Last weekend, I saw a video posted by Dr. Cameron Kyle-Sidell, who is a board certified medical doctor in Brooklyn, New York. He was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for 9 days, and he described his experience in which he observed that patients in ICU were suffering from some kind of "altitude sickness" after being put on mechanical ventilation.

https://youtu.be/k9GYTc53r2o Dr. Cameron Kyle-Sidell, after being placed in ICU for 9 days described his patients as suffering from a kind of "altitude sickness" after being put on mechanical ventilation.

What Dr. Kyle-Sidell is describing seems to be consistent with hypercapnia, which I wrote about in my previous article. Hypercapnia is a condition that is a serious side effect of mechanical ventilation as it puts an excess of carbon dioxide into the bloodstream and creates C02 toxicity. This toxicity resembles altitude sickness, and what scuba divers often get called “the bends”.

A common side effect of mechanical ventilation is hypercapnia, a condition in which too much carbon dioxide is present in the bloodstream and can resemble altitude sickness or "the bends" in scuba diving.

Typically the treatment for hypercapnia is hyperbaric oxygen therapy to disperse the carbon dioxide from the bloodstream. However, since hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers are expensive and most medical institutions in the United States, Europe and Asia do not have them, another alternative could be the addition of hydrogen to medical gas. Hydrogen would effectively disperse C02 and would prevent a buildup of it in the bloodstream.

Dr. Kyle-Sidell did not agree with the protocol in the ICU unit in the hospital he was at for utilising mechanical ventilators, and resigned as a consequence, and now back in the Emergency Room (ER) according to reports. One of the problematic features of widespread medical treatment is the lack of responsiveness when a doctor makes an observation that goes against the grain of conventional treatment. However, what Dr. Kyle-Sidell was a brave and honourable thing by publicly questioning conventional practices and by posting his observations online, we can fully understand the situation that might be possibly going on in current hospitals, not only in Brooklyn, but around the world.

Hypercapnia is a serious side effect that medical professionals should be made aware of if they are to put patients on mechanical ventilators. The solution of adding hydrogen to medical gas would most likely completely alleviate the potential side effects. In fact, previous research studies have drawn the conclusion that inhaling hydrogen gas stops ventilator related-lung injury.

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA AS AN IN-SITU VACCINATION

In-situ vaccinations are different from regular vaccinations. In-situ vaccinations are usually given after an infection has already taken place, and the vaccination occurs in vivo. In other words, after an infection, the in-situ vaccination targets the infection area and creates the cure through the body’s own immune system mechanisms. Typically in-situ vaccinations have been utilised in cancer treatments, but for the current pandemic, lactic acid bacteria as an in-situ vaccination could potentially have great therapeutic effects.

As I have previously written, lactic acid bacteria has been utilised by Korean researchers on more severe coronaviruses than COVID-19 rather successfully.

Bacteria is relatively cheaper and easier to manufacture than repurposing old anti-malaria drugs (e.g., hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine) that are a) catching dust b) distributors looking to benefit from the pandemic by using old drugs for a profit-motive and c) cause harmful side effects, such as multi-organ damage.

“Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are reported to be ideal candidates as live delivery vehicles for releasing therapeutic and prophylactic molecules directly at the oral, nasal, and genital mucosae and to be a realistic option for the treatment of human and animal diseases (Cano-Garrido et al., 2015; Piñero-Lambea et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2016). The safety status of the LAB, the ability of some strains to survive passage through the GIT (Vesa et al., 2000), and the capacity of some species (e.g., L. rhamnosus , Bifidobacterium animalis, and Lactobacillus plantarum) to remain viable in the GIT for a period of time render food-grade LAB ideal vehicles for delivering and even producing therapeutic molecules in situ at the GIT mucosa (Daniel et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2016). The absence of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) in their cell walls (which is not the case in Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli ) is a further advantage, allowing them to be administered orally without the risk of endotoxic shock (Szatraj et al., 2017). In addition, the oral administration of therapeutic molecules via live recombinant LAB is a suitable alternative to invasive administration methods, for example, parenteral or subcutaneous injection, avoiding their potential side effects. Further, it circumvents the degradation of orally administered naked molecules in the digestive tract and ensures the production of the therapeutic protein at the GIT mucosa (Wang et al., 2016). Moreover, the in vivo synthesis of the therapeutic molecule reduces the dose required when compared to systemic or subcutaneous treatment (Steidler et al., 2000; Cano-Garrido et al., 2015).”

Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.03179/full

Nasally administered in-situ vaccination of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) would be ideal in cases of the current coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in which the areas of the lung and gastrointestinal tract are implicated.

It would also be cost-effective to produce, manufacture and distribute without any harmful side effects.

LESSONS FROM HOLLYWOOD AND CHINA

It was said during the SARS epidemic of 2002-2004 that China was able to suppress the advent of the epidemic via their treatment from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). For those who are not aware, Traditional Chinese Medicine is a practice that goes back over 10,000+ years, in which ingredients found in nature have been documented and observed to have certain effects on disease states.

During the SARS/ MERS epidemic, a treatment was used called Lian Hua Qing Wen which was given in a capsule.

Lian Hua Qing Wen consists of:

Forsythia suspensa, Ephedra sinica, Lonicera japonica, Isatis indigotica, Mentha haplocalyx, Dryopteris crassirhizoma, Rhodiola rosea, Gypsum Fibrosum, Pogostemon cablin, Rheum palmatum , Houttuynia cordata, Glycyrrhizae, uralensis, and Armeniaca sibirica

Mentha haplocalyx is part of the same mint family as peppermint, with similar therapeutic effects as an anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, etc.

Lian Hua Qing Wen was also studied in the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to its ability to inhibit coronaviruses, it was the first new drug variety approved by China's National Drug Administration's rapid drug approval channel during SARS. It is also the first traditional Chinese medicine for China to enter FDA clinical research in the United States to treat influenza and China even provided 100K boxes of Lian Hua Qing Wen to hard-hit Italy.

https://youtu.be/4sYSyuuLk5g The 2011 film Contagion (dir: Steven Soderbergh) has resurfaced in popularity due to its similarities to the current pandemic. 

In recent weeks, much has been spoken about the resurgence of a Hollywood film from 2011 called Contagion, which appears to follow a similar historical narrative to current times. In the film, an investigative reporter (Jude Law) discovers that a herbal remedy called forsythia was able to cure the pandemic, but which had not been widely mentioned in the commercial media.
Strangely enough, forsythia suspensa is one of the ingredients in Lian Hua Qing Wen. Forsythia suspensa is noted to have these effects:

“Forsythia is a plant. The fruit is used for medicine.
Forsythia is used for swelling of small air passages in the lung (bronchiolitis), tonsillitis, sore throat, fever, vomiting, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, pain and swelling (inflammation), and a severe skin rash with fever and vomiting caused by a bacterium (erysipelas).
Sometimes forsythia is given intravenously (by IV) in combination with other herbs for treating bronchiolitis.”

Source: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1103/forsythia

When Contagion had been written and produced it was said to be largely based on the SARS epidemic. However, much of the researched content also appears to have a similarity to current times, including the concepts of “social distancing” and shutdown of schools and universities and non-essential businesses. Whether that is coincidental or intentional remains to be seen.

THE UK PRIME MINISTER IN INTENSIVE CARE

It was reported recently that Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the UK was moved into intensive care within the last few days. Some of Mr. Johnson's highlights in the first few months of office were:

1.  Reverse fracking in all of the UK (i.e., which was a great win for environmentalists considering the millions of £ that fracking lobbyists had spent to lift restrictions) Mr. Johnson said before his election that he would protect the environment and he seemed true to his word, however, it also appeared that this new ban has a loophole.
2. No Deal Brexit. This was highly controversial and most likely angered a lot of big businesses, especially financial institutions and car manufacturers and many others who asked for a longer transition period but Mr. Johnson was resolute in his plans.
3. “Herd Immunity Campaign”: Much of the global world’s businesses had been shut down towards lockdown due to pressures from the pharmaceutical industry lobbyists who would like to eventually implement a future mandatory vaccination and digital biometrics ID campaign. However, Mr. Johnson and his advisers were not a fan of the shutdown during a crucial time of Brexit and did not want to respond as other nations in the EU who had reverted to a Draconian state or martial law. In the beginning, he had adopted Sweden and South Korea’s method of leaving businesses open as part of “herd immunity”. However, in recent weeks, Mr. Johnson eventually backed down and implemented a lockdown of the UK, similar to other parts of the EU along with NY and CA in the United States.

Would the herd immunity plan have worked? Currently, South Korea has not shut down any businesses and they have fallen in rising COVID-19 cases and China will be soon going back to business as usual, but it could be due to both these nations’ treatment of the disease and not merely their diagnostics that is different from Europe and the United States. According to anecdotal information, South Korea initially utilises a) intravenous vitamin C in their COVID-19 cases then a combination treatment with oxygen therapy that is not mechanical ventilation. It is uncertain whether this information is accurate or not or representative of all treatment cases in South Korea, however, China has reported that they will utilise a combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in conjunction with commercial pharmaceuticals to treat the disease. The NHS team that is currently treating the UK Prime Minister for COVID-19 should consider the following alternative treatments, some of which have been successful in other nations:

• Vitamin C (intravenous: initial treatment, South Korea)
• Lian Hua Qing Wen (oral: China)
• Lactic acid bacteria (nasal, oral, genital) as possibly an in-situ vaccination for direct release into the lungs nasally (previous research studies incorporated injections into pig populations: South Korea)
• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) (US and UK in previous studies of aspiration failure in animals)
• Medical gases with the addition of hydrogen, to prevent hyperapnia (case studies in Japan of patients who benefited from the addition of hydrogen)

SOME MORE THOUGHTS

All in all, implementing a traditional global vaccination programme might be long, arduous and extensive that might take millions, if not billions of dollars in research, in addition to the extended time it takes to produce such a successful vaccine. Another point to consider is that there is something referred to as “vaccine enhancement” in which could make the disease states worse for a vaccinated person:

“Studies have suggested that coronavirus vaccines carry the risk of what is known as vaccine enhancement, where instead of protecting against infection, the vaccine can actually make the disease worse when a vaccinated person is infected with the virus. The mechanism that causes that risk is not fully understood and is one of the stumbling blocks that has prevented the successful development of a coronavirus vaccine.”

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccines-insight/as-pressure-for-coronavirus-vaccine-mounts-scientists-debate-risks-of-accelerated-testing-idUSKBN20Y1GZ

An alternative to traditional vaccines is in-situ vaccinations potentially utilising lactic acid bacteria (LAB) through nasal administration targeting the specfic areas of infection which could become manufactured and implemented immediately; this would be cost-effective for global nations, in addition to lifting lockdown procedures and life would resume normally without fear of breaking govt regulations in social distancing and closing of non-essential businesses.

By Sierra Choi

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. If you feel sick, contact your local health professional. It is a part of lifelong learning to discuss ideas, examine research and engage in dialogue that can produce new theories in fast-moving sectors such as epigenetics, medicine, microbiology and virology. The only intention of this article is to begin a dialogue in order to re-examine old assumptions via discussion of ideas in a respectful way.

Last week, as worldwide counters or coronavirus quadrupled, President Trump declared an anti-malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine along with the antibiotic, azithromycin as “game changers” in the treatment of what is known as the coronavirus COVID-19.

However, President Trump must remember that this was a limited study based on 6 patients with no long-term follow up and that many lobbyists in the healthcare sector are most likely keen to profit from the sales of malaria drugs. Certainly we’ve heard that phrase, throwing out the baby with the bathwater, and we must consider earlier cases in history when doctors often treated diseases with substances that ended up poisoning the patients. In the 18th and 19th centuries, doctors treated tuberculosis with mercury, often leading to mercury poisoning in which hundreds of thousands of patients died from what was called “consumption”. Consumption began as the common flu but which later turned into tuberculosis and took the lives of many well known writers and artists of the time including D.H. Lawrence, Emily and Anne Bronte, Jane Austen, Honoré de Balzac, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Anton Chekov, Stephen Crane, John Keats, Katharine Mansfield, George Orwell, John Ruskin, Henry David Thoreau and other leading thinkers of their time.
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Jane Austen (1775-1817). Many literary greats in the 19th and 20th centuries died from “consumption” or tuberculosis and the side effects from mercury poisoning which was the preferred treatment by doctors at the time.

During the Industrial Revolution, over pollution of streets acted as a constant source for outbreak and disease. A significant number of tuberculosis cases, in addition to other epidemics such as typhoid and cholera were eradicated after the introduction of water sanitisation in Europe and the United States in the 20th century. It has been widely studied that tuberculosis and intestinal parasites have a close relationship and helminths could also be a major contributor of tuberculosis. The intracellular parasite mycobacterium has been the most commonly implicated in tuberculosis and leprosy infections.

However, although tuberculosis had disappeared in the 21st century, according to the World Health Organisation, it is making a comeback and approximately 1.5 million people died from tuberculosis in 2018 alone.
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One of these is not like the other. If you noticed that the "ebola virus" is radically different from the structure of viruses, you are most like correct. Ebola most resembles a parasite, something in between a helminth and a protozoa. It is unclear why scientists and researchers have labelled ebola a "virus" when it clearly resembles the structure of an intracellular parasite. Bacteriophages also are anatomically different from viruses, and feeds solely on bacteria and may be in a class of their own.

The use of anti-malarial drugs such as chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine and antibiotics such as azithromycin were limited in use until previously due to documentation of its serious and toxic side effects, one of which is irreversible hearing loss and multi-organ damage.

See also how chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine cause vision, liver and heart damage.

Instead of promoting drugs with serious side effects as potentially “gamechanging” we must ask if there might be better and safer alternatives?

Malaria is caused by plasmodium parasites, and patients get them through bites from infected mosquitoes. However, despite the toxic side effects, if an anti-malarial drug was nominally effective in its treatment against COVID-19, then the question arises:

Could the cause of COVID-19 actually be an intracellular parasite?

If we examine all pandemics and epidemics that have occurred in history: cholera, typhoid, polio - all were attributed to a lack of clean water sources and infection occurred through water-borne intracellular parasites.

Black plague, which killed more than an estimated 25 million people from the 14th-17th centuries was particularly devastating in its scope and although historians often attributed the spread of the plague through rats, an investigation into the history of bioterrorism reveals that the Black Plague was most likely caused by amoeba present in drinking water and soil.
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“The use of biological weapons has been reported as early as the sixth century B.C. when contamination of water supply with the fungus Claviceps purpurea (rye ergot) by the Assyrians had been reported. The hurling of the dead bodies of plague victims over the walls of the city of Kaffa by the Tartar army in 1346 and the spreading of smallpox via contaminated blankets by the British to the Native American population loyal to the French in 1767 are the most frequently cited episodes of poisoning [2]. In the recent past, mycotoxins (fungal toxins) were reported to have been used in Afghanistan in the form of what is popularly known as ‘yellow rain’. The growth of religious cults and extremist political groups also increases the threat of bioterrorism today. The most significant biological attack in the United States (US) was the intentional contamination of restaurant salad bars with Salmonella by a religious cult in Oregon in 1984 [2].”
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Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4921253/

The use of mycotoxins in biological warfare is particularly alarming because currently toxic fungi is not monitored in our municipal drinking water. In the UK, fungi or mycotic toxins are not required to be monitored nor controlled in drinking water.

The European Union also does not monitor fungi in drinking water.

What is also interesting is that a study in 2018 revealed that mycobacterium to be present in the drinking water of residents in New York City. NYC’s drinking water is derived from reservoirs upstate that are part of the Catskill/Delaware Watersheds area, west of the Hudson River, and the Croton Watershed area east of the Hudson.

Let’s remember that mycobacterium is the intracellular parasite that causes tuberculosis and leprosy and which caused the deaths of millions of people (1 out of 7) in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Recently, US scientists have linked nations that have vaccinated against tuberculosis to have significantly less COVID-19 cases than nations that have not pursued TB vaccinations.
In fact, there seem to be a lot of similarities between tuberculosis and COVID-19 and currently tuberculosis vaccines are being trialed in COVID-19 cases.
​

It makes you wonder: Are Tuberculosis and COVID-19 the same disease with a different name?

As I have written previously in the role of viruses in the immune system, if viruses are a reactive element in immune system defense, does the presence of the intracellular parasite mycobacterium eventually lead to viruses being produced by the body to grapple with the infectious state?

Another prominent feature of the current treatment of COVID-19 is the use of ventilators. This was documented in early cases in China, and also in Italy and the United States. Mechanical ventilators are utilised to help patients breathe whose lungs are impacted from the current disease state, but they also have a significant side effect. The use of ventilators can often cause a condition called hypercapnia, in which there is too much carbon dioxide that develops in the bloodstream. This is problematic because this condition makes blood acidic - therefore, more susceptible to disease and leads to poor outcomes in treatment. Hypercapnia also causes headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and also complications such as seizures and loss of consciousness.

​Because COVID-19 patients suffer from lung disease, and advanced stages of pneumonia, the condition itself could potentially interfere with C02 diffusion, which prevents the flow of blood or air into lungs, and causes carbon dioxide (C02) to build up in the body. In fact, in early documented mortalities of COVID-19 cases in China, patients were put on ventilators, but due to the C02 buildup in their bodies, some patients felt uncomfortable and were reported to take the ventilators off, in which doctors subsequently injected them with paralysis medication and sedatives. This also seems to be the method of treatment in the United States. For patients who already have impacted breathing functions, suffer from a lack of C02 diffusion, were these ventilators and paralysis medications necessary? In fact, NPR reported that the majority of coronavirus patients who are put on mechanical ventilators do not survive.
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Mechanical ventilators can cause a condition called hypercapnia, where too much C02 builds up in the body. Patients treated for coronavirus in both China and the United States reportedly were also given paralysis medications and sedatives to keep them still during the use of mechanical ventilators.

These cases using ventilators often lead to mortality and we must ask:

Was the treatment for these patients worse than the disease?

Much of medicine, like science, philosophy and art, is investigative. However, in our current system of medical treatment, it is often prescriptive and not investigative. Medical education is dependent on memorisation of large amounts of information but tested through a series of multiple choice questions and answers. In real life however, the answer is often not within the multiple choices and requires critical thinking and investigation to examine outside the given parameters. That is why there is often a saying, Ask 3 doctors and you will get 3 different opinions. The education of doctors is often derived from learning through clinical practice, however, when deaths of patients occur, we do not examine the treatment itself which lead to their mortality, but shift the blame onto the disease itself.
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A scene in an Italian hospital where coronavirus patients are being treated. Source: CBS. The patients' heads are tightly embedded within a makeshift plastic bubble structure that provide mechanical ventilation. We must ask if this was a necessary factor in treatment? Could the high rates of mortality in Italy and Spain illuminate the inefficiency of treatment and lack of high quality medical care?

If instead of ventilators which could cause hypercapnia, and requires patients to be constantly monitored of their C02 levels, a better alternative could be hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
HBOT delivers high pressure oxygen to patients and does not have the undesired side effect of hypercapnia. This seems like much more of a safer alternative than mechanical ventilation, although currently our health care systems do not have a steady warehouses of HBOT chambers, this is something our lawmakers could introduce so that every hospital has these available for patients who are in various stages of respiration failure.

ENHANCING IMMUNITY

At the face of this pandemic, our health care systems have shown a need to be vastly updated in terms of technology and preparedness, but that doesn’t mean that we should feel helpless whilst self-isolating at home.

The Power of Peppermint

Peppermint has a long history of medicinal use from ancient times. In research studies, peppermint extracts were shown to be more effective than commonly used anti-parasitics such as albendazole.

The method in which peppermint is able to do this is through some of its components such as menthol, menthyl acetate and mentithone which have therapeutic and synergistic effects. They act by dismantling an infectious agent from being able to propagate, leading to the microorganism’s death and prevent it from reproducing.

Peppermint is also anti-fungal. Peppermint was more effective than antifungals such as fluconazole and itraconazole in research studies.
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Peppermint also has natural anti-viral activity. Peppermint has been shown to be effective on various “viral infections” although it is uncertain whether it is through the action against the virus itself, or through its anti-parasitic effects.
​

Peppermint extracts have been shown to be effective against above various viral diseases.

Source: https://www.acmicrob.com/microbiology/peppermint-and-its-functionality-a-review.php?aid=19955

Peppermint also has radioprotective effects.

“The radioprotective activity of peppermint oil and aqueous extract has well been documented [192,193]. Kaushik et al. demonstrated the effectiveness of peppermint alcoholic extract against radiation induced morbidity and mortality using the optimum dose of 100 mg/kg for 3 consecutive days [192]. Samarth and Coworkers suggested the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of leaf extract of peppermint are directly related to its mechanism of radiation protection [193]. Several mechanisms such as antioxidant activity, immune response, and enhanced recovery of bone marrow have been suggested for chemoprevention and radioprotection of peppermint extracts [194].”

Peppermint = anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal. Peppermint is the powerhouse warrior against infectious microbial agents.

Beetroot: Key In Immunity and Longevity

Beetroot is one of those superpower foods that increases nitric oxide (NO) in your body. Increase in NO activates telomerase and delays endothelial cell senescence. This essentially means that beetroot enhances longevity. In addition, beetroot contains beta glucans which have been shown to have beneficial effects for brain health. Beta glucans also increase the mobilisation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from bone marrow into damaged tissues.
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Beetroot is not only filled with nitrate rich substances but carotenoids and betalains which counter DNA damage and oxidative stress.

For enhanced immunity, beetroot increases white blood cells in the body, restored levels of red blood cells, and protects radiosensitive immune cells against ionising radiation.

“Beetroot not only stimulated cell proliferation, but also minimized DNA damage of splenocytes. Beetroot also repopulated S-phase cells and increased Ki-67 or c-Kit positive cells in bone marrow. Moreover, beetroot-treated mice showed notable boosting of differentiation of HSCs into burst-forming units-erythroid along with increased production of IL-3. Also, beetroot-treated mice displayed enhancement in the level of hematocrit and hemoglobin as well as the number of red blood cell in peripheral blood. Beetroot diet improved survival rate of lethally exposed mice with a dose reduction factor (DRF) of 1.1.”

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6130760/

There is a reason why athletes often utilise beetroot for increased performance.

Beetroot juice = enhanced longevity, enhanced athletic performance, immunoprotective, enhanced cardiovascular effects and beneficial for the brain. Beetroot is the ultimate superfood.
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click to play https://youtu.be/F52Uq1p524U Beetroot Juice recipe. As a note: beetroot juice increases white blood cells in your blood. If you take a blood test after ingesting beetroot juice, it will show elevated levels of white blood cells and oftentimes, doctors associate elevated white blood cell levels with infection. However, the elevated levels will probably be due to the beetroot and not necessarily to infection. Beetroot juice also colours lactating mother's milk and may colour urine and stool in a reddish/brownish tone. These have no harmful effects. 

Building a Healthy Microbiome with Fermented Foods: Kimchi

​During the SARS outbreak in 2002-2004, South Korea was relatively not affected and many news agencies reported subsequently that it was due to a particular national dish that is consumed multiple times on the daily by its citizens: kimchi.

Kimchi is a spicy fermented vegetable side dish (usually cabbage, radish or spring onions) that are usually aged in clay pots or glass jars in which strains of bacteria begin to develop. These beneficial bacteria when ingested colonise the gut and develop a microbiome that helps fight against pathogens and enhances immunity. This could also be a possible explanation in how South Korea was able to flatten the curve on COVID-19 infections whilst the rest of the world continued to spike towards new highs.

“[Researchers at Korea Food Research Institute] said well-fermented kimchi with pH levels of 4.0-4.2 had the best results in tests, adding that steady consumption of the food over a long period of time boosted resistance to infection.”

Source: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20090519000092

click to play: https://youtu.be/XAyApmw00eo With the rise of remote work, social distancing and self-quarantine, it might be time to try out new kimchi recipes at home.

Another study showed that kimchi intake positively affected the formation of intestinal microbiota and shown to have symbiotic effects. Kimchi has been touted as anti-cancer, anti-oxidative, arterioscleortic, and has anti-obesity effects.

Other fermented foods include sauerkraut and kombucha. Dietary fibers in vegetables promote the growth of probiotic bacteria and the microorganisms found on the vegetables are key in kimchi fermentation, including lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Korean researchers at Ewha Woman’s University Medical Center also have recently discovered that lactic acid bacteria from sea buckthorn berry inhibited COVID-19.
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click to play: https://youtu.be/nY6w3Rhz33Q In earlier studies, South Korean researchers found that pigs with coronaviruses that were injected with probiotics from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) all recovered within a week.

Although pharmaceutical lobbyists have promoted chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin as possible treatments for COVID-19, with many test trials being set up around the world, we can see from previous epidemics that South Korean researchers and academics have extensively studied beneficial bacteria from lactic acid in successfully treating coronaviruses.
Side effects from chloroquine, hydroxycholoroquine and azithromycin are long and varied, including irreversible eye, hearing, heart, liver, multi-organ damage etc.

Side effects from probiotics from lactic acid = none. In fact, it might be to our collective benefit to eat more kimchi in addition to drinking more beetroot juice and peppermint tea for their immune boosting effects.

By Sierra Choi
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Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. If you feel sick, contact your local health professional. It is a part of lifelong learning to discuss ideas, examine research and engage in dialogue that can produce new theories in fast-moving sectors such as epigenetics, medicine, microbiology and virology. The only intention of this article is to begin a dialogue in order to re-examine old assumptions via discussion of ideas in a respectful way.

Over the coming months, every business is going to feel the impact of this next Black Swan Event. The duration and depth of the impact is one of the major uncertainties, and while some businesses may be able to capitalise, most will suffer. Two maxims are worth bearing in mind during this tumultuous period:

“To survive in the long-term – one must survive in the short-term”.

To be followed by the maxim which is perennially true: “Cash is King”.

Your Default Alive Cash Plan – Maintain Cash in – Slow Cash Out.

The economic impact of Covid-19 and its imminent effect on you:

1. Investment activity will slow down
   

• Investment firms and corporates will prioritise directing cash to their existing portfolio which will require additional cash support over the coming months. As a result, investment activity is forecast to slow down significantly. All Venture Capital firms will require current and prospective portfolio companies to re-forecast or re-budget based on their company's exposure to the Covid-19 crisis.
  
• Valuation comparables from the stock market are a preferred valuation technique – in its current volatile state investors are likely to delay any commitment whilst they contemplate grounds for a reprice based on contraction of comparables coupled with forecast changes for the coming 12 months.
• The Venture Capital world is relationship-driven with investors normally requiring face to face meetings to secure the investment. The more complex the deal structure and thus legal agreements, the longer the decision timeline to be expected.
• Corporates will also delay investment activity such as rights issues, IPOs or debt raises whilst leaders assess the ongoing impact of uncertain demand and supply in their industry. This will also have a drop-down effect on their suppliers.

2.     Debt facilities will be reassessed

• Existing debt covenants will come under pressure as revenue will slow at a different rate to costs, particularly given many costs are on a fixed basis.
• Banks and debt firms will look at a reprice/rethink on deal negotiations in motion or coming up for renewal. Forecast models for new debt will be revised, slowing down deal activity or leading to harsher terms to reflect the new risk environment.

3.      Consumer markets will polarise

• People are working from home and socialising less which will have a direct impact on industries such as retail, hospitality, entertainment and travel.
• DTC (Direct to Consumer) businesses that are unable to react and adapt quickly are at serious risk; B2B will also suffer with the greatest effect felt on winning new business and renewals.
• As people fear for their jobs – the uncertainty will cause them to tighten their belts on discretionary spend with only the most essential of items being purchased.

Over the coming weeks, we will analyse other effects such as supply chain risks, labour supply shortages & currency volatility.

The cash-review process should be:

1: Priority analysis regarding the survivability of your company:

Review a worst-case cash scenario for the next 6 months:

• Divide your current Cash Balance/Running costs per month (less guaranteed income) – if the calculation shows less than six months the Board needs to be alerted and a conservation plan developed. Note this is not Burn - your burn is about to change, trust us, as you need to assume your revenue will take a hit. We will call it Running costs less guaranteed income.
• There is no time here to spend 2-3 weeks re-cutting a budget in its entirety so focus on a “quick and dirty” in the first instance - the next payment run even.
• With your sales team run a worst-case revenue hit scenario over six weeks, four months and nine months and run some sensitivity analysis on key clients and sectors (such as DTC - uncertain here what will happen, catering, hospitality and events, retail, tourism, advertising).
• Review current debt facilities and potential defaults, current outstanding debtor collections and potential defaults (which may trigger a default on factoring facilities), and review on financing about to take place and decide if it will still close.

Feed the above into a weekly cash model and run some sensitivities – this model does not need to be sophisticated in the first instance – a simple cash in/out weekly model will suffice.

2. Tips on cash conservation for your company:

1. Harvest and maintain cash receipts:

(a) Debtor book review – defaults here could be a contagion for any factoring arrangements in place. A debt default can have a ripple effect which can put your survival in jeopardy quickly. Get on top of it early and talk to those debtors you feel are default risks (certain industry sectors will be at more risk than others - smaller clients will be at more risk) – you cannot afford lack of payment – there are other things that can be done here to encourage payment which we can review again i.e. you may need to present better deals to collect.

(b) Maintain current customers – if you provide a service perceived as non-essential you will come under pressure. It is always cheaper to keep a client than win a new one and so now is the time to offer discounted renewals and other deals

(c) Winning new business – now is not the time to offer deals. Close any product lines which are loss-leading or burning cash and won’t turn positive in two months.

(d) Turn old inventory or any inventory into cash – even at a loss. Cash is more important than profits right now.

2. Conserve cash by delaying tax payments if needed –Government announcements relay a commitment to supporting businesses who are struggling with new plans in place for VAT and Income Tax. Contact HMRC and ask for “Time to Pay” We recommend taking advantage of this at the earliest opportunity.

3. Press for payment plans with larger suppliers who are likely to be able to better weather cash flow difficulties than you. As a trade, offer a longer-term contract or a price increase in six months for example.

4. Analyse all the services you buy in and decide which are Business Critical. You are now looking at your Variable Costs however you also have to look at what Fixed Costs can go variable such as moving permanent staff to cheaper contracts. Check what your contract terms and cancellation rights are - we also recommend exploring deferred or lower price options which you might be also offering as discussed in Point 1.

5. Staff – review contract/temporary staff and decide which are absolutely critical and whether a lower base can be used for a period; the duration of the contract can be increased as compensation. Decide which permanent staff are needed for minimum service delivery– companies have previously found innovative ways to reduce salary cost by requiring all employees (from CEO to Junior) to take unpaid leave at pre-agreed periods during the year or reducing workdays from 5 to 3. We are at the beginning of a period of uncharted territory and so we recommend close consultation with your employees to encourage collective buy-in.

6. Development projects with no positive impact on revenue in the next three months should be postponed or cancelled immediately. Investment priorities must be aligned with retaining or generating new revenues quickly - which will be difficult thus - cut.

7. Recruitment should be focused on roles that are essential to maintaining or building new business for the next three months i.e. not many.

8. Marketing spend must show a considerable return or be stopped immediately in the current environment with consumers spending less. Travel and other services, for example, will have little to no chance of return. If you run an eCommerce business, it may be a good time to press through and not cut back. Analysis of marketing return ratios should be carried out on a daily basis with a view to cutting.

9. Debt holidays for principal and interest should be taken wherever available and at the earliest opportunity. Whether you are using senior, mezzanine, venture debt, factoring or inventory financing, start all conversations early in order to have the best chance of restructuring. Expect all providers to pressure you towards your equity partners and use this as an opportunity to bring all parties to the table where the best deal is likely to be agreed. We strongly recommend not to leave this to the last minute.

10. Ask your bank for an extension if you have a current overdraft. They are unlikely to be in agreement however do not take this off the table.

11. MOST importantly we recommend you check with your current equity investors on their options for a bridge ASAP. We recommend using a system of convertibles structured to convert in an absolute time period between a predetermined floor and ceiling valuation, otherwise, you may be just delaying the pain. It is also worth highlighting that any investors will require your tightest ever weekly cash plan immediately.

3. Crucially businesses need to act now, however doing so with a cool head with a view that this will pass and not throw the baby out with the bathwater. This is going to be a tough time and tough decisions will be needed but this will pay dividends in the long run.

This is the first of several articles that the Whitelake Team will disseminate over the coming weeks, the next of which will summarise cur Governmental assistance schemes in place. If you would like to stay informed, please reach out directly or make a note in the comment section. We offer a free call for guidance to anyone who wishes where we can.

Authors:

John Rowland, CEO/Managing Director White Lake (jrowland@whitelake-group.com)

Jamie Bowler, Associate Director (jbowler@whitelake-group.com)

If you need help on any of the above please contract us. We have executed on all these areas successfully. We are a team of ex-VCs who specialise in assisting PE/VC funds as Consultant CFOs with portfolio companies on cash management, restructuring, corporate finance & financial function management, controls and reporting.

A fear of the coronavirus has lead to massive cancellations of events all around the world. Schools and universities have been shut down and people are working remotely at home. "Social distancing" has become part of our daily lives in which people avoid human contact with others. This current pandemic state is primarily due to the fact that we widely accept the Germ Theory of Diseases. The Germ Theory of Diseases is basically a theory that says microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses are responsible for causing disease.

Louis Pasteur, a microbiologist in the 1800s postulated the Germ Theory of Diseases that we still accept widely in contemporary society nearly 200 years later. In the Germ Theory of diseases, microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses are responsible for disease states.

However, with recent advancements in medical research, we are learning that bacteria and viruses can actually prevent disease, and that a colony of bacteria is necessary for a well functioning immune system. Scientists and doctors are recognising that “good bacteria” are necessary for optimal health. When we have a microbiome of good bacteria, we are healthy.

Another widespread assumption is that there is “antibiotic resistance” in the population and that bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. If we consider how antibiotics work, when they destroy the microbiome of “good bacteria” this puts people more at risk for disease. These are considerations we must take into account to understand the complexity of how antibiotics disrupt our immune system.

However, in regards to the Germ Theory of Diseases, let’s put some of our assumptions on hold and investigate what viruses are and where they come from? Viruses are essentially protein coated strands of RNA or DNA; they have protein receptors to help them attach to cells. A viroid has no protein coat and transmits RNA into other cells. In repeated studies, plant viroids can only replicate in that specific type of plant and animal viruses can only replicate in the same species of animals. Cross-infection across species has not been observed, although hypothesized by some scientists. But generally, human viruses can only replicate in human cells.
So then we have to ask the following question:

Where do these viruses get this RNA and DNA from, and how is it that it is an exact match for human DNA so that it is able to insert itself into human cells and DNA and become part of our genome?

Internal anatomy of a virus. Inside each protein shell, has in its center DNA or RNA stands.

In the human body, when “foreign DNA” (such as from cows or birds or pigs) are entered into human DNA, it causes an inflammatory response. Foreign DNA cannot insert itself into our genome without gene editing (e.g. CRISPR). However, with certain types of viruses, they are able to seamlessly enter human cells, replicate and insert itself into our DNA, becoming part of our genome. It is extrapolated by geneticists that approximately 8% or more of our human genome are virally derived. In fact, we can trace back our human ancestors from similar viruses that they had attained throughout the centuries and track the movement of people across different geographies over time.

In the last decade, as epigenetics has become a significant sector of study, we are learning that we are only beginning to understand the role of viruses in human and animal evolution.

Right now, our understanding of viruses is at its infancy. Scientists are recognising that viruses might not be all that “bad”. In fact, some are suggesting that viruses have a role in the development of human immunity. “Endemic” viruses are viruses that are part of the human body and have a function in which scientists aren’t sure of. Annelloviruses are a type of virus which have been recently discovered in which scientists have theorised have some function in the development of immunity.

Research has also shown that the human immune system is activated by the presence of viruses, which leads to viral activation of the immune system.

"Virus and/or virus-infected cells can stimulate B lymphocytes to produce antibody (specific for viral antigens) Antibody neutralization is most effective when virus is present in large fluid spaces (e.g., serum) or on moist surfaces (e.g., the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts). IgG, IgM, and IgA have all been shown to exert antiviral activity. Antibody can neutralize virus by: 1) blocking virus-host cell interactions or 2) recognizing viral antigens on virus-infected cells which can lead to antibody-dependent cytotoxic cells (ADCC) or complement-mediated lysis. IgG antibodies are responsible for most antiviral activity in serum, while IgA is the most important antibody when viruses infect mucosal surfaces."

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8423/

In other words, the presence of viruses activates the human immune system. T-cells or white blood cells proliferate and produce antibodies only when viruses are present. This is essentially how vaccines also “work”. Weakened viruses or modified viruses are used in a vector to be injected into animals, children or people in order to hopefully become inserted into the genome and to activate T-cells.

In addition, the discovery of a new type of virus called anellovirus has been found to be present in all humans, present among mucus membranes but apparently is not connected to any disease state, but has a preventative feature of respiratory disease in developing humans:

"Anelloviruses are major components of the virome, present in most, if not all, human beings, where they are acquired early in life and replicate persistently without causing apparent disease. We will discuss how modulation of innate and adaptive immune systems by Anelloviruses can influence the development of respiratory diseases in childhood and provide evidence for the use of Anelloviruses as useful and practical molecular markers to monitor inflammatory processes and immune system competence.

Although viruses have long been considered “bad news in a protein coat” (Medawar and Medawar, 1983), many novel viruses are found to replicate in healthy individuals...Many viruses that infect humans may even have a beneficial role (Phan et al., 2016)

Resident viruses influence the immune system helping it to develop properly, similarly to bacterial microbiome."

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8423/

What if we put our current Germ Theory of Disease assumptions on hold and then ask the following question:

What if viruses are actually part of the process of the human immune system, and not the cause of disease?

Let’s say in our Modified Germ Theory, that the actual causes of disease are other microorganisms such as amoeba and parasites, toxins or chemicals, and certain types of fungi. Then, let’s say when the presence of these microorganisms or toxins are detected, our DNA activates viruses to locate the damaged or infected cells. The viruses that are then produced by our human body, inserts itself into the damaged cells and replicate, which activates T-cells/white blood cells by the presence of viral antibodies. The white blood cells then are able to recognise which are the damaged cells, leading to either destruction or autophagy (i.e., white blood cells “eat” or recycle damaged cells).

So in that analogy, if we were to utilise military warfare definitions: toxins, chemicals, types of amoeba, parasites are the “terrorists”, the viruses are the “secret agents” or messengers to locate the terrorist cells, and the white blood cells are the “Seal Team Six” that comes to destroy the cells or re-train them for our own recruitment purposes. If viruses are part of our immune system, then the viruses we produce are based on our own DNA and RNA processes, hence why viruses tend to mutate quickly because each of us, although we possess 99.9% of the same DNA, have that micro percentage of difference in which the viruses we produce are entirely specific to us. It could also explain why some vaccines fail to work in children, because the viruses might not be a close enough match to their DNA.

In the case of the coronavirus, specially COVID-19, in some Wuhan medical studies, it was reported in some documented cases that the infected individuals also had fungal pneumonia. In addition, researchers write: "No antiviral treatment for coronavirus infection has been proven to be effective."

In previous studies of aspiration pneumonia in respiratory intensive care at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, researchers wrote in 2015: "Aspiration pneumonia is more common in the old than in the young in RICU, with more complications, and prone to mix with the infection, the mortality is high. Treatment should lay stress on fungal infection. "

Exposure to black toxic mold releases mycotoxins into the air that may cause severe respiratory illnesses including fungal pneumonia and cause immunosuppression. Black toxic mold proliferates in places with low ventilation, lack of UV light exposure and humid conditions. Mycotoxins are labelled as neurotoxins by the US govt and labeled for use in bioterrorism and may cause healthy people to become ill within a short amount of time after exposure.

Let’s take our Modified Germ Theory and make the assumption that it is actually species of opportunistic fungal infections in the lungs that are responsible for the coronavirus disease state and COVID-19 is the virus that the body produces to locate infected cells. Fungal pneumonia is primarily spread through exposure to mycotoxins in contaminated food and water sources, and also fungal spores in agriculture in which people can breathe in. However fungus and mold are everywhere and it is repeated exposure that actually can cause fungal pneumonia - typically in areas of low air ventilation and wet conditions from buildings that can cause mold or fungi to grow within the walls.

Trichothecene mycotoxins produced by black toxic mold are neurotoxic. In repeated exposure, the mycotoxins produce pneumonia, organ damage and brain damage after repeated exposure, even in the healthiest patients. Mycotoxins in drinking water may cause healthy people to become sick and cause immunosuppression.

If we examine the prevalent architecture and buildings in China, South Korea, Italy, Iran and Florida, the areas where COVID-19 are most prevalent, this has typically been a rainy season in which wet conditions can affect old building structures, especially in areas such as northern Italy where much of the buildings are in disrepair and also in South Korea, where toxic black mold exposure is rampant as the prevalent architecture in South Korea is built upon concrete buildings with little air ventilation. The current climate of rain would create ideal conditions for fungi and mold to proliferate, therefore, COVID-19 would appear sporadically in geographies in which people are exposed to these moldy conditions, and not necessarily through exposure by human contact.

The CDC reported that in 2017 alone, approximately 500K people globally died from the common flu. Coronaviruses have been documented since the 1960s and symptomatic of common flu conditions. So far, COVID-19 mortalities have not yet reached the annual numbers of deaths by the common flu alone.

Could COVID-19 be a particular viral strain that could potentially be an immune system response to conditions of fungal pneumonia?

Mycotoxins from fungal spores could typically proliferate in old buildings, buildings without ventilation and also airplanes, where air is continually recycled. However some fungi are able to colonise drinking water distribution systems. Pathogenic fungi in drinking water can pose a health risk to consumers with daily contact with water that has been compromised. In history, we have learned that the fastest way to spread an epidemic is through the water supply.

In my opinion, it is highly unlikely that bats were responsible for transmission of the coronavirus as some have been hypothesizing since the coronavirus matches human DNA and specific to human DNA. If in the Modified Germ Theory, if indeed viruses are part of the human immune system and not the actual cause of disease, then every virus that is present in our bodies has been developed specifically to target a particular toxin or microorganism - such as opportunistic fungal and parasitic infections, in order to activate our immune system. We should think critically about these implications and not be prone to panic and shut down entire businesses and schools or force people into quarantine to perpetuate a fearmongering campaign based on old assumptions.
In history, during the Black Plague, Cholera and Typhoid Mary epidemics, these diseases became widespread and prevalent by lack of access to clean water.

Contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. Absent, inadequate, or inappropriately managed water and sanitation services expose individuals to preventable health risks.

Nurses in British hospitals at the turn of the century discovered that if a patient was continually given clean water, they would recover from the disease. Because typhoid caused diarrhea, it was dehydration that actually ended up leading to high rates of mortality. The human body is 60% water. Water regulates our body temperature, moves nutrients through our cells, keeps our mucous membranes moist and flushes waste from our bodies. Our lungs are 90 percent water, our brains are 70 percent water and our blood is more than 80 percent water. Simply put, we can't function without it. The human body needs clean water in order to maintain optimal health and immunity.

Typhoid Mary: Mary Mallon (1869-1938) was forcefully quarantined for life, for a total of 26 years due to doctors at the time thinking typhoid was a contagious disease with casual transmission features (i.e., able to be spread by close contact). It was later discovered by researchers some 50 years later that typhoid is a waterborne disease caused by the intracellular parasite: salmonella typhi.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the role of viruses in the human immune system and in human development and evolution. It could be that viruses are not the enemy that we once thought they were.

Our govts are telling us to wash our hands, which is generally good advice. We should also take care to think about our water sources, and if we are drinking clean water and not water that has been exposed to opportunistic fungi and other toxins. We should also consider our living environment and if we are breathing in air with lots of circulating ventilation and not closed up in moldy areas.

We should also make certain that we don’t isolate the elderly members of our population and give them the best care possible. Breathing in fresh air, access to clean water, regular exercise, eating clean foods, getting adequate sleep, nutrition and social interaction is what we all need to be healthy and well.

Most of all, during these uncertain times where pandemics often perpetuate fearmongering, we should be careful not to let our fears override our rationale.


By Sierra Choi


Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and not intended as medical advice. If you feel sick, contact your local health professional. It is a part of lifelong learning to discuss ideas, examine research and engage in dialogue that can produce new theories in fast-moving sectors such as epigenetics, genomics, medicine, microbiology and virology. The intention of this article is to open a dialogue in order to re-examine old assumptions via discussion of ideas in a respectful way.

Over Thanksgiving Week, aside from the inherent overindulgence of delectable food, mingling with old friends and relatives and catching up on multiple seasons of favourite programmes, I read a book by Admiral William McRaven called, Make Your Bed (2017). At the end of the year, many of us might have struggled with disappointments, career challenges, self-doubt and even failures, either personal or professional. Another year has gone swiftly by, and there might still be thousands of unread messages in our inbox that we have not yet gotten to. It’s that time of year when we reflect and refine our goals for the following year or else think of all that we could’ve possibly done in which time had been spent wasted on frivolous activities. After all, the time we had spent scrolling through social media could’ve been invested in learning a new language or skill instead and surely we would’ve been fluent by now had we not been distracted by productivity disrupting social media sites. We could certainly beat ourselves up mentally for every little thing we perceived we had done wrong in the past year, every decision made, or else, we could treat it as part of our education that adds value to our collective experience. Isn’t the road less taken inevitably a more interesting and rewarding journey than the traditional one that has already been paved?

Admiral McRaven’s book is an easy read, filled with anecdotes, but which describes the psychological and physical training endured to become part of the US Navy SEALs. Although the US military is not without scandal and public criticisms of some of its members, I think however, Navy SEAL training as described by Admiral McRaven could also illuminate the difference in education between men and women as a larger aspect of society. In the Navy SEALs, men are taught to be mentally strong, to endure harsh criticism, to face tough odds, to be calm under pressure, to work as a team. Could it be that generally, women give up too easily? Are women taught to quit when under pressure or when there is an obstacle or looming thoughts of failure? Are women taught to quit just because life isn’t fair?

“Gentlemen,” he began. “Today is the first day of SEAL training. For the next six months you will undergo the toughest course of instruction in the United States military.”...The instructor continued. “You will be tested like no time in your life.” Pausing, he looked around the class of new “tadpoles.” “Most of you will not make it through. I will see to that.” He smiled. “I will do everything in my power to make you quit!” He emphasized the last three words. “I will harass you unmercifully. I will embarrass you in front of your teammates. I will push you beyond your limits.”
(Excerpt From: Admiral William H. McRaven. “Make Your Bed”, 2017.)

Certainly, not all of us would have the physical strength and endurance to undergo harsh climates, extreme temperatures nor would be inclined to swim in the ocean filled with sharks, but I think the psychological training of Navy SEALs could be beneficial in the education of both men and women, in order to become mentally strong, to not falter at the first sign of defeat, to be able to endure harsh criticism without losing faith in our goals.
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The US Navy SEALs give insightful strategy on how to deal with sharks in the ocean. It was necessary to stand one's ground, to not run away, to not look afraid, then stoutly punch the shark in the snout when in close proximity, and the shark would swim away. This strategy could similarly apply to tactics in business and also to one's personal life.

Sheryl Sandberg gave a Ted Talk a few years ago on Why There Are Too Few Women Leaders. And in her talk, the answer was simple, women quit. Women leave their jobs when things become competitive, women decide to take on less responsibility when undergoing personal challenges, women simply decide to quit.
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To watch: go here: https://youtu.be/MU5tsnsg0iA
Video excerpted from Admiral McRaven's 2014 commencement speech at the University of Texas, Austin. For his full address see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaQZFhrW0fU

In Admiral McRaven’s book, the only men who make it through to become Navy SEALs, do so because they don’t quit. He writes that it was important to respect everyone, and this could certainly apply in our current technocratic society filled with many class divisions. Everyone comes from a different background and may have valuable experiences or skills that could complement our own. Admiral McRaven writes, “Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often, but if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up...then you can change your life for the better.”

Ernest Hemingway’s 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls refers to the church bells ringing when a person died during the Spanish Civil War. In a parallel ideology, Admiral McRaven describes a large brass bell in the middle of the square that a new recruit could ring 3 times if he decided to give up on his training. It meant that he no longer had to wake up at 5 am, undergo physical training, obstacles, mental strength training and he could go back to his normal life. Ringing the bell meant giving up, but he said that most people who had rung the bell would regret it for the rest of their lives.

I recently wrote an article about how eighteen women in the UK Parliament had decided not to run again due to media and personal harassment that they had undergone as MPs. Certainly we cannot judge those decisions made by those women, as we do not fully understand their personal circumstances. However, would those women regret their choices later in life?

In his book, Make Your Bed, Admiral McRaven also goes into detail about his parachuting accident which left him seriously injured and bedridden for several months, in which took a long time for him to recover. At the time, he had thought his military career would be over, and he went into a self-pitying phase, but through the support of his friends and family, he had made a full recovery and would eventually move on to become a two-star Admiral. He writes that making one’s bed every day, to pay attention to the little things, to set a task for oneself each day helps in achieving the larger goals, but it was also important to surround yourself with people who also want to help you achieve your goals, because one couldn’t do it by himself or herself alone.
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Despite the numerous worries and injustices that might plague many of us, I think this Thanksgiving, we should be grateful for the little things, and indeed be responsible enough to make our own beds every day.

By Sierra Choi

Evgenia Medvedeva, two-time World Champion and Olympic silver medalist in figure skating who has recently moved to Canada to train, has received continual harassment online from Russians in social media telling her to quit figure skating and to move back to Russia.

From the many stalkers of Taylor Swift, to the abuse of female politicians, in which Hillary Clinton says is all too commonplace and often “viral”, to the recent arrest made by UK authorities against the man who made death threats against Labour MP Yvette Cooper to the ubiquitous online harassment that celebrities and public figures often endure in social media, which became a subject of the late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel’s Mean Tweets, it seems that an active and necessary part of public life is to be able to survive the online verbal abuse and onslaught of unwanted attention which often comes with being a celebrity, public figure or politician.
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Click to play: https://youtu.be/JgQVj4iMm8Y Being a public figure today, whether a celebrity, politician, athlete or other well known person means that one will be subjected to continual harassment and verbal abuse on social media, something that didn't relatively exist in the generation before the year 2000. Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel brings levity to the situation by asking public figures to read mean tweets about them.

Female athletes have also undergone this harassment on social media, as Olympic silver medalist in figure skating, Evgenia Medvedeva received vile, harassing comments from fans on her style of dress and appearance in an exhibition performance, in which derogatory messages were posted on her Instagram account asking the Olympic athlete, who recently became vegan, how much she “charged”, and she cheekily responded, “two vegan burgers”. Ms. Medvedeva currently has moved to train in Toronto, and she has also received harassing messages on social media telling her to quit figure skating and to move back to Russia.
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Recently, eighteen women, who are members of British Parliament announced they would not be running again for re-election due to the abuse they have received both online and offline.

The price of fame. During her time in office, former Prime Minister Theresa May received numerous death threats, was the focus of satirical videos and cartoons, called a “Maybot” and "traitor" by journalists, and was the target of numerous harassing messages and comments all over social media.

Although this type of abuse and harassment certainly should be monitored and curbed with the threat to life taken immediate action, the US has been taking proactive measures by increasing security for its politicians and making rapid arrests in those cases where death threats are recorded online, we have to remember that one of the tradeoffs of having a public life is the inherent loss of privacy that occurs as a result of being influential and visible in the media.

However, women aren’t the only ones to endure this type of harassment and abuse, as men are equal targets and if we examine the numerous death threats made against former President Barack Obama, in which it was recorded that he had received upwards of 30 death threats per day in 2009 to the blotched assassination attempt of Prince Charles in which shots were fired at him in 1994, to the 23 arrests made last year in connection to the death threats made against President Donald Trump, to the online aggression against male journalists on social media, such as Piers Morgan, men are also often at the receiving end of verbal abuse and online harassment.
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Kate Snow of MSNBC. The most harassed and stalked women in the world tend to be nightly news anchors and female journalists according to Psychology Today. 

What is important is that we do not allow these methods of intimidation to scare women away from holding public office nor becoming public in the media. Instead, our governments should ensure the safety of all of our citizens, to take immediate action against threats against life, and social media networks should automatically monitor all online death threats and report them to the proper authorities. What women should not do however, is quit. Quitting sends a message to online harassers and stalkers that they have been successful in their intimidation efforts, to effectively silence women. Instead of quitting, women in public office and UK MPs should legislate to put more safety procedures and practices in place to protect those who choose to lead a public life, so that subsequent women do not face similar threats against life. 
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The assassination of MP Jo Cox in 2016 sent a chilling ripple effect in the UK community. UK legislators should ensure the safety of all its members by proactively including protection at all times and increase security during town hall meetings (called surgeries) held weekly by MPs. This should be a standard in protection and not an option. 

However, in regards to the general online harassment faced by both public figures and celebrities alike, this is something in which one must develop a thick skin and actively ignore the negative haters and instead focus one’s energies on positivity. It is very tempting to respond in a similar way to negative haters, but we have to remember that the tactic of haters is to get a reaction, and the best response is always no response, or else, if it is someone we know in person or close to in person, depending on how much respect we have for them, we can always respond with a funny quip, one liner or through humour to diffuse the situation. 

We must remember that in the psychology of social media however, people automatically revert to negativity through perceived anonymity, and it becomes easy for people to take out their daily frustrations onto others via anonymity through their keyboards on the internet. For these situations, it is best to simply ignore the haters and not get pulled into their quicksand of negativity. Negative comments and negative media coverage, most of the time, will always blow over after time, and the majority of people often have short memories on social media. Spending time dedicated to reacting to negativity on social media ultimately takes time away from pursuing our goals and achieving success in everyday life, hence why it is important that we do not react to these negative comments but turn our energies towards the people who inspire us and help us to become better.

Certainly, it is disturbing and unsettling to receive harassing comments, and even death threats and rape threats, especially by those reported by female journalists, pop singers and politicians alike, but allowing authorities to do their job to investigate these hate crimes and continuing the journey in public life, especially for women is important, because it sends a clear message that this type of intimidation will not affect women, and it also sends a clear message to the generation of young girls that they should not fear speaking up and that women too, can be the Prime Minister of the UK or the President of the United States. We must not let intimidation against our female public figures and politicians win and UK MPs must act collectively to ensure women do not quit.


​By Sierra Choi

The decision to launch a company abroad, away from one’s home country is a personal one, but also one that carries a lot of responsibility. When a person launches a company in another part of the world, he or she also imports their culture and has the ability to expand their nation’s influence into another part of the world. In the United States, founders of startups are more often than not, immigrants or the children of immigrants. Many company founders in the UK come from all across Europe. The United States and the UK have always been the preferred nations to start companies or launch business empires due to its openness in embracing emerging trends and through its shared philosophy of not having a fear of failure before launching a successful venture. This ability to make mistakes and learn from them is particularly ingrained into Western thinking, hence why many Americans have the reputation of being calculated risk takers.

Launching Businesses in Nations of Cultural Introversion

However, in parts of Asia, especially in Japan and South Korea, there is often a distinct lack of diversity and risk taking is perceived as being foolish. One reason is the inherent cultural introversion of these nations and the shared values in which people often are punished for questioning the status quo. Respect is given towards tradition, and people often possess an avoidant, non-confrontational way of interpersonal communication. Navigating around these differing cultural values may frustrate foreign companies attempting to make deals or penetrating these local markets.

Earlier this month, I had a chance to speak with Tobias Jerling, who has successfully launched his own company called South Trade in South Korea. Originally from South Africa, Tobias now considers Seoul his new home. He is also the Vice Chairman of the South African Chamber of Commerce. South Trade focuses on importing high end wine, beers, cider and brandy from South Africa and distributes them into various hotels, restaurants and bars in the Seoul Metropolitan area. Tobias’ story is quite an interesting one with many twists and turns.

Tobias Jerling, Founder of South Trade, a company that specialises in importing South African wines, beers and spirits into South Korea. He is also the owner of the gastropubs, The Hidden Cellar and The Workshop and the newly launched restaurant 1842, located in Seoul.

When he first arrived in South Korea in 2006, Tobias told me that he had actually never been to any part of Asia before. He worked as an English teacher for one year and learned much about the nuances of Korean culture before he returned to South Africa to continue to work in logistics as what he had originally planned as his lifelong career. Then, in 2011, he had decided to make a dramatic change and launched a company, South Trade, in the heart of Seoul. It was during a time when South Africa was becoming internationally recognised for its wine industry, and when there weren’t many foreign offerings in drink present in the South Korean hospitality industries.

One of the ways South Trade is different from most import companies is that Tobias focuses on the technology to preserve the wine. He worked with a company called KiKate on the dispensing method and designed and tweaked existing patents in order to be able to control the temperature of the wine, so that more attention was paid to the quality of the wine than the packaging.

The Challenges of Small Businesses Competing with Korean Chaebols

Two years after he started his company, in 2013, he began to import cider and beer to major retailers, and it would become ⅔ of his revenue. However, a large Korean corporation lobbied retailers to take over the cider and beer import, and pushed him out, leaving him without the majority of his new revenue. This is one of the typical ways in which Korean chaebols (large corporations) often band together to oppress smaller companies, making it hard for startups and small businesses to thrive in an atmosphere where all the business eventually becomes dominated by the larger companies who often lobby (and often bribe) members of the government or retailers in order to take over an existing sector of business.
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South Trade primarily specialises in importing South African wines into South Korea. However, South Trade also imports wines from New Zealand, France and Australia, in addition to many different types of cider and beers from all over the world.

Although this was a big loss for Tobias, it also allowed him to move into Plan B. No longer having the majority of his revenue from the cider and beer import, he moved to less expensive offices to Haebangchong, an up-and-coming area at the time, and decided to set up a retail shop. He turned it into a bar called the Hidden Cellar, and on the first floor, he opened a pop up shop focused on pilsners called the Workshop, which was converted from a previous car maintenance workshop space. The Workshop is a gastropub that is a casual neighbourhood hangout filled with many locals located nearest to the Noksapyeong subway station. One of the things Tobias focused on was the community. He was not only interested in the people who lived in the area, but would specifically cater to their demographic by keeping up a dialogue with many different sectors of the population, from the people who would clean the streets, to the local landlords and business owners. The Hidden Cellar became a runaway success and Tobias, along with his business partners, recently opened a new restaurant called 1842 in the Itaewon district of Seoul.
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The Workshop in Seoul is a friendly, neighbourhood hangout/ gastropub where the local community can gather for events or for after-work place for happy hour.

Haebangchong is now a vibrant community with many new restaurants and bars that have opened since Tobias moved into the area many years ago, however, as with all up-and-coming areas that suddenly become gentrified, the problem begins when greed might step in, Tobias told me. As businesses become successful, there had been a tendency for landlords to suddenly raise the rent which then lead to a paradoxical situation in which businesses become less successful due to the cutting down on employment, which then turns into cutting down on the quality of product, which then also affects service due to a lack of staff. This vicious cycle of landlord vs. the retail shop then leads to a situation in which the businesses have to close and the landlord is stuck with real estate that is empty. However, recent laws in South Korea have passed in which landlords are allowed to raise a maximum of 5% per annum. Despite this however, Tobias has still seen multiple businesses close within the past year.

In regards to dealmaking, contracts, distribution and legal obstacles, the law is quite clear and Tobias has found that he was often luckier as a foreigner in getting contacts signed. The only major problem he has encountered is that some retailers that take a longer time to pay after the products have been delivered.

Currently, in South Korea, foreign wines, beers and liquors have become commonplace in distribution although it wasn’t so ten years ago when Tobias started his company. In many ways, it had been easier then because there weren’t too many choices, and when he would have meetings with retailers, they would want to begin straight away, whereas it has become much more competitive in recent years.

The Negotiation Style of South Koreans

Koreans have a particular style of negotiation style which many foreigners, especially Americans, may not be used to. In dealmaking, Americans like to get things out of the way quickly, come to a compromise and have the deal signed as quickly as possible. The opposite is true in South Korea and for a contact to be signed, typically it takes many meetings and possibly many months or even years before people are willing to sign. This is partially due to the introverted nature of Korean society, in addition, many may have what is considered an avoidant style of negotiation. In this negotiation style, which is referred to as being passive-aggressive, people will not talk directly about the issue and avoid conflict. Sellers will frequently call less often on high compete buyers and may choose to invest marketing money and share their best ideas and prize promotions with non-avoid profiles. The avoidant style of negotiation is in direct contrast to the typically competitive American style of negotiation. If in situations in which American businesses mention other better deals of their competitors to the Korean people they are negotiating with, Korean people will not make a counteroffer and instead tell them to take the other offer. Instead, what Koreans prefer in negotiation is adding value to their organisation and creating friendships by taking time to get to know them as individuals, and not simply a one-deal signoff. This is because contracts are considered malleable in Korean society and changes and adjustments can be made at any time by either party. Hence developing trust through friendships with the people one is signing contracts with is considered very important in Korean culture. Tobias also utilises a compromise style of negotiation with the businesses he signs contacts with, and told me he would often say to them, “if everyone makes money, then everyone is happy.”
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Tobias Jerling's motto for negotiation with South Koreans is: "If everyone makes money, then everyone is happy."

I asked Tobias the advice he would give to foreigners if they wanted to start businesses in South Korea and he had the following things to say:

Firstly, to compete with larger corporations, it was necessary to have strength in numbers, for small retailers to band together and form a co-op of sorts. Secondly, especially in the realm of retail and import, it was much easier to go to existing importers and pitch them the idea to set up the contract so that there is a delegation of responsibility. And lastly, Tobias told me, cash is king. Having adequate cash flow was important for businesses such as his, in which there was often a large overhead, especially for restaurants and bars.

In the next ten years, Tobias would like to open more restaurants and bars. However, success to him is not about launching as many restaurants and bars as possible, but to enjoy his life and spending time getting to know his community and serving his clients with thought-provoking concepts and ideas that might alter the way Koreans think about food and wine.

​By Sierra Choi

When Jamie Oliver first came onto the scene in the early 2000s, he was a rosy-cheeked, tousled blond hair, moped riding hipster with a tactile way of handling food that drew attention from the intelligentsia. Whereas, people back then were obsessed with Michelin star restaurants and the proper way of handling food with all the accoutrements, here came this rules-breaking young lad who would use his hands to smother olive oil all over his vegetables and toss things into the air only to catch it on his pan, like a seasoned baseball player or star performer.

Jamie Oliver from the Naked Chef, the breakout BBC2 cooking show that showcased his life in London.

The unusual format of his original BBC 2 show also lead to his popularity. In the series, The Naked Chef, he would often be talking to an unseen woman off camera who would be asking questions about what he was doing. He would explain a bit, talk about what he learned from various places, and it wasn’t so much a cooking show, but a way of life that he was promoting, of this carefree bachelor lifestyle in London, entertaining all his lady friends. Gone was the boring step-by-step how-to’s of the decades before, and here was the time of storytelling, what it was like being a young man living in London.

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Jamie Oliver's 2010 TedTalk in which he discusses teaching young children about making healthy food choices, a crusade in which he changed school lunches for children in the UK, in which he won many awards.

It wouldn’t be long before he would dominate all of the UK and open restaurants all over the nation. Jamie would also begin a campaign of healthy eating for schoolchildren and soon declared a war against white refined sugar which gathered global attention and many awards. The young tousled blond lad soon turned into the cool, flannel wearing dad, preparing BBQ over many different regions and countries, traveling in his camper or truck. The rustic background of his cookery style appealed to people of all different demographics. With Jamie, there was never any pretension or elitist airs, he was someone whom everyone wanted to have a beer with after work.
 
What Jamie taught the UK population was how to make simple food and present it well, using as few ingredients as possible. Nothing he made was overly complex or grandiose. He wasn’t aiming for Michelin stars, he was moving into the hearts of people who cared about value and fresh ingredients.
There were always two dividing factors to the Jamie Oliver empire: the media side and the retail side. Through his television programmes and his books, Jamie taught us everything we needed to know to make simple, elegant dishes at home. What was once a complete mystery became easy for us to produce in the comfort of our own kitchens. There was a time in the UK when Italian food meant something luxurious, an indulgent candlelit meal out, the favourite cuisine of date nights. However, in a span of a decade, Jamie revealed exactly how to produce those same dishes with just 5-6 ingredients.

Although all of Jamie's Italian and Barbecoa restaurants have closed, his Fifteen restaurant in Cornwall is still open for business. Fifteen was founded on a philosophy to help disadvantaged people find new jobs in the food sector. Jamie trained an entire kitchen and server staff coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many of the staff at his Fifteen restaurant are reformed drug addicts.

It was no wonder then that all the locations of Jamie’s Italian restaurants would end up closing down and moving into administration (ie, bankruptcy). There was no longer a reason for us to go out and have an Italian meal because over the years, Jamie taught us how to make Italian dishes at home, simply and beautifully. Once elusive and mysterious, Italian became the easiest of all cuisines to deliver satisfactorily at home. Instead, the population moved towards the exotic or towards inexpensive take-aways, something to pick up when we were busy or something to try that we’ve never tried before. As the UK opened its door to immigration, all the different varieties of local cuisine became intermingled with international flavours: from Korean to Pakistani to Indian to Ethiopian to Russian to Vietnamese, the population in the UK sought variety as the spice of life. Italian became something more of a traditional stand-in, but Jamie had shown us that we could be frugal, and to only use few quality ingredients to make the perfect pasta for a family dinner, so in a paradoxical manner, there was no longer a need to experience Italian cuisine outside our homes. He had taught us well.

The philosophy for Jamie Oliver's Veg cookbook was to breakdown stereotypes of vegetables as bland side dishes and instead showcase them as main dishes. Jamie's new television programme, Jamie's Meat-Free Meals on Channel 4 also brings vegan and vegetarian meals to the wider UK public, something no celebrity chef has ever done before.

Although, the retail restaurant side of Jamie Oliver’s empire collapsed, the media empire he has built lives on. Recently, Jamie launched a cookbook that no other well-known celebrity chef has done before, a cookbook entirely devoted to vegan and vegetarian recipes. On his YouTube channel from several years back, he admitted that he had wanted to produce a vegetarian recipe cookbook for some time but his publishers had told him that there hadn’t been a market big enough to sell to the public. However, with the demand for vegan and vegetarian dishes rising and the growing popularity of companies such as Beyond Meat, Jamie would now use his star influence to bring vegetarian consciousness to the wider UK public, to break down the stereotypes of vegan and vegetarian dishes as boring, tasteless and bland.

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There are many media icons who might disappear and never be seen again or otherwise doing the same thing that had catapulted them into fame, but somehow have fallen out of favour with the public. However, in the evolution of Jamie Oliver, he has shown how to adapt to changing demands and to keep the public engaged with his effusive personality, political campaigns and his ability to connect with people of all different kinds of socioeconomic backgrounds. In this way, Jamie does not hide his opinions nor shrink from responsibility, he is not a flattened two-dimensional brand, but an icon who has influenced the way people think not only about food, but what it means to be a person living in the UK today.

By Sierra Choi

"The lesson is that anything China bans, invest in." -Fred Wilson, Union Square Ventures

Bitcoin is not only a cryptocurrency but served as an intellectual and development experiment that allowed people to be able to bypass the central banking system and move funds from one country to another without any transaction fees. The largest rise in Bitcoin came to a peak when its value reached $19,666 in December 2017.

However, Central banks, together with the IMF, recently announced its intention to stop the rise of cryptocurrencies by encouraging every nation to set up their own government backed digital currency. Nouriel Roubini, an economist and Professor at NYU wrote an opinion piece last year in which he asserted that the implementation of Central Bank backed digital currencies would destroy all other non-Central Bank backed cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde recently made an announcement encouraging all governments to develop their own cryptos in order to stop the rise of Bitcoin and other non-government backed cryptocurrencies.

Nations around the world began their government projects to launch digital currencies beginning with Dubai’s EmCash, China's internal government backed crypto project set to launch in the near future, as well as corporations launching their own cryptos, such as South Korea's KakaoTalk's Klatyn, and Libra, an asset backed crypto from Facebook. It could be in the near future, there will be numerous digital currencies that are backed by each government or corporation, and would resemble a world in which many different currencies used to exist in Europe before the adoption of the euro, with the exception that each transaction would be cashless and tracked through the blockchain or the RXP ledger protocol that is being implemented in many different cross-border financial transactions.

“Bitcoin is the beginning of something great, a currency without a government, something necessary and imperative.”
-Nassim Taleb, scholar, risk analyst

Despite that now governments around the world are developing their own cryptocurrencies in order to shut down non-government cryptocurrencies, it is still highly unlikely that Bitcoin would be affected as it still represents a way to bypass the Central Banking system. However, due to the inherent problems with non-government backed cryptos, including the lack of regulation, price volatility and the hacking of exchanges in which cyber criminals stole $4.3 billion from crypto-related crime in the first 8 months of 2019, it is unlikely that Bitcoin would become a common method of transaction with widespread adoption. Instead, it would most likely remain a legacy cryptocurrency utilised by elite organisations in order to shift capital around or else allow high income individuals to make cross-border transactions during times of extreme currency fluctuation.

Currently, the Chinese yuan dominates Bitcoin trade, taking up 58% of the day’s global volume, as when the yuan drops in price, the Chinese elite flock to Bitcoin to preserve its value.

The Chinese yuan ($CNY) (top) and Bitcoin ($BTC) (bottom) may share an inverse correlation, as a drop in $CNY may signify a later rise in $BTC. At least 58% of the trading volume for $BTC is executed by the yuan as Chinese investors flock to Bitcoin when the yuan drops in value.

Nations such as China, South Korea and Japan often engage in currency manipulation in order to artificially keep their currency undervalued to boost exports and create a trading surplus.
During times when the yuan is kept at an artificially low level, wealthy Chinese citizens and investors flock to Bitcoin in order to preserve its value. The Chinese yuan takes up 58% of the day’s global volume in Bitcoin exchanges.

As long as nations are using currency manipulation as a tool to boost exports, Bitcoin would most likely not be destroyed by Central Bank’s adoption of their own native government backed digital currencies primarily due to Bitcoin’s inherent advantage in being able to bypass Central Banks in cross border transactions. Bitcoin’s volatility also serves as a motivating factor, due to its high fluctuation rates to lead people to use the cryptocurrency for profit motives. However, what could possibly put an end to Bitcoin is a comprehensive agreement to end currency manipulation by nations such as China, South Korea and Japan as what President Obama and Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attempted to do in the Trans Pacific Partnership. When currency manipulation is eradicated through trade agreements, organisations and high income individuals will no longer be motivated to utilise Bitcoin as their cross-border cryptocurrency.

CASHLESS SOCIETY AND SOCIAL CREDIT

“We don’t buy things with money, we buy them with hours of our lives.” - Anonymous

As we enter a cashless society, and depend more on digital transactions to pay for items, it could be that in a future society, currency will be replaced entirely by credit altogether. Akin to a point system, credit could be utilised to control population migration, distribution of food and other resources and as a payment for services and goods. Although currently, nations focus on GDP as a metric for their economic output, a new system could arise that is value driven by local communities. Instead of the old system of raising “cash” in order to support local endeavours, credit could be issued based on being active in the community in the form of work organised by different corporations or government agencies.

The Chinese social credit system has been highly criticised by Western scholars as totalitarian in scope, but its utopian objectives could potentially be integrated into a new system of governance in a cashless society.

Cashless stores have been criticised by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) due to its effect on the poorest populations, in which their lack of bank accounts make it impossible to purchase items from such stores. To counteract this predicament, Facebook recently announced plans to launch the Libra cryptocurrency in order to allow the poorest populations access to a bank account, although according to many critics, how Facebook will help the unbanked is entirely unclear.

It could also be in the future that social networking platforms such as Facebook might integrate its own system of social credit to its members, therefore allowing members access to goods and services that are only accessible inside the social networking platform. However, currently at this time, Facebook’s cryptocurrency, Libra fronts a think-tank, The Social Advisory Board, based on financial inclusion, but the method of its implementation is still based on a fiat-currency trade of Libra, which would make it impossible for the poorest populations to be able to use, since they would still need bank accounts to access the Libra cryptocurrency.

CASH IS NO LONGER KING IN THE NEW ERA

As we move into a brand new world in which currency may no longer exist, and entirely replaced by social credit, we have to redefine wealth in terms of social capital, access to resources and control of companies.

Social capital involves the potential of individuals to secure benefits and invent solutions to problems through membership in social networks. A high degree of trust is fostered in this type of environment in which there is mutual obligation and shared objectives. Resources could be distributed to high tech, heavily automated civilisations in which everyone has an active role in their communities and economic output could be measured in terms of social capital. Whilst “cash” has often been a motivating factor in socially fragmented societies with a high correlation in crime, the cashless society would shift from the anonymous, transactional nature of cash into one that utilises social credit as the basis for the exchange of goods and services.

In this way, the fractional banking system that has dominated financial institutions within the last several centuries will have to undergo a transformation from one that collects interest on cash and creates financial products to one that collects controlling interest in the production of goods and services. From the feudal era, to the communist era, to the capitalist era, this system of governance could resemble a hybrid of capitalism and socialism, in which the means of production, distribution, and exchange is primarily owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

By Sierra Choi

We often forget that our most valuable asset is our health in an era in which we may focus more on external appearance and spend our energies striving for material and financial rewards. However, an investment in our health has lifelong rewards and significant return on investment, which is incomparable to any other type of market gains.

It is also in our contemporary world that we often focus on being thin and losing weight as opposed to being healthy. Much of this concept goes back to our influences in the media from the turn of the century to the present time period. It used to be that simply being thin was considered unattractive as advertisements for supplements to gain weight and develop curves were widespread in the 1930s-1950s.

Vintage adverts from the 1930s-1950s targeted the overwhelming population of thin women to gain weight, which was associated with sex appeal.

Food shortages were common, and local stores often took orders for what people wanted because many items were not in stock. It was during this era when the founder of Walmart came up with a plan to develop the modern supermarket, to always have items in stock, all year round. However, as food became widespread and plentiful, thin came back into fashion again during the 1980s and compounded with the rising rates of obesity in Western nations, the pathologically thin look that was maligned during the Depression Era soon became the symbol of attractiveness in the Vogue era of fashion magazines.

Advertisement image for the weight loss drug clenbuterol. Known as Hollywood's secret to staying thin, this controversial drug has been known to have many side effects, including kidney damage, heart palpitations and the development of tremors and electrolyte imbalance.

As our media became inundated with fad diets, diet pills and the obsession of counting calories, women and men alike strove to be thin, rather than focusing on their health. Being healthy is one of the greatest assets we can possess and which we often take for granted. People may often focus on time, money and material possessions, but they might ignore their health for decades until it becomes a cause for great concern; however, it is never too late to start making small changes in one’s life to become healthier.

REGULATION OF HORMONES BY VITAMINS D, K2, B12 and FATTY ACIDS

One of the conundrums of the modern diet are the addition of additives that can interfere with insulin sensitivity. Substances such as high-fructose corn syrup, a synthetic sweetener that is added to many sodas and foods, can lead to impaired dopamine function and metabolic syndrome, often referred to as “diabesity” which is the common concurrence of diabetes with obesity.

The introduction of high fructose corn syrup into many different packaged food items and drinks have coincidentally correlated with rising rates of obesity and diabetes in the population. High fructose corn syrup is a synthetically altered sugar that the body cannot metabolize, leading to insulin resistance.

Vitamin D also regulates hormones that increase the release of hunger hormones, called ghrelin in the body. When the body is full, it releases leptin, however, what is interesting is that in obesity, the leptin released in the body is often much higher than in other people, but that people with obesity suffer from leptin resistance or an inability to metabolize leptin.

One reason for leptin resistance, researchers found, is due to the high levels of fatty acids in the bloodstream, which is correlated to obesity. In studies, fish oil and olive oil were effective in releasing hunger hormones. However, too much of omega 3 fatty acids in the bloodstream lead to inhibited leptin metabolism through decreased adiponectin levels. Although fatty acids are essential for various functions, it appears that high levels of fatty acids in the bloodstream, in particular, omega 3 and 6 could be one of the compounding causes of obesity.

The fish oil craze. Currently many nutraceutical companies and marketing campaigns push fish oil onto the population. However, too much of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids from fish oil and olive oil in the bloodstream has been found by researchers to inhibit leptin metabolism, which is one of the causes of obesity.

Whereas Vitamin D and Omega fatty acids are responsible for increasing levels of hunger hormones, Vitamin K2 has been found to increase insulin sensitivity and promotes weight loss by its effect on energy metabolism. K2 activates the hormone osteocalcin that redirects calcium in the bloodstream to bones and inhibits estrogen production that could lead to weight loss through glucose metabolism in the liver.

In humans, we often retain taurine in all of our tissues, and taurine is a necessary amino acid that regulates our heart, eyes, and brain. Animals such as cats, foxes, tigers, wolves and lions cannot produce taurine on their own, hence why these animals often hunt other animals that carry a high volume of taurine and meat becomes their primary source of dietary taurine. Without taurine, these animals slowly die, often become blind, diabetic, and eventually suffer from heart and kidney failure and other degenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Luckily in our modern age, taurine can be produced synthetically and is abundant through supplementation without having to depend on a meat-heavy diet.

Hunter animals such as cats, foxes, tigers, wolves and lions cannot produce taurine on their own and need it through their dietary intake, hence hunting other animals with high levels of taurine becomes their main dietary source of taurine. In humans, an inability to produce adequate amounts of taurine due to vitamin B12 deficiency could be a basis for diabetes types 1 and 2.

Taurine is also abundant in human breast milk as taurine activates the human growth hormone necessary for babies to develop. Without a high volume of taurine, babies do not develop normally and often suffer from osteoporosis and other mental and physiological defects. Vitamin B12 is a precursor for taurine production in humans, and it has been hypothesized that an inhibition present in pancreatic function to produce taurine could be one of the underlying causes of diabetes in which there is a B12 deficiency.

Click to play video  Much of the world watched and recoiled in quiet horror as German Chancellor Angela Merkel stood shaking during the meeting of the Ukrainian President and two more times during other ceremonies in the past month. A symbol of strength and unity in the European Union, of stalwart conviction during a time of criticism regarding immigration policies, we saw the uninfalliable Angela Merkel uncontrollably shaking before our very eyes, captured on camera, whilst the diplomats around her did nothing to help her. Much speculation has been given to her condition, from diabetes to orthostatic tremor.

These interesting studies above show that specific intake of calories have little to do with weight loss and obesity, but that the collaborative functions of various vitamins and fatty acids which regulate hormones can immediately affect weight loss or weight gain, insulin sensitivity, leptin resistance and taurine production through its effect on energy metabolism.

FAT CELL REMOVAL vs. FAT CELL SHRINKAGE

We often have a misconception in our society to “burn off fat cells” or remove fat cells in order to become lean. However, for optimal health, fat cells should not be removed from our bodies, but we should engage in activity that reduces their size.

Fat cells play a vital role in our bodies. Fat cells release hormones, but also is a storage area for toxins, so that they do not affect other vital organs and tissues. When fat cells are surgically removed, through cosmetic procedures such as liposuction, the body signals the fat cells to replicate to produce the same amount of fat cells that there had been in the body previously, hence a long-term common side effect of these cosmetic procedures is reverse adipose syndrome, in which more fat deposits eventually develop around other areas of the body to make up for the lost fat cells that had been removed through surgery. In addition, a significant consequence of when too many fat cells are surgically removed from the body, the result is often death of the patient.

Kanye West, and his mother Donda West (right). Donda West died in 2007 after undergoing liposuction surgery. Fat cells play an important role in our bodies, and the removal of too many fat cells could cause toxic shock to organs and cause patients to die. Although fatal outcomes from liposuction are often downplayed in the media, the surgical removal of fat cells have serious consequences on human health.

A more optimal and healthier way to become lean is to induce fat cell shrinkage. Fat cell shrinkage occurs through processes in which toxins are released from the fat cells, leading to a slimmer appearance. Fat cells also become used for energy when the body is engaged in physical activity that is 40-50% of one’s maximum heart rate. Engaging in exercise releases toxins from the body through perspiration and use of fat cells as energy. Activities such as taking a brisk walk, walking upstairs or cycling enhance fat cell shrinkage. For endurance athletes who utilise 75-85% of their maximum heart rate, energy is switched from using fat cells for energy to glucose metabolism, so that weight loss does not necessarily occur in these high level aerobic activity, but rather leads to the strengthening of muscles and other cardiovascular functions which are beneficial for the brain.

Whereas television shows such as The Biggest Loser support extreme weight loss during a short time frame, the best way to lose weight is doing so slowly, over an extended period of time, so that toxins released from fat cells do not overload processes by the kidney and liver. When procedures such as lipodissolve injections, which breaks down fat cells through lipolysis, are utilised in multiple regions in the body, it could lead to an emergency situation that could lead to kidney and liver failure.

Compression garments such as waist trainers may induce abdominal fat cell shrinkage by its effect on blood flow redistribution. By increasing venous return (blood to the heart), intra-abdominal adipose tissue is drained more effectively, leading to a slimmer waistline.

Another way to shrink fat cells is through wearing compression garments that improve muscle metabolism and increase blood flow. Although athletes often use lower body compression garments or whole body compression garments in order to improve athletic performance, other compression garments such as waist trainers may induce abdominal fat cell shrinkage by its effect on hemodynamics (blood-flow redistribution). Increase in venous return (blood to the heart) drains intra-abdominal adipose tissue more effectively, hence leading to a shrinkage of abdominal fat cells and the appearance of a slimmer waistline.

MODULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION BY SUPERFOODS

AMBROSIA or ROYAL JELLY

There have been some foods which have been shown to modulate gene expression in both animal and human models. Although we possess millions of genes, many genes can be switched on and off by the foods and drinks we imbibe.

Gods and Goddesses in Ancient Greek mythology achieved immortality by their access to a drink or food called ambrosia, which was described as a kind of "sweet nectar".

In Ancient Greek mythology, a substance called ambrosia was eaten or drunk by the Gods in order to achieve immortality. Although this makes little sense to us now, and seems to be rather a fantastical tale, we can make an analogy of another substance, called royal jelly in order to study the possible effects of how this longevity could be achieved.

Royal jelly is a substance that is secreted by bees, in which the Queen Bee exclusively eats, and she is able to grow in size and become fertile for life, producing thousands of offspring a day. Many people have hypothesized that the ambrosia in Greek mythology could actually be referring to what we call royal jelly, due to its similar descriptions in being a type of “sweet nectar”.

Although genetically the same as drones, the Queen bee (center) only imbibes royal jelly which makes her increase in size, produce more hormones, enhances fertility and lengthens her lifespan.

Researchers have studied the effects of royal jelly for many decades and have determined that there was no genetic difference between a chosen Queen bee and other worker drone bees, but that royal jelly was able to switch off genes which were responsible for suppressing fertility. In both animals and humans, fertility decreases with age due to various metabolic processes, but royal jelly was able to switch the genes off that induced this ageing process by inhibiting an enzyme called cytosine methyltransferase.

Cytosine methyltransferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups to CpG structures in DNA leading to DNA methylation. In humans, this enzyme is encoded in humans by the DNMT3A gene. There are certain DNA methylation processes that occur in the ageing process. Royal jelly could possibly suppress this methylation process, leading to enhanced genetic expression of longevity. Therefore, if we were to examine the ambrosia in Greek mythology through this process, it could entirely be possible that a substance such as royal jelly could suppress certain ageing factors through epigenetic modulation of gene expression.

BEETROOT

If you are an athlete or simply interested in exercise, you might have noticed that drinking beetroot juice before a workout significantly enhances athletic performance. The nitrates present in beetroot not only improve blood flow, but it also induces leukocyte (white blood cell) activation and oxidative metabolism. However, beetroot was also recently found to induce metabolic gene expression and mitochondrial biogenesis. Although much of longevity research may be focused on telomere length and activation in order to prevent cell death, another more effective aspect of longevity research could be to study mitochondrial biogenesis. Mitochondrial biogenesis can be defined as the growth and division of pre-existing mitochondria. Beetroot juice also stimulates bone marrow to produce new red blood cells. The continual regeneration of existing cells could lead to enhanced immunity, decrease in healing time and potentially lead to interesting outcomes in longevity research.

This deeply rich, blood-coloured, vampiric looking drink induces mitochondrial biogenesis. Taking a blood test after drinking beetroot juice could show elevated levels of white blood cells (WBC). Many doctors interpret increased WBCs in blood samples as a sign of infection. However, due to the betalain present in beetroot juice, it activates leukocyte formation, leading to elevated levels of WBCs in the bloodstream, resulting in enhanced immunity.

The age old adage to eat all your vegetables and fruit comes from generations of experiential wisdom, yet in our modern lifestyles, which is often filled with pre-made, packaged and convenience foods, we often forget to pay attention to our bodies. Through contemporary trends in fasting, engaging in fad diets, pill popping and polypharmacy, we are depriving our bodies of essential nutrients and vitamins that are necessary for longevity. Instead of solely focusing on our external appearance, we should pay attention to our internal processes and strive to be more healthy at any age, because health is ultimately one of our most valuable assets with a long-term return on investment.

By Sierra Choi

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and to stimulate discussion and not intended to serve as medical advice nor medical diagnosis.