Dare I say Sugar and Heroin in the same sentence?

Well, you all know by now how anti sugar I am.  I've already written two previous posts about sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup.  As a Nutritionist I can honestly say that there is NOTHING positive to be said for sugar.  Last week I read a book that was first published in 1973 "sugar Blues" by William Dufty.  I have to say even I was shocked at just how poisonous sugar is to the human body.  Now when I say sugar, I mean man-refined sugar.  there are natural sugars in natural foods such as fruit and, to a lesser degree, in vegetables.  These natural sugars, in moderation, are fine for us and our bodies can cope perfectly well with them and they are needed.

Man-refined sugar has not always been a part of the human diet.  None of the ancient books such as: Mosaic Law, the code of Manu, the I Ching, the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, the New Testament or the Koran mention sugar.  The prophets did tell us a few things about sweet cane in ancient times: "It was a rare luxury, imported from afar and very expensive.  What else they did with it except offer it up as a sacrifice, we can only surmise." (W. Dufty. Sugar Blues).  The Greeks had no word for it.  When Admiral Nearchus in the service of Alexander the Great explored the East Indies in 325 B.C, he described it as "a kind of honey" growing in canes or reeds.  Herodotus called it "manufactured honey" and Pliny called it "honey from the cane".  It was used as a medicine and a Roman writer of Nero's time recorded its latin name saccharum.  I could go on for a very long time about the origins of sugar but one this is blatantly clear if you read the history of sugar - nothing good has ever come from the sugar trade.

With the introduction of sugar into human life, only bad things have happened.  The sugar trade brought many riches to those who were rich and powerful enough to deal in it.  However, it also brought slavery and illness.  Sugar cane grew in tropical climes and when grown elsewhere, slaves were also imported to work the plantations.  Invading armies found it fascinating  but soon found themselves succumbing to illnesses they had never heard of.  When it reached Europe, only the wealthy could afford it (the peasants living off the the land eating whole foods and a little meat and fish every now and again, couldn't afford it and strangely enough didn't succumb to the illnesses rife in the larger cities where sugar was available).  The Portuguese, Spanish and British all did very well, financially that is, from the sugar trade.  Americans soon outdistanced the British in sugar consumption - and almost every other nation too.  The U.S. has consumed one-fifth of the world's production of sugar every year but one since the Civil War (1861-1865).  By 1893, America was consuming more sugar than had been produced in the whole world in 1865.  Sugar consumption has continued to rise consistently - through depression, prosperity, war, peace, drought and flood - nothing, it seems, can stop it.

Only one other plant has kept a parallel trajectory to sugar and that is Opium.  Both began as a medicine; both ended up being used as habit forming sensory pleasures.  The Opium Wars ended with the treaty of Nanking in 1842 and the British insisted in 1858 that Opium imports into China be reinstated.

By this time, chemists had managed to produce refined versions of both Opium (morphine) and sugar.  "Morphine shots became the wonder drug of their time, a cure for all ills, including a new malady that had been discovered in sugar-bingeing nations called Sugar Diabetes.  After the American Civil War, morphine addiction in the U.S. was called the "army disease".  The abuse of morphine in the Union armies of the North was so widespread that thousands of veterans went home hooked on the stuff.  During the Civil War years, soldiers also developed a yen for cans of condensed milk preserved with great quantities of sugar.

"When physicians belatedly discovered the addictive properties of morphine, the chemists went to work again and came up with a further refinement of morphine that was much touted by medical men as a new non-addictive painkiller.  Its multisyllabic chemical name, diacetylmorphine, was soon supplanted by the name of Heroin.  Heroin was hailed in its turn as the miracle wonder drug of its time.  It replaced morphine in the TREATMENT OF SUGAR DIABETES." (W. Dufty, Sugar Blues).

There, I said it.  Sugar and Heroin in the same sentence.  We all know the dangers of Heroin and other hards drugs, but if Heroin was used way back when to treat sugar diabetes - what does that say about SUGAR?

By now (2012), most of the general public should at least be aware that sugar causes:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Low Blood Glucose

The brain is the most sensitive organ in the body.  The difference between feeling up or down, calm or stressed, sane or insane, inspired or depressed depends largely on what we eat.  For the body to work efficiently the amount of glucose in the blood must balance with the amount of oxygen in the blood.  The adrenal glands have the job of maintaining this balance.  When we eat sucrose (man-refined sugar), it is close to being glucose so it largely escapes chemical processing.  The sugar passes directly into the intestines, where it becomes "predigested" glucose.  This is then absorbed into the blood where the glucose level has already been established in precise balance with oxygen.  The glucose level in the blood increases drastically, the balance is destroyed and the body goes into crisis mode.

So how does the body cope with the crisis?  The brain registers it first and hormones are released from the Adrenals, Insulin from the Pancreas works specifically to hold down the blood glucose levels in direct antagonism to the adrenal hormones which are trying to keep the glucose level up.  As a result of the emergency response to the crisis, it all goes too far.  The blood glucose level drops drastically, the pancreas producing insulin shuts down and other adrenal hormones kick in to bring the glucose level back up to normal.

All this has a direct effect on how we feel while this is happening.  While glucose is being absorbed into the blood we feel great - on top of the world!  However, when the blood glucose level falls drastically we feel tired, vulnerable, irritable, nervous and jumpy until our glucose level returns to normal.  So, if to combat the "blues" you eat more chocolate the whole process starts all over again.  After years of such abuse , the end result is damaged adrenals.  This results in "sugar blues"; day to day efficiency lags, constant fatigue and you never seem to get anything done.

The late endocrinologist Dr. John W. Tintera, was very emphatic when he said: "It is quite possible to improve your disposition, increase your efficiency, and change your personality for the better.  The way to do it is to avoid cane and beet sugar in all forms and guises."

In the 1940s Tintera rediscovered the vital importance of the endocrine system especially the adrenal glands.  The adrenal glands, damaged from the constant whiplash caused by the consumption of sugar, were producing a state of mental confusion or "brain boggling".  His patients' symptoms for mental confusion were incredibly similar to other patients who were unable to handle sugar: fatigue, nervousness, depression, apprehension, craving for sweets, inability to handle alcohol, lack of concentration, allergies and low blood pressure - the sugar blues!

He announced that many psychiatrically treated patients just needed to undergo a glucose tolerance test, if they couldn't handle sugar - remove it from their diet and they would be cured.  "Nobody but nobody should ever be allowed to begin what is called psychiatric treatment any place, anywhere, unless and until they have had a glucose tolerance test to discover if they can handle sugar."

This all means that to the already substantial list of health problems created by sugar, you should add:

• Depression
• Fatigue
• Nervousness
• Apprehension
• Cravings for sweets
• Irritability
• Inability to handle alcohol
• Lack of concentration

As with most things, there are people who handle things like sugar or alcohol worse than others.

Sugar has become such a part of our lives that we hardly even notice it.  All thanks to the riches from the sugar trade and huge efforts in political lobbying.  Just because it is such an ingrained part of our lives does not mean you have to consume it.  Life without sugar is possible and has a long list of benefits.  Understanding the poisonous side to it is just the beginning which I hope will lead you to a sugar-free, healthful life.

10 Packaged Foods you shouldn't buy.

We should all know by now that the healthiest way to eat is with natural whole foods that we prepare from scratch at home.  However, there is a whole culture of supermarket shopping which provides us with a never ending supply of pre-prepared foods which are supposed to make our lives easier.  However, these foods don't tend to make our lives healthy.  Here is a list of well known foods we should never buy.

1.  Canned or tinned soup.  This typically contains large quantities of salt, additives, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and genetically engineered (GE) ingredients.  Also, many companies still use bisphenol-A (BPA) in the lining of the cans.  BPA has been shown to interfere with the body's hormones and disrupt your endocrine system.  Homemade soup is quick and easy to make and so much healthier.

2.  Stock Cubes.  I looked up the ingredients for OXO beef stock while researching this article: Wheat flour, salt, yeast extract, maize starch, flavor enhancers (MSG, Disodium Guanylate), color (ammonia caramel), beef fat, flavorings, dried beef bonestock, sugar, lactic acid.

Now, I would first like to explain how to read an ingredient list.  Ingredients are listed in order by amount with the biggest amounts first continuing in descending order.  So if you look again at the list of ingredients for OXO beef stock what it has most of is wheat flour and salt... not good.

Homemade chicken stock is easy to make.  Just take one left over chicken carcass (I use the leftovers from a roast chicken), put into a large saucepan, add 2 leeks, 1 onion, and 2 celery stalks. Cover with water add a pinch of salt and 6 peppercorns.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 hours.  Drain the liquid into a bowl and leave over night to cool in the fridge.  The fat will solidify on the surface and you can remove it easily.  I then package the stock into individual packages to make one soup and freeze.  You can also use ice trays if you prefer.

Now, you tell me, which is healthier?

3.  Baked Beans.  Here we go back to point number 1 with the problem of BPA lined cans.  Also, if you take a typical can of baked beans - Heinz for example, and look at the ingredient list, remember what I said earlier about the order of the ingredients: Beans (51%), Tomatoes (34%), water, sugar, modified cornflour, salt, spirit vinegar, spice extracts, herb extract.  Sugar is way up there - again.

You can make these at home without all the added extras!

4. Hummus.  Homemade hummus is a very healthy dish and the internet is rife with different easy to make recipes.  Shop bought hummus contains: Chickpeas, water, tahini, soybean oil, garlic, salt, citric acid, potassium sorbate, natural flavor.  Do we really need all those additives?

5. Breakfast Cereal.  Almost all commercial cereals are a combination of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and genetically engineered corn.  Homemade muesli is easy to make and healthier.  You can store it in an airtight container and it will stay fresh for months.

6.  Microwave Popcorn.  Here the problem is in the bag more than the popcorn itself, although the amount of salt added is also a problem.  The bags are lined with Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) which can leach into the popcorn when heated.   PFOAs have been linked to infertility and other health problems.  Making popcorn in a pan is not difficult at all and you can control the amount of salt you add.

7. Bottled water and "enhanced" water.  Plastic bottles aren't doing anyone or the environment any favors.  Also "enhanced" waters usually contain artificial sweeteners and colorings, large amounts of sugar and genetically engineered high fructose corn syrup, which adds to the numerous health problems caused by high consumption of HFCS and GE ingredients.

High quality water filters are your best bet for clean water.

8.  Bottled fruit and vegetable juice.  Bottled fruit juice is worse than vegetable juice.  Fruit is naturally high in fructose and when juiced and bottled the sugars tend to ferment quickly.  There are also added ingredients such as flavor enhancers.  You will get much more from eating whole fruit than bottled juice.  If you prefer juice - juice it at home and drink immediately.

9.  Yogurt.  Now, I am against all milk produce, but if you can't live without it then I suggest buying natural live yogurt from a health food store.  Pasteurized yogurts from normal supermarkets do not provide any of the health benefits of natural live yogurt.  The pasteurizing process destroys most of the precious enzymes and other nutrients.  Fortunately, kefir or fermented yogurt is easy and inexpensive to make at home.

10. Fermented Vegetables.  Cultured or fermented foods have many health benefits.  The culturing process produces beneficial microbes that are important for human health, as they help balance intestinal flora which boosts overall immunity.  Fermented foods are also great chelators and detox agents, this means they help rid your body of a wide range of toxins including heavy metals.  Although cultured foods are available at most supermarkets, you are better off culturing them at home.  There are many webs where you can learn the benefits and how to do this at home.

Anti-Aging Intelligence

Doesn't it make more sense to try to prevent something going wrong such as illness, than to try and fix it once it's happened?  If we look after ourselves throughout our lives, eat healthily and take regular exercise, chances are our later years will be happy and healthful too.

Here are some tips on how to prevent some illnesses and improve health for everyone for a healthier aging process:

Antioxidant supplements such as Vitamins A, C, E, Selenium and Melatonin protect our cells by neutralizing free radicals, these atomic fragments cause cell damage and produce metabolic waste.

Vitamin A:
Several studies support the value of vitamin A in boosting immunity.  It enhances T-helper cell type-2 (Th2) mediated responses which are necessary for fighting bacterial and parasitic infections.  Vitamin A has also shown to be a potent stimulator of growth hormone production.

Therapeutic Daily Dose: 7,000 - 10,000 IU.  You should speak to your doctor prior to taking vitamin A supplements if you are over 65 years of age, or if you are a woman who's pregnant or trying to conceive.

Foods rich in vitamin A include: Papaya, mangoes, green peas, tomatoes, peaches, red peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, butternut squash, dried herbs, lettuce (dark colorful varieties), dried apricots, cantaloupe melon.

Vitamin C:
The majority of us know that vitamin C helps prevent and fight off colds, but it has many other health benefits also.  Vitamin C raises HDL levels ("good" cholesterol) and prevents LDL ("bad" cholesterol) from oxidizing, which subsequently prevents the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque on the blood vessel wall, which contributes to cardiovascular disease.  Vitamin C also lowers the risk of stroke.

Therapeutic Daily Dose: 1,000 - 2,000 mg.  Check with your doctor before supplementing as some medical conditions preclude Vitamin C supplementation.

Foods rich in vitamin C include: Red and green hot chili peppers, guavas, red, yellow and green peppers, fresh herbs (thyme and parsley), dark leafy greens, broccoli, kiwi fruits, papayas, oranges and clementines, strawberries, black currants, sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, mangoes, red cabbage, cauliflower, turnip greens and                                             pineapples.

Vitamin E:

This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant which is very important to cell membranes.  For example vitamin E protects lung cells that are in constant contact with oxygen and white blood cells that help fight disease.  However, there is also significant evidence that vitamin E protects against heart disease, cancer, strokes, cataracts and signs of aging.

Therapeutic Daily Dose: 400 - 1,200 IU.  Vitamin E supplements must be natural as they are more potent and bioavailable than synthetic forms.  Check with your doctor before taking vitamin E supplements as some medical conditions preclude vitamin E supplementation.

Foods rich in vitamin E include: Sunflower seeds, paprika and red chili powder, almonds, pine nuts, peanuts, dried herbs (basil and oregano), dried apricots, pickled green olives, cooked spinach, cooked taro root, wheatgerm oil, hazelnuts, flaxseed oil corn and canola oil, broccoli, soybean oil, pistachios, pecans, kiwis, mangoes, tomatoes, asparagus, and butternut squash.

                                                      Selenium:

Selenium is an essential trace element, necessary for growth and protein synthesis.  It also helps to increase the effectiveness of vitamin E.  It is necessary for correct function of the thyroid gland, and may help protect against free radical damage and cancer.  Selenium deficiency can lead to joint and muscle pain, brittle hair and white spots on fingernails.

Therapeutic Daily Dose: 100 - 200 mg

Foods rich in selenium include: Brazil nuts, shellfish, liver, fish, sunflower seeds, bran (wheat, rice and oat), caviar, bacon and pork chops, lobster and crab and shrimp.

Melatonin:

Melatonin has really come into it's own recently.  It is most commonly known as the sleep hormone.  It is produced in the dark by the pineal gland in the brain.  Melatonin supplementation has been shown to:

• Aid biological clock resetting of international and transcontinental travelers   Helping to combat jet lag and restore restful sleep patterns in frequent flyers.
• Act as a natural sleeping aid as it does not suppress dream (REM cycle) sleep.
• Lowers blood cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol counts.
• It eliminates free radicals, thereby demonstrating its value against heart disease, stroke and cancer.
• Improves sexual drive and performance.

Foods containing melatonin include: Oats, sweetcorn, rice, ginger, barley, tomatoes, bananas, radishes  pineapples, apples, oranges, strawberries, kiwis, peppers and spinach, almonds and seeds.

However, the amount of melatonin in food is small so you may need to supplement.  I advise to start with a low dose as some people find that they become irritable on higher doses.  Start with 1 - 2mg at night before going to bed.

5 NUTRITION MYTHS

Yes, we've all heard how coffee is bad for us, or that milk is essential for strong bones, or eggs are bad for your heart or that saturated fats are bad for us... as with most myths, some are true and others have been... BUSTED!

MYTH Nº 1: YOU MUST DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY = NO
We have been told over and over again that drinking 8 glasses of water a day helps the kidneys to remove toxins, leads to smoother, younger looking skin and prevents cancer.

• There's no evidence to suggest that lots of water improves the kidneys' detox function - what's more, too much water may even decrease the kidneys' ability to filter toxins.
• Studies comparing water consumption and bladder cancer have come up with inconsistent results.
• As far as skin tone goes, one small study did find increased blood flow to the skin after 2 cups of water were ingested but the researchers didn't manage to discover if this improved skin tone.
• If you have a healthy balanced diet and that includes drinking water, coffee, tea and juice you will be sufficiently hydrated.
• There is nothing against drinking as much water as you like (although a huge amount is not advisable), it just isn't a necessity as the myth suggests.

MYTH Nº 2: GREEN TEA AIDS WEIGHT LOSS = HALF TRUE

Green tea was heralded as the healthy way to boost weight loss.  It was publicized that drinking green tea instead of coffee would make people lose body fat to the tune of 10 pounds in six weeks.

• The truth is green tea contains an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which has been shown to boost metabolism and fat burning in lab tests.
• Researchers discovered that subjects in a study burned more energy over a 24 hour period when consuming EGCG plus caffeine than those subjects taking caffeine alone.
• However, when data collected from 13 such studies were analyzed, subjects taking EGCG plus caffeine over a 3 month period lost only 1-3 pounds more than subjects taking placebo.  The difference was so slight it was deemed "not clinically relevant".
• A note of warning:  the long term safety of green tea supplements taken on an empty stomach is in doubt.  In more than 24 cases, it has been linked to liver damage.  It is a better idea to stick with beverages instead of pills.

MYTH Nº 3 MILK IS NECESSARY FOR STRONG BONES = NO

Well we've all heard this one from our childhood - it has been drummed into us from the very beginning.  However:

• On the whole, research has failed to prove that consumers of dairy produce have fewer bone fractures.  6 cohort studies - including one which followed 70.000 nurses over a 26 year period - found that women who drank the most milk had no fewer hip fractures.
• Yes, milk contains calcium, but it isn't very bio available.  Other good sources of calcium are tofu, canned salmon or sardines (bones included) and leafy green vegetables.
• In countries such as Japan and India, where dairy produce intake is low, incidence of bone fractures are also relatively low.  Which tells us that bone health is determined my more than just the amount of dairy products consumed.  Genetics, physical exercise, body size and hormone levels also play an important role.
• Vitamin D is also important to bone health.  We can obtain this from our diet but sun exposure is very important as it has the greatest potential.
• A word of warning: be wary of experts who insist that bone health is impossible without 3 servings of dairy a day.

MYTH Nº 4: FISH OIL PREVENTS HEART DISEASE = YES

Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines and tuna are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and have been found to be cardio protective.  Studies suggest that they relax blood vessels, reduce blood pressure, prevent abnormal heart rhythms and lower blood fats called triglycerides.

• Omega-3 has also been shown to improve brain function.  So all of us should be eating oily fish at least twice a week.  People with heart disease are recommended to consume twice as much (1.000 mg/day EPA + DHA combined).  To lower triglyceride levels you would need 3.000 - 4.000 mg/day.
• If you are not a great fish eater, fish oil supplements are a good source - however, check the label to make sure you are getting the right dose of EPA+DHA.
• Krill oil has been found to work well as it is water soluble so more readily absorbed by the body.

MYTH Nº 5: EGGS ARE BAD FOR YOUR HEART = NO

In 1984 Time magazine published an article holding eggs responsible for high cholesterol levels which lead to heart disease.

How many times have we been told that to eat eggs every day is dangerous to our health?  Well, since that Time magazine article in 1984, researchers have conducted several long-term cohort studies on eggs and heart disease, collectively following several hundred thousand people.  On the whole, this research has found eggs to be "not guilty" and that eating up to 6 eggs a week seems un-harmful for most healthy people.

• Eggs are associated with high cholesterol.  The majority of our cholesterol is made by the liver, which accelerates production when we consume saturated and trans fats.  However, cholesterol from food doesn't have much impact on cholesterol levels in the blood.  Some people are affected - they are called hyper-responders - studies have shown there can be an increase in HDL or good cholesterol together with LDL or bad cholesterol, this increase in HDL helps offset any increased risk.
• Eggs are relatively low in saturated fat, they also contain unsaturated fats which may be beneficial.  They are also a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, and they are certainly a healthier alternative to muffins, bagels and sugary cereals.
• However, some people are negatively susceptible to consuming eggs.  Several studies have linked egg consumption to heart disease and premature death, among people who have diabetes, there is no clear reason as to why, so if you are a diabetic it is probably a good idea to watch your intake.
• On the whole, the biggest problem with eggs is how they are cooked - fried is the the least healthy, and what accompanies them; bacon, beans, fried bread, etc..

If you're a geek... get in the kitchen!

I mean no disrespect to all those hackers, programmers, engineers, gamers, techies, and nerds collectively known as "geeks", for the sake of writing the word geek just makes things easier - I even married one!

I grew up in the kitchen helping my mother cook.  We were very close, and it was time I had to myself with her as neither of my siblings wanted to be involved in food preparation.  It also had the added benefit of not having to do the washing up afterwards!  In our house, if you helped cook the meal, your "compensation" was not having to wash up.  That time spent in the kitchen with my mother gave me a love and understanding of food which led me to become a Clinical Nutritionist, and dedicate my life to improving people's health through food.

To my husband's credit, he has recently begun to venture into the kitchen and not just to route out a Diet Coke or packet of biscuits.  He can now cook 2 recipes; paella and pasta with tomato sauce - we're getting somewhere!

Geeks are portrayed, in general, as fairly unhealthy beings.  They spend endless hours everyday (and most of the night) in front of a computer screen surviving on Red Bull, popcorn and pizza.  General opinion would have us mere mortals believe that a geek wouldn't know how to find the kitchen let alone cook in it.  But what if I told you cooking "has the same types of hard constraints that code, hardware, and most science disciplines do?" (Jeff Potter).

Geeks are extremely intelligent, creative people, so why not apply that creativity and intelligence to improving health through a balanced, healthy eating regime?

In 2010, Jeff Potter published his book "Cooking for Geeks".  Which leads any self-deserving geek into the kitchen to discover a whole new world which isn't as terrifying or boring as it may seem to someone who doesn't cook.

To the non geek (like me), this book is both surprising and interesting and looks a lot like a user manual for a piece of hardware!  Jeff Potter presents the art of cooking from a Geek mindset, with chapters such as; Hello Kitchen! (calibrating your instruments, kitchen organizing...), Choosing your Inputs: Flavors and Ingredients (different tastes and combinations), Time and Temperature, Cooking's Primary Variables, Playing with Chemicals and Fun with Hardware.

It is also packed full of interesting tasty recipes, practical tips on how to do things and different types of measurements (explained in geekspeak) and it even tells you how to cook a whole salmon in the dishwasher!  Yes, you heard me correctly, in the dishwasher!  It is all presented from a very scientific point of view, explaining different cooking methods and how to choose your ingredients, the different seasonal foods and lots of interesting interviews with fellow geeks such as Adam Savage.  It will teach you to cook for one or to cook for others and the different cuts of meat - absolutely everything someone who has never cooked before needs to know.  So there really is no excuse to not spice up your life and become healthier through Cooking for Geeks.

The Skillet-Fried Potatoes sound delicious not to mention the Mean Chocolate Chip Cookie!  I shall leave you to discover the rest!

So here is my challenge.  I challenge all of you geeks out there to get in the kitchen - then send me your favorite recipes.

You can find out more on:

www.cookingforgeeks.com

Or follow on Twitter @cookingforgeeks using #c4g for general discussion

One of the book's suggestions is @cookbook Maureen Evans posts recipes on Twitter.

5 ways to help your skin get through the winter.

Winter is here - at least for most of us in the northern hemisphere.  Summer is but a memory.  Let's face it, summer does us all good.  A healthy glow to the skin and plenty of Vitamin D provided by the sun.  We all know how important it is to protect our skin from the sun, but it also needs protecting during the cold winter months.  Lots of people say that beauty is only skin deep but if you try looking after the inside it will show on the outside.

The perils of winter for our skin are the cold weather, lack of direct sunlight and dehydration produced by central heating.  Eating the right foods can help protect your skin from all these things.

If you suffer from dry and eczema-prone skin, you will benefit from eating oily fish on a more regular basis.  Salmon, Trout, Sardines, Swordfish, Whitebait, Fresh Tuna - not canned, Anchovies, Eels, Kippers, Mackerel and Carp, to name a few, are full of essential fatty acids Omega-6 and Omega-3.  Omega-3 is especially good for us and helps the skin by reducing water loss.  These essential fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory properties so you will be less prone to sore skin from eczema outbreaks.  Omega-3 has a whole host of health benefits:

1. Reduction of LDL ("Bad" cholesterol) levels in the blood.
2. Alleviates inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
3. Reduces high blood pressure.
4. Prevents blood clot formation which, in turn, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
5. Prevents heart and circulatory problems.
6. Promotes healthy development of the brain and eyes.
7. Reduces the risk of thrombosis.
8. Helps people suffering from gout.
9. Clears cholesterol from the arteries, widening the artery walls and increasing elasticity.
10. Helps to increase HDL ("Good" cholesterol) which protects the heart.
11. Reduces the rist of developing Dementia, Alzheimer's and depression and helps depression sufferers to overcome their depression.
12. Oily fish during pregnancy helps foetal development although pregnant women should limit intake to 2 portions of oily fish per week.
13. Improves brain function.

Do you need any more reasons to increase your intake of oily fish?  Try eating oily fish at least 3 times a week.

Chapped skin from cold windy weather needs a boost in B-vitamins.  These B-vitamins deliver nutrients and regulate skin cell turnover.  Foods rich in these vitamins are brown rice and dark green vegetables, especially broccoli and kale.  Add these to your lunch and dinner everyday and you will see the benefits.

Has your skin lost its summer glow?  Does your skin look tired and dull when you look in the mirror?  We all know that vitamin E is the top anti-aging vitamin that especially helps the skin - it's in all those expensive skin creams we use on a daily basis.  But the best way to benefit from vitamin E is to eat it.  All fruits and vegetables that are orange and yellow in colour (red and yellow peppers, sweet potato, carrots and mangos) are rich in carotenoids - these are antioxidants that the body converts to vitamin E which, in turn, nourishes the layers of skin under the surface.  Two portions a day will give the best results.

Anthocynidin is a pigment that has been found to strengthen collagen fibres which, in turn, produces a much healthier, firmer and more radiant skin.  So you should eat more blueberries, blackberries, black grapes and even a glass of red wine.  Red wine also contains resveratrol which is thought to contain anticancer, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory properties, it is also thought to reduce blood glucose levels and have cardiovascular benefits.

Vitamin D is a big problem especially in winter when the days are shorter and getting your daily dose of direct sunlight can be extremely difficult.  Lack of vitamin D can produce low energy levels, tiredness which is directly reflected in our skin.  We only manage to obtain 10% of vitamin D needed from our diet, so it is extremely important to eat the right foods.  Oily fish is the best source of vitamin D but egg yolks, liver and wild mushrooms are also an essential source of this vitamin.  So eating one of these ingredients everyday is very important.

Is your skin pale and brittle?  An antioxidant mineral called Selenium has been proven to improve elasticity and reduce sun damage.  You can find Selenium in turkey, lean beef, chicken and eggs but is especially concentrated in Brazil Nuts.  The concentration in Brazil Nuts (if you are not allergic) is so high that you will only need 1-2 nuts a day.

Are you suffering from spots?  Here our old enemy sugar comes into play.  We should all know by now that sugar does us no good what so ever.  Most people attribute sugar to weight gain, but it also stimulates the sebaceous glands under the skin which makes your skin break out.  Sugar also stimulates production of the male hormone androgen, which can cause acne in women.  It has also been shown that sugar speeds up collagen damage so it is best to avoid sugar all together - for what ever reason.

I hope that this post will help you to protect your skin through the winter.

Danger! Your Sedentary Lifestyle Could Kill You!

Our society has changed - some would say it has advanced for the better and in many ways it has.  New technologies, on the whole, are helping us with day to day chores and making them much quicker and easier.  Computers facilitate office work, machines diagnose illnesses in record time and there are machines that even carry out operations in hospitals, smart phones keep us working for an extra 2 hours a day as we are constantly connected.  None of this is negative except for the impact it is having on our health.

As little as 40 years ago (which isn't long in the great scheme of things), people were far more physically active than they are today.  Cars were a luxury, dishwashers and washing machines were not in every household, lawnmowers had to be pushed up and down the garden and people walked, cycled and took public transport when they did the shopping or going to work or school.  Children played outside everyday until it was dark.

"Modernization" - to give it a name or "progress" has meant that humans in the modern world have become less physically active.  We sit in our cars in endless traffic jams, just to get to our offices where we sit in a chair for 8-9 hours a day looking at a computer screen.  We then get back in our cars to go home before collapsing exhausted on the sofa to watch TV and eat a pre-cooked meal.  Children come home from school and play video games for hours sitting on the sofa.  Don't get me wrong, I am all in favor of computers, dishwashers, washing machines, video games and any modern appliance that makes life easier and more enjoyable.

Everything I have said up until now is nothing we don't already know.  Many people blame new technologies for this newly acquired sedentary lifestyle but the truth is, it's all our own fault.  Your car doesn't stop you from taking exercise, your video game doesn't say "hey you can't go out and play with your friends you have to be inside playing with me!"  The microwave dinner doesn't stop you from eating healthily.  YOU are the only obstacle in your way to better health, and it's a lot easier than you think.

Yes, you will still have to go to the office for 8-9 hours a day or, if you work from home you will still have to complete deadlines and work like you have up until now.  But with a few minor changes you can make a big difference.

But first the bad news... this is so you can understand just what you are letting yourself in for by having a sedentary lifestyle.  Lack of physical activity is one of the leading causes of premature death.  The risk is higher among those who sit still for more than 4 hours a day.  It has been shown to be a risk factor on its own independent of hard exercise and your BMI.  People that sit still for more than 11 hours a day have a 40% higher risk than those that sit still for fewer than 4 hours a day.

Health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity are:

1. Anxiety
2. Cardiovascular disease
3. Mortality in elderly men by 30% and double the risk in elderly women
4. Deep vein thrombosis
5. Depression
6. Diabetes
7. Colon cancer
8. High blood pressure
9. Obesity
10. Osteoporosis
11. Lipid disorders
12. Kidney stones

So, what do you need to do to make sure you stay healthy?

Obviously health eating is a necessity.  All those doughnuts, and prefabricated foods in the office vending machine and on the supermarket shelf are extremely dangerous to your health and that includes the TV dinner on the sofa in the evening!  It may seem difficult at first, but once you get into the habit you'll notice the benefits straight away.  Take fresh fruit and/or vegetables to the office for a snack.  This doesn't mean you are limited to an apple or an orange, other fruits such as melon, pineapple, kiwis, mangos, strawberries, carrot sticks, celery, etc can be prepared at home the night before and taken to work with you.  Cook all your meals from scratch using fresh ingredients and eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.  Cut your intake of soft drinks by drinking a glass of water every time you feel like having a soda.  Try and have a healthy lunch - a light salad or bring your lunch from home, it can always be the leftovers from the night before.

While at the office take regular short breaks.  Walk around, or do some stretching exercises at your desk.  If you have to read a report, do it standing up.  Take a walk at lunchtime, even if it's just round the block a couple of times, the fresh air will do you good.

Rethink your schedule.  Could you take public transport to work?  Or walk?  Or cycle?  This will most probably benefit your bank account too!  If you already take public transport to work try getting off the bus or subway one or two stops early and walk the rest of the way.  Joining a gym isn't always the answer - it works for many people but some can't afford it or just don't have the will power to go on a regular basis.  Try and find a sport you love and maybe even get an office team together.

Strangely enough, the more active you are the more energy you'll have, brain function improves and you'll sleep better.  There is nothing better than physical exercise to combat stress.  So forget all those energy drinks you need to get through the day, cut back on caffeinated drinks and you'll reap the benefits.  Green tea has many beneficial properties and is packed full of antioxidants.  Hunger pangs are also one of the first symptoms of dehydration, so before attacking the office vending machine, drink a large glass of water first, if the hunger pangs disappear it was just thirst.

So get active - it is possible

The Fructose Controversy

There is fructose and there is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

The definition in Wikipedia for Fructose says: Fructose or fruit sugar is a simple monosaccharide found in many plants.  It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and galactose that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion.  Fructose was discovered by French Chemist Agustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut in 1847.  Pure dry fructose is a very sweet, white, odorless, crystalline solid and is the most water soluble of all the sugars.  From plant sources, fructose is found in honey, tree and vine fruits, flowers, berries, and most root vegetables.  In plants, fructose may be present as the monosaccharide and/or as a molecular component of sucrose, which is a disaccharide.

The definition in Wikipedia for High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) says:  HFCS - also called glucose-fructose syrup in the UK, glucose/fructose in Canada, Glucose/Fructose syrup in the EU and high-fructose maize syrup in other countries - comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness.  In the United States, consumer foods and products typically use HFCS as a sweetener.  It has become very common in processed foods and beverages in the US; including breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats,yogurts, soups and condiments.

HFCS consists of 24% water, and the rest sugars.  The most widely used varieties of HFCS are: HFCS 55 (mostly used in soft drinks), approximately 55% fructose and 42% glucose; and HFCS 42 (used in beverages, processed foods, cereals and baked goods), approximately 42% fructose and 53% glucose.  HFCS 90, approximately 90% fructose and 10% glucose, is used in small quantities for speciality applications, but primarily is used to blend with HFCS 42 to make HFCS 55.

Why is there so much HFCS in our diet?  Well, it all comes down to money.  Food manufacturers discovered that they could save money using HFCS instead of sugar - it is cheaper and has a longer shelf life... but that's where the "benefits" stop, and they are only for the manufacturer.

In humans, the consumption of HFCS is responsible for:

1.  Weight gain and obesity.  HFCS increases hunger so you eat more.
2.  Increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes.  Fructose interacts with the carbonated soft drinks to form carbonyls.  Carbonyls are toxic and are linked to diabetes in children.  HFCS promotes a life time risk for diabetes in children 30% risk for boys and 40% risk for girls.
3.  Hypertension and elevated "bad" cholesterol levels (LDL).
4.  HFCS and longterm liver damage - The liver turns HFCS into fat which is stored in the liver creating a condition known as "Fatty Liver".
5. Mercury exposure from HFCS.
6. Creates Insulin resistance which can lead to deadly strokes and heart attacks.
7.  Metabolic Syndrome.

In 1957 HFCS was invented by a pair of researchers named Marshall and Kooi.  Until that invention people had correctly understood that there is no fructose in corn syrup.  Corn syrup contains a different sugar molecule - glucose - which is considerably less sweet than fructose.  Marshall and Kooi developed an enzyme called glucose isomerase that could rearrange the molecular structure of the glucose in corn syrup, and convert it into fructose.  The syrup became sweeter when the glucose was converted to fructose by the enzyme.  HFCS began to be produced on an industrial scale in the 1970s.

According to a USDA report from 1997 in 1970 sucrose (table sugar) accounted for 83% of sweeteners consumed by Americans and by 1997 sucrose accounted for only 43% the rest was HFCS (=56% of sweeteners consumed by Americans).  In another USDA report covering the period of 1970-2003 showed consumption per capita of sucrose versus HFCS in the United States.  The consumption table showed that sucrose consumption fell rapidly while HFCS consumption climbed steadily.  Dr. Alan Gaby (Nutritional Medical Specialist) said:

"The increase in HFCS consumption far exceeds the increase in intake of any other food or food group."

Diabetes is a chronic disease that inflicts nearly 24 million people in the United States and it is understood that approximately 5.7 million Americans remain undiagnosed and on top of that there are and estimated 57 million pre-diabetics.  Here are the projections for the increase in cases of diabetes by country for the year 2030 according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (For more information per country you can visit Diabetes statistics by country:

Country	2000	2030
Brazil	4,553,000	11,305,000
Colombia	883,000	2,425,000
Ecuador	341,000	921,000
Mexico	2,179,000	6,130,000
France	1,710,000	2,645,000
Germany	2,627,000	3,771,000
Italy	4,252,000	5,374,000
Spain	2,717,000	3,752,000
UK & N.I.	1,765,000	2,668,000

As you can see they are quite worrying figures.

Insulin resistance is the primary problem with diabetes.  HFCS has been shown to increase insulin resistance which means consumption of HFCS will worsen your diabetes if you already have it or if you are pre-diabetic, it can affect your immune system to the extent that it succumbs to the disease.  However, it is a good idea to keep in mind that some of the major risk factors for diabetes (heredity, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, an unhealthy diet, high cholesterol and high blood pressure) are in your power to change.  A healthier lifestyle which avoids the consumption of HFCS will lower 3 of those risk factors: obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Another worrying health problem is metabolic syndrome.  This is a condition characterized by disorders of lipoprotein metabolism (high cholesterol and triglycerides), hypertension, and hyperglycemia (abnormally high concentrations of glucose in blood).  This syndrome afflicts more than 50 million Americans.  Metabolic Syndrome is the result of the continual influx of HFCS products, which creates insulin resistance.

In 2007, a study from Yale University of Medicine stated "Insulin-resistant individuals in their study were found to have their carbohydrate energy rerouted to liver fat production.  This process elevated the participants' blood triglycerides by as much as 60%, while lowering their HDL (good) cholesterol by 20%".

So, as this is turning into a very long post, I'd just like to finish up by saying two things:

1.  There is nothing to gain from the consumption of HFCS - nothing at all.
2.  Please do not confuse HFCS with naturally occurring fructose in fruits, vegetables, breads and grains which are not harmful to the body although HIGH fructose fruits, vegetables, breads and grains should be used in moderation.

Know Your Sugars

All the information thrown at us by food manufacturers can be confusing and reading an ingredient list can be down right misleading.  Instead of writing words that mean something to the person buying the product, they use numbers usually beginning with an E that has no meaning to the general public or a name that is impossible to pronounce.  One piece of advice is: If you can't pronounce it or if it has a number in it then DON'T EAT IT!

One of the big dangers in our diet in modern society and especially in the west is sugar.  It may be delicious and appealing but it does us no good at all.  So if you are interested in understanding a bit more about the sugars in our diet then read on...  Dr. Marcola sums it up brilliantly:

1.  Dextrose, fructose and glucose are simple sugars or monosaccharides.  Glucose and dextrose are basically the same, however, the commonly used term for them in ingredient lists is dextrose.  The difference between these three is the way the body metabolizes them.

2. Simple sugars can be combined to form more complex sugars such as disaccharide sucrose, commonly known as table sugar which is half glucose and half fructose.

3. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. (I'll get back to this in another post - there is a lot to be said about HFCS).

4.  Sugar alcohols such as xylitol, glycerol, sorbitol, Maltitol, mannitol, and erythritol are not either sugar or alcohol but are used as sweeteners.  For the most part they are incompletely absorbed in the small intestine, therefore providing fewer calories than sugar but can often cause intestinal problems such as bloating, flatulence and diarrhea.

5.  Sucralose (Splenda) is NOT a sugar, it is a chlorinated artificial sweetener similar to aspartame and saccharin, and is damaging to health.

6.  Agave Syrup, this one is confusing as it is promoted as "natural" but is typically highly processed and is usually 80% fructose.   The end product does not resemble the original agave plant in any way, shape or form.

7.  Honey is about 53% fructose but is completely natural in its raw form and contains many health benefits when used in moderation.  Among others it contains as many antioxidants as spinach.

8.  There are natural sweeteners such as Stevia (in the photo) or Lo Han (or Luo Han Guo).  Stevia is derived from the leaf of the South American Stevia plant and Lo Han is derived from a fruit.

It is much better to stick to the the natural sweeteners if you have a sweet tooth.  All artificial sweeteners are harmful to health.  Or you could try kicking the sugar habit and take control of your health.  Watch this space for more information on kicking the sugar habit and HFCS.

Forks over Knives

This week I read an article on food and diet in an English newspaper... it wasn't particularly good but a comment left by another reader did catch my eye.  The comment suggested that we should all watch the film Forks over Knives.  I googled it and found it easily online... and for free!

I then sat riveted for the next 96 minutes.  Two doctors in the USA were advocating the benefits of a vegan diet and the dangers of milk produce.

Now, I have never been in favor of milk produce but I admit I have always been a little judgmental of vegetarian and vegan diets.  It has always worried me that vegetarians and vegans are lacking in certain proteins, vitamins and minerals.

It turns out I was wrong.

Not just in this film, but in others such as Hungry for Change or Food Matters it has been proven that none of us (as in the general public) really know how to eat correctly or the dangers of our modern diet.  The amount of chemical compounds we are ingesting is frightening (chemical sweeteners and "E" additives) not to mention Monosodium Glutamate which makes food "taste better" are seriously damaging our health.  Monosodium Glutamate is used to fatten mice in lab tests on obesity.  Yes, they actually need to fatten the mouse first as mice are not usually obese.  Refined foods where all the goodness has been extracted in the refining process and bleaches used to whiten foods are unfortunately, on our daily menu.  Fast food is quicker and easier to obtain than shopping, preparing and cooking a meal from scratch.

Anyway, I could rattle on for hours about additives and "E" numbers which contribute to, among many other things, hyperactivity in children, and don't even get me started on aspartame which can cause cancer.

Forks over Knives, gives a clear picture into the effect food has on our bodies, especially where heart disease is concerned and how a simple change in our diet could ward off horrendous diseases such as this and cancer.  In some cases a change in diet has even meant a reversal in heart disease and in others the disappearance of Type II Diabetes and the opportunity to become so healthy you can even stop taking medicines!

The truth of the matter is, we need to change the way we eat and for a better understanding of this I urge you all to watch Forks over Knives... you can click here to watch the movie: Forks over Knives

I would also really love to hear your feedback on this, as I find it extremely interesting.

Food Intolerances

Food intolerances are not to be confused with food allergies. 

Food allergies are an adverse immune response to a food protein and are different from other adverse responses such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions and toxin-mediated responses.  Food allergies occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a protein as a threat, the proteins that are resistant to digestion are tagged by the Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and considered harmful by the immune system which triggers an allergic reaction believing it is under attack.  Allergic reactions to food can range from mild to severe and symptoms include dermatitis, gastrointestinal and respiratory distress and can even become life-threatening anaphylactic responses such as biphasic anaphylaxis and vasodilation, which must receive immediate emergency intervention.  Frequent foods associated with allergies are nuts, shellfish, fish, peanuts, soya, milk, gluten and eggs. 

Food intolerances or non-allergic hypersensitivity to food is a term used for varied physiological responses associated with a particular food, or compound found in a range of foods.

Food intolerances can be classified according to their mechanism.  Some intolerances can result from the absence of a specific chemical or enzyme needed to digest a food substance as in lactose intolerance, the enzyme lactase is missing and therefore the lactose in milk can not be digested by the body.  Another example is hereditary fructose intolerance.

Non-IgE mediated food hypersensitivity (food intolerance) is more chronic, less acute, less obvious in its symptoms, and quite often far more difficult to diagnose than a food allergy.  Food intolerance can be difficult to diagnose as the body’s response to the offending food is often a slow response which takes place over a prolonged period of time.  Lots of people do not even realize that food is causing their health problems; gases, headaches, diarrhea, constipation, sluggishness, a constant feeling of being tired, problematic digestions that seem to go on all day, stomach ache, obesity, etc.. A lot of these complaints are put down to stress, working long hours, not sleeping enough or a lack of exercise. 

If food intolerances go untreated, overtime they can produce more serious illnesses such as IBS and diverticulitis.  However, the good news is that they are very easy to treat.  There are now many clinics that do intolerance tests but don’t be fooled by apparently easy tests.  The only way to truly identify a food intolerance is through a specific blood test done at a respectable clinic that ensures it is a food intolerance test.

Treatment consists quite simply of removing the foods which have tested positive for intolerance for a certain period of time, and tailoring a diet which is specific for each person – no two people are the same so no one diet works for everyone.  After the set period of time, the foods can be slowly reintroduced one at a time.  Some people won’t have a problem reintroducing foods, others may find there are one or more that they can not reintroduce as they effect their health straight away.

Once the foods that have tested positive for intolerance are removed, and together with the taylor-made diet, several positive things happen; people experience an improvement in their general health straight away, gases disappear as does sluggishness and constant tiredness, they sleep better at night and have more energy during the day and headaches disappear or become less frequent and there is also the added benefit that they lose weight easily.  These are all positive experiences that better people’s general health and wellbeing.