Snack Size Science: Vitamin E and the quest for thick hair

Snack Size Science: Vitamin E and the quest for thick hair

Many men and women are losing their hair these days.....is it in the food we eat, the air we breathe or simply we are a generation of stressed out individuals?

Hormones which are essential for all body functions are now causing havoc in the body due to imbalances which again may be caused by culprits such as improper food intake (energy-dense but of no nutrient value), pollution and stress. 4 out of 7 Americans are suffering from hair loss and the same goes for countries such as Hongkong (by the number of mushrooming ads targeting at this group of people).

However, please do not fret if you are losing 200 strands of hair each day as this is normal. And contrary to popular beliefs, combing your hair more than 100 times a day will not prevent hair loss, though i believe it does promote better circulation of the scalp and thus results in hair growth.

The audio podcast above highlights the benefits of vitamin E (from palm oil) in arresting hair loss.

Rising sugar intake causing more deaths

Rising sugar intake causing more deaths

Statistics in Malaysia stand at 6.8% but we know it can be as high as 12% as many of the cases can go unreported. Another fact is this is a rising trend.

There are indeed many who may have diabetes without realising it. Many of them do not have proper access to healthcare facilities or simply ignorant about their health. I personally see a lot of these old folks who just refuse to see a doctor as they would normally say "the more you know, the doomer it gets"

A person with uncontrolled blood sugar increases his/her risks to heart problems, strokes, kidney failure, eye disorders (cataract and glaucoma) and nerve damage which can lead to impotence, amputation and poor quality of life (there is no cure for diabetes and thus the patients would have to rely on drugs for the rest of his/her life).

I was doing a short training at HKL earlier this year and witnessed a couple of nurses tending to this particular patient. He obviously has diabetic neuropathy and the nurses were cleaning and dressing his foot with medication and gauze. There was a gaping hole in his foot the size of a golf ball!! And the thing is he has got no sensation or experience no pain whatsoever. The nerve damage is so severe until he can't feel the pain this gaping hole exerts. He must have stepped on a nail and with no sensation, infections set in. It was too much for me and my colleagues to take in at that time so we left. The impending feeling that the poor guy would one day succumb to losing his foot/leg is heart-wrenching.

Recommended daily intake for sugar is 10 tsp. But many consumers do not know about hidden sugars found in highly processed foods such as your bowl of cereals, desserts, ice cream and etc. According to The Star, teh tarik can easily chalk up 6-7 teaspoons of sugar. Carbonated beverages, fizzy drinks and the likes may double that amount. The more affluence a society gets, the more sugar they indulge. This has been observed in countries such as America and it looks like we are heading that way.......

Recently, we saw in the news about this huge baby from Indonesia, apparently borne by a diabetic mom. Most are fascinated with this "miracle' baby but not me. The baby would grow up with a very good chance of being overweight most of his adult life, higher risks of developing diabetes, arthritis, heart problems....

So, what are you going to do about it?

You can start by being more discerning when it comes to eating. Ask for Milo/Teh tarik kurang manis (don't go for "kow"). Moderation is key. We still need sugar in our food or else what is the point of living? We all love good food and many of us do have the means and money to indulge but do so in moderation.

Reading the product labels on food packaging may also provide some answers on the sugar content of foods. You will be surprise to find some of these are loaded with sugar without much nutrient content. If you love juicing, the natural sugar found in vegetables and fruits is more than enough. You do not need to add on more sugar. Alternatively, you can get good quality honey as a sugar substitute. I use organic brown sugar these days as i cannot live without my daily doses of black tea.

The saying "You are what you eat" is very true in this context.