are also a vegetarian and or vegan, looking for a safe, effective, and trustable plant-based supplement to enhance your immunity, look nowhere. E.Excel and eLead carry a good range of plant-based supplements with one of their factory in Singapore!

This is the mix of Nutrifresh mixed fruit with the new E.Excel product OliOli. Looks and tastes yummy! Nice red colour 🙂

Nutrifresh contains a good blend of more than 15 nutritional ingredients per sachet. All their ingredients are in wholesome form: Soybean, banana, peach, pineapple, lemon, asparagus, barley, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrot, orange peel, honeydew, pea, pear, grapefruit. It can provide you with the basic wholesome nutrients needed for a day, at less than S$2 a sachet!

OliOli in a sachet of 2.3g, contains high concentrations of just three ingredients: olive leaf, black goji berry, and red date.

Olive leaf has antioxidant levels higher than that of olive. Black goji has higher phenolic content, seven times that of blueberries, and five times higher antioxidants than red goji… no wonder black goji is so much more expensive in the market! Yet OliOli is quite affordable, at less than S$4 per sachet. No way we can get a decent bunch of blackberries at less than S$4… What about red date? It helps with the production of red blood cells and iron levels.

OliOli with Encore. Basically, any beverage with OliOli is nice! Haha. Quick to bring down inflammation.

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Soy milk was found to be the most comparable to cow’s milk in terms of overall nutrients balance

When it comes to protein and calcium replenishment, most people will immediately think of cow’s milk. After all, it has been heavily advertised by milk and dairy companies on the amount of calcium and protein it contains, and its role in strengthening bones.

What was less promoted is soybean milk, which in fact contains nothing less than the amount of protein and calcium a cow’s milk has. And one does not have to think of lactose intolerance, the saturated fats, cholesterol, and antibiotics a cow’s milk has.

A recent article by Times Magazine mentioned, “Soy milk was found to be the most comparable to cow’s milk in terms of overall nutrients balance”, and “Soy milk even contains phytonutrients that have been shown to have cancer-fighting properties.”

https://time.com/5125580/soy-milk-healthiest-plant-based/

So what is your choice?

My choice naturally will be [Nutrifresh] and [Soupde] as they have a high concentration of soybeans 🙂 Nutrifresh is my daily morning drink as it provides me not only with the basic quality plant-based protein but also 13 different types of fruits and veggies for my macro and micronutrients. Soup de is the soup base that I will use when I DIY my mee hoon soup or mee sua soup for my lunch. The taste is addictive and I do not even have to think of adding much ingredients to my meal as it already has 11 different kinds of vegetables in it! ^_^ (soybean, white radish, carrot, pear, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprout, radish leaf, spinach, cauliflower, green bell pepper).

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Why building our immune systems are important

The world is running out of antibiotics that are effective against resistant bacteria and WHO has raised alarm over the lack of new antibiotics…

Antibiotics resistance happens when bacteria becomes immune to existing drugs. Bacteria have learnt to fight back, building resistance to the same drugs over the decades. Bacterial infections can become untreatable, to become “superbugs” – one of the biggest health threats.

Common infections are becoming difficult to treat or even untreatable, leading to longer treatment periods and hospital stays.

The Lancet, a leading medical journal estimated that 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019 were associated with AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance). The main cause of AMR is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.

It is interesting to note that in a survey jointly conducted by academic researchers published in 2022, nearly eight in 10 people in Singapore erroneously believe that humans can develop resistance to antibiotics. In fact, it is the bacteria that become resistant to antibiotics, and this is known as antibiotic resistance. The person or the animal does not develop resistance to antibiotics.

Another myth is “Antibiotics resistance is a problem only for people who take antibiotics regularly”. The truth is drug resistant bacteria can spread from person to person, and it can affect anyone at any time.

Alternative antibiotics, or even “last-line antibiotics” may have to be used, but these tend to be less effective, have more side effects, and are more expensive.

We need to constantly nourish our immune systems with wholesome plant foods as the immune system is the best doctor. When our immune systems are strong, they can help us fight against most form of bacteria.

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