Monday 2 October 2017

[www.keralites.net] Debate on food safety in India and how it is related to cancer.

 



Dr. Vishal Rao, an oncologist and head and neck surgeon at the Bangalore-based HealthCare Global (HCG) Cancer Center, writes about the debate on food safety in India and how it is related to cancer.

A 45-year-old man presented himself to an oncologist with the typical symptoms of stomach cancer. His worst fears came true, the biopsy reports showed positive results.

He led an extremely healthy lifestyle; exercised regularly, maintained a balanced diet and did not have any addictions. Yet, cancer had managed to conquer his system. The distraught man asked the doctor, "Why me?" The visibly uncomfortable doctor was speechless.

Many oncologists go through a similar ordeal almost every day.

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Picture for representation only. Source: Flickr

A lot of their patients may have maintained a healthy lifestyle and yet, end up succumbing to cancer. It may not be just tobacco; we have tons of other carcinogens, which have unfortunately entered our diet chart.

Some of the reports on food exports from India show we rank among the top in agri-food rejects to USA & EU as per the UNIDO reports. The key reasons for rejects implicated in the reports were – mycotoxins, microbial contamination, veterinary drug residues, heavy metals, unauthorised food additives, product composition and pesticide residues.

Ever wondered if this was the quality for exports, what could be the standards of internal consumption for us Indians? The Maggi trial that India witnessed recently opened the much-needed debate on food safety, exposing just the tip of the iceberg.

Let's reflect on a few aspects of such safety issues. Why do we stand where we stand today?

Current status of food quality

"Diet and nutrition are two different aspects of food." Is the current state of food quality in India a matter of implausible conjecture or a reality yet to dawn in the Indian mindset? Pesticides, preservatives and wasted calories seem to be the trends of the new Indian recipes.

Pesticides:

food

Source: Flickr

Recently a patient of mine walked into my outpatient clinic for a follow up visit. He brought with him a basket of fresh fruits as a token of his gratitude. While he handed it to me, he exclaimed, "Doc, these are not the regular ones which I keep for sale, these are ones grow for my own consumption."

The larger question – is our farmer well educated about balancing the quantity of pesticides to be used for safe and optimal yield; or does he believe that more is better! (Dilution and mixing of pesticides in regulated quantity is key.)

A growing concern among consumers is the question – do we have too much pesticides in our food? Are these really harmful? Is there a way to prevent this?

I have heard that often export rejects from various countries look at India as a potential market — be it tyres, automobiles or food products. Thanks to poor consumer awareness and implicit trust of the consumer in the manufacturer to abide by ethical practices. This is further compounded by extremely poor vigilance and enforcement by government agencies.

The Endosulfan Tragedy in Kerala has killed over 4,000 people and many have been affected since the 1970's. Endosulfan is an internationally banned insecticide that was earlier used in cashew plantations to increase the product yield.

The progeny of many of the survivors still suffer from conditions like macrocephaly, intellectual disabilities and cancer. Despite the ban made by UN, Endosulfan is still being used in India. Recent reports in media highlighted traces of endosulfan found in several vegetables. Personal interactions with farmers confirm their use of these banned pesticides owing to a quick, sustained and stable yield.

Yes, pesticide residues in food are a growing concern. It is, however, vital to consume healthy and nutritious food after washing them thoroughly. Avoiding fruits and vegetables in fear of residue pesticides would be more harmful that the consumption of minimal residues themselves in causing cancer. Organic foods from reported and accredited farms may be the way forward and needs encouragement from the agriculture department. Educational programmes for farmers from NGO's and departments would pave the way in foundation of food safety in farms.

Insecticide act of India 1968 is awaiting amendments. The amended act awaits clearance in Rajya Sabha.

Preservatives:

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Source: Flickr

Traditionally, preservatives were introduced into food products for keeping them safe and edible for long periods. Salt, sugar and vegetable oil are classical examples, which preserve food and provide the body with nutrition when consumed at required amounts (class 1 preservatives).

As technology and research has advanced, we have moved to synthetic preservatives which help store and protect food from spoilage for extremely long periods (class 2 preservatives). While they may protect the food, they're definitely harming us. Studies suggest that synthetic food preservatives like Sodium benzoate and Sodium nitrite can cause hyper reactivity in children and have been linked to gastric cancer as well. These preservatives are commonly found in cold drinks, processed meat, canned food and most importantly, ready-to-make food products.

Adulterants:

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Source: Flickr

Food colourants are another group of chemicals quintessentially placed in the "cancer causing family." Natural food colourants like pure beet/ pomegranate juice, carrot juice, spinach powder, parsley juice, turmeric powder, blueberry juice and cocoa powder can be used at home and in industries. Their shelf life may be low but they add nutritive value to the food product as well.

Red 40, Blue 1 and Yellow 5 are common synthetic food colourants used in industries even though they have been proven to cause long-term health problems. Indeed the palak gravy you may be having may be onion based gravy with green colourant.

Adulterants range from chalk powder (common in milk), saw dust (found in chilli powder), non-permitted dyes (common in turmeric powder) to coal tar (found in tea powder). Vegetables like green chillies and green peas are coated with malachite green (highly carcinogenic and are used as dyes to study bacteria) to enhance the colour and fruits like apples are coated with wax give them a glossy finish.

Hygiene:

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Source: Flickr

Street food is a delicacy for the Indian palate. Microorganisms are responsible for more deaths than cancer every year. Typhoid fever, botulism, amoebiasis, etc. are common food and waterborne infections. An unhygienic condition maintained by street vendors and eateries is a key factor behind the spread of these infections. Vehicular emission, carbon dioxide and air pollutants from the roads are also absorbed by these food items. The basic practice of washing one's hands before touching any food ingredient is unspoken of. H. Pylori is a growing cause of gastric cancers. Can this be a cause of increasing contamination and adulteration?

Degreening Agents:

As our storage methods are not effective enough, fruits and vegetables cannot be stored for a long time. They are harvested when they are raw and treated with de-greening ripening agents like calcium carbide and ethylene. They make the fruits colourful and appealing to the customer. By consuming these fruits, the consumer has unknowingly reduced his/ her life expectancy.

Looking into the current scenario of food safety makes us wonder – how have we reached here and where are we heading?

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Picture for representation only. Source: Flickr

Today's times would be rightly called "instant, unlimited and more" era. Man is in search of instant – coffee, pizza, burger, food and even success instantly. Unlimited food seems to be the most attractive and sought after option to make a dining choice. The more the better is our current attitude. It would not be surprising to witness buy 1 and get 3 free at the current pace and times.

The implicit trust placed by the Indian consumer on manufacturer advertisement and tall claims is appreciable. However, the food industry is rapidly and exponentially growing. We hope to have food that is given instantly, lasts as long as possible and in sufficient quality that satiates the palate. The industry, in an attempt to satisfy the customer, would need to resort to best methods to prolong life, improve revenues and combat competition simultaneously. Would all of these steps be feasible without compromising food safety? Is it not time for the manufacturers to reinstate this trust in the consumer and lay ethical guidelines to protect the consumer?

Food standard and safety act of India is a comprehensive act. The paradox is the regulation and implementation of this act. These bodies have largely remained to provide and regulate license. We have hardly come across brands being suspended owing to poor quality compliance. Would it not be ideal to have monthly checks of 100 random food products, selected from random shops in random areas and scrutinised for food safety? Is it not time for us to amend and strongly enforce Insecticide act of India 1968 to protect our future generations and secure food safety standards?

"Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake"

(Written by Dr. Vishal Rao)




​Circulated by:
K.Raman.​

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[www.keralites.net] MOTHER'S DAY TRIBUTE

 

THE WORD MOTHER COULD NOT BE EXPRESSED MORE BEAUTIFULLY.
A DEFINITE MUST READ!
MOTHER
This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece.
Please read this at a slow pace,
digesting every word and in leisure...
Do not hurry....this is a treasure...
For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom,
this is beautiful.
For those of us who aren't,
this is even more beautiful.
For those who are moms,
you'll love this.
you'll love thisTHE WORD MOTHER COULD NOT BE EXPRESSED MORE BEAUTIFULLY.
A DEFINITE MUST READ!
MOTHER
This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece.
Please read this at a slow pace,
digesting every word and in leisure...
Do not hurry....this is a treasure...
For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom,
this is beautiful.
For thos.
The young mother set her foot
on the path of life.
'Is this the long way?' she asked.
And the guide said: 'Yes,
and the way is hard
And you will be old before
you reach the end of it..
But the end will be better
than the beginning.'
But the young mother was happy,
and she would not believe
that anything could be better
than these years.
So she played with her children,
and gathered flowers for them along the way,
and bathed them in the clear streams;
and the sun shone on them,
and the young Mother cried,
'Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.'
Then the night came,
and the storm, and the path was dark,
and the children shook with fear and cold,
and the mother drew them close
and covered them with her mantle,
and the children said,
'Mother, we are not afraid,
for you are near, and no harm can come.'
And the morning came,
and there was a hill ahead,
and the children climbed and grew weary,
and the mother was weary.
But at all times she said to the children,
'A little patience and we are there.'
So the children climbed,
and when they reached the top they said,
'Mother, we would not have done it without you.'
And the mother, when she lay down at night
looked up at the stars and said,
'This is a better day than the last,
for my children have learned fortitude
in the face of hardness.
Yesterday I gave them courage.
Today, I've given them strength.'
And the next day came strange clouds
which darkened the earth,
clouds of war and hate and evil,
and the children groped and stumbled,
and the mother said: '
Look up. Lift your eyes to the light.'
And the children looked and saw
above the clouds an everlasting glory,
and it guided them beyond the darkness.
And that night the Mother said,
'This is the=2 0best day of all,
for I have shown my children God.'
And the days went on,
and the weeks and the months and the years,
and the mother grew old
and she was little and bent.
But her children were tall and strong,
and walked with courage.
And when the way was rough,
they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather;
and at last they came to a hill,
and beyond they could see a shining road
and golden gates flung wide.
And mother said,
'I have reached the end of my journey.
And now I know the end
is better than the beginning,
for my children can walk alone,
and their children after them.'
And the children said,
'You will always walk with us, Mother,
even when you have gone through the gates.'
And they stood and watched her
as she went on alone,
and the gates closed after her.
And they said:
'We cannot see her but she is with us still.
A Mother like ours is more than a memory.
She is a living presence.......'
Your Mother is always with you....
She's the whisper of the leaves
as you walk down the street;
she's the smell of bleach
in your freshly laundered socks;
she's the cool hand on your brow
when you're not well.
Your Mother lives inside
your laughter.
And she's crystallized in every tear drop.
She's the place you came from,
your first home;
and she's the map you follow
with every step you take.
She's your first love and your first heartbreak,
and nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, not space... not even death!
It Was Mom: A Mother's Day Tribute To Moms —
 
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[www.keralites.net] SIXTY PLUS AND STILL KEEP GOING....

 

Sixty plus and still keep Going,...... Wisdom worth listening to:
Don't worry about what will happen after you are gone, because when you return to dust, you will feel nothing about praises or criticisms.
Don't worry too much about your children for children will have their own destiny and find their own way. Don't be your children's slave
Don't expect too much from your children. Caring children, though caring, would be too busy with their jobs and commitments to render any help.
Uncaring children may fight over your assets even when you are still alive, and wish for your early demise so they can inherit your properties.
Your children take for granted that they are rightful heirs to your wealth; but you have no claims to their money.
60-year old's like you, don't trade in your health for wealth anymore………….
Because your money may not be able to buy your health………
When to stop making money, and how much is enough (hundred thousands, million, ten million)?
Out of thousand hectares of good farm land, you can only consume three quarts (of rice) daily;
out of a thousand of mansions, you only need eight square meters of space to rest at night.
So as long as you have enough food and enough money to spend, that is good enough. So you should live happily.
Every family has its own problems. Just do not compare with others for fame and social status and see whose children are doing better, etc. but challenge others for happiness, health and longevity………….
Don't worry about things that you can't change because it does'nt help and it may spoil your health.
You have to create your own well-being and find your own happiness;
As long as you are in good mood, think about happy things, do happy things daily and have fun in doing, then you will pass your time happily every day.
One day passes, you will lose one day;…One day passes with happiness, and then you gain one day.
In good spirit, sickness will cure; in happy spirit, sickness will cure fast; in good and happy spirit; sickness will never come.
With good mood, suitable amount of exercise, always in the sun, variety of foods, reasonable amount of vitamin and mineral intake, hopefully you will live another 20 or 30 years of healthy life.
Above all learn to cherish the goodness around ……and FRIENDS……..they all make you feel young and "wanted"…without them you are surely to feel lost!!
So share this with all your friends who are 60 plus and those who will be 60 plus after some years.
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[www.keralites.net] SREE PADMANABHA SWAMY TEMPLE

 

The sun goes down along the middle portion of Gopuram of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple on equinox.
Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple is so well constructed that on Equinox sun passes exactly through
the middle of Gopuram passing through all the doors. An engineering marvel indeed !!
An Equinox is an astronomical event that happens twice, once in spring and once in autumn, each year when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun. During Equinoxes the tilt of the Earth 
(with respect to the Sun) is 0° and because of it duration of the day and the night are
almost equal on Equinox day i.e. 12 hours.
Equinoxes occur on 20th or 21st March and 22nd or 23rd September each year and 
both days has equal length of the day and the night. 
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When the Sethu Samudram Channel Project was on, well known political leaders like karunanidhi etc wondered whether Lord Sri Rama had obtained an "Engineering degree" and from which institution? Looking at the degree of accuracy in designing this (Padmanabhaswamy temple), it is proven that Hindus (Indians) at that time were quite proficient in their studies and use of it - for this is the proof that hifger quality education did exist at that time. Apparently over a period of time we have lost it. We should really be keen to regain that lost splendour and move along...
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