Investigating E-Shisha

By Hilary Diack

So, you kicked the cigarette habit ages ago. Well done. Shisha is a little more difficult to give up, there is something rather comforting about gentling drawing on the little plastic pipe with the familiar gurgle of water and aromatic smoke. But, health warnings still abound. That’s why you need to get serious about either dropping the habit or checking out the options.

The new trend for electronic shisha pens, also known as electronic shisha sticks is making inroads with smokers in global centers around the world. Although associated traditionally with Middle Eastern and North African cultures shishas had recently become increasingly popular among young people today, until concerns were voiced about their safety and hygiene. Enter the e-shisha.

One main reason for their growing popularity is that they offer a similar experience to smoking traditional shisha with reputedly fewer health risks than smoking traditional shisha. How do they work, and are they really a safe alternative to smoking traditional shisha?

How do they work?

An e-shisha pen is a battery-operated device similar to an electronic cigarette with an atomizer that heats up an e-liquid, turning it into a vapor that can be inhaled. The main ingredients of most e-liquids are water, fruit flavoring (mainly herbs), vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol. Both propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin are non-toxic organic compounds, however long term studies have not yet been conducted to uncover the risks involved in inhaling those substances.

How do they compare health-wise to traditional shisha?

It is important to note that with traditional shisha the amount of smoke produced in one session is far greater than any cigarette gives, with 600 puffs being typical for a one hour shisha session. This would be the equivalent of smoking two packets of cigarettes in one sitting.

Most electronic shisha pens do not contain toxic compounds, such as carbon monoxide, heavy metals (arsenic and lead) and other cancer-causing chemicals found in traditional shisha. However, some devices do contain varying degrees of nicotine depending on the brand. With the toxic compounds contained in traditional shisha, smokers are at risk of major diseases, such as cancers, heart disease, and respiratory diseases. Electronic shisha pens do not produce smoke, so there is no risk of passive inhaling, and your risk of acquiring a smoking-related disease is decreased.

To puff or not to puff?

While the jury is still out as to long term effects, if you cannot bite the bullet and give up smoking completely e-shisha may be a way of weaning yourself off a more dangerous smoking habit. They are readily available in the local market but you should be careful about the quality you are purchasing. Many e-shishas are imported from China and may have a quality control issue. Much of the reasoning behind the safety benefit of vaporized nicotine lies with the purity of the nicotine itself. If other chemicals or additives find their way into the liquid nicotine cartridge, the risks could be even greater than that of tobacco cigarettes.

Weight loss advice from the turn of the last century

By Marcus O’Neill, MSc RD

“The safest way to control weight and conserve health is by a balanced and carefully planned diet. ‘Freak’ methods of reducing are often dangerous and usually ineffective.”

Sounds like pretty reasonable advice, right?

What’s interesting about this quote is that it comes from a medical textbook called, Your Weight and How to Control It, published in 1929. That’s right, it was written over 85 years ago!

And here are another couple of gems from the same book:

“An intensive study of medical frauds and fads made over a period of nearly twenty years has convinced me that in the whole realm of quackery there is no field that is more easily worked nor one that offers greater financial returns to the medical swindler than that devoted to the exploitation of ‘cures’ for obesity.”

And, “Virtually all so-called obesity cures, except those products containing dangerous drugs, are simply shrewd schemes for fooling the overweight, and the purchasers of most of them are being kidded by experts.”

So, if this stuff was known more than 85 years ago, why is there still confusion about healthy eating and the best way to lose weight?

Much the same as it was all those years ago, the short answer is money. There is an incredible amount of money to be made in the weight loss industry. A 2013 report by Marketdata Enterprises Inc. estimated that the American weight loss industry alone is worth 60.5 billion dollars a year. This includes things like diet food products, health club memberships, diet websites/apps, diet books, and exercise DVDs. And for people to create a market for their new products, they need to make some pretty bold claims, regardless of whether those claims have any validity.

Celebrity endorsements don’t help either. It’s bad enough that you have movie stars or television personalities pushing their personal diets as the cure to all of society’s weight problems, but then you add to that plenty of seemingly qualified medical professionals claiming to know the latest miracle weight loss solution (I’m looking at you, Dr. Oz). Don’t kid yourself, the people endorsing these products stand to make millions if their new gimmick is successful.

Governments and other regulatory agencies need to take a stand against all this “quackery” and tighten the rules surrounding what people are allowed to claim about their so-called health products. But until that happens, my advice is to be very skeptical of any product claiming to be the “ultimate weight loss cure”. Keep in mind that the truth today is virtually identical to what it was almost a century ago. A healthy diet includes a variety of fresh, whole ingredients, and includes an emphasis on things like fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. If you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. The formula is pretty simple and people claiming you need the latest superfood or supplement to lose weight or improve your health are really just the modern versions of snake oil salesmen.

I’ll end by providing one last quote from this truly visionary book:

“The movement to prevent unwise and fanatical reduction in body weight must be considered as an activity of preventive medicine worthy of the consideration of every intelligent man or woman”.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

References

Fishbein, M (Ed.). (1929). Your weight and how to control it: A scientific guide by medical specialists and dietitians. New Your, NY: P. F. Collier & Son Company.

Marcus O’Neill is a Registered Dietitian from Canada, currently residing in Maadi. He can be reached by email at marcusoneill79@yahoo.com, or you can follow him via Twitter (@marcusoneillrd), or his website (www.dietitianabroad.com).

Cairo East Magazine Gives you the Rundown

By Hilary Diack

Eating right? Getting plenty of exercise? This should be enough to keep you feeling healthy, but when you factor in stress, pollution, missed meals and hectic schedules you may benefit from adding a few vital supplements to your diet. Many products now available have been used by different cultures for years, so their properties have been well-proven. Naturally sourced and nutrient specific, a tablet or two a day can get your system into great working order in no time.

Here are just of few of the most popular items you can find.

Aloe Vera Gels

Aloe Vera contains a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the ability of Aloe to support the healing process. In addition, Aloe Vera has been shown to support a healthy digestive system.

Amino Acid Supplement

L-Arginine and L-Citrulline are two amino acids bundled into a single powerful supplement. L-Arginine is an important factor in muscle metabolism and a precursor for nitric oxide, which promotes increased circulation by relaxing blood vessels. L-Citrulline helps the body rid itself of ammonia, a by-product of exercise. This clearing enables the body to recover after a workout.

Beet powder

Beet powder provides a wide range of nutrients, but its most significant phytochemical is betaine. This plant chemical benefits both the liver and kidneys. Betaine also helps the liver process fat. This prevents the accumulation of fatty tissues in the liver (steatosis) and it also prevents excessive triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Biotin

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for normal growth and body function and is a key regulatory element in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and in the metabolism of some amino acids. Alongside its role in energy production, Biotin enhances the synthesis of certain proteins. In addition, Biotin promotes normal immunity and plays a critical role in skin health.

Chlorella

Chlorella is a green single-celled microalgae that contains the highest concentrations of chlorophyll known. Chlorella also supplies high levels of Beta-Carotene, Mixed Carotenoids, Vitamin C, Iron and Protein.

Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice

Studies have shown that DGL stimulates and accelerates the natural protective factors in the digestive tract, which helps relieve stomach discomfort immediately.

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics

Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics combines ancient Japanese fermentation artistry with modern technology. The probiotics are encapsulated with their culture medium of nutritious fermented vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and seaweed. This blend supplies a complete probiotic system including prebiotics, enzymes, micro-nutrients, and organic acids for a healthy digestive pH.

Fo-Ti is a wonderful supplement that has many different uses. It can lower cholesterol and blood pressure and works to nourish the liver and kidneys, creating a better blood flow to the scalp and providing more nourishment to the head, thus creating healthier hair.

Glutamine

Glutamine has recently been the focus of much scientific interest. A growing body of evidence suggests that during certain stressful times, the body may require more Glutamine than it can produce. Under these circumstances Glutamine may be considered a “conditionally essential” amino acid. Glutamine is involved in maintaining a positive nitrogen balance (an anabolic state) and also aids rapidly growing cells (immune system lymphocytes and intestinal cell enterocytes).

Perfect Food Super Green Formula

Made with vegetable, sprout and organic cereal grass ingredients, Perfect Food provides your body the nutritional benefits of multiple servings of fruit and vegetables every day. Perfect Food Super Green Formula supplement contains 10 probiotic strains to support digestive health, and spirulina to support healthy immune function.

Raw Manuka Honey

Raw Manuka Honey is sourced from the remote pristine areas of New Zealand’s South Island. Manuka Honey provides live enzymes, antioxidants and phytochemical components.

Reishi

An old Chinese mushroom dating back to 2500 years ago, known as the “King of herbs.” It has a wide range of medicinal properties aiding in diabetes, hypertension, cancer, wounds, cholesterol, depression, and for detoxing.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae which is full of life-giving nutrients such as protein, beta carotene, chlorophyll, vitamin B complex, minerals, essential fatty acids and other important nutrients that our body needs. Spirulina is a 100% alkaline food which helps regulate the acid-alkaline (PH) of the body.

Solgar’s Magnesium Citrate offers a high potency source of the essential mineral magnesium in its highly absorbable citrate form.

Zinc

Zinc is essential for growth, immune system function, testosterone metabolism, as a cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase, and for many other functions in the body. Zinc is involved in the functioning of over 200 enzymes and plays a key role in genetic expression, cell division, and growth. Clinical studies demonstrate zinc supplementation can increase general wellness, and that it has a beneficial impact on connective tissue as well as reproductive health and eye health.