September 7, 2024 — Can you guess this plant with its broad, vibrant green leaves? It is commercially grown in at least 30 countries worldwide to satisfy the cravings of millions of people. The largest growers are located in China, India and Brazil.
It is one of the most toxic plants with a strong addictive psychoactive chemical. Plus contamination from the uptake of heavy metals found in the soil including lead and cadmium as well as nitrates from fertilizers. Tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant are in the same Nightshade family with only trace amounts of the natural alkaloid solinane when compared to this plant. But another strong additive psychoactive chemical is found in this mystery plant that is also used as a pesticide. But strangely, in other research, this active chemical has been found to accelerate biofilm growth in the mouth as discussed below.
People burn the dried leaves of this plant to inhale its smoke, vaporize it and also chew it. The active chemical in the green leaves absorbs into the skin of the workers who harvest the plants. Smoke from this chemical also can absorb into the skin.
Our mouths is one of the areas of the human body that harbor a high number of bacteria. Biofilms of bacteria or colonization of pathogens (e.g., Streptococcus and Staphylococcus spp.) can be induced to rapidly grow and thrive in the mouth from this chemical exposure, causing inflammation and periodontal diseases of both the gums and jaws. It is gross but droplets of saliva exposed to this chemical can cause fast biofilm formation in food and beverages due to the cross contamination of the mouth touching the openings of containers. For those who smoke or chew, it may be advisable to pour into a clean glass to drink and recap the bottled water to drink the rest at another time.
The chemical itself is colorless until it is exposed to oxygen and turns into a yellow stain in saliva. Clear nighttime mouth guards and plastic tubing of CPAP machines can turn yellow over time from the lingering stain in the mouth and saliva. Eventually, the chemical turns into a brown stain on teeth.
Did you guess the plant is tobacco and its active chemical is nicotine?
Nicotine is highly water soluble. We have had smokers tell us that the white collars of their shirts had brown rings after drinking Watt-Ahh. What is even more exciting that after one or two sessions of breathing DiTetra Gas (the same gas in Watt-Ahh) several smokers have told us that they quit smoking cold turkey.
All of the 2024 “AHA! Detoxify” Series can be found here.
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