Sun Chlorella's newsletter
What is the best diet for humans?
We live in a society that is obsessed with diets, from paleo to the vegan and everything in between. There is the idea that in the past, humans lived in harmony with nature and were generally healthy in comparison to our present state. The traditional diets of different cultures such as the Japanese and the Mediterranean have proven to have many health benefits regardless of how different they are. So which one should we adopt, if any?
A recent study of modern hunter-gatherer groups found that they exhibit generally excellent metabolic health while consuming a wide range of diets and that there is likely no single natural diet that is best for human health. The researchers found that the diets were diverse and dictated by geography and local ecology.
A similarity in the hunter-gatherer populations studied was a very high level of physical activity in their lifestyle, but daily energy expenditures are similar to industrialised populations.
Another common thread was that they almost all eat a mix of meat, fish and plants, consuming foods that are nutritionally dense and less energy dense. They eat a lot more fibre, with most of their carbohydrates derived from vegetables and starchy plants with a low glycaemic index. They do consume sugar, however, but primarily in the form of honey.
Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that when people from these groups moved to large cities they became prone to the same metabolic diseases as everyone else.
Hidden toxins in our Environment
It seems we have become accustomed to our environment carrying a certain amount of pollution or toxicity, however, the long-term effects of such exposure pose significant health concerns. The World Health Organisation is warning that chronic disease is becoming a worldwide epidemic and that genetics, lifestyle and nutrition are not the only causative factors, and that the exposure to toxicants may also cause chronic disease. Early life and ongoing exposures, and bio-accumulated toxicants all forming part of the picture. Recommended strategies to counter toxic effects and to support metabolism include nutrition and supplements, exercise and sweating.
Toxic elements in food and water
Elements such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury are typically found in drinking water, foods, dust, fish and even dental amalgams. Among other wide-ranging effects of these chemicals are endocrine disruption by lead and immune system impairment by mercury.
Pesticides
These include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides spread in the environment specifically to be toxic. Some persistent pesticides now banned in developed countries continue to be used in underdeveloped countries, and residues are still in the environment. Various present-day pesticides have been linked to cancers and neurological, endocrine, developmental, reproductive, respiratory, and immunological disorders.
Personal Care Products
One example is Triclosan - an antibacterial and antimicrobial chemical that has been used widely in personal care products such as deodorants, detergents, shaving cream and toothpaste. It is part of a group of compounds called Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) linked with various health conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and endometriosis.
Perfumes
Certain fragrance ingredients have been linked with neurological effects and some synthetic musks have been identified as carcinogens. Some fragrance ingredients are also known to be sensitisers.
Plastics
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound used to make plastics, a chemical with similarities to oestrogen that can enter the body through our diet. Highly-processed foods, or foods packaged in certain plastics, can contain high levels of BPA. It mimics oestrogen and is an endocrine disruptor.
Chlorella a nutrient-rich food
Nutritionally Dense - Chlorella contains a broad spectrum of food state nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Beta carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Iron, Magnesium and Essential Fatty Acids.
Amino Acids - Chlorella is rich in essential amino acids and contains 60% protein. Chlorella Growth Factor is a protein found in the cell wall of the plant which provides the building blocks the body needs to heal and repair.
Fibre and Gut Health - The good bacteria in your gut love the fibre and nutrients found in chlorella. Thanks to its rich supply of prebiotic food, chlorella can actually triple the rate of growth of good bacteria in the gut.[i]
Detoxification Pathway Support - nutrients and fibre found in chlorella help to support the detoxification pathways such as assisting the liver through antioxidant nutrients and detoxifying the bowel with chlorophyll and fibre.
Heavy Metal Detoxification - Chlorella studies have shown it to remove a variety of heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury.