Reviews
Saliva contains many different substances. Along with numerous inorganic and organic compounds, it includes digestive enzymes such as amylase and lipase, as well as enzymes such as peroxidase that remove reactive oxygen species. The author therefore decided to investigate the detoxifying effects of the enzymes in saliva through experiments such as heating it. (p. 36) With a little thought, we can help children chew more thoroughly. For example, choose firm foods, cut meat and vegetables into
Everyone is interested in health. We consider many things, such as exercising and eating good food. But this book is about nothing more than chewing for a long time. I wondered whether that alone could fill a whole book, but I started reading because I thought I might learn something about health. The author is a pioneer who researched the effects of saliva when no one else was paying attention. Although it is a Japanese book, the food and eating habits are similar, and the translation is so
Every now and then, something reminds me that the older generation was right about so many things. Their advice about eating always came down to “chew your food thoroughly.” Perhaps we have gone through life hearing that advice and simply ignoring it. Have you ever wondered why people started saying it? The things people think and do generally have reasons behind them. Such wisdom comes from generations of experience and can enrich our lives. The fact that no one had pursued this research
Since ancient times, teeth have been considered one of life’s five blessings, and it is well known that chewing helps develop the brain. That is why I used to chew gum deliberately when I was hungry. As we enter an era when people can live to 100, healthy teeth and gums feel more important than ever. Japan, known for its longevity, has a famous campaign run by its dental association since 1987: the “8020 Movement,” which encourages people to keep 20 teeth until age 80. Adults have 28 permanent
The Power of Saliva — Hajime Nishioka *This book was provided by the publisher.* Would you try a simple health habit every day if I told you about one? The answer is the short line on the cover of The Power of Saliva: chew each bite thoroughly 30 times. Did you find it surprising that simply chewing well could be a health practice? I was known for barely chewing before swallowing. After finishing the book, I found 30 chews too difficult, so I’m gradually working up to 20. I used to chew only
How thoroughly do I chew my food? Looking back, I realized that while I nagged my child to chew, I myself had a habit of softening food in water or swallowing it carelessly. Saliva, I learned, is an amazing substance that protects the body by reducing the toxicity of carcinogens, reactive oxygen species, and environmental hormones—not just by aiding digestion. As the author points out, my diet had become centered on soft foods, which naturally reduced saliva production. I needed to improve my
One thing our elders have always told us is to chew thoroughly. They said it helps digestion and improves health, but the advice never really resonated with me. When you are young, you feel like you could chew rocks. Is it like what I saw online, “increasing the resolution of life”? I’m older now, and after reading this book, the reasons became clear, so I started putting the advice into practice. Chewing thoroughly is good for your health because of saliva. Saliva contains various components,
Hajime Nishioka: The power of saliva
The author was the world’s first researcher to study saliva’s ability to remove toxins, a contribution that earned international recognition. The book scientifically explains how saliva production increases with chewing and is closely linked to our health, and explores how to chew well to make use of saliva’s power in the body. In Japan in the 1980s, a synthetic chemical called AF-2, added to fish cakes, became a major health concern after reports that it could be harmful. The author focused on the fact that the mouth is the first part of the body to come into contact with this chemical. By mixing saliva with carcinogens and toxic substances, the author found that saliva showed a remarkable ability to reduce toxicity. The body can repair damaged DNA, but carcinogens and toxic substances disrupt this mechanism and produce mutated cells. When enough saliva is released and thoroughly mixed with food during digestion, this DNA-repair ability can recover. Above all, saliva has a powerful ability to remove reactive oxygen species, which are considered a root cause of many illnesses, helping keep dementia, chronic disease, and cancer at bay. Chewing thoroughly also stimulates secretion of parotin, a hormone in saliva associated with youth, which may slow aging and have a rejuvenating effect. Today, however, most people do not chew their food well. This is closely connected to the remarkable development of the food industry. To make products sell, food companies began making food as soft as possible, and we have become a society that barely chews.
Korean title: 타액의 힘
Korean author: 니시오카 하지메
Korean publisher: 전나무숲
ISBN-13: 9791193226452
Reviews
Saliva contains many different substances. Along with numerous inorganic and organic compounds, it includes digestive enzymes such as amylase and lipase, as well as enzymes such as peroxidase that remove reactive oxygen species. The author therefore decided to investigate the detoxifying effects of the enzymes in saliva through experiments such as heating it. (p. 36) With a little thought, we can help children chew more thoroughly. For example, choose firm foods, cut meat and vegetables into
Everyone is interested in health. We consider many things, such as exercising and eating good food. But this book is about nothing more than chewing for a long time. I wondered whether that alone could fill a whole book, but I started reading because I thought I might learn something about health. The author is a pioneer who researched the effects of saliva when no one else was paying attention. Although it is a Japanese book, the food and eating habits are similar, and the translation is so
Every now and then, something reminds me that the older generation was right about so many things. Their advice about eating always came down to “chew your food thoroughly.” Perhaps we have gone through life hearing that advice and simply ignoring it. Have you ever wondered why people started saying it? The things people think and do generally have reasons behind them. Such wisdom comes from generations of experience and can enrich our lives. The fact that no one had pursued this research
Since ancient times, teeth have been considered one of life’s five blessings, and it is well known that chewing helps develop the brain. That is why I used to chew gum deliberately when I was hungry. As we enter an era when people can live to 100, healthy teeth and gums feel more important than ever. Japan, known for its longevity, has a famous campaign run by its dental association since 1987: the “8020 Movement,” which encourages people to keep 20 teeth until age 80. Adults have 28 permanent
The Power of Saliva — Hajime Nishioka *This book was provided by the publisher.* Would you try a simple health habit every day if I told you about one? The answer is the short line on the cover of The Power of Saliva: chew each bite thoroughly 30 times. Did you find it surprising that simply chewing well could be a health practice? I was known for barely chewing before swallowing. After finishing the book, I found 30 chews too difficult, so I’m gradually working up to 20. I used to chew only
How thoroughly do I chew my food? Looking back, I realized that while I nagged my child to chew, I myself had a habit of softening food in water or swallowing it carelessly. Saliva, I learned, is an amazing substance that protects the body by reducing the toxicity of carcinogens, reactive oxygen species, and environmental hormones—not just by aiding digestion. As the author points out, my diet had become centered on soft foods, which naturally reduced saliva production. I needed to improve my
One thing our elders have always told us is to chew thoroughly. They said it helps digestion and improves health, but the advice never really resonated with me. When you are young, you feel like you could chew rocks. Is it like what I saw online, “increasing the resolution of life”? I’m older now, and after reading this book, the reasons became clear, so I started putting the advice into practice. Chewing thoroughly is good for your health because of saliva. Saliva contains various components,
