High fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup linked to cardiovascular disease in children, teens

Adolescents who consume foods and beverages containing high fructose corn syrup already have, present in their blood, evidence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes according to a recent study. The results of the new study, to be published in February 2012 in The Journal of Nutrition, provide strong scientific evidence of the negative health consequences of fructose on the human body.

Health consequences of HCFS show up early

An investigation by scientists from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU) followed 559 children ages 14-18. The study subjects' dietary habits were measured; their blood analyzed and blood pressure, body fat and other health measurements taken. The researchers found a correlation between high-fructose diets and markers for heart and vascular disease such as higher blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin resistance, levels of C - reactive protein, related to inflammation.

Teens whose diets included more HFCS also had lower levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and of the fat burning hormone adiponectin. In addition, study subjects who often consumed the industrial sweetener were more likely to have midsection fat, referred to as visceral adiposity, another known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. More generalized fat distribution does not appear to have a link to HFCS or the other health risk factors.

Norman Pollock, assistant professor of pediatrics at GHSU and co-lead author of the study said that "There is not much data in children and adolescents," although "adolescents consume the most fructose so it's really important to not only measure the levels of fructose but to look at what it might be doing to their bodies currently and, hopefully, to look at cardiovascular disease outcomes as they grow."

Re-shaping teen diets

Dr. Vanessa Bundy, a pediatric resident at MCG as well as co-lead author of the study, stated "It is so very important to provide a healthy balance of high-quality food to our children and to really pay close attention to the fructose and sucrose they are consuming at their home or anyone else's. The nutrition that caregivers provide their children will either contribute to their overall health and development or potentially contribute to cardiovascular disease at an early age," Bundy also pointed out that parents can help their teens by modeling good health habits, including both nutritious dietary choices and regular exercise.

Bundy also remarked on a truth that alternative health experts have long known but official medical science and health regulatory agencies have been slow to acknowledge: "Fructose itself is metabolized differently than other sugars and has some byproducts that are believed to be bad for us. The overall amount of fructose that is in high fructose corn syrup is not much different than the amount in table sugar but it's believed there's something in the syrup processing that plays a role in the bad byproducts of metabolism."

Previous studies involving animals have had similar results to the Georgia study, but evidence of a direct health link among children between HCFS and health problems may finally spur action to limit adolescent consumption of the sweetener. Pollock noted "Ultimately we want to use this paper and other papers to kind of change politically how food is distributed into the schools, and the types of foods, to cut down on these specific types of foods with high fructose corn syrup in them."

Pollock also pointed out that the study he and his team conducted was unusual in its focus on the total amount of fructose consumed in the diet. "A unique aspect of our study design is that we took into account the fructose released from sucrose during digestion along with the fructose found in foods and beverages. Because sucrose is broken down into fructose and glucose before it arrives at the liver for metabolism, it is important to consider the additional fructose from sucrose when determining the overall health effect of fructose."

Amaranth Raw Chocolate balls

After popping some amaranth for my niece it gave me the idea to add it to my raw chocolate dessert I often make.  These raw super powder chocolate balls are one of my favorite healthy desserts/food.  

I made a few alterations and additions from my usual recipe. 

You can find the recipe by clicking my previous blog with photos here~~~> Coconutty-frozen-banana-chocolate-balls

Here are the ingredients I used for this recipe:

• 1/2 cup of raw cocoa powder 
• 1/2 cup carob powder
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup Pecans
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 heap tsp organic raw Lucuma powder
• 2 heap tsp organic raw Maca powder
• 1 tsp dear antler powder 
• 1 heap tsp Mucuna powder
• 1/2 tsp Shilajit powder
• Himalayan salt (a pinch in 3tbs of warm water...to use a tbs of the water)
• 9 dates
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 raw vanilla bean
• 1 frozen bananas chopped up into bite size pieces
• amaranth (if you haven't tasted popped amaranth...it tastes like popcorn!)

Recipe:

The recipe remained the same as the previous blog.  Blended all the nuts, and mixed in all the powders. I blended the almond milk and the vanilla bean seeds with the dates into sweet paste. I then added it to the dry ingredients, along with the coconut oil and mixed it well with my hand. Because the mix was a little sticky, I let it sit in the fridge for half an hour.  It firmed up a bit because of the coconut oil that is a solid at temps under 75 degrees F. Being winter, my coconut oil remains a solid in the kitchen, so I put the glass container in a bowl of hot water to slowly melt as much as I need. At that point it was easy to mold into the balls, and sticky enough to roll in the amaranth and coconut flakes. 
I made 4 variates. One plain, just rolled in coconut flakes. One plain rolled in popped amaranth (see blog about it here~~~> amaranth), one first rolled in amaranth then coconut flakes (I gave them one more roll to make sure the coating stays, and the last with frozen banana pieces inside rolled in coconut flakes (I didn't re-roll them which is why they appear whiter).

 The chocolate balls covered in amaranth on top half and the ones with both amaranth and coconut on the bottom half

 

The plain chocolate balls on the left side, and the banana filled ones on the right side

 An amaranth coated one

 One coated in both amaranth and coconut flakes

           The banana center chocolate ball...looks much like the plain ones but bigger

Anti-Aging

Anti-Aging Miracle Supplements

I found this article very interesting.  As we get older, we all want to age gracefully.  This article mentioned some basic health tips and shares supplements that help boost the anti-aging process.

By Pina LoGiudice ND, LAc and Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc
Directors of Inner Source Health

As naturopathic physicians, we always tell our patients that no one product in a bottle will, by itself, ever reverse the signs of aging. Healthy aging is a function of adequate water intake, eating healthy foods (eating “the colors of the rainbow” and limiting calories), not smoking, daily exercise, keeping positive relationships in your life, doing what you love, and avoiding environmental toxins.

The Naturopathic Pillars for Healthful Aging:

• adequate water intake
• eating healthy foods
• limiting calories
• not smoking
• daily exercise
• healthy relationships
• doing things you love
• avoiding toxins

While aging affects us all, how we age is different for everyone. In our practice, some of the most common aesthetic concerns tend to center around wrinkles, varicose veins, as well as weak and thinning hair.

With the aforementioned pillars of good health in place, some supplements can play a strong role by helping to tip the odds in your favor. Here, we’ll discuss three conditions of normal aging, and the supplements you can use to minimize them.

Wrinkles? Try GTF Chromium.

GTF stands for glucose tolerance factor, a complex molecule that has the mineral chromium. GTF chromium is found naturally in the body and works by making insulin more efficient. Insulin is a hormone that helps sugar move into the cells from the blood stream. GTF chromium helps insulin work its best and may aide in fighting wrinkles by controlling blood sugar.

How Aging Can Make You "Crusty"

Blood sugar in the body can damage body tissues and contribute to aging. Blood sugar crystals are involved in glycation reactions: glycation reactions are basically reactions where the sugar melds with protein in our body tissues (like in blood vessels, for example) and breaks them down. This reaction creates Advanced Glycation Endproducts (aptly called “AGES”) and is a major player in the aging of our tissues – and ages your body the way bread gets crusty. The more AGES you have, the more you get “crusty” and age.

GTF chromium helps control the sugar spikes that can damage the vessels that keep your skin looking young and vital.  GTF chromium is naturally found in the food Brewers yeast. An optimal dose of GTF chromium is 500mcg (micrograms) once or twice a day. As a side note, more women tend to stop smoking when they learn smoking greatly increase wrinkles.

Hesperidin for Varicose Veins

Veins are the vessels in our body that carry blood away from tissues, and back to the heart and lungs. Varicose veins happen when this natural piping loses its strength and becomes bent and out of shape. Varicose veins usually look like dark purple, worm-like bumps under skin. While genetics can play some role in how severe these can show up for us as we age, we also know that excessive constipation, poor nutrition and being overweight can also play a role.

Flavonoids are natural plant pigments with amazing healthful properties. Hesperidin is a specific bioflavonoid found in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges, and is found particularly in the peel as well as the white stringy area. In essence, the parts we tend to throw away are chock full of this bioflavonoid.  Hesperidin helps your veins by increasing venous tone (tightness) and reducing stasis, which is the pooling of poorly moving blood in the veins. Hesperidin also seems to lower inflammation in the vein as well.  

To work most effectively, we recommend our patients take 50mg hesperidin per day. It seems to work even more effectively in combination with another flavonoid called diosmin, which can be dosed at 450mg a day. One study looked at over 5000 people with vein problems like varicose veins, and found those who took hesperidin and diosmin for 6 months had clear improvement.

While hesperidin may not completely get rid of the varicose veins that are already well established, it may help stop them from growing larger and will help prevent others from showing up. According to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, hesperidin and diosmin was safe and effective in pregnancy, a time when women do tend to get varicose veins from the weight of the baby causing pressure on the veins coming from the legs.

Black Currant for Weak and Thinning Hair

Black currant fruits and juice, known to be rich in a specific flavonoid called anthocyanoside, are commonly consumed in many parts of the world and contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA). GLA can help in a number of different circumstances including eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, premenstrual syndrome, and attention deficit disorder.

GLA helps strengthen hair and decreases breakage by helping to decrease the effect of imbalanced hormonal effects, which weaken and thin your hair. A typical supplemental dose is 500mg twice a day.  

Healthy Bones

Understand the calcium myth; here's what really makes healthy bones

For years we have been taught that calcium was the great solution to weakened bones. Pre and post-menopausal women are recommended to take calcium supplements to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis. New research has shown that the theory of calcium supplementation improving bone health is a myth.

Calcium is the cornerstone mineral in bones. However, calcium consumption does not build bones. Countries with the highest dietary calcium consumption (US, Canada, & Scandinavian countries) have the highest rates of osteoporosis.

A recent meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal showed that calcium supplementation actually increased the risk of heart attacks. This study and others have looked at individuals taking calcium supplements in isolation without other key nutrients that play a role in calcium homeostasis.

New research has shown that very little dietary calcium actually makes it into bones. Experts estimate that it is around 1-2% at best. Many forms of calcium such as coral calcium, oyster shell calcium, calcium citrate and calcium carbonate are not metabolized well in the body. These forms of calcium are not well tolerated and form small rocks that get deposited in the soft tissue structures of the body.

Nanobacteria use the little calcium blocks to form hard shells of calcium phosphate as protection against the body's immune system. This is similar to a snail using a shell as a form of armor from predators. This encapsulation provides a hiding spot for pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites. This promotes a continual inflammatory process in the area around the calcium shell creating plaque formation.

Proper Calcium Mineralization Depends upon Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2

These nutrients stimulate the activity of the osteoblastic protein osteocalcin. Osteocalcin acts to strongly absorb and selectively place calcium from the bloodstream into the bone matrix. This acts like a vacuum, creating a very strong pull that sucks the excess calcium stones out of the bloodstream and possibly out of mineralized plaques.

Osteocalcin only becomes active when adequate levels of vitamin K2 are present. Vitamin K2 and vitamin D3 also act to inhibit osteoclasts, which act to break down bone. Most individuals are both deficient in D3 and K2. This creates an environment of poor calcium metabolism that leads to weakened bones and calcium deposition in soft tissues.

The bones also need a good mix of essential minerals and fatty acids for healthy bone function. This includes plant-derived magnesium and silica as well as animal forms of saturated fat and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA & DHA.

The best forms of silica come from cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, horsetail, nettles, oat straw and alfalfa. Magnesium comes from many different sources including nuts, seeds, legumes and green vegetables. The best source of magnesium is raw, organic cacao and high quality dark chocolate.

Another powerful form of essential minerals is found in pink salts including Himalayan Salt. These salts provide ideal mineral ratios for optimal absorption and usage in the body. Sea vegetables such as kelp, dulse and other forms of seaweed and sea algae like chlorella are also fantastic sources of bone-building nutrients.

The best forms of calcium and bone building nutrients come from leafy green vegetables and fermented, raw milk products from 100-green fed cows and goats. Pasteurized forms of milk and grain-fed animals provide inflammatory fatty-acids and other metabolites that promote calcium mineralization into arterioles.

Raw cheese and fermented drinks from 100% green-fed animals provide the perfect ratio of vitamin D3, K2, calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and saturated fat. Raw cheese is perhaps the best bone building, cardio-protective food one could consume.

Vitamin D- Supplements

Being very conscious about what I put in my body, I am a subscriber to Consumer Lab. A review about Vitamin D caught my attention to share with my readers, because receiving vitamin D daily is so vital!  When living in a cold climate, making it impossible to get skin exposure to natural Vitamin D from the sun, supplementation is an option.  But in order to get the benefits we need, we need to know how good the products are. 

Below are some products reviewed by Consumer Lab that did not meet the labeling

CONSUMERLAB.COM RESULTS FOR VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTS
(INCLUDING COMBINATIONS WITH CALCIUM AND/OR VITAMIN K) 

Vitamin D Only:

NOT APPROVED

Found only 31.7% of claimed Vitamin D3

Vitafusion Vitamin D3 (2 gummy bears, 2 per day) Ingredients 

Mfd. by Northwest Natural Products, Inc.

1,000 IU (D3)

NOT APPROVED

Found only 83% of claimed Vitamin D2

DEVA Vegan Vitamin D 800 IU (1 tablet, 1 per day) Ingredients

Dist. by DEVA Nutrition, LLC

800 IU (D2)

Vegetarian and Vegan 

NOT APPROVED

Labeling Infraction³

Nature's Life D-2 2,000 IU (1 vegetarian capsule, 1 per day) Ingredients

Mfd. by NutraPure, Inc.

2,000 IU (D2)
Vegetarian  

Vitamin D, Calcium, and Vitamin K:

NOT APPROVED

Labeling Infraction⁴

Found lead contamination: 3.9 mcg and 5.2 mcg, in servings of 3 and 4 capsules, respectively

AlgaeCal Plus (2 vegetable capsules, 3 to 4 per day)² Ingredients 

Dist. by AlgaeCal Inc

1,200 to 1,600 IU (D3)
540 to 720 mg (calcium from algae)
75 to 100 mcg (K2 MK7)

NOT APPROVED

Labeling Infraction⁴

Pure Essence Labs Ionic-Fizz Super D-K Calcium Plus (1 level scoop powder [7 grams], 1 to 2 per day) Ingredients   

Dist. by Pure Essence Laboratories, Inc.

1,000 to 2,000 IU (D3)
250 to 500 mg (calcium lactate)
45 to 90 mcg (K2 MK7)  
Vegetarian
Assorted minerals  

Vitamin D and Calcium:

NOT APPROVED

Found only 43.9% of claimed Vitamin D3

Kirkman Calcium/Magnesium Liquid (2 teaspoons [10 mL], 1 per day)
Ingredients  

Mfd. by Kirkman

41 IU (D3)
311 mg (calcium carbonate)  

Vitamin D and Vitamin K: 

  

NOT APPROVED

Labeling Infraction⁴

Found only 73.6% of Vitamin K2 

DaVinci Laboratories of Vermont Vitamin K2 Plus (1 capsule, 1 to 2 per day) Ingredients   

Dist. by DaVinci Laboratories of Vermont

200 to 400 IU (D3)
50 to 100 mcg (K2 MK7)   

Consumer Tips:

What to Consider When Buying:
Before buying a vitamin D supplement, be aware that vitamin D can be obtained in sufficient amounts from exposure to sunlight, fortified milk (400 IU per quart or 100 IU per cup), and other fortified foods (e.g., many breakfast cereals and nutrition bars, some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and soy beverages). Fatty fish are also good sources of vitamin D. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, and mushrooms.

Ten to fifteen minutes of sun exposure at least two times per week to the face, arms, hands, or back without sunscreen is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D. It was recently estimated that getting the equivalent of a 1,000 IU dose of vitamin D requires exposing the face, hands and arms to full sunlight at noon for 6 to15 minutes in Miami or 9 to19 minutes during non-winter months in Boston, based on a darker-skinned Caucasian. Times are shorter by about 33% for people with very fair skin and double for those with dark skin.  To get only 400 IU, times would be 40% as long. All of these exposures are significantly less than the amount required to cause sunburn. Nevertheless, the researchers who made these calculations suggest that oral supplements of vitamin D would probably represent the safest way to increase vitamin D status due to the difficulty getting just the right amount of sun exposure and the detrimental side effects of UV exposure.¹²

Furthermore, inadequate vitamin D intake is common in people who live in northern climates (north of a line from Boston to the northern border of California), especially if they are dark-skinned. Also, increased concern about skin cancer has caused people to avoid the sun or use sunscreen. This creates a potential risk of reduced vitamin D. Americans aged 50 and older are at increased risk of vitamin D insufficiency because, as people age, skin cannot synthesize vitamin D as efficiently and the kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D into its active hormone form. People who are obese also tend to have a low plasma concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, as subcutaneous fat may sequester the vitamin. Consequently, many people may benefit by taking vitamin D as a supplement either alone or in combination with a calcium supplement. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, people with reduced ability to absorb fat in the gut may also require vitamin D supplementation.

When buying vitamin D, be aware that it is measured in International Units (IU) of vitamin D activity or as micrograms of cholecalciferol (D₃) or ergocalciferol (D₂). One microgram is equivalent to 40 IU.

 

A small news article appeared in 2010 regarding research on the content of vitamin D supplements presented at a Multiple Sclerosis conference by a team at Johns Hopkins University. The results showed the mean actual dose in 10 supplements to be only 33.5% of the labeled dose, with a range from 0.24% to 81.7%. ConsumerLab.com contacted the research team to learn more about the findings. We spoke with Dr. Norman Haughey who oversaw the testing. It appears that the report was preliminary: The team had not yet performed extraction efficiency testing, i.e., making sure that they got all of the vitamin D out of the tested samples. Poor extraction recovery will yield low results and is a well-known problem with vitamin D in supplements where other components of the product can interfere with measurements. As noted earlier, we were not able to accurately measure the amount of vitamin D in one product for this reason.

 

Chlorella

Four reasons to add chlorella to your diet

Chlorella is a green algae that is considered to be one of the most powerful superfoods known to man. Chlorella contains vasts amount of chlorophyll within its cell walls. The cell walls of chlorella are tough and indigestible, so many chlorella producers break the cell walls before selling the product. Broken cell chlorella releases the nutrients inside the cell walls so the human body can use them. Besides being possibly the richest source of chlorophyll on Earth, chlorella is also very high in plant protein. Chlorella contains fifty-eight grams of protein per one hundred grams of weight. By comparison, beef and chicken have twenty-four to twenty-eight grams of protein per one hundred grams of weight. Chlorella is a pain reliever, reduces hypertension, enhances the immune system in some cases, and chelates heavy metals.

Chlorella has been found to reduce pain

In 2000, a pilot study was conducted in which fibromyalgia patients consumed 10g of a commercially available chlorella tablet and 100mL of chlorella in liquid form. Symptoms were measured at the beginning of the trial, and again after one and two months of treatment with chlorella. After two months on chlorella, the fibromyalgia patients reported a significant 22% reduction in pain and tenderness. One-third of the patients believed their health was better after taking chlorella. Scientists involved with this study stated that a full double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was warranted.

Chlorella reduces or stabilizes blood pressure, even when medication is stopped

In another clinical study, patients with hypertension were given 10g chlorella tablets and 100 mL chlorella extract for two months. Patients were taken off all blood pressure medications, then treated with chlorella. One-fourth of the patients saw a decrease in blood pressure after taking chlorella for two months. The other three-fourths did not see a rise in blood pressure, despite being taken off their blood pressure medication.

Chlorella enhances the immune system after flu shots in some adults

In a clinical trial performed in 2003, patients who had received flu shots were given chlorella to see if the algae improved immune system function. The subjects, all over the age of fifty, took either a placebo or chlorella for three weeks before being injected with a flu vaccine. At one week and three weeks after receiving the flu shots, patients between the ages of fifty and fifty-five who had been taking chlorella had two to four times more antibodies than the placebo group. Results were insignificant for older adults in the study.

Chlorella has potential as a heavy metal chelator

A study involving rats showed the potential chlorella has for counteracting heavy metal poisoning in humans. Male rats were given cadmium chloride, a toxic metal compound used in yellow dye and photocopying. Some rats were also fed chlorella powder, while other rats were used as the control group. Cadmium was found in the bloodstream, liver, kidneys, and small intestines of the rats. However, there was a remarkable increase in cadmium in the urine and feces of the chlorella-fed rats. In addition, tissue damage was less in the chlorella group. The research group concluded that chlorella can be considered an appropriate counteragent for heavy metal poisoning.

Sweet Raw Yam chips

A Sweet and Salty Raw Food Snack! Ingredients: 3 yams cold-pressed olive oil 1 tsp palm sugar Dash of cinnamonHimalayan salt Tools: Dehydrator with Teflon sheets Mandoline Slicer Oil Sprayer Recipe:

Peal Yams or Sweet Potatoes, then using the Mandoline, slice them as thinly as possible. With a Misto sprayer, spritz olive oil on the yams. You can also massage oil into yams to make sure each is well coated.  I sprayed the teflon sheet and rubbed each side of each slice.

Mix palm sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl and sprinkle over yams. Dehydrate at 115°F for about 12 hours or until the chips are crispy. 

I made one sheet with just plain Himalayan salt, and one with the cinnamon mixture. They're both delicious!  My slicer wouldn't slice them quite as thin as I wanted them, so some were more like kettle chips while the thinner ones were crispy.

 All ingredients...except the palm sugar

 Tools used

 Slicing up the yams (Sweet potatoes)

 Sliced yams (Sweet potatoes)

 I sprinkled some with just Himalayan salt

 I ground up the salt so it was very fine, for a light dusting

 Ingredients for the salty and sweet seasoning

 Sprinkled the cinnamon/palm sugar/Himalayan salt mix on one tray