When Natural Foods Aren’t Natural: Agave Nectar
Agave nectar seems to be taking the health and natural foods communities by storm. Why wouldn’t it? After all, it’s labeled as a “natural” sweetener. It’s not sugar. It’s not high fructose corn syrup. It’s mildly flavored and can therefore be used in a variety of recipes unlike honey or maple syrup with their unique flavors that can overpower a mild-flavored dish. And it’s proponents are quick to point out that that it’s lower on the glycemic index than other sweeteners. (more…)

America, it is no secret as a nation struggles with how to eat in ways that promote health in an enjoyable way. Now I want to let you in on a secret, that is not really a secret which is, this, healthy food and good taste easily go hand in hand; for real, easily.

In Philadelphia cheese steaks are practically sacred. When people visit the city, having a Philly cheese steak is a must have. Well, I made a seitan cheese steak that was delicious, even, beef eating meat eaters agreed. My recipe was inspired by Christine Pirello. If you are not familiar with her story she healed herself of a serious health problem (cancer) by changing from a S.A.D. (standard American diet) diet to a macrobiotic one. Here’s a link to numerous tasty, healthy recipes, from her PBS show. Browse freely there are about 31 pages. Plan a tasty, healthy menu. No one will feel shortchanged and there will less chance of heartburn, belching and other discomforts. Enjoy the game.

Abstract
Background

Little has been reported regarding food and nutrient intake in individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and most reports have been based on findings in select groups or individuals who self-reported having diabetes.
Objective

To describe the baseline food and nutrient intake of the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trial participants, compare participant intake to national guidelines, and describe demographic and health characteristics associated with food group consumption.
Methods

The Look AHEAD trial is evaluating the effects of a lifestyle intervention (calorie control and increased physical activity for weight loss) compared with diabetes support and education on long-term cardiovascular and other health outcomes. Participants are 45 to 75 years old, overweight or obese (body mass index [BMI]?25), and have type 2 diabetes. In this cross-sectional analysis, baseline food consumption was assessed by food frequency questionnaire from 2,757 participants between September 2000 and December 2003.
Statistical analysis

Descriptive statistics were used to summarize intake by demographic characteristics. Kruskal-Wallis tests assessed univariate effects of characteristics on consumption. Multiple linear regression models assessed factors predictive of intake. Least square estimates were based on final models, and logistic regression determined factors predictive of recommended intake.

Results
Ninety-three percent of the participants exceeded the recommended percentage of calories from fat, 85% exceeded the saturated fat recommendation, and 92% consumed too much sodium. Also, fewer than half met the minimum recommended servings of fruit, vegetables, dairy, and grains.

Conclusions
These participants with pre-existing diabetes did not meet recommended food and nutrition guidelines. These overweight adults diagnosed with diabetes are exceeding recommended intake of fat, saturated fats, and sodium, which may contribute to increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.

American Dietetic Association

Uncooked meat products enhanced with food additives may contain high levels of phosphorous and potassium that are not discernible from inspection of food labels, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). This can make it difficult for people to limit dietary phosphorous and potassium that at high levels are harmful to kidney disease patients.

Kidney disease patients on dialysis must watch their intake of dietary phosphate so that their blood phosphate levels do not rise. This is important because high blood phosphate levels may cause premature death in dialysis patients. Kidney disease patients also must limit their intake of potassium, because high blood potassium levels can cause sudden death.

One growing source of dietary phosphorous and potassium is through “enhanced” fresh meat and poultry products. These foods are injected with a solution of water with sodium and potassium salts (particularly phosphates) as well as antioxidants and flavorings. While ingesting phosphates and potassium can be dangerous for dialysis patients, there is no requirement that these ingredients be included in nutrition labels. There also have been no studies on the levels of phosphates and potassium contained in fresh meat and poultry products that have been “enhanced.”

Richard Sherman, MD, and Ojas Mehta, DO (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School), examined the potassium and phosphate content in a variety of “enhanced” and additive-free meat and poultry products available in local supermarkets. They found that products that were labeled as “enhanced” had an average phosphate concentration that was 28% higher than additive-free products, with some products almost 100% higher. Potassium content was variable. Additive-free products all contained < 387 mg of potassium per 100 gm of protein while 5 of the 25 products with additives that were studied contained at least 692 mg of potassium per 100 gm of protein (maximum 930 mg/100 gm). Most foods with phosphate and potassium additives reported the additives on the labeling; however, 8 of the 25 “enhanced” products included in the study did not list the additives.

“The burden imposed on those seeking to limit dietary phosphorus and potassium could be ameliorated by more complete food labeling by manufacturers,” the authors wrote.

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The study was funded by grants from Genzyme, Inc. and Dialysis Clinics, Inc. The authors reported no other financial disclosures.

The need to keep our food supply safe is of paramount importance.  It is absolutely necessary to eat nutritious food.  Take a peek at the list, below.

Finding Nutritious Produce

• Buy local produce
• there are organizations that will deliver organic produce to your home
• join a co-op
• grow your own vegetables when possible
• take a trip to a local farm to purchase fresh from the farm.
• By visiting a local farm you can ask questions and determine the quality of the produce and support the farmer, that’s win-win.

The Dirty Dozen

1. Peach
2. Apple
3. Bell Pepper
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes (imported)
11. Carrot
12. Pear

Lower in Pesticides (15)

1. Onion
2. Avocado
3. Sweet Corn
4. Pineapple
5. Mango
6. Asparagus
7. Sweet Peas
8. Kiwi
9. Cabbage
10. Eggplant
11. Papaya
12. Watermelon
13. Broccoli
14. Tomato
15. Sweet Potato

Federal standards for treating waste water do not govern pharmaceutical by products. Read the article here.

The medications and chemicals found from among the 36 tested for were, aside from diphenhydramine:

* the cholesterol drug gemfibrozil (Lopid), which researchers say had never before been found in wild fish;
* diltiazem (Cardizem), a medication that helps control high blood pressure;
* carbamazepine (Tegretol), a drug used for epilepsy and bipolar disorder;
* norfluoxetine, an active ingredient in the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac);
* the antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft);
* galaxolide and tonalide, common odor-enhancing ingredients in soap and other hygiene products.
Years ago, actually decades, the problem was mercury in the water…and I don’t think that ever went away, now add this.

Another reason to heal thyself.

Help for High Blood Pressure

Enter the Polypill.  Researchers want to create a pill a 3 in one that can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure in one.  article here
Truth is it has been created or should I say they have been. When we eat whole foods, contained therein is a synergistic blend of vitamins, proteins, amino acids, flavonoids, solar and lunar energy and maybe even (hopefully) love from the gardener. We cannot get this from a pill.

Run This Way

Instead of running from nature, run to nature. Nurture yourself with learning how to live in balance. It’s free. It’s the healthiest choice for yourself and the planet. Give it a try. Polypill? Try basking in the sun, or hugging a dear friend, cook yourself a meal with a big dose of love in it…you’ll be glad you did, for benefits no Polypill could ever provide.

At Continuum Wellness we offer homeopathic care and wellness coaching to promote wholeness, health and well-being.

What we eat is what makes up our hair, skin, every cell of the body and influences our very thoughts.  The article is written by a trade group and goes as far to consider HFCS.  It goes as far to say it is a “natural” product.  A total corruption of the concept and meaning of the word natural.  HFCS is a highly refined product.  It is not a naturally occuring substance and it use is implicated as causative in a number of degenerative, chronic health conditions such as diabetes and kidney disease.

This kind of article seriously reduced the credibility of the Nutrition Journal, imho.

Pure fructose frequently confused with high fructose corn syrup

New studies, ongoing misunderstanding can lead to consumer confusion

WASHINGTON, DC – As researchers continue to examine the role of sweeteners in the diet, it’s important that people understand the differences among various ingredients used in scientific studies, according to the Corn Refiners Association (CRA). Interchanging two distinctly different ingredients, such as pure fructose and high fructose corn syrup, creates factually incorrect conclusions and misleads consumers.

Recent studies using pure fructose that purport to show that the body processes high fructose corn syrup differently than other sugars due to fructose content are a classic example of this problem because pure fructose cannot be extrapolated to high fructose corn syrup. The abnormally high levels of pure fructose used in these studies are not found in the human diet.

Fructose consumption at normal human dietary levels and as part of a balanced diet has not been shown to yield such results. Moreover, human fructose intake is nearly always accompanied by the simultaneous and equivalent intake of glucose – a critical and distinguishing factor from pure fructose used in these studies.

Following are some facts about high fructose corn syrup and fructose:

* High fructose corn syrup contains approximately equal ratios of fructose and glucose. Table sugar also contains equal ratios of fructose and glucose. High fructose corn syrup and sugar are equally sweet and both contain four calories per gram.

* Fructose is a natural, simple sugar commonly found in fruits and honey. The absence of glucose makes pure fructose fundamentally different from high fructose corn syrup.

* Common dietary sources of fructose and glucose include fruits, vegetables, nuts and sweeteners (sugar, honey, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrates and agave nectar).

* There is no meaningful difference in how the body metabolizes table sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Once the combination of glucose and fructose found in high fructose corn syrup and sucrose are absorbed into the blood stream, the two types of sweetener appear to be metabolized similarly using well-characterized metabolic pathways.

* High fructose corn syrup meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s requirements for use of the term “natural.” It is made from corn, a natural grain product and contains no artificial or synthetic ingredients or color additives.

The American Medical Association in June 2008 helped put to rest a common misunderstanding about high fructose corn syrup and obesity, stating that “high fructose syrup does not appear to contribute to obesity more than other caloric sweeteners.” Even former critics of high fructose corn syrup dispelled long-held myths and distanced themselves from earlier speculation about the sweetener’s link to obesity in a comprehensive scientific review published in a recent supplement of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008 Vol. 88).

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Learn more about the latest research and facts about sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup, by visiting www.SweetSurprise.com.

Editor’s Note: Interviews available with health and industry experts available.

CRA is the national trade association representing the corn refining (wet milling) industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, ethanol, starch, bioproducts, corn oil, and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein, and fiber.

Reversing diabetes requires professional guidance and a compassionate doctor who will work you. Here is a clip of some folks who found help by using a raw food approach.

Leptin
The fatty tissue in our body serve necessary functions. One of which is to secrete hormones that regulate our appetite and metabolism. Leptin is an important adipose derived hormone. Leptin is critical in controlling the appetite. Leptin resistance is a factor in obesity. According to a published study by the University of Florida a link between overconsumption of high fructose corn syrup exerts a dampening effect on the bodies ability to respond to the important communication this substance provides within the body.

UF researchers found that rats became resistant to leptin after being fed a diet high in fructose for six months. Although there were no visible signs this change was occurring, the fructose-fed rats gained considerably more weight than rats that never ate fructose when both groups were switched to a high-fat diet.

Typically, leptin resistance develops with obesity, but this study showed that high dietary fructose causes a “silent” leptin resistance, Shapiro said. It develops undetected, but when the high-fat diet is introduced it causes greater than expected obesity.

Tips for Healthy Eating
1. If buying packaged food, read the labels and avoid products that contain high fructose corn syrup.
2. Avoid eating in between meals.
3. Eating whole foods provide a steady release of energy so that cravings are reduced.
4. Eat only when hungry.
5. Avoid eating after 6pm – 7pm.
6. Shop around for exercise dvd’s you enjoy so you can make exercise a regular habit.

full article here