Food Addictions, pt. 2: The Sugar Solution

“Eat less sugar you are sweet enough already.”

Last week we discussed food addictions. One of the biggest contributors to the global issue of overweight and obesity is excess sugar consumption. The problem is two-fold, sugar is added to many foods and sugar is highly addictive.

Added sugar is the single worst ingredient in the modern diet. It provides calories with no added nutrients and in the long run, can damage your metabolism. Eating too much sugar is linked to weight gain and various diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and increased risk of cancer to name a few. According to the American Dietetic and Diabetic Association, increased sugar consumption is the leading cause of degenerative diseases.

Marketing campaigns and advertisements often mislead us into thinking we are making a healthy choice when this is not the case. We have all seen the commercials with Michael Phelps and contestants on The Biggest Loser eating Subway sandwiches while on their journey to improved health.  Consider this, recently Ireland's Supreme Court ruled that bread sold by the fast-food chain Subway contains so much sugar that it cannot be legally defined as bread and should be classified as a confectionary. To be classified as bread sugar should not exceed 2% of the weight of flour included in the dough. Subway’s bread contains five times as much sugar. As the supreme court put it: “In this case, there is no dispute that the bread supplied by Subway in its heated sandwiches has a sugar content of 10% of the weight of the flour included in the dough.”

Hidden Sugar

There are over 600,000 food items sold in the U.S and over 80% of these have added sugar. If you want a self care awakening look at the nutrition facts label on the food in your cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer. It will list sugar content expressed in grams per serving. Let us use a few examples, one soda can have as much as 45 grams of sugar per 12 ounces serving, which is equivalent to nearly 12 teaspoons of sugar. Popular breakfast cereals are spiked with sugar, some being as much as 55% sugar. Some surprising foods with more sugar than a Twinkie would include yogurt, tomato sauce, granola bars, fat-free salad dressings, muffins, and many canned fruits, typically containing 30 to 40 grams of sugar per serving. Even frozen green beans may have added sugar. You do not always see the word "sugar" on a food label. Marketers use other names, such as:

• Agave nectar

• Brown rice syrup

• High-fructose corn syrup

• Dextrose

• Evaporated cane juice

• Glucose

• Lactose

• Malt syrup

• Molasses

• Sucrose

Watch out for items that list any form of sugar in the first few ingredients or have more than 4 total grams of sugar per serving.

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Marketing campaigns and advertisements often mislead us into thinking we are making a healthy choice when this is not the case.

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Break the Sugar Addiction:

Most of us overindulge at times. But the more sugar we consume, the more sugar we want. However, the good news is that people can break the sugar addiction in 10 days. To break the sugar addiction, we need to monitor our daily consumption and keep it within a healthy level.

Monitor Sugar Consumption

To monitor sugar consumption, it is helpful to understand that 4 grams of sugar are equivalent to one teaspoon. It is recommended that a healthy daily consumption of sugar should not exceed 24 grams or six teaspoons for women and 36 grams or nine teaspoons for men, according to the American Heart Association.

Read food labels

The first step we need to take is to read food labels to keep your daily consumption at a healthy level. Read labels and journal your daily added sugar consumption. Heather has created a simple Weekly Self Care Journal to help track this and other self-care activities.

Crowding Out

Crowding is a method we have recently implemented in our diets. “Crowding Out” or “crowding” is a simple and positive approach that helps you fill up on healthy food. Try buying healthy foods that you actually like, this is important. There is no nutritional value to that shriveled fruit or veggie decomposing in your refrigerator. Get things that you like to eat and you will eat.

Let protein help

Kenzen Vital Balance

Eating protein is an easy way to curb sugar cravings. High-protein foods digest slowly, keeping you feeling full longer. Protein doesn't make your blood sugar spike the way refined carbs and sugars do. Protein shakes are ideal for this and a great way to start your day.

We choose Nikken’s Kenzen Vital Balance protein shake which contains organic moringa and naturally sweet monk fruit in addition to organic pea protein and organic vegetables. It is designed to help burn fat and boost metabolism as well as promote healthy brain function and the elimination of toxins in the body. With pre- and probiotics to assist in digestive and immune system activity, Kenzen Vital Balance is food for action and food for thought, perfect for all ages and a great way to not only nourish your body but also break the sugar addiction.

Kenzen Vital Balance Label



In addition, staying well hydrated and getting a good night’s sleep will help with cravings and assist in breaking the sugar addiction. Be Healthy by Choice.

Health Care Crisis: Pt. 2

Health Care Crisis: Pt. 2

America's health care system is neither healthy, caring, nor a system.  

–Walter Cronkite

Last week’s Impetus discussed the dilemma our nation’s health crisis due to the increasing burden of treating and managing chronic disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), treating people with chronic diseases accounts form 86% of our nation’s health care costs which is currently $3.2 trillion per year, or nearly $10.000 per person.

The Milken Institute issued an important benchmark report October 2, 2007 recommending a major overhaul of how America deals with chronic diseases. The most profound of these findings and recommendations were that “doctors and other health-care providers should be paid to manage and prevent chronic illnesses, instead of getting most of their income from treatments.” 

Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, a medical journalist who formerly worked as a medical doctor, warns that the existing health-care system too often focuses on financial incentives over health or science. Rosenthal's book, An American Sickness, examines the deeply rooted problems of the existing health-care system and offers suggestions for a way forward. She notes that under the current system, it's far more lucrative to provide a lifetime of treatments than a cure.

"One expert in the book joked ... that if we relied on the current medical market to deal with polio, we would never have a polio vaccine," Rosenthal says. "Instead we would have iron lungs in seven colors with iPhone apps."

Here is a good analogy that a friend of mine expressed to me a few days ago that really puts things in to perspective. Imagine taking your car to a mechanic and being told that the “treatment” for your automobile is going to be $1,200.

The problem won’t be fixed, but the treatment if continued will help the car function. However, the treatment may not be for every car and some cars may experience several side-effects.  But don’t worry, we have another treatment for the side-effects when you bring your car back. And then to top it all off, what if you learned that the third leading cause of total mechanical breakdowns were a result of the procedures performed by this garage? I trust many of you would seek alternative solutions for your chronic car conditions. We could always just get a new car. This is the same methodology that many of us are experiencing with our health, the problem is we can’t just get a new body, but we can change the way that we are sustaining and supporting it.

If there was ever a time for a Self Care Awakening it is NOW.  

How about not having the problem to begin with? How about having a preventative maintenance program? How about more natural and less invasive ways to help with a condition than just treating and masking the problem? How about solutions with side-benefits instead of side-effects?

The four main principles of the Self Care Awakening are not a panacea for all chronic conditions. There are many other factors involved depending on the disease being examined. However, these principles are vital to the health of us all irrespective of our current status of health.

All can benefit from reducing our body burden of toxic chemicals, being hydrated, well rested and maintaining a healthy weight.

Chronic disease is not a normal part of life. Up to 80% of chronic conditions can be prevented. My hopes are that this information and corresponding Self Care presentations have enlightened and empowered anyone to employ and share our battle cry for the Self Care Awakening,

Be Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.

My Personal Self Care Awakening

This Sounds All too Familiar

Some 20 years ago, I came to an awakening regarding my own health and well-being. I was in my mid 40’s and was starting to exhibit some health challenges that many other people do at that age. I was overweight, over worked and over stressed. I was dealing with signs of hypertension and just didn’t seem to have the energy I was used to. I had trouble sleeping and at best 4 or 5 hours was all I could manage or had the time for. My joints ached and I suffered from a whiplash injury that short of pharmaceutical intervention or surgery I was told by many physicians to learn to live with. Does this sound all too familiar?

By happenstance while working and traveling in Asia, I was introduced to a Japanese company, Nikken. The physical therapist that was telling me about it said that their products in his experience may be able to help me. As a physiologist, I was very skeptical as to any “alternative” modalities, although I’m not sure why I was so skeptical, other than my science brain saying show me the research.  I politely, or maybe not so politely, told the young man, that I was not interested in what he was selling. Upon returning home from the trip, I noticed a short article in our weekly newspaper talking about this same Japanese company helping people all over the world with their products. I found this more than coincidental and it sparked me to at least check out what they were talking about. It also made me wonder, why did I have an opinion about these products and technologies with no real knowledge of them or their efficacy. This second exposure to Nikken prompted me to do a literature search on magnetic therapy and the results were astounding to me. I also noticed that aver 60% of the papers I read were published in veterinary journals. I thought this very profound as animals cannot experience a placebo effect. 

I purchased a few Nikken magnetic products just to see if they could help with my neck issues. I had experienced very little flexibility, discomfort and radial numbness down both arms for over three years.  My injury was a classic whiplash, and doctors had told me that by the time I was fifty, I would want a surgery due to increase arthritic complications and conditions.

My Personal Self Care Awakening

I must honestly say, that I didn’t think the products would work or at best they might help a little. Much to my surprise, a few short weeks after using the products my neck had more flexibility and my hands and arms were no longer numb. It is nearly 20 years later, and no surgery and no neck problems, no arm or hand numbness.

This experience gave me a good appreciation for natural methods to help deal with health issues or more importantly prevent them all together. It fostered the idea of the Self Care Awakening.

I appreciate the honor of been called the Self Care Ambassador by my peers, I also appreciate being an advocate for products and technologies to accomplish our goal of Being Healthy by Choice, not by Chance.

Self Care Awakening is about a few very simple concepts. It is about Being Healthy by Choice and not by Chance. The reality is, if we leave our health to chance, chances are that we are not going to be healthy.

The major impetus for the Self Care Awakening is to bring this and other aspects of good health to light.

First, that chronic disease is not a normal part of life. How many times have we heard someone say, “That’s just part of getting older”, as if the headaches, joint/back problems, weight gain, blood sugar problems, memory problems (and the list can go on and on) are just a “normal part” of life.

Here is a paraphrase of a recent advertisement from what use to be our corner drug store and is now called your local wellness center. The advertisement says, “there are 26 million Americans with diabetes, and 74 million are at risk, don’t worry, we can treat and manage your diabetes so you can lead a normal productive life”. I almost fell out of my chair when I first heard this commercial. Then I got angry. It is a brainwashing, inferring that chronic disease is a normal part of life. It is not. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease control (CDC) estimate that as high as 80% of our world’s biggest killers can be prevented. I concur and am of the belief that just a few simple self care principles can lead to a vibrant heathy life.

Be Healthy by Choice and not by Chance

The Body Burden

Environmental Toxins and Pollution in People

I think we all agree that the world is a toxic place. There are over 85,000 chemicals in the marketplace and we come in contact with them in one way or another every day. 

There is no such thing as a pristine environment. Toxins are in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. They are in the homes we live in and the offices we work. They are present in our children’s schools. They are prevalent in our personal care and cleaning products.

Decades of research and countless studies have contributed to our understanding that we carry a burden of toxic chemicals in our body’s, our Body Burden.

It has been over 35 years since the September 22, 1980 Time Magazine cover story entitled “The Poisoning of America” was published. So, this is not a new problem and it is something we have all been aware of for a long time. The question I like to ask is; has this problem gotten better or worse? It’s gotten worse, exponentially worse.

It has been said every 5 years there are 10,000 new chemicals in the market place that weren’t here 5 years ago. That equates to over 5 new chemicals per day!

Dr. Stewart Lonky and biochemist Rik Deitsch point out in their book, Invisible Killers, that the body burden of toxins today is significantly higher than it was 20 years ago, 40 years ago, 60 years ago.  There appears to be a tipping point in your body above which the accumulation of toxins begins to interpret into disease. We don’t die from infectious disease anymore, but more childhood diseases, lymphomas, brain tumors and more adults with cancer. All of these diseases appear to be related to these toxic exposures. They go on to state that to turn your back on this is to turn your back on the obvious.

Our Body Burden, the “Pollution in People”

The term body burden was first coined in the early 2000’s. It is defined as, the total amount of a chemical present in a human's or animal's body, typically a radioactive element or other toxic substance. This can include anything from dangerous metals like lead or mercury, to pesticides and herbicides, unsafe food additives, BPA’s from plastics just to name a few.

As stated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta on a recent CNN documentary entitled Toxic America, “A growing number of studies are finding hundreds of toxic chemicals in mothers' and subsequently their babies' bodies when they are born…” 

In 2005 the Environmental Working Group published a benchmark study that looked at the number of toxic chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns. Of 287 chemicals, detected in umbilical cord blood, 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests. The dangers of pre- or post-natal exposure to this complex mixture of carcinogens, developmental toxins and neurotoxins has never been studied. The authors go on to say, had we tested for a broader array of chemicals, we would almost certainly have detected far more than 287. Testing umbilical cord blood for industrial chemicals is technically challenging. Chemical manufacturers are not required to divulge to the public or government health officials methods to detect their chemicals in humans. 

In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a comprehensive study that suggests more than 33% of diseases affecting children under the age of five are caused by environmental exposures, and that by preventing these exposures, as many as four million children’s lives a year worldwide could be saved.

Our environment has changed very rapidly. We do not live in the same environment that we did a 100 years, 50 years or even 10 years ago. Biologically we change very slowly.

We monitor the pollution in our air, our water, and even our fish. It's time to start looking at the pollution in our bodies and take steps to minimize our exposure and absorption of toxic substances.

 

Although we as individuals may not have a big say in the chemicals in our environment, we do have some control over those which we may ingest, breathe or absorb. The Self Care Awakening, being healthy by choice, looks at ways we can help reduce our individual body burden of toxic chemicals to lead a healthier life. Becoming aware of the problem is the first step the second is to take action for healthier choices.

Our Favorites!

Hydrate:

Drink healthy water at least half of your body weight in ounces daily. We suggest keeping a glass bottle (one that you know how many ounces it contains) with you at your desk or whatever activity you are engaged in and then sip on that water throughout the day. Refill as necessary. We love PiWater a filtered, alkaline water that tastes amazing and has a quick absorption rate. More on proper hydration.

Reduce Sugar:

Easiest thing to do is read labels and avoid processed foods. When you reduce sugar you are most likely eliminating other things your body doesn't need. Frequent your local farmers market/produce stands you get the benefit of healthy food and support your local community, win - win. More on sugar.

Sleep:

The most productive part of any 24 hour cycle is when you sleep. Get 8 hours of sleep everyday, Ladies 8 hours and 20 - 25 min.. More about healthy sleep and how to get it. 

 

Author: Gary Lindner, PhD

Sweet Dreams are Made of...

Sleep is an essential physiological process (this means the body NEEDS sleep, not wants but needs), but in our fast paced, highly productive lives, we often sacrifice sleep for other activities.

This is due in part to our perception of sleep as a non-productive endeavor, when from a physiological and health standpoint it our most productive time of our day.

Work that must be completed, a project that just has to be finished, studying for that mid-term, getting up an hour early to exercise or miss that rush hour traffic on the way to work. We have many reasons not to get enough sleep. Many of us think that 6 or 7 hours a night is sufficient for a good night’s sleep. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good, but in reality, it is a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation.

We often rationalize not getting the proper amount of sleep. Here are a few myths about sleep:

Myth 1: Getting just one hour less sleep per night won’t affect your daytime functioning.

Myth 2: Your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules.

Myth 3: Extra sleep at night can cure you of problems with excessive daytime fatigue.

Myth 4: You can make up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends. 

Poor sleep can cause a number of health issues including obesity in adults and children, diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, anxiety symptoms, depressed mood, poor immune function and alcohol or drug abuse.

William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, is the world's leading authority on sleep.For this pioneering work in a previously uncharted field, he is sometimes referred to as the father of sleep medicine. Dr. Dement states, “Healthy sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important determinant in predicting longevity, more important than diet, exercise and heredity.”

The National Sleep Foundation recommends 8 to 10 hours for teenagers 14 to 17 years old and 7 to 9 hours for adults. I personally recommend 8 hours of sleep for most people.  Women need more sleep according to Dr. Jim Horne, one of Britain's leading experts in sleep science. In an article published in the Daily Mail, Horne explained that on average women need twenty more minutes of sleep than men. The researcher pointed out that women tend to multi-task and use more of their brain than men leading to a greater need for sleep. Essentially, the more you use your brain during the day, the more it needs to rest while asleep.

You may be sleep deprived if…

•       Need an alarm clock to wake up on time

•       Rely on the snooze button

•       Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning

•       Feel sluggish in the afternoon

•       Get sleepy in meetings, lectures or warm rooms

•       Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving

•       Need to nap to get through the day

•       Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing

•       Feel the need to sleep in on weekends

•       Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed

Improve Your Sleep Today: Make Sleep a Priority

Schedule sleep like any other daily activity, put it on your "to-do list" and cross it off every night. But don’t make it the thing you do only after everything else is done – stop doing other things so you get the sleep you need.

Start by assessing your own individual needs and habits. See how you respond to different amounts of sleep. I suggest keeping a sleep journal for a few weeks. Pay attention to your mood, energy and productivity after a poor night's sleep versus a good one. Ask yourself, "How often do I get a good night's sleep?" The National Sleep Foundation has a downloadable Sleep Diary at https://sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/SleepDiaryv6.pdf that is easy to use and can be quite helpful. There are also many sleep apps that can be downloaded to your phone.

Tips for a better night’s sleep:

·       Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends.

·       Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual.

·       Exercise daily.

·       Evaluate your bedroom to ensure ideal temperature, sound and light.

·       Beware of hidden sleep stealers, like alcohol and caffeine.

·       Turn off electronics before bed.

·       Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows.

Get 8 hours a night of good quality sleep. It’s one way to be

Healthy by Choice. Sweet Dreams.

Our Bedtime Favorites!

Kenko Dream® Light Comforter

FEATURES AND BENEFITS
• Temperature regulation keeps you warm or cool: designed for all-season use
• Breathable outer cover provides ventilation and releases excess heat for comfort
• Chitocotton fibers containing chitosan are woven in to help fibers retain a clean, fresh scent
• When used with a Kenko Naturest® Mattress Topper, the Kenko Dream® Comforter completes the cocoon of magnetism to surround the sleeper in a magnetic field

Kenko Naturest® Mattress Topper

DYNAFLUX — POWER AT REST
• DynaFlux Magnetic Technology produces a series of magnetic fields that cover a full 360 degrees in three dimensions
• The internally opposed magnetic surfaces shift in angle as a response to body movements, to enhance the field depth
• No other technology using permanent magnets can deliver this scope of magnetic coverage • Enfolds and surrounds anything in its proximity, even complex shapes

NATURAL MATERIALS FOR BETTER SLEEP
• The foundation of the Kenko Naturest Mattress Topper is natural latex — not man-made polyurethane foam
• Latex is hypoallergenic, and resistant to microbial growth and dust mites • Latex holds its shape and firmness better than polyurethane foam, for more durable support
• Latex also wicks away moisture, for greater comfort
• The cover is woven in all-natural fibers, free from chemical pesticides, insecticides or fertilizers
• Natural fibers promote ventilation for regulation of temperature
• Fiber and latex are fully renewable resources
• 100% cotton sleeve surrounds the latex pad to add a layer of quality, protection and durability
• Meets federal flammability standards for mattress pads without flame-retardant chemicals

PASSIVE MASSAGE FOR GREATER COMFORT
Shaped nodules are produced with a proprietary method that gives them the ideal degree of firmness. The effect is a relaxing massage while you sleep, that gently stimulates and can help lessen tossing and turning.

Author: Gary Lindner, PhD

Break the Sugar Addiction

Do you know how much sugar you consume daily? Do you want to know? The fact is you NEED to know. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) over 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. This can lead to severe health issues and/or chronic diseases. The CDC predictes 1/3 of the American population will have diabetes by the year 2050. 

Public enemy No. 1 is sugar. To learn more watch the short video "Weight Matters: The 1st Few Pounds."

What can you do? The first and easiest step is to read labels. We mean all labels. We have seen sugar added to "organic" asparagus in the produce section. 

Second log what you eat and the sugar content for an entire week. At the end of the week add up the sugar then divide by 7 and this will give you your average daily sugar consumption. Then evaluate and eliminate or substitute foods with less added sugars. Third continue to read labels. 

Kenzen Vital Balance

Our favorite way to  break the sugar addiction is a healthy Kenzen Vital Balance (KVB) shake. KVB is sweetened with organic moringa and monk fruit. Have a shake twice a day if you wish to loose weight or have a shake when you are craving something sweet. 

We always recommend you do your research so you can be healthy by choice and not by chance. 

The Major Impetus

Self Care Awakening is about a few very simple concepts. It is about Being Healthy by Choice and not by Chance. The reality is, if we leave our health to chance, chances are that we are not going to be healthy.

The major impetus for the Self Care Awakening is to bring this and other aspects of good health to light.

First, that chronic disease is not a normal part of life. How many times have we heard someone say, “That’s just part of getting older”, as if the headaches, joint/back problems, weight gain, blood sugar problems, memory problems (and the list can go on and on) are just a “normal part” of life.

Here is a paraphrase of a recent advertisement from what use to be our corner drug store and is now called your local wellness center. The advertisement says, “there are 26 million Americans with diabetes, and 74 million are at risk, don’t worry, we can treat and manage your diabetes so you can lead a normal productive life”. I almost fell out of my chair when I first heard this commercial. Then I got mad. It is a brainwashing, inferring that chronic disease is a normal part of life. It is not. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease control (CDC) estimate that as high as 80% of our world’s biggest killers can be prevented. I concur and am of the belief that just a few simple self care principles can lead to a vibrant heathy life.