AN EXPERIMENT ON MYSELF: HOW MUCH DOES MY BLOOD SUGAR RISE ? RICE BAD FOR YOU? DOES IT MATTER WHO COOKS FOR YOU ? QUALITY OF FOOD?

 Australia which gave us some excellent Nutritional leaders and pioneering research in Nutrition, lately has ben sending cut and paste articles on Nutrition on various websites. 

As Harari would say (21 questions for 21 Century, SAPIENS), pay for your information. Instead of listening to a Chiropractor pushing Co-Enzyme Q 10 for whatever benefit, you must read the original research, otherwise you would be joining the conga line of ignorance broadcasting falsehoods which you may want to convince the uneducated about the excellence of your products.

I am of Asian/Middle Eastern Background and aware of my peculiar nutrition and also what makes me feel good or takes me up the garden path. I follow Microbiome and I pay my pay respects to the Israeli scientists Eran and Eran at Weizmann Inst. 

You can tell me whatever you want about Tomato and lycopene and how good it is, I cannot eat it because my microbiome contains a Tomato virus. Give me Brussels Sprouts and I am happy, Okra, throw them my way, Berenjina/Aubergine/Eggplant fill my plates.

My ancestors have lived east of Israel for the past two thousand years and Rice is an integral part of the food. 

Today I decided to do an experiment on my self. 

I am not anxious and in fact I am feeling extraordinarily relaxed, which is my usual state of affairs these days. Tranquility of this place and calmness of those around me all contribute to this feeling of excitement about life.

My sister prepared this lunch for me, with the greatest of care and love that is natural for her.

I took my pre Lunch Blood Sugar

Fish Fillet. Castero in Spanish. Marlin in English. (That reminded me that the revolutionary leader who was a fishing enthusiast died on 25/11/2016 four years ago)

Eggplant

White Rice from Vietnam

Black Beans 

1/2 glass of home prepared Orange Juice 

Ice cream with a small piece of cake 

I finished the last morsel at the top of the hour and 

One hour later the blood sugar was :

105 mg/dl

so just a pure Quantitative approach will not give you a good picture

Quality of food 

Who prepared the food 

Ambiance 

the speed of eating . I like to eat slowly

any interruptions. No social media but conversations, yes.

How calm do you feel ? If you have to hurry to eat, do not eat.

20 minutes later I had a cup of Mint tea with Agave syrup 

the Blood sugar was 110 mg/dl

2 hours later my Blood sugar was still 122 mg/dl

Bon Apetite..

PLEASE DO NOT COME TO CAMBODIA AND TELL PEOPLE NOT TO EAT RICE... WITHOUT CONTEXT WORDS HAVE NO MEANING (MERLEAU-PONTY)

NUTRITIONAL EXPERTS AND LACK OF CONTEXT 

I am an Endocrinologist, educated in London, Melbourne and Miami and that doe not mean I would be very successful in Siem Reap, Cambodia or even Leticia along the Amazon River, unless I understand the context which would include the Culture and belief systems of people.

I still remember clearly a Nutrition Mayven (expert) from Australia insisting that Cambodians stop eating Rice as he was a staunch believer in No Carbohydrate Diet. I gently reminded him that Cambodian people have been eating rice at least for 2000 years and the  Diabetes among them is a recent phenomenon, which could be dated to as late as 1990s.

So watch this Headlines:

White rice spikes blood sugar levels and 'has almost the same effect as eating pure table sugar,' according to Harvard Medical School

The article continues:

• White rice is highly processed and can spike blood sugar levels, which may increase the risk of diseases like diabetes if eaten regularly, like every day.
• Because of how the body processes white rice, Harvard Medical School has said that it has the same effect as eating “pure table sugar,” which is not great for overall health.
• It’s not as healthy to eat white rice as it is to eat brown rice or less processed alternatives that contain more nutrients, protein, and fibre.
• 
  

More than half of the world’s population relies on rice as a staple food. In 2018, 485 million metric tons of rice were produced globally.

White rice is much more common than brown rice because it has a longer shelf life and transports more easily. However, white rice is also less nutritious. Here’s what you need to know.

The difference between white and brown rice

White and brown rice are not different species. In fact, most of the rice we eat is the same species — Oryza sativa. The difference is that brown rice has two distinctive parts that white rice lacks.

• The bran, which is the outer edible layer of the rice grain.
• The germ, which is the reproductive part of the grain.

These not only give brown rice its colour, but they’re also the most nutrient-dense parts of rice. One downside is that the fat in the bran and germ makes brown rice spoil more quickly than white rice. The average shelf life for brown rice is about six months.

By contrast, white rice is what’s left behind after the grain is polished and the bran and germ are removed. This makes white rice cook faster and gives it a longer shelf life. It also means that white rice contains fewer nutrients than brown rice.

But this does not mean that white rice is inherently bad for you, though it is less healthy, says Elizabeth Ryan, a researcher at Colorado State University who studies the nutrients in rice bran.

“At the end of the day, eating whole grains is always going to be important,” Ryan said.

In fact, when you get rid of the bran and germ in rice, here’s what you’re really removing nutrition-wise:

• Calcium, which is important for teeth and bone health.
• Fat, which consists of healthy unsaturated fats that are important for cardiovascular health.
• Phosphorus, which collaborates with calcium to form strong bones and teeth.
• Vitamins B1 (thiamine) and B3 (niacin), which helps keep the nervous system functioning properly.
• Protein, which helps build muscle and is essential for growth and development.
• Magnesium, which is important for proper neurological function, among many other benefits.
• (the article ends)

Majority of Asians and many in Latin America eat Rice on a regular basis. Obviously Rice is not a staple for westerners and certainly for westerners what is important is that they should not be eating HIGHLY PROCESSED WHITE RICE.. and prefer BROWN RICE ( I like the Organic Brown Rice from Thailand sold at Trader Joe’s in the USA).

The context here is HIGHY PROCESSED.. 

Highly processed “food” is not good for any stomach ..whether Australian or Cambodian..

The researchers had talked about the benefits of BROWN RICE.

When I had my microbiome determined: it was obvious that I could not eat many of the grains including White Rice, most European and North African Grains (sad about that), but my microbiomes liked Brown Rice. 

They write:

Brown rice has more soluble and insoluble fibre and protein than white rice. This fibre is a good prebiotic, Ryan says, which means it helps feed a healthy gut microbiome. And a healthy gut microbiome is essential for myriad functions, including digestion and a strong immune function.

So for heaven’s sake, don’t come to Cambodia and tell the people who have been eating rice for generations: Don’t eat Rice  and instead ask a polite anthropological question:

How do you prepare your rice?

Many of the elderly Khmer told me that the way they prepared rice has changed over the years. 

Many travellers to the paths less travelled would remember seeing the bitumen roads being spread with freshly and separate rice after harvest and could see both young and old, sieving, sifting the rice grains and coverings using locally made, usually of palm, fan like objects.

Indonesian traditional hand rice machine, farmers are sifting or grinding rice, separating the rice seeds with the stems of the plant. rice sieving process.

My dinner last night and the post prandial 2 hour Blood Sugar:

Quanlity is what people should stress and not just Quality..

Lobster

Lobster. Rice. Black Beans. Sparkling Water. A glass of Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina (a good pour). Ice cream with papaya pieces.

2 hour post prandial Blood sugar was 117 mg/dl.

Quality of my food 

My microbiome 

Who made the food, how quickly was it consumed, (I was very relaxed)

WHEN WOULD BRAZILIANS BEGIN TO TREAT THEIR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AS EQUALS? WHOSE LAND IT IS ANYWAY?

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The Video is Silent Killer  Coronavirus in the Amazon

I heard from my Ticuna friends that they were also relying upon the remedies from the Forest to fight this disease. Many of the Yanomami have fled to the interior to escape the destruction, coming in from outside, in the form of humans and viruses.

Let us not close our eyes to the atrocities against the Indigenous peoples all around the world. Humans are capable of extreme cruelty, by commission and omission.

Villagers living near Auschwitz where millions of people were assassinated and incinerated, said that they did not know what was happening in that compound of death, even though they could smell the foul smell.

Let us not forget what is happening to Orang Asli in Malaysia; the Adivasi in India, Indians in many countries all over the American Continent.

We know the answers, said an elderly Indian lady to me, but the white man thinks we know nothing and we have to take up his ways. 

that has brought them death and destruction and it is the herbal medicine that save the Indians who still know..

and the chief above says: If we waited for the White Man's help the situation would have been worse.

And as the other younger chief says: We always have been under attack.. and we have to protect ourselves..

I respect you and think of you, my Indian brothers and sisters and also the indigenous peoples I have visited..

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WHAT BROUGHT THE MAGIC OF TRAVEL TO ME ?

En Akaba dejó la huella de su mano en la pared de los abrevaderos.

      En Gdynia se lamentó por haber perdido sus papeles en una riña de taberna, pero no quiso dar su verdadero nombre.

       En Recife ofreció sus servicios al Obispo y terminó robándose una custodia de hojalata con un baño de similor.

       En Abidján curó la lepra tocando a los enfermos con un cetro de utilería y recitando en tagalo una página del memorial de aduanas.

       En Valparaíso desapareció para siempre, pero las mujeres del barrio alto Aseguran que la imagen alivia los cólicos menstruales y preserva a los recién nacidos contra el mal de ojo.

At Akaba he left his handprint on the wall of the troughs.

       In Gdynia he regretted having lost his papers in a tavern brawl, but did not want to give his real name.

        In Recife he offered his services to the Bishop and ended up stealing a tin custody with a similor bath.

        In Abidjan he cured leprosy by touching the sick with a prop scepter and reciting a page from the customs memorial in Tagalog.

        In Valparaíso it disappeared forever, but the women of the upper neighborhood claim that the image relieves menstrual cramps and preserves newborns against the evil eye.

Em Akaba, ele deixou a marca de sua mão na parede das calhas.

       Em Gdynia, ele lamentou ter perdido seus papéis em uma briga de taverna, mas não quis revelar seu nome verdadeiro.

        Em Recife ofereceu seus serviços ao bispo e acabou roubando uma custódia de lata com banho de similor.

        Em Abidjan, ele curou a lepra tocando o doente com um cetro de adereço e recitando uma página do memorial da alfândega em Tagalo.

        Em Valparaíso ela desapareceu para sempre, mas as mulheres da zona alta afirmam que a imagem alivia as cólicas menstruais e preserva os recém-nascidos contra o mau-olhado.

A Akaba, il a laissé l'empreinte de sa main sur le mur des auges.

       A Gdynia, il regrettait d'avoir perdu ses papiers dans une bagarre de taverne, mais ne voulait pas donner son vrai nom.

        À Recife, il offrit ses services à l'évêque et finit par voler une garde en étain avec un bain similaire.

        À Abidjan, il guérit la lèpre en touchant les malades avec un sceptre et en récitant une page du mémorial des douanes en tagalog.

        À Valparaíso, il a disparu à jamais, mais les femmes du quartier supérieur affirment que l'image soulage les crampes menstruelles et préserve les nouveau-nés contre le mauvais œil.

Je suis Maqroll El Gaviero Judio

Dressed like a Musulman from the Eastern part of Ghana, I offered a salaam to the village headman, while trying to smuggle some precious palms not seen in the west for decades.

Trying to cross an International border in the company of some indigenous people who have no regard for such things as borders, he pretended to speak in the ancient language of the Kickapoo in front of the baffled Mexican officials who patted him on his shoulders and offered him a shot of Tequila 

The immigration officer as I entered Togo greeted me warmly only later did I realize that he wanted my hat and in exchange I received an exquisitely hand made local peasant's hat which shielded my face from the fierce sun as I made my way to Benin where I was to meet some descendants of the Viceroy of Ouidah

On the way to Tashkent, in an isolated stretch of land, there was just one shack and it advertised a Photographer who was eager to take my photograph. Once he put away his antique camera of some soviet manufacture, he whispered in my ear, in a language that I could not decipher, you are a Jew are you not, so am I ..

After a nice dinner at Las Closerie des Lilas, where he sat with his newly found companion under an august moon, near the very same tree that Ernest Hemingway seemed to have graced, he offered his hand to the frightened maiden from the interior of the province of Sao Paolo in Brasil to whom he had promised a promenade along the Pont des Amantes

(this restaurant is over 100 years old)

(Pont Neuf where the French movie Les Amants du Pont Neuf was filmed)

The Bar Italiano in Frith Street in Soho

as a student I enjoyed my cappuccino while reading the book at hand

I would like to have a coffee there..

In Palermo in Buenos Aires I always felt at home admiring the Portenos who took time at their dining tables and once I left the restaurant at 3 AM having arrived for dinner at 11 PM..

Travel is Magic

Tuvalu Tokelau Majuro Tarawa Apia Hanga Roa 

Suva Port Vila Tongatapu Levuka Thursday Island Kangaroo Island 

from my part of the world ...

Good Night from Miami 

Happy Anniversary 

AS WE BEGIN TO TRAVEL, IT IS GOOD TO AVOID PLACES WHICH ARE POLLUTED AND GO TO PLACES WHICH ARE LESS POLLUTED

 The majority of the polluted CITIES in this world are either in INDIA, CHINA or PAKISTAN . That does not mean all of CHINA and INDIA are polluted. 

Of the 20 most polluted cities on this planet, 14 of them are in INDIA and if you look where they are located, along a belt of industrialization in the NORTH INDIA.. none of the cities in the SOUTH INDIA are on the list.

So welcome to COCHIN and its BACKWATERS..

Volunteers cleaning Fort Cochin beach..

Sunset in Fort Cochin

A friend of mine who is now living in Dali City in Yunnan in CHINA sent some stunning photographs of the scenery in the mountains. 

also received a video of friends hiking along the mountains on the border of Austria and Italy ..

The favourite part of France for me is Presqui'le Quiberon en Bretagne and the photos arrived today only made me want to return there as soon as the Vaccine arrives and the travel is safer..

There are still lots of places easily accessible in this planet to enjoy the nature, but please leave behind only your footprints..

Here is a list of places, the dirtiest 10 and cleanest 10 cities on earth..

In my opinion the cities reflect the people who live there.. if you look at the cities which are clean.. I personally have experiences in Seattle and Portland in the USA and Melbourne, Australia.. the people there are a little bit more sophisticated when it comes to nature and other creatures including human beings that share the city with them.

The world's 10 most polluted cities

City	Country	Air quality index
Delhi	India	356
Lahore	Pakistan	305
Shenyang	China	192
Karachi	Pakistan	178
Chengdu	China	176
Sarajevo	Bosnia          and           Herzegovina	173
Krakow	Poland	166
Seoul	South Korea	165
Dhaka	Bangladesh	163
Beijing	China	162

and the least polluted cities are :

The world's 10 least polluted cities

City	Country	Air quality index
Tashkent	Uzbekistan	2
Melbourne	Australia	3
Salt Lake City	United States of America	4
Skopje	North Macedonia	5
Seattle	United States of America	16
Portland	United States of America	16
Santiago	Chile	19
Oslo	Norway	23
Canberra	Australia	23
Kobe	Japan	24

What can we do to help ?

Avoid visiting or moving to a place where the air quality index is low.

Visit or move to places which are clean..

each one of us must do, regardless of where you live, to be aware of pollution and do not contribute to it. Avoid Plastics, however difficult it is, reuse more things at home and at work , get away from the throwaway culture (USA is the KING here )

most importantly be aware what sort of a place you are leaving for people who are coming after you ..

American Indians always remind us:  Think of what you are doing to your Grandchildren..

NOVEMBER 2, 2020 DIA DE LOS MUERTOS. TOUSSAINT EN FRANCE. REMEMBERING DEAR DEPARTED ONES IN CUBA BRASIL

From the BBC:

Three ideas for how to live a fuller life

By Roman Krznaric

28th October 2020

By reimagining our relationship with time – and coming to terms with death – we can improve our existence, argues Roman Krznaric.

“The word death is not pronounced in New York, in Paris, in London, because it burns the lips,” wrote the Mexican essayist and poet Octavio Paz in the 1950s. But for his fellow countryman – who talks about it and celebrates it in the annual Day of the Dead festival – “it is one of his favourite toys and his most steadfast love”.

This was probably an exaggeration, even back then, but it raises the question of the role that death plays in the art of living. Western culture has developed multiple mechanisms for shielding us from the reality of our mortality. The advertising industry tells us that we will remain forever young, we avoid speaking about death with our children, and we shunt the elderly away in care homes out of sight and out of mind.

TODAY IS NOVEMBER 2, 2020 THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN MEXICO

IT IS ALSO REMEMBERED IN VARIOUS FORMS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

DIA DE LOS FIELES DEFUNTOS IN CUBA, DIA DE FINADOS IN BRASIL..

When I was reading Medicine in London, I  was a dedicated THEATRE attendee and more than once I saw Albert Finney on stage. I may remember remember the name of the theatre: Little Orpheum ? So when someone suggested that I look for Under the Volcano (written by Malcolm Lowry), I watched the movie and it had a great impact on me and introduced me to the day of the Dead celebrated so vigorously in Mexico.

One sentence from the movie, Finney delivering it in his pukkah british accent 

no puedo vivir sin amor ..

There is a fear of death in the western societies where as all native and eastern philosophies have a hallowed place for death in their world view.

A western doctor threatened a native american: if you do not look after yourself, you would die.. this kind of threatening might work for white americans (and or others) but it does not work with Indians.  and the patient eagerly answered, much to the consternation of the doctor:  How early can I go, doctor ?

Todays message is ENJOY TODAY and much of it is under your control but tomorrow is not under your control . Be grateful Be humble and Do something for another person today.. 

American Indians talk of a connection of seven generations. If you are a good person, the effects would be felt for seven generations.. and you are the beneficiary of your ancestors of the past 7 generations..

It is the goodness in you that is remembered. Children are great philosophers, they remember those of whom gave them time and care and tenderness ..not the ones who gave them expensive toys..

Today is a good day to remember and also to imagine how your children or descendants would be like in 2050 or even later.. As Kahlil Gibran had said : they live in a world of tomorrow that you cannot enter..  

You came from a world that you couldn't enter whether it was 

18th Century Spain or Portugal and you are going towards a world that we cannot define .. be humble and accept ..

on this day, how can we not think of FRIDA .. and her giant of a husband, the muralist Diego Rivera..

Mexico gave me those gifts. Chile gave me Pablo Neruda. Cuba gave me Fidel Castro and Che Guevara (via Rosario, Argentina), Cesaria Evora from Cabo Verde, Alvaro Mutis and Gabo from Colombia, Jorge Amado from Brasil, also Moacyr Scliar, Alberto Moravia and Agnar Mykael from Norway (Lasso around the moon) from my childhood..

On this day of the dead, I remember them all, I pay respects to them and I want to let them know that they are alive in my heart..

As a colombian writer had said: you are not dear until all the people who remember you have also died..

Jorge Luis Borges. Argentina 

Many of the singers but their songs are fresh in my heart 

and the lyrics do not die, they kindle a little light in your emotions (thus the emotions may find their way to.. Bauru?) today..

I dedicate this to the people in my world and two special people in my world of Magic

The panama hat clad traveller, Carlos 

La petite poete de cote sauvage ..