Pollution, Botulism and Avoiding Toxins in Hong Kong
The recent health scare regarding botulism toxins in our food has made us all realize the potential for inadvertently ingesting dangerous substances. I find as a family doctor that tiredness, lack of concentration and worsening memory, are recurrent complaints in my patients. I’ve often found the cause to be symptomatic of the adverse affects of toxicity – from unhealthy foods, to pollution – breathing in heavy metals (such as road traffic exhaust).
I have been doing tests for these heavy metals for many years, and have experience of a number of ways to remove them from the body (chelation, with medicines or natural substances).
However, I believe that there is a ‘background’ of toxicity in our environment with which we just have to cope. Our bodies need only a small helping hand to cleanse itself effectively, and we could all use more energy!
I’m sharing my 25 years experience as a Hong Kong family doctor who has seen one health crisis after another and sharing tips on how I keep my patients super healthy! Taking daily, regular, natural food supplements can help the body’s detox machinery in the liver and kidneys. Pick up your supplements from our Queen’s Road office at any time!
Contaminated Food Supplies
The fact that the world’s biggest dairy foods exporter, Fonterra, had tons of its whey protein contaminated with a deadly toxin is one of the most frightening health scares of recent years. After all, we use the trusted Cow and Gate milk formula for the most valuable commodities – our babies.
The bacteria, Clostridium botulinum, is a deadly toxin if administered in large enough doses.
Luckily for Hong Kong, the company claim that no contaminated products were imported here, however in other countries there were reports of babies having the following symptoms:
Fever, Lack of Appetite, Tiredness and Weakness
The effects of this toxin are to paralyze muscle, so large doses could potentially stop the movement of essential muscles such as the heart and lung muscles.
Interestingly, this is the desired effect when injected as a beauty aid, such as Botox. It’s very effective at immobilizing muscles, lasting for many weeks. Nowadays we are all so health conscious, going to the gym, eating organic, however I wonder if people who get this beauty treatment have realized that they are paying for a toxin that the rest of Hong Kong are in fear of contaminating their food?
Staying Healthy in the City
Living in a city can be a minefield for the health conscious. We see the pollution index high most days, and are given vague guidelines such as “asthmatics warned not to go outdoors!” Obviously we inhale whatever is in the atmosphere, where it’s filtered by our nose, sinuses before arriving in the lungs. Not surprisingly, as a family doctor in Hong Kong the majority of my work is treating sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma and allergies, as well as eye irritations.
This is old news, and the more important point is, “How do we maintain our health throughout this?”. Well, to cope with the long working hours, noise and chemical pollution of Hong Kong we have to have the most supportive supplement regime. Don’t get me wrong – healthy eating is hugely important, however there are 20-30% less nutrients (minerals) in the soil compared to 20 years ago, so we do need to supplement.
Products That Will Actually Detox You
My top favourites:
I import these, have used them for years and have seen great results. Feel free to pick some up in our Queens Rd Office any time. The important thing is to take one or two things only – keep it simple, and keep it going. This way your enzyme systems are helped to clear toxins.
ALFALFA
“Alfalfa’ is Arabic for, ‘The Father of all foods’. It’s one of the most potent alkalinizing agents there is. Bear in mind that 99% of disease process including cancers need an acidic environment to survive and you will understand why a daily dose is a good thing! More information can be found here.
SPIRULINA CAPSULES
Spirulina is 80% protein by weight, and is an algae, so also full of essential minerals from ancient sea beds. It is one of the richest sources of beta-carotene foods available. Beta-carotene is a potent anti-oxidant which can help to protect against cancer and heart disease. Our imported brand is freshly put into capsules in the 6 months prior to importing. This is of huge benefit to the potency – can you imagine how old nutrients are by the time they go from warehouse storage to sitting on a shop shelf?
