Love me or hate me, these are just the facts!! Some thoughts about coffee and caffeine for you to ponder, they might be new information for you or maybe not. I am just the messenger!
Caffeine is a natural compound (one of hundreds in coffee) with very drug like properties. It affects people in very different ways. I think a lot of it has to do with each persons unique level of sensitivity to caffeine.
The amount of caffeine in coffee can vary dramatically, from 100 Mg’s per cup to 500 Mg’s or more per cup, depending on the bean and how it is prepared. The half life of caffeine is about 6 hours. Which means after consuming a drink with 200 mg of caffeine you will still have 100 mg’s of caffeine in your body after 6 hours. The effects can last a long time.
We’re not sure exactly how coffee is connected to all these negative side effects or positive benefits. The coffee bean itself is loaded with many different nutrients and phytochemicals. I think the sensitivity of each person determines the effect of these chemical compounds.
Coffeeine my new name for Coffee because we all think of it as being a caffeine deliver system which it is. Coffeeine has many side effects, some positive and some negative. Much of the side effects seem to be person specific. For one person it will raise blood sugar levels for another it will send them crashing. So how can this beverage have such confusing effects on our body? Well, it seems to strangely have the inverse effect between people with different conditions. For example, coffeeine will make blood sugar go up dramatically in diabetics with high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) and send them crashing in people with low blood sugar levels (people that have hypoglycemia) however not all people with this condition. Also, if you don’t have diabetes coffeeine can possible help prevent type 2 diabetes but not always. But once you have high blood sugar levels in 90% of people coffeeine is going to make it raise from a little to dramatic amounts. Again it seems to be person specific. Read the comments on the site and you can see the variety of effects coffeeine has on blood sugar levels. Its crazy, from extremely high increase in blood sugar to making it crash.
So what do we know that is good about coffeeine.
Positive effects of coffee (according to studies)
It boost metabolism causing the body to burn fat better
Coffeeine may help you live longer
“In our study, we found people who drank three to five cups of coffee per day had about a 15 percent lower [risk of premature] mortality compared to people who didn’t drink coffee,” says one of the study authors, nutrition researcher Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health.
Coffeeine boosts mental alertness
Coffeeine increases athletic performance,
Coffeeine may help prevent diabetes (only if you don’t already have diabetes),
Coffeeine may protect against Alzheimer’s
Coffeeine may help protect against Parkinson’s disease,
Coffeeine may help boost liver function,
Coffeeine is a great source of powerful antioxidants
Coffeeine may help protect vision
Coffeeine may help protect against some cancers
Coffeeine may help boost mood helping reduce depression.
Negative effects of coffee (according to some studies studies)
Coffeeine may not be healthy for type 2 diabetics, it can raise blood sugar levels
Coffeeine may send blood sugar crashing in those with low blood sugar
Coffeeine consumption may raise blood pressure and pulse rates
Coffeeine can increased the risk of heart attacks among young adults
Coffeeine is linked to gout attacks
Coffeeine may cause an increase in breast tissue cysts in women
Coffeeine can cause bone loss in some women.
Coffeeine could cause incontinence
Coffeeine can raise cholesterol levels in some people when brewed with out a filter.
Coffeeine may cause insomnia
Coffeeine can cause indigestion, reflux or GERD
Coffeeine could reduce fertility in women
Coffeeine increases the amount of sugary beverages consumed by people
Coffeeine consumption can lead to increased anxiety and nervousness
Is de-cafe better? For people that are sensitive to the effects of the caffeine in coffee, yes it would be. And de-cafe still offers many of the same health benefits that regular coffee provides.
My take away on coffeeine sorry, coffee!
If you like coffee and it doesn’t effect you negatively, drink it. Remember it has drug like properties and has limits before the positive effects become negative effects! The limit for anyone is about 500 Mgs per day. That’s about four, 8 ounce cups of a milder roast coffee. Be aware of how it makes you feel. A little goes a long ways.
If you drink coffee because you need the energy I suggest you come off of it for a while and boost your metabolism in other ways. Then enjoy it for the taste, not the addiction.
The contents of the email or written communication are not medical advice and should not be considered as such! This blog is for informational purposes only. Please consult with your physician or health care provider if you have medical issues and before changing your diet or lifestyle or taking herbal or dietary supplements. Never start an exercise program with getting your doctors approval. Never quit taking medications unless advised to do so by your doctor. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs.
It can be sweet yet tart, it may show it`s real colors as yellow, orange, red, and green. This delightful fruit has over a thousand different varieties that can decorate your plate in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. This food is used in more recipes than almost any other food. Although it is a fruit, it is used most often as a savory part of a recipe. But it can also be made into a delicious pie. Do you have a clue which food I am talking about?
The star of thousands of recipes, drum roll…………………
The Tomato!!
Tomato, Tamato however you say it, meh… It doesn’t conjure up thoughts of exotic flavors or leave us envisioning it wearing the cape of super nutrition. The tomato is so widely used it’s nutritional super hero status has been forgotten or at the least minimized. We have taken the TOMATO for granted! Shame on us.
I think the tomato is lost in a sea of new super-foods, yet it may be one of the most versatile and most powerful of all foods.! How many ways can the tomato be used? The versatile tomato; tomato juice, tomato soup, tomato sauce, tomato paste, BBQ sauce, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, marinara sauce, salsa, you get the picture. But what I don’t hear are people talking about is the mighty tomato; it’s health benefits, its great flavor, its boldness or tartness. The humble tomato has been overlooked and it is now time to bring it to the front where it rightfully belongs. If you think about it, the tomato is what makes many dishes shine. Without it as an ingredient what would spaghetti sauce be, or salsa or seafood gumbo or Manhattan clam chowder? I’m sure you can think of dozens of more dishes where the TOMATO is the star, right?
Tomato’s cross all cultural food boundaries. From African, Mexican, Latin, Spanish, Caribbean, Greek, Italian, Oriental, European and certainly American cuisines.
During the spring and summer growing season in the southeast where I live, nothing is better appreciated than a hand-picked organic tomato sliced and made into the famous BLT or bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich. Everyone has their favorite condiments to go with it and favorite bread. Most of which aren’t so healthy. They slather mayo on white bread then top it off with iceberg lettuce and bacon for a BLT. I have to admit it does have a marvelous (hear Billy Crystal’s “marvelous darling”) taste but it can be artery clogging also. There is a much healthier version. Use Ezekiel bread, fresh organic tomato, Vegenaise, low sodium turkey bacon, Himalayan salt and fresh cracked organic black pepper a dash of cumin and romaine or a crisp butter lettuce. This is a yummy sandwich!!
Disclaimer : If you have an auto-immune condition eating tomato’s and other nightshade plants may make the conditions worse. These plants affect everyone differently. Try a little and if you don’t have any problems try more.
Let’s talk about why the tomato should be a routine part of your culinary pallet.
There are literally thousands of different types of tomato’s meaning you are not stuck with just a Beefsteak or Roma tomatoes. Tomato’s are loaded with vitamins, minerals and many powerful antioxidants. We always hear about lycopene but the tomato, my friend, is packed with several antioxidants! In fact, the tomato comes in different colors like orange and yellow and the lycopene in the orange and yellow tomatos are better absorbed, than the lycopene from the red tomato.
While all tomatoes have good antioxidant capacity, four varieties of tomatoes turned out to have a higher average antioxidant capacity compared with other tomato varieties regardless of whether they were grown conventionally or organically. The New Girl, Jet Star, Fantastic, and First Lady tested highest but only marginally higher in antioxidant capacity. This means all tomato’s have good antioxidant, anti-aging power. What makes the tomato an antioxidant superstar is the variety of antioxidants they contain. If you want super antioxidant power from the tomato don’t peel them. A lot of the antioxidant power is in the peeling. A cooked tomato is going to have a higher absorption rate of the antioxidant lycopene but not necessarily of the other antioxidants. Tomatoes have several types of antioxidants giving them a big cross-section of health promoting benefits.
Tomato’s provide cardiovascular health benefits and reduce total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels. They help prevent fatty acid oxidation which can damage our cardiovascular system and heart. Many of the phytonutrients in tomato’s have shown the ability to help keep blood platelets from clumping. This helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Tomato’s are a good source of Vitamin A, rich in Vitamin C and a great source of many B Vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, Choline, Folate and Biotin. Tomato’s are a great source of Vitamin E, Vitamin K, a good source of many minerals including iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorous. Tomato’s are also a great source of fiber and 1 cup of tomato’s has 3 grams of protein!
Tomato’s Health Benefits
Tomato’s provide bone building health properties. Lycopene, Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Vitamin A are very important for bone health. Studies show lycopene is particularly important at preventing oxidative stress in bones.
Tomato’s offer many cancer preventing benefits, particularly prostate cancer.
Tomato’s help prevent our stored fats (triglycerides) from becoming cellular damaging oxidized fatty acids.
Tomato’s protect our blood vessels by providing nutrients that keep the cell membranes flexible and protect against blood vessel cell wall oxidative damage.
Tomato’s help keep blood platelets from clumping together.
Tomato’s help prevent premature-aging by providing a super arsenal of anti-oxidants that protect our DNA
Tomato’s provide health promoting and protective benefits for our vision.
Tomato’s provide nutrients that keep our skin soft and flexible and help protect against sun damage.
When you look closely at the nutritional profile of tomato’s you will want to have them everyday. Inside that round or oblong shaped fruit is a powerhouse of health promoting and anti-aging nutrition. Check this out.
Face the fact’s, you have eaten tomato’s and have been disrespecting their nutritional super status haven’t you? It’s time you give the tomato the respect it deserves. Repeat after me; Tomato I am sorry I under appreciated your nutritional super-stardom and promise to always keep you in high regards every time I eat you!
Every time you see a tomato regardless of its color or shape just remember it is a powerhouse of life promoting and healing nutrition and phytonutrients.
The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
The lifestyle you live has the biggest impact on your heart health. Even if heart disease runs in your family you can trump those genetics by adopting a heart healthy lifestyle!
First know that cholesterol is not the enemy, your body actually makes 800 to 1500 mgs of cholesterol daily! Your hearts enemies are foods that cause systemic inflammation in your arteries forcing cholesterol to be used to patch and repair vascular sores. These foods are prevalent in the American diet.
What you are about to read should make you run in your kitchen and fire up a salad, smoothie or Vive. Did you know that a plant-based diet has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of and even reverse heart and cardiovascular disease? You can listen to Dr. Dean Ornish and some of his patients at this link. http://www.youtube.com/user/DrDeanOrnish
Many factors can affect our heart health. Our diet (excessive simple sugars), stress, and other lifestyle factors like smoking and the amount of physical activity we get play a huge role in heart health.
In about a day your heart beats 100,000 times pumping around 2000 gallons of blood to 100 trillion cells through 60 thousand miles of blood vessels. Every time I think of that it amazes me!
The heart is not just an organ, it is also a muscle. The heart requires a lot of energy and quality nutrition to keep it healthy. Your heart is a very unique organ and unlike other organs and muscles, it does not become fatigued. It only stops when oxygen is no longer available.
Exercise increases the hearts fitness so it can deliver more oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Develop a good exercise program after approval from your doctor!
Because of the great energy requirements put on the heart, nutrition is very important. Vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants are super important for heart health.
Plant based foods provide a bounty of nutrients and antioxidants the body needs for great heart health.
Studies show Nuts and seeds consumed daily reduce the risk for heart disease. They are anti-inflammatory and a good source of Vitamin E, which, is very important for cell membrane health and is also an antioxidant.
Omega 3’s from Salmon, sardines, ground flax seed and walnuts reduce inflammation and keep blood platelets from sticking, reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease
Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables reduce inflammation and protect the heart from free radical damage. The greater the volume of oxygen is needed in a cell to make energy, the higher the potential for free radical damage. The heart is a big air and fluid pump. So antioxidants are even more important for the heart muscle.
Magnesium is very important for heart health because it helps blood vessels relax, potentially reducing blood pressure, which, if high, can damage the heart.
B Vitamins are critical for preparing foods for the conversion to energy.
B12, Folate and B6 are critical to reduce the protein homocysteine from accumulating in our tissues. Homocysteine causes cellular damage to the heart and blood vessels and heavily associated with heart disease.
Iron, B12, Vitamin C and Folate are important to make healthy red blood cells and blood vessels.
Vitamin E from food and Co-Q10 from foods are important heart protectors.
Some of the best foods for heart health are:
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans)
Sadly the American diet is the perfect diet if you want poor heart health. It is rich in sodium, sugar and bad fats and low in nutrient rich foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds and whole grains, which promote health.
If you love your heart it would be best to avoid or limit these foods in your diet. These foods are health destroyers!
Foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol (meats, processed meats, eggs, cows milk and cheese)
Processed meats
Foods high in sodium
Foods high in sugars particularly added sugars such as (refined sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, confectioners sugar, brown sugar etc..)
Fried foods
Flour based foods (includes breading on fried foods, cookies, crackers, cereals, pastries, breads, pasta) Flour can turn to blood sugar as quickly as table sugar.
Excess sugar is a powerful risk factor in your diet because it creates inflammation and sores in your arteries, which forces your body to use cholesterol to repair them. This makes arteries stiffer creating more sores or tears requiring more cholesterol. It’s a vicious cycle that accelerates heart and vascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
Other Heart Health Factors
Stress is a killer! It creates hormonal changes that raise blood pressure, cause obesity and eventually damage your heart.
A lack of exercise let’s muscles atrophy, becoming weaker. Your heart and blood vessels are muscles and need exercise to be in top health.
A lack of sleep creates systemic stress putting additional stress on your heart.
Cigarettes destroy your blood vessels and lungs. Both are critical for your heart to be healthy.
Limit alcohol to no more than 3 drinks per week.
Summary
Having 2 smoothies a day filled with every color of vegetable and fruit, nuts and seeds is going to get you on the right track for great heart health.
Have Vive twice per day to make sure you are getting the heart healthy nutrients you need.You can add Vive to smoothies and make them even better!
Avoid added sugars; the healthiest sweeteners are stevia and raw honey.
Reduce your intake of animal fats
Make your diet mostly vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts and seeds and limited low glycemic whole grains
Exercise daily
De-stress by exercising, enjoying friends and laughing!
Reduce your salt intake to 1300 mgs per day to reduce blood pressure.
The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
Blueberries contain Quercetin and Vive has Blueberries and Quercetin!
You may have never heard of quercetin, many people haven’t! Quercetin offers many health benefits.
Quercetin is excellent for calming the immune response from allergies in our body! It reduces histamine.
Quercetin is a plant-derived antioxidant in the flavonoid family that is naturally occurring in blueberries, blackberries, cherries, apples, onions, kale and sweet potatoes and other foods. Quercetin is commonly found as a supplement and used in many supplement products. Quercetin has been linked to supporting the immune system, clearing excess congestion, supporting bone health, and may aid in fighting mild allergy problems. Quercetin has anti-histamine effects just like the over the counter anti-histamines but without the negative side effects.
Weight Control and Anti-inflammatory Effects
Quercetin is also used in some weight control programs. It may help reduce weight by interfering with the absorption of sugar from the diet. Quercetin, like other flavonoids, is an antioxidant that travels throughout the body removing harmful free radicals. Studies have also shown that quercetin may also be a potential solution to cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death in the United States. Being anti-inflammatory it also may provide relief from joint and muscle pain. Being a powerful antioxidant it may also protect the brain from oxidation damage reducing the risk of brain disorders.
Athletic Potential
A preliminary study by the University of South Carolina showed that taking quercetin twice a day improved endurance and oxygen capacity in active men and women. Other studies at the University of Pepperdine and Appalachian State University have shown similar results. This improvement in athletic ability is thought to be because quercetin has a positive effect on mitochondria, which are the cells energy producers. It also reduce the inflammation caused by the effects of exercise thus assisting in recovery.
Heart disease
Quercetin may benefit those with heart disease. Quercetin inhibits the proliferation and migration of aortic smooth muscle cells, inhibits platelet aggregation, improves the health of the endothelium and protects vascular endothelial cells against oxidative and proinflammatory insults. Ingestion of onion soup high in quercetin inhibits platelet aggregation and essential components of the collagen-stimulated platelet activation pathway in man: a pilot study. Br J Nutr. 2006. School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AL, UK. Those who consume a diet rich in quercetin containing foods may have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
The contents of this blog is not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
This product has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not used as a cure, treatment or diagnosis for any disease or illness.
It’s addictive, white, accelerates aging, comes from a plant, impairs mental and neurological function, can destroy your brain, heart and organs, creates systemic inflammation, gives some people a buzz and destroys bodies. Am I talking about cocaine or sugar?
People get addicted to sugar. They love the taste and the quick energy it releases. However they can’t see the pervasive damage being done to their blood vessels, brain, heart and other organs until its almost too late.
This may shock you, but I believe sugar and sugar like foods (processed flour products) are probably the biggest cause of all illness and disease. It creates so much stress on the body, lowers the immune system, wrecks havoc on the hormonal system and creates systemic inflammation across the cardiovascular system. Sugar even turns cholesterol into a bad health issue. Cholesterol is not the demon it is made out to be. Its only when we eat so much sugar that cholesterol is released in larger amounts to patch damaged blood vessels caused from the sugar. We acutually need cholesterol. The harm being caused from sugar is wide-spread and long-lasting.
Sugar has made its way into almost every food stuff man is processing and refining. Sugar is added to bacon. luncheon meats, mayonnaise, peanut butter, dried fruit, fruit juices, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, prepared foods, cereal, granola, cookies, flavored milk, soft drinks, coffee drinks and hundreds if not thousands of other foods. Milk has about 12 grams or 3 teaspoons of sugar per 8 ounce glass. Yogurt can have much more.
The purpose of the added sugar is to make you eat more of the food it is in. It’s all about money. If you keep buying it, the food manufacturers will keep selling it. Stop buying it and they will begin to make healthier foods.
Your best defense is learning to read food labels and being able to find all the different names of sugar. When reading the food label pay special attention to the serving size and the grams of sugar per serving. Try to limit the amount of sugar you consume to 6 grams or less per serving. Look for foods that have 4 or more grams of fiber per serving. Sugar should never be more than 10% of your daily calories. In a 2,000 calorie
Sugars Many Names
When reading the food ingredient list on the food label look out for these names. I would also include agave nectar as a sugar to avoid. It is higher in fructose that HFCS and is a processed sugar.
Flour (ground up grains) turns to blood sugar as rapidly as white table sugar! Most breads, cereals, cookies, crackers and pastries have a high glycemic value. They raise blood sugar rapidly. Not all grain based products have higher glycemic load values. Whole Grains when eaten in their natural form release sugars more slowly. Steel cut oats have a lower glycemic load value that rolled oats. Enriched and refined flours have little fiber allowing the starch to turn to blood sugar rapidly. Even whole grain breads can cause a quick release of blood sugar because part of the bodies digestive process has already been performed. To my knowledge the lowest glycemic bread is Ezekiel Bread.
In summary, to reduce your risk of developing a sugar related disease or adverse health condition avoid or limit simple carbohydrates by eating more vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains (limit to 2 servings per day). Use natural sweeteners, however, learn to enjoy foods that are less sweet. Break that sugar addiction, kick it to the curb and enjoy life.
I would highly recommend you read the book Grain Brain by neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, it could be a life changing book.
The contents of this blog is not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
It’s Valentines Day so lets talk about heart health! The heart is an amazing organ that works non-stop every second of your life. Without its complete function you will not live. Disease and illness of the heart and other related illnesses can cause compromised heart function allowing you to live however not the kind of lifestyle you may enjoy.
Many factors can affect our heart health. Our diet, stress, other lifestyle factors like smoking and the amount of physical activity we get play a huge role in heart health.
In less than a minute, your heart can pump blood to every cell in your body. In about a day your heart beats 100,000 times pumping around 2000 gallons of blood containing oxygen and nutrients to 100 trillion cells through 60 thousand miles of blood vessels. That is a huge job that requires a special muscle.
The heart is an organ and also a muscle. The heart requires a lot of energy and quality nutrition to keep it healthy. The muscles in the heart are unique and do not fatigue. It only stops when oxygen is no longer available. The demands put on the heart are so great; each cell in the heart muscle has many more mitochondria than other muscle cells have. Mitochondria are the parts of the cell that make energy.
Exercise increases the hearts fitness so it can deliver more oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Develop a good exercise program!
Because of the great energy requirements put on the heart, nutrition is very important. Vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants are super important for heart health.
Studies show that a plant-based diet can even reverse heart and cardiovascular disease. Vegetative foods provide a bounty of nutrients the body needs for great heart health.
Studies show Nuts and seeds daily reduce the risk for heart disease. They are anti-inflammatory and a good source of Vitamin E, which, is very important for cell membrane health and is also an antioxidant.
Omega 3’s from Salmon, sardines, ground flax seed and walnuts reduce inflammation and keep blood platelets from sticking reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease
Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables reduce inflammation and protect the heart from free radical damage. The greater the volume of oxygen is needed in a cell to make energy, the higher the potential for free radical damage. The heart is a big air and fluid pump. So antioxidants are even more important for the heart muscle.
Magnesium is very important for heart health because it helps blood vessels relax potentially reducing blood pressure which, if high can damage the heart.
B Vitamins are critical for preparing foods into energy.
B12, Folate and B6 are critical to reduce the protein homocysteine from our tissues. Homocysteine causes cellular damage to the heart and blood vessels and heavily related to heart disease.
Iron, B12, Vitamin C and Folate are important to make healthy red blood cells and blood vessels.
Some of the best foods for heart health are:
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans)
The better question might be what foods are bad for heart health. That is a simple answer. Any foods that are not good providers of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants should be avoided. This would mean any refined and processed foods.
Sugar is a poison that is the biggest cause of heart and cardiovascular disease.
The average American now consumes over 170 lbs. of sugar per year. At the beginning of the 20th century, the average American consumed less than 10 pounds per year. The rise in the intake of sugar over the past 20 years has created almost epidemic levels of diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Unless we get the intake of sugar under control, the percentage of Americans suffering from lifestyle related disease and illness will continue to climb. Sugar is not the only food ingredient that is causing us problems; it is however close to being the worse, if not the worse.
A new study recently published in Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that sugar intake significantly contributes to illness and specifically increases cholesterol levels.
Researchers at Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta examined the added sugar intake and blood fat levels in more than 6,100 adults.
Study participants consumed an average of 21.4 teaspoons of added sugars a day, or more than 320 calories a day from these sources.
The study also revealed, that people with the higher intakes of added sugars were more likely to have lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides, which studies have shown to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
The American Heart Association is recommending that women get no more than 6.5 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day and men get no more than 9.5 teaspoons (38 grams) per day.
A Dairy Queen Blizzard has 26 teaspoons (124 grams) of sugar
A 20 oz. Pepsi has 17.5 teaspoons (70 grams) of sugar
A 1.7 ounce bag of M%M Peanuts has 8 teaspoons (32 grams) of sugar
How do we cut out the excess sugar?
The first step is to read the food labels on the foods we eat. Look at the Nutritional Label. Check the area under carbohydrates; you will see fiber then sugar. If the amount of sugar is more than 7 grams per serving I would read the ingredient section to see where the sugar was coming from. If they were from added sugars I would seriously consider looking for a healthier choice with less sugar.
Some people may be addicted to sugar. Most doctors do know believe that sugar is addictive and it may not be, however the physiological response from a quick rise in blood sugar is a corresponding quick drop in blood sugar that creates a craving for sugars to get the blood sugar back to a healthy level again. This is a vicious cycle that some people may find hard to break. It takes about a week of eliminating added sugars from the daily diet to break it. If you do try it cold turkey, expect a headache and fatigue for a couple of days. Now you are free of the sugar cycle!
Partial list of added sugars
Beet Sugar, Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Confectioner’s Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Demerera, Dextrose, Granulated Sugar, Grape Sugar, Molasses, Muscavado Sugar, Raw Sugar, Refined Sugar, Sucrose, Table Sugar, Turbinado Sugar, White Sugar, Maple Syrup
Honey and molasses are natural and a better choice however they still cause a quick rise in blood sugar.
In my opinion the best choices for home use are stevia, xylitol and d-ribose (a sugar that produces more energy with very little blood sugar impact)
When shopping for foods, absolutely avoid high fructose corn syrups and limit the amount of added sugars to no more than 7 grams per serving.
Summary
Avoid added sugars, the healthiest sweeteners are Truvia and raw honey.
Make your diet mostly vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts and seeds.
Exercise daily
Reading food labels are an important habit you should develop. It is the first step in your road to wellness. If you do not know what you are eating how can you control it?
Reduce your salt intake to 1300 mgs per day to reduce blood pressure.
The contents of this blog is not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
We always hear about a number of exotic foods with super food status; however they are not always easy to find and if you can find them the cost may be prohibitive. I could list many everyday super foods, however for the sake of brevity, let’s look at 10 of the most nutrient dense everyday super foods that are very available in most grocery and or healthy oriented food stores, such as Whole Foods and Earth Fair. Again this my opinion, I could make a list of at least a few dozen foods with super healthy potential. When possible select organic foods.
Swiss chard
Swiss chard is very rich in a broad spectrum of nutrients. Chard belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and shares a similar taste profile: it has the bitterness of beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of spinach leaves. Chard is truly a nutritional superstar. It can be used just like spinach. Use the tender smaller leafs raw in salads. You can wilt, steam or boil the larger leafs so they are tender. On the larger leafs remove the stalk center, it can be a little tougher. Learn more about Swiss chards many health benefits.
Butter Nut Squash (winter squashes)
If you have never tried this vegetable you have really missed out on a very nutrient rich and very tasty vegetable. Although there are many different types of winter squash such as spaghetti, delicata, hubbard, sweet dumpling, acorn and butter cup, the butter nut is one of my favorites. It tastes very much like a sweet potato however it has much less sugar content. For those that need to watch their blood sugar it is an excellent choice. Winter squash is as an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. In addition, winter squash emerged as a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3 and pantothenic acid. Winter squashes offer many health benefits and are very easy to store. Learn more here.
Spinach
Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. (Many of these substances fall into a technical class of flavonoids known as methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides.) Glucuronides are a very important part of our detoxing pathways. The anticancer properties of these spinach flavonoids have been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach cancer cells (gastric adenocarcinomas), and in studies on laboratory animals, to reduce skin cancers (skin papillomas). A study on adult women living in New England in the late 1980s also showed intake of spinach to be inversely related to incidence of breast cancer. Click here for more data about spinach
Broccoli (cruciferous family)
Broccoli is a great addition to our diets. It can bet enjoyed raw or cooked. Broccoli is a powerful anti-inflammatory and detoxing food. Most vegetables are not considered to be good sources of omega 3 fatty acids however broccoli has enough of them that it can give you the many health benefits of omega 3 fatty acids. Broccoli contains compounds that are necessary for our body’s detoxing pathways. In addition it is rich in many vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. Many studies have shown broccoli to give protection against cancers and it can help in the metabolism of vitamin d due to its high content of vitamin k. Learn more about broccoli here.
Avocado
Although avocados are very creamy due to its abundance of heart healthy monounsaturated fats, it is also a very rich source of fiber, vitamin k, potassium, folate, vitamin b6, vitamin c and cooper. It is also very rich in antioxidants. Avocados may offer a delicious dietary strategy for the prevention of oral cancer. Phytonutrients in Hass avocados, the most readily available of the more than 500 varieties of avocados grown worldwide, target multiple signaling pathways, increasing the amount of free radicals (reactive oxygen species) within pre-cancerous and cancerous human oral cell lines, that leads to their death, but cause no harm to normal cells. ? Semin Cancer Biol. 2007 May 17. Earlier research by UCLA scientists also indicates that Hass avocados may inhibit the growth of prostate cancer as well. When analyzed, Hass avocados were found to contain the highest content of lutein among commonly eaten fruits as well as measurable amounts of related carotenoids (zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene). Lutein accounted for 70% of the measured carotenoids, and the avocado also contained significant quantities of vitamin E. J Nutr Biochem. 2005 Jan;16(1):23-30. Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5
Strawberries
Strawberries are the most popular fruit in the world and it’s not just due to its wonderful unique flavor. Strawberries are rich in many nutrients and phytonutrients including vitamin c, manganese, fiber, iodine, potassium, folate, vitamin b2, vitamin b6, vitamin b5 and are source of omega 3 fatty acids. Strawberries’ unique phenol content makes them a heart-protective fruit, an anti-cancer fruit, and an anti-inflammatory fruit, all rolled into one. Learn more about strawberries here.
Dark Chocolate
I am a chocolate nut, really I am. I am so glad dark chocolate is so healthy. Dark chocolate is one of the richest sources of flavonoids and has one of the highest antioxidant ratings of any foods. Dark chocolate also contains another compound, epicatechin, which research shows to be a powerful cellular stimulator of protective compounds which may be prompting the cells to defend themselves. It is richer in antioxidant power than green tea and red wine. Dark chocolate provides brain protection, heart protection, lowers blood pressure, improves skin health and bone health and is anti-inflammatory. Dark chocolate and or raw cacao has much less caffeine than coffee or tea. With all the protection of dark chocolate you still need to be aware of the calories. Also the chocolate found in candies, ice cream and other food preparations may not offer the same health benefits. Chocolate with added sugars is unhealthy. Look for 100% organic dark chocolate or raw cacao. I am not saying eat all of the chocolate you want, it is high in calories, however consumed correctly it is awesome for your health!
Do not consume milk when eating chocolate; it may interfere with nutrient absorption. The fat in chocolate comes from cocoa butter and is made up of equal amounts of oleic acid (a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil), stearic and palmitic acids. Stearic and palmitic acids are forms of saturated fat. You may know that saturated fats are linked to increases in LDL-cholesterol and the risk for heart disease. But, research shows that stearic acid appears to have a neutral effect on cholesterol, neither raising nor lowering it. Although palmitic acid does affect cholesterol levels, it only makes up one-third of the fat calories in chocolate. If you really want to know all the benefits of chocolate read my friend David Wolf’s book “Naked Chocolate”.
Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds improve brain health, heart health, reduce high cholesterol, and are anti-inflammatory, can be high in antioxidant value and provide detoxing power. Nuts and seeds are very rich in fiber, minerals, phytonutrients, and heart healthy oils and can be a rich source of antioxidant power. Nuts and seeds can be used and eaten in a variety of ways, such as a snack or in salads and turned into nut butters. You will find them raw and roasted. Raw is better if you are looking for optimal nutritional intake. Many people soak their nuts before eating to remove the external protein coating that can make digestion a little more difficult for our bodies. Nuts and seeds are very satiating and help curb hunger. In fact many studies have shown that people who regularly consume 1 to 2 ounces of nuts and seeds per day seem to lose weight and keep it off.
Nuts and seeds contain mostly monounsaturated oils and smaller amounts of polyunsaturated oils. Walnuts and flax seeds (must be ground before eating) contain a large percentage of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. Sunflower seeds are a rich source of many vitamins and minerals. Brazil nuts contain several times the DRI of selenium, a very powerful antioxidant mineral with anti-cancer properties. Pumpkin seeds are an equally healthful choice with ¼-cup of kernels boasting more than twice the omega-3 of a four-ounce serving of salmon while being an excellent source of magnesium. While the Flax seed has long been recognized as a very popular health food, the Chia seed is now being recognized for its high nutrient content, in particular an excellent source of omega 3’s. Almonds are a wonderful source of copper, magnesium and phosphorous and 6 grams of protein per one-ounce serving. The June 2004 issue of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry reported that pecans contain the highest antioxidant capacity of all nuts.
Researches revealed that people who regularly consume nuts have lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The Iowa Women’s Healthy Study found that women who include nuts at least 4 times a week on their daily diet are 40% less likely reduce the risk of heart attack. A study conducted by Harvard School of Public Health and Loma Linda University yielded very similar results. Naturally, the health benefits are not only exclusive to women, in a 2002 research in Physician’s Health Study of male participants, the findings showed that men who consumed nuts regularly 2 or more times per week had reduced the risks of heart attack.
The famous Seventh Day Adventists study followed more than 30,000 church members over a 12-year period. The results showed that even in this healthy-living, largely vegetarian group, those who ate nuts at least five times per week cut their risk of dying from coronary heart disease (CHD) by 48 percent, compared with those who ate nuts less than once weekly. They also cut their risk of a nonfatal heart attack by 51 percent.
In a study involving more than 3,000 African-American men and women, those who consumed nuts at least five times a week cut their risk of dying from CHD by 44 percent, compared with those who ate nuts less than once weekly.
The results of the 14-year Nurses’ Health Study—which involved more than 86,000 women—indicate that women who consume more than five ounces of nuts weekly will cut their risk of CHD by 35 percent, compared with those who eat less than one ounce per month. And, the 17-year Physicians’ Health Study involving more than 21,000 men found that those who consumed nuts at least twice a week cut their risk of sudden cardiac death by 53 percent, compared with those who rarely ate nuts.
Just remember nuts and seeds are high in calories due to the abundance of heart healthy oils, be careful to not over consume them. Because of their wide array of nutrients it is better to include a variety of them in your dietary routine.
The Allium Family
Garlic, onions, leeks and chives contain flavonoids that stimulate the production of glutathione, one of the body’s most powerful antioxidants. Glutathione enhances elimination of toxins and carcinogens, putting the Allium family of vegetables at the top of the list for foods that can help prevent cancer. For maximum nutritional value mash, mince or chop them and let sit for 5 minutes before consuming. This allows air to activate some of the healthy compounds they contain.
Here are just a few benefits from members of this family. Lowers total cholesterol (but raises HDL—”good”—cholesterol), lessens the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of blood clots (cause of the majority of strokes and heart attacks), destroys infection-causing viruses and bacteria, reduces the risk of certain cancers, in particular, stomach cancers, produces more “natural killer” cells in the blood to fight tumors and infections, helps fight against neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and enhances detoxification by reducing toxins.
Sprouts
Sprouts are edible seeds that are germinated. Most seeds, nuts, pulses, beans and grains can be sprouted. Sprouted alfalfa, broccoli, chickpeas, kidney beans, fenugreek seeds, wheat and barley are popular for their medicinal and nutritional properties. The many health benefits of sprouts result from the process of sprouting and the composition of sprouts. Sprouts can add a nutty and earthy flavor and a crunchy texture to salads and sandwiches.
Sprouts are a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E and are a good source of selenium. They also contain calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate and vitamin B. They are low in sodium but high in potassium. Sprouted legumes like peanuts, soy beans and peanuts have complete proteins. They are a good source of fiber and are rich in life promoting enzymes, oxygen and chlorophyll. Do not underestimate the health promoting properties of these wonderful, raw life giving foods.
For optimal health there are many very healthy commonly available foods you should make a part of your diet. Variety is the key. Be adventuresome with the foods you select. Try something new! There are hundreds of healthy vegetables, fruits , beans, grains and nuts and seeds to enjoy. Eat healthy, eat a variety and enjoy them with friends.
This contents of this blog is not and should not be considered as medical advise. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
Ummmm coffee!
