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Natural Choices Newsletter
Natural Choices Monthly Newsletter – September 2004
Can Sugar and Starch Cause Cancer?
In an August Cancer Journal a study was published about the diets of Mexican women who were evaluated and watched to see who were eventually diagnosed with breast cancer. It was found that the women who ate 62% of their diets from starches and sweets to have 2.2 times the rate of breast cancer than those who ate less than 52% starches and sweets. Why is this? Carbohydrates can cause blood sugar imbalances, causing a rise in insulin, leading to higher estrogen levels and a growth in cancer cells, specifically breast cancer cells.
Sugar and starch consumption has increase dramatically since the 1950’s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that the average American eats 147 pounds of sugar in 2001. This includes whole sugar and forms of processed sugars.
High fructose corn syrup was developed in 1966 as a sweetener to blend into processed foods. It is made from cornstarch and turns into fructose and glucose. Yet fructose is metabolized differently than glucose and the over-consumption of fructose can contribute to high triglycerides and insulin resistance, especially in men. Fructose found in whole fruits does not have the adverse affect of processed fructose, and should not contribute to higher blood fats. But we are getting fructose more in processed foods. The consumption of high fructose corn syrup has increased to an average of 62.6 pounds per person in 2001.
Sugar added to foods makes the food more acidic, which creates the formation of excess acids in our cells. When too many acids are produce it interferes with the production oxygen into our cells creating blood sugar problems, concentration problems, and immune and nervous system disorders. Sugar causes excess free radical formation that increases cell damage, and lowers our digestive enzymes activity, specifically affecting protein absorption. This can cause muscle weakness and pain.
Using Foods to Prevent Sunburn
Even though autumn is around the corner, we are going to talk about getting certain nutrients to prevent sunburn. We have all heard about lycopenes. They are even adding this phytonutrient to Centrum. Lycopene is a phytochemical that comes from red foods. Most of the media talks about lycopenes in tomatoes, but we can get more lycopene from watermelon. A cup of tomatoes has 4 mg of lycopenes, compared to watermelon that has 9 mg of lycopene per cup. Sufficient quantities of lycopenes and other carotenoids will help to prevent sunburn when you are also getting a good balance of essential fatty acids. So if you go out in the sun, make sure you are getting enough red and orange foods to bring in lots of nutrients, and add omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to your diet to equal at least 2000 mg per day.
Picking a “Good” Watermelon
Pick up the watermelon. If it feels heavier than it should be for its size, then it is full of water and more ripe. Also look at the color of the rind. It should be dull green color, and the side that was laying on the ground should be a creamy yellow color. It is not ripe if it is white. And if the stem is attached it should be brown, not green. A whole un-cut watermelon will keep at room temperature for about two to three weeks. It does need to be refrigerated once you have cut it.
Picking Antioxidants
Just like picking a good watermelon, we need to be choosy on the type of antioxidants we put into our bodies. Ascorbic acid as vitamin C is NOT the only one we need. We need to get a full complement of antioxidants from whole foods. Foods that are very colorful, and loaded with phyto (plant) nutrients. Just like watermelon and tomatoes have a lot of lycopene (a phytochemical that makes fruits and vegetables red), we need the orange, green, and deep blue or purple colors in our diet and in our whole food supplements. Our bodies recognize whole food supplements and break them down into nutrients much more efficiently than any separate vitamin or mineral supplement. That is why I continue to promote Juice Plus+ around the country, as the best basic whole food supplement around. If you are not on Juice Plus+ yet, and realize that you would benefit from getting more concentrated fruits and vegetables in your diet, please visit this website that will explain even more about the benefits and research of Juice Plus+
href="http://www.juiceplus.com/+jo01683"> Juice Plus Information
October 2004 Newsletter
Weight Loss - Another Benefit of a Low Glycemic Diet
In a recent Lancet journal, an animal study presented evidence that eating a regular diet of low glycemic foods can lead to weight loss, reduced body fat, and lowered risk of heart disease and diabetes. In this study low glycemic index foods were used, which are carbohydrate foods that release sugar slowly into the bloodstream. You can also use the glycemic load numbers, which are based on actual serving size.
One study, using rats, compared a high glycemic diet of starchy foods, to a low glycemic diet, and found that the rats who ate the high glycemic foods had 71% more body fat and 8% less lean body mass than the low glycemic group. And most of the excess weight was concentrated in the abdominal area, helping to create the “apple” shape known to increase heart disease risk. Also, the blood sugar and insulin levels were better for the low glycemic foods group.
Another study with mice showed that after 9 weeks, the mice eating the high glycemic foods diet had 93% more body fat than the mice eating the low glycemic foods diet. Mice do not live as long as people, so we could not gain 93% more body fat in just 9 weeks even if we tried, but this study shows the effect of choosing carbohydrates carefully.
You can find out more about the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load on my website. There is a short two page condensed Glycemic Load Chart in PDF format. Many of you have ordered and downloaded the “Yes, You Can Have Carbohydrates” report available on my website. This 16-page report includes an expanded 4-page, 130-food list, of glycemic index and glycemic load values for common foods plus information about the benefits using the glycemic load to prevent chronic diseases. You can use this list to add up your glycemic load points and ideally keep them between 50 and 80 per day to keep your diet as a low glycemic diet.
If you have not ordered the “Yes, You Can Have Carbohydrates” report yet, but have interest in it, you will want to order it soon. This report will be expanded into an e-book and/or booklet, and the price will increase at that time. So order your own report (and download your copy at the receipt screen) now! You can get it for only $3.95 at Natural Choices on the Welcome page link to the Glycemic Index / Glycemic Load Chart.
Diabetes Caused by Inflammation?
Doctors are now using the C-Reactive Protein test regularly to determine the level of inflammation in your body. This blood test is being used to measure your risk of heart attacks or stroke, since now we know that inflammation in the arteries causes cholesterol levels to go up. If we can lower inflammation we can reduce risk for diabetes also.
Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome (a pre-diabetes state) can be caused by low-grade long-term inflammation in the tissues, which cause increases in insulin and triglycerides, and lowering of the good HDL cholesterol. Now, the Women’s Health Study even uses the CRP (C-Reactive Protein blood test) to predict the development of diabetes in women.
How Do We Lower Inflammation?
The best way to lower CRP levels, and consequently inflammation in your body, is by exercise to keep all of the blood and lymph flowing adequately. Also a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, along with supplementation depending on the level of inflammation, will reduce inflammation levels. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in flax seed oil and fish oils. Do you ever wonder why Cod Liver Oil was used many years ago to keep people healthy? It has this Omega-3 oil that helps not only to reduce inflammation, but will also increase cell flexibility and improve absorption of nutrients creating more cellular energy.
Supplement of the Month
Instead of a tablespoon of Cod Liver Oil daily, I recommend taking EPA-DHA Complex, which comes as a 90 softgel supply. Each softgel contains 1g of Marine Lipid Concentrate containing EPA and DHA. I recommend at least two per day, and preferably 3 or 4 per day depending on your level of inflammation. For anyone with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and any heart condition, this EPA-DHA Complex supplement is always included my recommended protocol. It is pharmaceutical grade quality, so you do not have to worry about mercury or other toxins that are found in fish. You can order this supplement directly at Dr. Jane Oelke's Meta E-Health website
Natural Choices Newsletter – November 2004
Many people ask me: “What do I eat to prevent Diabetes?”
Learning to use the Glycemic Load chart to choose foods is an important part of keeping the blood sugar in control regularly to prevent the insulin fluctuations that eventually create Diabetes. The Glycemic Index /Glycemic Load chart contained in the “Yes, You Can have Carbohydrates” report contains a complete list of common foods. What you will not find on that chart is meats and other mostly protein foods. That is because protein does not increase blood sugar. Fats, “good” and “bad”, also do not increase blood sugar.
Foods that contain a combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are usually the lower numbers on the chart, especially if there is a lot of fiber in those foods. For example, legumes such as chickpeas, soybeans, and peas have low glycemic numbers because they have a lot of fiber, along with some protein. Foods that contain many fats, like nuts have low glycemic numbers also. Also, the numbers attributed to each carbohydrate-rich food are not cumulative. In other words, having Cheerios (glycemic index of 74) with milk (glycemic index of 30) does not add up to an index of 104. It just means that the lower glycemic food (milk) will help balance out the effects of the higher glycemic food (Cheerios).
So adding protein and foods containing good fats into your diet to balance your meals will keep your blood sugar in balance. In fact, one study shows that when people ate fatty foods first, their blood sugar levels were lower an hour after the meal compared to when they ate mainly carbohydrates foods first. So essentially adding butter to a baked potato will lower the rate that potato increases your blood sugar.
You can get more information on the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load on my website: NaturalChoicesForYou.com Read the other newsletters for additional information, and download the Glycemic Index /Glycemic Load chart. When you want more information read the report “Yes, You Can Have Carbohydrates!” It is a downloadable report that is available to download at the receipt page. If you forget to download it, contact me by e-mail and I will send it to you as a PDF file.
Good Fats and Diabetes
Avoid foods that contain any partially hydrogenated oils. These are the especially bad fats that raise cholesterol and triglycerides. The good fats are the monounsaturated fatty acids (omega-9) and the polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) found in plant products, but some of these are better than others.
The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil (EPA and DHA) and plants are the most beneficial fatty acids for diabetes. They help lower inflammation in the body and improve circulation. They help to reduce triglycerides and raise HDL levels, and some help lower blood pressure. The highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids is flaxseed oil.
Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are commonly found in corn, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oil. The ideal ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids is 1 to 2, yet because of the high availability of omega-6 fatty acids in our diet when combined in a supplement the ratio is often reversed so that more omega-3 fatty acids are included.
Omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids are contained in canola and olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has been associated with lower blood pressure and a recent study reported that it might have specific benefits for people with type-2 diabetes. It is the best dietary fat to add to high glycemic foods to lower the rate at which it turns to sugar. Italians have it right when they add olive oil to their breads, pasta and vegetables. You just need to add olive oil to foods after they have been cooked to keep the omega-9 fat healthy.
When using supplements to enhance the benefit of good fats in the diet, I have found that people with chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia and arthritis, tend to do better with supplements that contain a combination of omega-3 and omega-6 foods. Evening primrose oil is another omega-6 fatty acid that tends to help keep the joints and muscle more flexible and improves dry skin while improving absorption of nutrients in all of the cells. “Good” fat supplements that are available on my website: NaturalChoicesForYou.com are EPA-DHA Complex (Omega-3 only), Omega EFA (a combination of omega-3 and omega-6), Meta EPO (Evening Primrose Oil), and Ultra CLA (Conjugated Linolenic Acid) which helps keep blood sugar in balance by improving insulin absorption.
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