Results of eating bread for breakfast

 

Many people eat bread for breakfast. But according to Doctor Masatsugu Fukushima, a gastrointestinal specialist, it is better not to do so. 

First of all, eating bread for breakfast causes a sharp rise in blood sugar.

Because hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that raise blood sugar levels are secreted more than usual in the morning, therefore, eating carbohydrates in the morning causes a higher rise in blood sugar than eating them in the afternoon. The phenomenon of high blood sugar levels in the morning is well known to diabetics as the "dawn akatsuki phenomenon."

Such fluctuations in blood sugar levels damage blood vessels and are thought to lead to arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction and stroke.

After a blood sugar spike, our body will try to lower blood sugar through the secretion of insulin. But the blood sugar levels tend to drop too much as a result. This is known as "functional hypoglycemia." 

When the brain receives the message of a "drop in blood sugar levels", there is a craving that tends to look for other carbohydrates. This leads to a high-carb diet throughout the day, possibly starting to feel hungry two hours after breakfast.

Moreover, bread is easy to eat and fills you up, but filling up means that it stays in your stomach for a long time. So it is harder to digest than other foods. 

In addition, gluten contained in wheat is difficult to be broken down by digestive enzymes, so it is absorbed by the mucous membrane of the small intestine without being fully digested. The undigested food damages the mucous membrane of the small intestine and causes abdominal pain and allergies. 

Continuing to eat bread made from heat-treated wheat can also lead to the onset or exacerbation of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and cancer. 

Finally, eating bread for breakfast disrupts the autonomic nervous system. Since the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves communicate with each other when you get up in the morning. If you consume sugar at this time, it may disrupt this biological clock.

How effective is Chinese medicine in treating COVID-19?

 

Experts say that traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) are more suitable for treating Covid-19 in its early stages, or for patients with mild symptoms. They have proved effective in relieving Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, coughs, fatigue and also helped shorten the duration of hospitalization, prevent non-serious cases from developing into serious ones, improve the recovery rate and reduce the death rate.

Chinese medicine practitioners usually prescribe medicine based on the symptoms and the physical conditions of individual patient. They are skilled at targetting coughing, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea so as to speed up recovery. 

Herbal medicines such as Scutellariae Radix and Houttuynia Cordata are used to protect the lung, heart, liver and kidney from being damaged by inflammation caused by the virus. Most preventive prescriptions aim at nourishing the lung and strengthening the immune system as well as removing the toxins in our body so that we are in a better position to combat the virus.

Lianhua Qingwen, Jinhua Qinggan and Xuebijing are three of the Chinese medicines that have been recommended for use as part of mainland China’s standard therapy for Covid-19.

Lianhua Qingwen comes in the form of capsules and has 13 ingredients, including apricot kernel, rhubarb, honeysuckle and forsythia powder. The capsules can help clear the virus and remove toxins, expand the lungs and reduce fever.

One study examined the impact of taking Lianhua Qingwen on 284 patients and found that the capsule can significantly reduce the clinical symptoms of Covid-19 patients – particularly fever, fatigue and coughing – leading to a higher recovery rate and a shorter recovery time.

Jinhua Qinggan, offered as granules, has 12 ingredients including honeysuckle, Baikal skullcap root and sweet wormwood herb.

In a small trial, Covid-19 patients who had Jinhua Qinggan in addition to standard care saw a greater reduction in symptoms such as fatigue, fever and coughing than those who did not take it.

Xuebijing, delivered as an injection, has five ingredients, including safflower, Chinese angelica root and red peony root, and is given in hospital. It can improve blood circulation and help to reduce fever.

Combined with antibiotics, Xuebijing is also helpful in curing the sepsis that can occur when an infection triggers a chain reaction throughout the body. If untreated, sepsis can lead to tissue damage, organ failure or death.

Experts say these three TCMs have minimal side effects – if taken according to directions. The most common side effects associated with Lianhua Qingwen are bloating, diarrhoea and rashes. The only reported adverse effect of Jinhua Qinggan is diarrhoea.

As the TCM’s objective is to “regulate the spirit and restore qi [the body’s vital energy] to achieve optimisation, to strengthen vital qi, eliminate pathogens” and restore the harmony of yin and yang, the above three TCMs, however, mainly clear internal cold and heat.

Experts caution that TCM must be taken based on an individual’s health condition, and advise people to consult qualified practitioners before taking the medications for the relief of Covid-19. Thus the above three Chinese medicines might not be suitable for all people. It all depends on the symptoms and the physical conditions of individual patient.

In addition, the capsules and granules should be taken for no more than two weeks as, in the long term, their use may deplete the body’s strength and cause organ damage, especially in frail or chronically ill patients.

TCM works differently to antiviral Western medicines such as remdesivir and Paxlovid, experts say.

“Western medicine and Western drugs target the virus,” explains Albert Leung Wing-nang, a Hong Kong professor of traditional Chinese medicine at Tung Wah College and a registered TCM practitioner. “TCM modifies our body’s resistance to the virus so that our body can easily fight the virus in case one is infected.

“One major advantage of TCM is that it is not much affected by the mutation of the virus, as the herbal drugs we use have been used for thousands of years and never need to be changed,” Leung says.

Cheng Yung-chi, a professor of pharmacology at Yale University’s school of medicine and chairman of the Consortium for Globalisation of Chinese Medicine, also said a proper combination of TCM and Western medicine could be the best way to control the disease progression and post-disease syndromes, such as so-called long Covid.

Eggs are the Most Cost-Efficient Protein Sources

Compared with other types of animal proteins, eggs are affordable, lean, and abundant in healthy nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and nutritious fats. 

One study found that eggs are extremely cost-efficient protein sources — more so than red meat, poultry and seafood. 

They are also some of the most cost-efficient sources of nutrients including choline, vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E. 

Some research has even observed that people who consume eggs regularly as part of a well-balanced diet tend to have a higher intake of vitamins and minerals compared with those who do not eat eggs. 

Another benefit of eggs is that they are incredibly versatile. There are many delicious ways to enjoy eggs all throughout the day. There are a ton of simple ways to incorporate eggs into your daily diet. And even if the recipe you are following does not call for eggs, you can still scramble a few on the side and then mix them into your final dish. 

For example, one salad topper to consider is boiled eggs. Even adding just one boiled egg to your salad provides an extra 6 grams of protein.

Or, try this scrambled egg stir-fry recipe that pairs eggs with shrimp, ginger and green onions.