Your daily cup of coffee

Coffee Could Contain Mould

This was brought to my attention just recently and I must admit to being very surprised about this – I never knew that coffee contained harmful moulds.

Dave Asprey, Founder and CEO of Bulletproof has been talking about harmful mould in bad coffee for quite a while now but I’ve only just come across his work.  He talks about moulds (or mycotoxins) having very harmful effects on the body and he has developed his own bulletproof coffee which is now widely available.

A Spanish study published in journal Food Control analysed 100 coffee samples sold in Spanish supermarkets and found that they contained moulds or mycotoxins in concentrations that could be harmful to health. They included roasted beans, ground coffee, soluble/ instant coffee in their study. These mycotoxins or moulds are not just found in coffee, they can form in grains, nuts and other susceptible products. They are the result of a number of environmental factors like temperature, humidity and rainfall during harvesting.

So, now, when I do drink coffee, I make sure it’s bulletproof!

 

Read Full Post »

Prostate cancer

Although the conventional prostate cancer treatments of chemotherapy and surgery are well known, there is a more natural and benign approach to the problem.  Hormone imbalances induced by environmental toxins, especially the ‘xeno-oestrogens’, are thought by some authorities to be a major contributor to prostate problems.  Progesterone and prostate problems are linked through the action of oestrongen.  Natural progesterone is a powerful antagonist to these chemical poisons and as such can be viewed as one of the more important prostate cancer treatments.

The symptoms of prostate diseases are:

• enlargement
• smaller urethras
• inflammation
• increased frequency of urination
• cellular changes leading to cancer

In many cases these changes can be linked to a rise in oestrogen and di-hydrotestosterone and a drop in testosterone.  The rise in oestrogen also causes fatty tissues to be deposited in men’s breasts and a reduction in facial hair.  High levels of di-hydrotestosterone have been linked to prostate enlargement and cancer.

Progesterone is vital for men’s health as it is for women’s!  Approximately 5 to 15mg of this hormone is made on a continuous daily basis in the testes, which convert it into testosterone and other hormones, including oestrogen.

As progesterone protects men against excessive oestrogen, particularly the xeno-oestrogens and di-hydrotestosterone, some researchers believe that the drop in progesterone levels associated with aging combined with the rise in environmental oestrogen is causing the alarming increasing in these problems.

The lack of progesterone and prostate problems is interrelated and is supported by the fact that the prevention and control of these diseases has been assisted in many cases by the use of supplemental progesterone administered as a skin cream.

There is substantial anecdotal evidence indicating that as little as 20mg/day is sufficient to reduce an enlarged prostate to normal.  Some cases of prostate cancer have also responded to progesterone.  As it is safe, with no toxic side effects, it is being used increasingly often as an alternative to other prostate cancer treatments.

The following nutritional guidelines have proven beneficial in assisting the fight against this disease:

• Omega 3
• Zinc
• Saw Palmetto
• Anti-oxidants especially: Vitamins E, C, A
• Selenium

Read Full Post »

Cortisol

Let’s talk about Cortisol.

We make cortisol in response to stress, but in these busy and hectic times, most of us, typically, run around stressed all the time which means stress hormones are wreaking havoc in our bodies over time and this makes us store fat – especially belly fat! High cortisol is also linked to food addiction (sugar and sugar cravings!) and depression. So, what’s the result of this? We get fat.

To reset our cortisol, one thing we can do is take a break from caffeine. Try slowly weaning yourself off coffeine over three days and notice how your sleep and stress levels improve.

Read Full Post »