Be careful with that Halloween candy!

It seems lately that unhealthy foods are being closely related to brain function - and not in a good way.  I recently wrote about how junk food can make you stupid.  Well, with Halloween this week - sugar takes another blow.

I have spoken before about HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) which is basically a chemical form of sugar, but on a much cheaper, unhealthy level.  HFCS has now been associated not just with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, etc., but also with memory disfunction and brain inflammation which leads to dementia and more.

These findings come from a recent study lead by Scott Kanoski and published in Hippocampus.  The study involved 76 adolescent rats that were allowed to consume large quantities of liquid solutions containing sugar or HFCS in concentrations comparable to popular sugar-sweetened drinks, those rats experienced memory problems and brain inflammation, and became pre-diabetic.  Adult rats who were fed the same sugary drinks did not develop the same problems, neither did adolescent rats who did not consume sugar.

This means that adolescents are at a greater risk of problems associated with the consumption of HFCS than adults.

"The brain is especially vulnerable to dietary influences during critical periods of development, like adolescence," said Scott Kanoski, corresponding author of the study and assistant professor at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Sugar in large quantities is toxic for the human body, especially inflammatory sugars like HFCS.  The average American teenager gets a huge 17% of their calories from added sugars alone.  That adds up to almost 1/5 of their diet from refined inflammatory sugars.

HFCS is also responsible for provoking leptin resistance.  Leptin is the hormone which helps us to know when we are full.  This leads to overeating, spiked blood sugar levels, and leads to obesity and diabetes.

Obviously there is a huge marketing plan in place to try and make HFCS seem inoffensive - a huge section of the market is at stake here and it is understandable that the manufacturers of HFCS are trying to protect their income and make their product seem healthy or at least - not so dangerous.

One of their messages is that it is the same as normal sugar.  However, it isn't.  Dr. Mark Hyman
explains this:

"HFCS and cane sugar are NOT biochemically identical or processed the same way by the body. High fructose corn syrup is an industrial food product and far from “natural” or a naturally occurring substance. It is extracted from corn stalks through a process so secret that Archer Daniels Midland and Carghill would not allow the investigative journalist Michael Pollan to observe it for his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The sugars are extracted through a chemical enzymatic process resulting in a chemically and biologically novel compound called HFCS. Some basic biochemistry will help you understand this. Regular cane sugar (sucrose) is made of two-sugar molecules bound tightly together– glucose and fructose in equal amounts.The enzymes in your digestive tract must break down the sucrose into glucose and fructose, which are then absorbed into the body. HFCS also consists of glucose and fructose, not in a 50-50 ratio, but a 55-45 fructose to glucose ratio in an unbound form. Fructose is sweeter than glucose. And HFCS is cheaper than sugar because of the government farm bill corn subsidies. Products with HFCS are sweeter and cheaper than products made with cane sugar. This allowed for the average soda size to balloon from 8 ounces to 20 ounces with

little financial costs to manufacturers but great human costs of increased obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease.Now back to biochemistry. Since there is there is no chemical bond between them, no digestion is required so they are more rapidly absorbed into your blood stream. Fructose goes right to the liver and triggers lipogenesis (the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol) this is why it is the major cause of liver damage in this country and causes a condition called “fatty liver” which affects 70 million people."

So, if you are handing out sweets this Halloween, try buying healthier sweets that don't contain HFCS.  They may not realize it, but you will be doing those children a favor.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

The science behind fasting

It should be a well known fact that our bodies were designed for famine and not for abundance.  As you well know from reading this blog, our digestive systems have not changed in over 10,000 years.

10,000 years ago life was a lot different than it is now.  Humans were known as hunter-gatherers, in other words, they lived off what foods they could gather - fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.  Every now and again they might be lucky enough to catch an animal.  Catching an animal also meant "feasting" as they would have had to eat it as quickly as possible as there was no way of preserving it.

However, nowadays we live - in the Western World at least, in a time of abundance.  Food is constantly available to us 24/7, and most of it isn't healthy.  Anything labeled a "convenience" food or anything that has been processed isn't just feasting... it's DANGEROUS.

Unfortunately, we know very little about our ancestors' health problems - if they had any at all.  They were most probably eaten by wild animals or died from being hit by a rock then to actually experience disease.  However, we do know a lot more nowadays about aging and disease and how to make ourselves healthier to avoid disease.

We know that being obese or overweight increases the risk of suffering from metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and heart disease.

There is also a huge food industry that is consistently bombarding us with advertisements
encouraging us to pour vast amounts of sugar and salt into our bodies and that GMO produce is "good" for us.

There is also a huge "diet" industry - most of which belongs to the aforementioned food industry, that tells us that low fat is good for us, that high carb diets are also good for us, and what the latest diet fad is.

If we focus on the fact that natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and animal protein are good for us, and combine that with the vast amount of knowledge we have acquired over the past couple of decades - then surely we can come up with a diet that can be very "user friendly" and not just promote weight loss but also promote better health.

Dr. Michael Mosley has done just that.  The Fast Diet, also known as the 5:2 diet is, in my opinion, a masterpiece of combining anti-aging information with food.

Dr. Mosley has spoken with a number of scientists who are analyzing the way our bodies react to aging and to other environmental factors, and how changing those environmental factors can also improve how we age.

Having read his book, "The Fast Diet" and seen the documentary he produced for the BBC, I was fascinated.  However, there was one piece of information that really got me hooked.  Michael Mosley traveled to the USA and spoke to Dr. Valter Longo, director of the University of Southern California's Longevity Institute.  Dr. Longo is passionate about the science of fasting.  The reason why he feels the way he does is that his research, and that of many others also, has shown the amazing range of measurable health benefits acquired from fasting.  Going without food for even quite short periods of time switches on a number of repair genes which, as Dr. Longo explained, can provide some longterm benefits:

"There is a lot of initial evidence to suggest that temporary periodic fasting can induce changes that can be beneficial against aging and disease.  You take a person, you fast them, after 24 hours everything is revolutionized.  And even if you took a cocktail of drugs, very potent drugs, you will never even get close to what fasting does.  The beauty of fasting is that it's all coordinated," Dr. Longo says.

It all comes down to the levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).  IGF-1 is what makes your body's cells multiply continuously.  However, Valter has discovered that during fasting the body reduces the production of IGF-1 and instead of multiplying cells like crazy, the body begins to repair damaged areas.  When you are young and growing, you need adequate levels of IGF-1 and other growth factors, however, high levels in later life appear to lead to accelerated aging and cancer.

There is a vast history of fasting in many cultures - this is not something new.  There are cultures that fast for long periods of time.  However, for many of us in our abundance orientated world are horrified at the prospect of skipping a single meal.

"I've been so busy today I didn't even have time for lunch!" we frequently hear.

What we need to do is to change our way of thinking.  The Fast Diet makes fasting easy; 5 days a week you eat normally and the other 2 days you severely restrict your calories to 600Kcal/day for men and 500Kcal/day for women.  Michael Mosley found this idea much easier to work with than say fasting for 4 days every 2-3 months or even alternate day fasting.

The 2 fasting days do not have to be consecutive, they can be whichever days you choose.  You can work them into your diary so it works for you.  You can have all your calories in one meal or you can have two smaller meals (breakfast and dinner).  But the idea is to go for as long as possible between meals.  The Fast Diet has proved to be a good weight loss plan, BUT also has the added benefits of improved health and reduced aging.

For more information you can visit the website: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/

So what are you waiting for?

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Sex or cake?

Yes, you heard me right!  Apparently one in six women would give up sex forever in exchange for a slice of their favorite cake.  A surprising "study" or survey has come to light in the United Kingdom, people are actually willing to give up essential things in favor of eating... cake.  Some of the things they are willing to give up are: their car, mobile phone, the internet, and wine.

The survey also found that cake is used as a tool to get what they want.  One in eight have brought cakes into their office to get their way with their boss, while 11% of men have tried to win a woman's heart with a cake - compared to 7% of women.

It was also revealed that 9% of men are willing to give up sex for cake, compared to 16% of women, and a quarter would be willing to delete their Twitter and Facebook accounts and never watch their favorite TV show again... just for a slice of cake.

So which is really better for you?  Cake or sex?

Well, cake contains (depending on the recipe): butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, milk, chocolate and flour...  If you read this blog on a regular basis you will know I am not a fan of milk or sugar.  Cow's milk is downright dangerous to health  and sugar... well we all know the dangers of too much sugar in our diets.  Eating sugar has exactly the same reaction in the brain to cocaine.  Refined white flour has no nutritional value what so ever - neither does sugar.  Anything that has been refined has been stripped of it's goodness first so it doesn't "give" you anything.  Also refined carbs make you fat.  Yes, it has been proven on many occasion that it isn't saturated fat that is making us fat but refined carbohydrates.  Also eating too many carbs can cause insulin resistance and the onset of type II diabetes.  Margarine is full of trans fats which are far more dangerous than natural fats.  The butter and eggs are the least dangerous but when mixed with the refined flour and sugar, cause havoc on the digestive system.  Dark natural chocolate isn't too bad either as long as it is organic.

Now, the benefits of sex (here are just 7, but there are many more):

1. Helps keep your immune system working.  People who have sex have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses, and other intruders.  Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often.  Also, "Sexually active people take fewer sick days," says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD - a sexual health expert.
2. Lowers your blood pressure.  Research suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, says Joseph J. Pinzone, MD, CEO and medical director of Amai Wellness.  "There have been many studies," he says. "One landmark study found that sexual intercourse specifically lowered systolic blood pressure."
3. Sex is exercise.  Sex uses about five calories per minute, four more calories than watching TV.  It bumps up your heart rate and uses various muscles.  Now this doesn't mean you don't need to do traditional exercise, but it definitely has added benefits.
4. Lowers heart attack risk.  A good sex life is good for your heart.  Besides being a great way to raise your heart rate, sex helps keep your estrogen and testosterone levels in balance.  In one study it was found that men who had sex at least twice a week were half as likely to die of heart disease as men who had sex rarely.
5. Sex lessens pain.  Try swapping painkillers for an orgasm!  Stimulation without orgasm can also do the trick but "Orgasm can block pain," says Barry R. Komisaruk, PhD.
6. Improves sleep.  Most find it very easy to fall asleep after having sex.  "After orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released, which is responsible for the feelings of relaxation and sleepiness after sex," says Sheenie Ambardar, MD, a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, California.
7. Eases Stress.  Being close to your partner can soothe stress and anxiety.  Sex and intimacy can boost your self-esteem and happiness too, it's not only a prescription for a healthy life, but a happy one too!

So, cake or sex?  I know which one I choose!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Is your smart phone making you fat?

How many of you get into bed with your smart phone?  My husband spends hours answering emails and reading on his iPhone.  Well it could not only disrupt your sleep but make you fat as well.  Yes, your smart phone could be responsible for your weight gain.

I have spoken before about the importance of sleep for good health and how the type of light emitted but smart phones, laptops and tablets can disrupt your sleep patterns by making the brain think it is still daylight.  However, it seems it goes deeper still.  The disruption of our body cycles by blue light can not only stop us sleeping well it can also make us fat.  How?  By not sleeping well!

Experts are saying that the light from gadget screens, computers and even street lights, can cause weight gain because it harms the production of melatonin or the "sleep hormone".

Healthy levels of melatonin promote regular sleep patterns, which helps the body to turn food and drink into energy efficiently.

The body's sleep cycles become disturbed when the production of melatonin is harmed, and this stops the body processing foods adequately.

A new study carried out by investigators at Manchester University, is analyzing how regulating sleep patterns might help people who already have diabetes - a disease associated to obesity.  Although the study is far from finished, the team has already found a link between circadian patterns (the regulation of our internal clocks and our sleep) and diseases like obesity and diabetes.

Dr. Simon Kyle, a sleep researcher at Manchester University's School of Psychological Sciences, said
that blue light - the kind emitted by phones and laptops - is the most damaging to our sleep, and consequently affects our metabolism, and concludes that improving sleep could help stem the obesity epidemic.

"We are interested in how an alteration in the sleep - wake pattern may be involved in the onset of diabetes and obesity and if, when you improve the timing of sleep, you can also have a positive effect on conditions like diabetes and obesity.

"A lot of people are interested in this at the moment given that as a 24-hour society, sleep deprivation is increasing and we are exposing ourselves to artificial light at night.

"We are trying to extend the waking day into our sleep period and there is not enough protection of sleep.

"There is a lot of research showing we are meant to be asleep at night, when darkness falls and melatonin rises, and when the sun rises the melatonin is blocked by the sun.  This light-dark cycle is good for our bodies to predict changes in the environment." Says Dr. Simon Kyle.

Manchester University isn't the only one studying the effects of light, sleep and melatonin production.  Scientists at the University of Granada, Spain, have discovered that melatonin injections helped combat obesity and diabetes in rats by regulating their systems.

Earlier research from the US has suggested that using a computer or smart phone at night can cause weight gain as it increases hunger levels - even after a person has eaten a satisfying meal.

Results of the US study show that blue-enriched light exposure, compared with dim light exposure, was associated with an increased in hunger that began 15 minutes after light onset and was still present almost 2 hours after the meal.

Ivy Cheung of Northwestern University, Chicago and co-author of the study said;

"A single three-hour exposure to blue-enriched light in the evening actually impacted hunger and glucose metabolism." 

Dr. Kyle advises against using phones, tablets and laptops in the evening before bed.  My advice would be to also sleep in as dark a room as possible.  You can take melatonin supplements but I would advise to start taking as low a dose as possible and see how it works for you.  You can up the dose if need be.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com  

Junk food makes you stupid.

If I haven't given you enough reason to give up junk food already... here's another one.  Junk food can make you stupid as well as fat!

Researchers have found that 14-year-olds who had a higher intake of junk food scored lower in cognitive tests by the time they were 17 years old.

The study found that participants who had a higher intake of take-away food, fried potatoes, red and processed meat and soft drinks had negative associations that affected their reaction time, mental ability, visual attention, learning and memory.

Those participants were compared to participants who had a higher intake of fruits and leafy green vegetables.  The healthier eating participants had a positive cognitive performance.

Researcher Dr. Anett Nyaradi told Science Network that this difference could be due to the increased mircronutrient content found in leafy green vegetables, which has been shown to enhance cognitive development.  She went on to explain that several factors may be involved in the diet-related decline in cognitive skills, including the higher level of omega-6 fatty acids in fried foods and red meat.

Science Network explained that the metabolic pathways function best with a balanced 1:1 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but the western diet shifts this ratio to 1:20 or 1:25 ratio.

Dr. Nyaradi aslo explained that a high intake of saturated fat and simple carbohydrates has been linked to impairment in the functioning of the hippocampus, the part of the brain centrally involved in learning and memory that increases its volume during adolescence.

"Adolescence represents a critical time period for brain development.  It is possible that poor diet is a significant risk factor during this period... indeed, our findings support this proposition," she said.  "These findings have important implications for future health policies and health promotion programs."

 And it isn't just adolescents.  In another study 4,000 Scottish children between the ages of 3 and 5 were examined to compare the intelligence dampening effects of fast food consumption versus meals made at home with fresh ingredients.

It was found that higher fast food consumption by the children was linked with lower intelligence, even after adjustments were made for wealth and social status.

Another Australian study from the University of Adelaide, published in August 2012, showed that toddlers who consume junk food grow less smart as they get older.  The study included 7,000 children who were examined at the ages of 6 months, 15 months, and 2 years to examine their diet.  When the children were examined again at 8 years of age, those consuming the most unhealthy diet had IQs up to 2 points lower than children eating a healthy diet.

So, what do you want for yourself and your family?

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com