Thursday, December 26, 2013

The Sugar Busters

Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women in America, with over 600,000 deaths annually. Additionally, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes and another 79 million have pre-diabetes.  According to Dr. Mercola, our sugar consumption has steadily increased from about 4 lbs per year per person in 1700, 18 lbs per year in 1800, 90 lbs per year by 1900, and more than 180 lbs per person per year by 2009.  And, its not just sugar, it is a bit more complicated than that.  Lactose intolerance was first discovered in the 1960s.  The term Fibromyalgia was coined in 1976.  The term Metabolic Syndrome came into common usage in the late 1970s.  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was first defined in 1988.  During this same time frame, Gluten Intolerance or Gluten Sensitivity became widespread and more widely known.  All this is tied to genetically modified foods which of course is tied to money and profits.  Intentionally or otherwise, America seems to be caught in a vicious cycle.  There is huge money in developing all kinds of processed foods and genetically engineered foods which are effectively  setting people up for all kinds of health problems, and even larger profits in creating all kinds of synthetic drugs to fix them - which unfortunately all come with a long list of unpleasant and sometimes permanently disabling or even fatal side effects, which we are brainwashed into thinking are acceptable risks.  And, once on this bandwagon, it is very hard to get off.

The history of sugar dates back thousands of years.  Sugarcane is a tall grass originating in New Guinea as early as 6000 BC, with its cultivation routes spreading to regions of India and Southeast Asia and east to the Pacific. It was believed to have hybridized with wild canes from India and China.  The process for pressing out the juice and boiling it into crystals.  It was introduced to Europe in the middle ages, and Columbus in turn brought it to the West Indies which proved to be a favorable growing climate.  Sugar Cane, which contains about 12-14% sucrose,  is produced in four US States, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas, with about half the production coming from Florida.  The US cane crop was 26.7 million tons in 2011 with a crop value of over $1 billion.  

Sugar was first extracted from beets by a German professor, Andreas Margraf in 1747.  Sugar beets were first brought to the US in the late 1800s, and being less expensive to produce than cane sugar, now account for about 55% of the total US sugar production compared to 45% from cane sugar. Sugar beets contain 16% sucrose and although chemically similar to the sugar from sugar cane, it is not quite the same and has different properties in baking.  Of more concern is that at least 95% of the sugar from sugar beets comes from Genetically Modified strains.  

The most deadly culprit of all however is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) which is far more harmful than either cane or beet sugar.  Sucrose, although processed and refined as white sugar, does occur naturally in many fruits and vegetables.  HFCS is synthetically engineered and does not occur naturally. In 1957, researchers Richard O. Marshall and Earl M. Kooi invented it to tailor the specifically to tailor the level of sweetness. It began to be widely marketed as a sweetener in the 1970s, gaining wide popularity until more consumer awareness in recent years has caused some to back away from it.  Corn syrup is heated and separated to break the gluten bonds, releasing starch and fiber, then the structure is reconfigured into an unbalanced isomer containing 55% fructose, 42% glucose, and 3% of other larger sugar molecules. Sucrose, by contrast is a balanced disaccharide equal amounts of glucose and fructose bonded together. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, Sucrose and HFCS do not behave the same way in the body either.  Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver, similar to the way in which alcohol is metabolized, while glucose can be metabolized by every cell of the body.  HFCS depends much more on the liver due to its unbalanced form.  It is cheaper to produce than sucrose due to the government corn subsidies.  Further, since the glucose and fructose are not bound together as in sucrose, the glucose is absorbed much more rapidly, triggering insulin spikes, while the fructose goes straight to the liver triggering production of triglycerides and cholesterol, and resulting in fatty liver, which affects 70 million people.

Not surprisingly the corn industry argues all of this and tries to proclaim that HFCS is no different or more harmful than sugar, since its use as a sweetener has resulted in huge profits for them.  Some basic problems with HFCS, not only is it synthetically engineered, most of the corn it is made from is genetically modified in the first place.  Studies have shown that foods with HFCS (which may be found in a wide range of packaged or processed foods from cereals, breads, lunch-meats, snacks, soups, condiments, sauces and more) suppress the hormone leptin which signals the body when we have had enough to eat.  And, the way HFCS is processed by the body triggers insulin resistance.  Further, testing of 20 HFCS samples from 3 different manufacturers found that 9 of them contain mercury which is often used as part of the production processed. Dr. Mercola elaborates further on the dangers of HFCS despite the fact that consumption has fallen to a 20 year low.  The corn industry is trying hard to recoup these profits by changing the name or the way it is presented on labels.  It may be listed as simply Corn Syrup, Corn Sugar, Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Iso Glucose, Chicory and Fruit Fructose or other such deceptive names, but calling it something else is not going to mitigate any of the harmful effects.    According to Dr. Oz, half of the 150 lbs of sugar per year per person we are consuming comes from HFCS.

A study published by the Journal of the American Heart Association, says that just one molecule of glucose metabolite glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) can lead to improper function of the heart.  Researchers at UC Davis have also identified a biological link between Diabetes and Heart Disease.

Sugar in any form was never meant to be consumed in these massive amounts. So how do we control our insatiable appetite for sugar?  Awareness of what you are eating is key.  Take the time to read labels.  Try to limit foods packaged in cans, bags, boxes, etc as these almost always have added sugar.   Pure natural Stevia is a good sweetener, or occasional moderate amounts of organic raw honey or maple syrup.  Be aware, however, that as explained by Dr. Mercola, artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame, Nutra-Sweet, Sweet N Low, Equal, Splenda, and more have even more harmful effects than Splenda.  Made with sucralose, Splenda is especially deceptive as  it is labeled as having 0 calories per serving, although in fact there are nearly 4 calories of pure sugar per packet which is added as a bulking added since such a tiny amount of the sucralose is needed for sweetener.  Since it is less than 5 calories, the FDA allows it to be labeled as 0 calories.This can be especially dangerous for those with diabetes or borderline high blood sugar who may use several packets per day, and/or use it for baking in the eagerly promoted recipes on Splenda's website.

Supplementation with Magnesium and Chromium may be helpful in controlling sugar cravings. In fact, cravings for chocolate may actually often be an indicator of magnesium deficiency.  High quality dark chocolate in moderate amounts (and without HFCS added) is a good source of magnesium.  Adequate protein intake is also important.  Try to keep a daily journal of what you eat.  If you miss or get behind, don't let that be an excuse for giving it up, just start again recording the next meal or snack and keep up with it as much as you can.  Many people simply do not realize that poor eating habits - irregular meals, skipping meals, or going long periods without eating regardless whether it is because you are busy or trying to diet - actually makes it much more difficult to control cravings for sugar and unhealthy foods.  Eating regular balanced meals with adequate protein, and healthy snacks in between will help to eliminate excess sugar consumption and desire to binge on junk food, which are designed to make you binge.  For instance, who eats 21 Cheetos and stops?  Or 1/2 cup of ice cream?  Next time you eat ice cream, measure it and compare to the portion you usually eat.   Many of these things it is very easy to think we are only getting a certain amount of calories, sugars or carbohydrates when in fact if you pay attention to the portion size you may be eating 2 or 3 times that much.  Or more.

Some essential oils may help support maintaining blood sugar levels that are already in the normal range. Maintaining normal blood sugar is key to minimizing cravings for sugar and unhealthy foods.   A few essential oils which may help support maintaining normal blood sugar range include Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum verum), and Ocotea (Ocotea quixos) and a  special refreshing Young Living blend called Slique Essence. In addition to Ocotea it contains Lemon (Citrus limon); Tangerine (Citrus nobilius); Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi); and Spearmint (Mentha spicata) . In addition, it contains Stevia Leaf Extract as a natural sweetener.  A drop or two of the Slique blend may be added to your water and sipped during the day as a pleasant way to help support health blood sugar and encourage adequate water intake.   They also offer a Slique Tea made from Jade oolong tea, inulin, ocotea leaf (Ocotea quixos), Ecuadorian cacao powder, vanilla essential oil, frankincense powder (Boswellia sacra), and natural stevia extract which is delightful, hot or cold.

Be sure to to find a source which provides high quality, carefully tested oils to ensure purity and maximum therapeutic properties.

For more information on the leading essential oil companies, their history, testing, and quality standards, check out the 45 page Young Living/DoTerra report.

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For more information on therapeutic grade essential oils and protecting your health, please visit Oil Well Essentials


These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and this information is for educational purposes only and not intended to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure any disease. 

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