Refined Sugar
The leading addictive substance on Earth right now isn’t something smoked, snorted, or put in a syringe-its refined sugar. Refined sugar is destroying our bodies and our country from the inside out, and it’s vastly corrupting the rest of the world. I seriously doubt that if refined sugar were not desecrating almost every food we eat, national healthcare would be such a hot topic right now.
Refined Sugar is proving to be more deadly than ever realized. Refined sugar is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease (615,651 American deaths in 2007), and increased risk of cancer (565,650 American deaths in 2008), along with a list of other life threatening health conditions.
When something is too sweet to be true, it often is. Sugar is no different. Food manufactures understand the addictive nature of refined sugar to the human body and brain, and they have developed countless ways to sneak it into our food. They cover up the dirty deed with fat free labels and healthy heart promises, while behind the scenes they sneak the sugar in right under our noses. If something has any kind of added corn product (corn syrup, dextrose, corn starch) in the ingredients, it’s a disguise for added sugar. Other names to look for on food labels include fructose, sucrose glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, lactose, malt syrup, rice syrup, maltose, honey, and countless more.
If you’re trying to take control of your life and break away from refined sugar, make sure to start studying food labels to know when sugar is being snuck in to gain your unsuspecting obedience, along with your unwanted weight.
Why Refined Sugar is Poisonous
The main problem with excess refined sugar in the body is the overproduction of insulin by the pancreas in the effort to get blood sugar levels back to normal. Years of constant overproduction of insulin leads to high blood pressure, heart problems, increased risk of diabetes, and gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
According to obesity and Metabolism specialist Frank Suarez, people who become addicted to refined carbohydrates and sugars also start to have problems with their thyroid. The thyroid is important because it controls how quickly the body burns energy, creates proteins, and controls the body’s sensitivity to other hormones. If overproduction of insulin is affecting a person’s thyroid, this will ultimately lead to a slow unresponsive metabolism.
With constant refined sugar corrupting the blood stream countless problems begin to landslide. Ask yourself if any of these ring a bell for you or someone you know.
• Troubled immune system
• Hyperactivity
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Concentration difficulties
• Mood swings
• Eventual drowsiness and decreased activity
• Lower HDL’s (healthy cholesterol)
• Raised LDL’s (harmful cholesterol)
• Hyperglycemia
• Poor bacterial defense
• Kidney problems
• Eventual coronary heart condition
• Copper deficiency
• Problems absorbing calcium and magnesium
• Tooth decay & Gum Disease
• Acidic stomach
• Raised adrenaline levels in children
• Increased speed of the aging process causing wrinkles and gray hair
• Increased total cholesterol
• Weight gain and obesity
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Decrease in insulin sensitivity
• Decreased glucose tolerance
• Increased systolic blood pressure
• Food allergies
• Free radical formation in the bloodstream
• Toxemia during pregnancy
• Eczema in children
• Pancreas damage
• Hypertension
• Headaches and migraines
• Decrease in cognitive thinking skills
• Blood clots and strokes
• Bacterial fermentation in the colon
That’s only a fraction of the problems to much sugar can cause. For a more extensive list check out http://www.nancyappleton.com/NA144reasons.html
Common Refined Sugars to Look For
Any time sugar has been removed from another source, it goes through a refining process that strips out all health content once provided. Sucrose, fructose, and dextrose, are some of the most common refined sugars found in our foods and drinks.
Sucrose is a refined synthetic sugar derived from sugar cane and sugar beets. The juice from these items is extracted and boiled, until it begins to thicken and start a crystallization process. It later goes through a spinning cycle to remove the syrup leaving raw sugar. The raw sugar is then shipped to a refinery where it is washed and filtered to remove remaining ingredients and color. It is then bleached, crystallized, and packaged. This process removes 90% of the sugars bulk, including all the vitamins and nutrients, predigesting the sugar before it even gets to you. The body has to depend on previous stores of vitamins and minerals normally used for other healthful purposes, to fight the empty refined sugar poisoning the body and weakening the immune system.
Fructose is sugar that is found in fruits and vegetables. When found in its original source, it comes in a healthy dose. But what food manufacturers have done is make their own version of fructose by converting sugar in cornstarch to fructose, and mixing it with pure corn syrup to create high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is found in almost all western soft drinks and considered one of the major causes of obesity. Because fructose is metabolized in the body’s liver, a diet high in fructose corn syrup is sure to lead to long term liver damage. Large amounts of fructose have also shown to increase triglyceride (fat) levels in the blood, increasing the likelihood of heart disease. British medicine journals have also linked diets high in fructose to Gout, a disease known to lead to acute arthritis.
Dextrose, also known as corn sugar or grape sugar, is sugar processed from starch. It is extracted from rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, honey, and sweet fruits. A list of things often using dextrose include bread, processed meats, cookies, caramel, ice cream, sports drinks (Gatorade), french fries, fish sticks, etc. Dextrose in some form is the sugar most U.S. companies use to add to their foods. As a refined sugar, dextrose represents more empty calories, and contributes heavily to the list of problems refined sugar has brought to the west. Along with other forms of refined sugar, dextrose contributes to tooth decay, osteoporosis, cancer, and heart disease.
Don’t worry about which of these phony sugars is more deadly. Studies indicate the average American consumes 150 pounds of refined sugar per year. It's all poisonous to your system, and at some point, no matter how healthy you might be, high consumption of refined sugar will seriously challenge your health.
Next Up!
Part 2
Healthy Sugar
Natural unrefined raw sugar is not the assassin that its bizarro counterpart bleached white refined sugar is….
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Refined Sugar: The Corporate Carbohydrate Part 1
Introduction
Have you ever been so frustrated with someone you loved, that you completely exploded on them and listed every error they ever made since the conception of your relationship? It’s safe to say that unless your blood relatives, that’s usually the beginning of the end.
There has been something festering in me for quite some time now. That is, the state of our country’s nutritional health! You are about to embark on reading why I have felt the need to get out what has been dominating my thoughts, and why I have had a nasty negative bug crawling up my you know what.
For the first few days as I edited my Intro piece, I felt vindicated and relieved that I wasn’t the one with the health issues. I was blasting everyone else for being so blase in taking care of themselves. I felt strong, smart, and better off because I knew how to be healthy. Then one day went by, followed by another, and I realized I was tearing apart the mistakes and choices of the people and the country I love the most. I knew immediately that even if I might be technically right, I was still wrong.
I have spent a great deal of time and research learning about a subject that can help all of us. Rather than grandstanding about how far we’ve fallen, I want to ask anyone who is interested in bettering their health to take the information that I am going to provide and think about how they can apply it to their life.
The subject of my late night efforts has been refined sugar, and how it’s slowly killing the country I love from the inside out. The surest way to destroy anything is to corrupt its center, and slowly move outward till it’s completely destroyed. This is how processed foods and refined sugars take over the human body. After millions of dollars spent on the health of our poor bodies, research is starting to discover what processed foods high in empty corrupted sugar content is doing to our people. Unfortunately, the news is not reaching all of us who need to educate ourselves to change this bodily assault.
My goal with this piece is to encourage my countrymen to learn about what they’re eating, and how to improve the fuel they are putting in their bodies. Our bodies and our minds are not two separate entities, but one flowing organism working to make up the thoughts we have, and the people we are. Through nutrition we have the ability to control our thoughts and actions in a positive manner. By eating the right foods vs. the wrong ones, we can be leaders instead of followers, and we can each begin re-taking control of our health and future destiny.
Food determines our health more than any other single factor. If we eat unhealthy foods, we will make unhealthy choices, just as eating healthy foods will help us make healthy and positive choices. Our brains our so rich and complex, that they need the finest fuel available to help us reach our full potential and well-being. This includes foods like complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and high quality proteins. Refined foods corrupt the natural relationship and synergy of our bodies. This ultimately corrupts the energy systems we depend on, as well as our physical and mental well being.
In this article I am going to talk about the dangers of the wrong kind of food’s, and how they have put our loved ones and our country into a health crises. I am not here to point my finger at anyone. I am here to give the information you will need to start making the right choices for your health, and wellbeing.
My goal is to empower those reading this with the knowledge as to how to avoid being taken advantage of by corporations looking to make money off addicting consumers to refined sugar laden foods.
The simple truth is we have a country addicted to refined sugars. One might think the use of the word addiction is strong, but it is without question the most appropriate term to use. I can understand why were addicted. Go to any grocery store and take 20 minutes to walk around reading the ingredients of the products on the shelves. Corporations have 20 different terms in which they use to hide added sugar and preservatives that poison your body every time you consume them. We continually overburden our immune system with refined processed foods, and because of this we are more susceptible to sickness, disease, mental stress, and self induced emotional despair. The only time any of these problems seem to fade for even a moment, is when we consume more of the food already causing our problems. Corporations don’t want us to have the knowledge of why this is happening to us. They get richer creating more unhealthy diet products meant to fix our old ailments, when what their really doing is creating new ones.
The only way to stop this cycle is to stop looking for new quick solutions to the same ever expanding old problem. Like any addict, we are in denial, or at the very least, we want to find short cuts that can cure us in less than a months time. The only thing shortcuts are good for is creating more problems. Success stories are built on knowledge and hard work, and healthy bodies are no different.
In most cases people say the journey itself was better than the end result. If all you’re concerned about is a look or an image, then keep searching for short cuts, but if true health is your desire, there is no better mission to embark on, than learning to understand and take care of your body.
Next up!
Part 1
Refined Sugar: The Corporate Carbohydrate
The leading addictive substance on earth right now isn’t something smoked, snorted, or put in a syringe, its refined sugar….
Have you ever been so frustrated with someone you loved, that you completely exploded on them and listed every error they ever made since the conception of your relationship? It’s safe to say that unless your blood relatives, that’s usually the beginning of the end.
There has been something festering in me for quite some time now. That is, the state of our country’s nutritional health! You are about to embark on reading why I have felt the need to get out what has been dominating my thoughts, and why I have had a nasty negative bug crawling up my you know what.
For the first few days as I edited my Intro piece, I felt vindicated and relieved that I wasn’t the one with the health issues. I was blasting everyone else for being so blase in taking care of themselves. I felt strong, smart, and better off because I knew how to be healthy. Then one day went by, followed by another, and I realized I was tearing apart the mistakes and choices of the people and the country I love the most. I knew immediately that even if I might be technically right, I was still wrong.
I have spent a great deal of time and research learning about a subject that can help all of us. Rather than grandstanding about how far we’ve fallen, I want to ask anyone who is interested in bettering their health to take the information that I am going to provide and think about how they can apply it to their life.
The subject of my late night efforts has been refined sugar, and how it’s slowly killing the country I love from the inside out. The surest way to destroy anything is to corrupt its center, and slowly move outward till it’s completely destroyed. This is how processed foods and refined sugars take over the human body. After millions of dollars spent on the health of our poor bodies, research is starting to discover what processed foods high in empty corrupted sugar content is doing to our people. Unfortunately, the news is not reaching all of us who need to educate ourselves to change this bodily assault.
My goal with this piece is to encourage my countrymen to learn about what they’re eating, and how to improve the fuel they are putting in their bodies. Our bodies and our minds are not two separate entities, but one flowing organism working to make up the thoughts we have, and the people we are. Through nutrition we have the ability to control our thoughts and actions in a positive manner. By eating the right foods vs. the wrong ones, we can be leaders instead of followers, and we can each begin re-taking control of our health and future destiny.
Food determines our health more than any other single factor. If we eat unhealthy foods, we will make unhealthy choices, just as eating healthy foods will help us make healthy and positive choices. Our brains our so rich and complex, that they need the finest fuel available to help us reach our full potential and well-being. This includes foods like complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and high quality proteins. Refined foods corrupt the natural relationship and synergy of our bodies. This ultimately corrupts the energy systems we depend on, as well as our physical and mental well being.
In this article I am going to talk about the dangers of the wrong kind of food’s, and how they have put our loved ones and our country into a health crises. I am not here to point my finger at anyone. I am here to give the information you will need to start making the right choices for your health, and wellbeing.
My goal is to empower those reading this with the knowledge as to how to avoid being taken advantage of by corporations looking to make money off addicting consumers to refined sugar laden foods.
The simple truth is we have a country addicted to refined sugars. One might think the use of the word addiction is strong, but it is without question the most appropriate term to use. I can understand why were addicted. Go to any grocery store and take 20 minutes to walk around reading the ingredients of the products on the shelves. Corporations have 20 different terms in which they use to hide added sugar and preservatives that poison your body every time you consume them. We continually overburden our immune system with refined processed foods, and because of this we are more susceptible to sickness, disease, mental stress, and self induced emotional despair. The only time any of these problems seem to fade for even a moment, is when we consume more of the food already causing our problems. Corporations don’t want us to have the knowledge of why this is happening to us. They get richer creating more unhealthy diet products meant to fix our old ailments, when what their really doing is creating new ones.
The only way to stop this cycle is to stop looking for new quick solutions to the same ever expanding old problem. Like any addict, we are in denial, or at the very least, we want to find short cuts that can cure us in less than a months time. The only thing shortcuts are good for is creating more problems. Success stories are built on knowledge and hard work, and healthy bodies are no different.
In most cases people say the journey itself was better than the end result. If all you’re concerned about is a look or an image, then keep searching for short cuts, but if true health is your desire, there is no better mission to embark on, than learning to understand and take care of your body.
Next up!
Part 1
Refined Sugar: The Corporate Carbohydrate
The leading addictive substance on earth right now isn’t something smoked, snorted, or put in a syringe, its refined sugar….
Fitness & Nutrtion Tips of the Week 11/20/09
Fitness Tip
If you have shooting pain or stiffness in your shoulders make sure to avoid pressing oriented exercises. Exercises to avoid include push-ups, bench press, dumbbell press, incline press, and overhead shoulder press. Pulling exercises may be appropriate, but make sure to do a light load and not straining to activate your shoulders. Safer exercises include light cable rows and light lat pull downs. Make sure to keep the workload light, and ask a friendly trainer to show you some light rotator cuff exercises that can help your damaged shoulder recover.
Nutrition Tip
Avoiding refined sugar is crucial in loosing the excess fat driving you mad. Refined sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, malt, sucrose, dextrose, honey, fructose in soda, syrup, exc.--release into the blood stream almost immediately after consumption. Insulin is released into the blood to take the excess sugar away and provide restored balance to blood sugar levels. Unless the excess sugar is used immediately as energy from physical exertion, it is to be stored as fat on the body. Instead of eating less, stop eating a diet rich in refined sugar, I think you’ll enjoy the outcome.
If you have shooting pain or stiffness in your shoulders make sure to avoid pressing oriented exercises. Exercises to avoid include push-ups, bench press, dumbbell press, incline press, and overhead shoulder press. Pulling exercises may be appropriate, but make sure to do a light load and not straining to activate your shoulders. Safer exercises include light cable rows and light lat pull downs. Make sure to keep the workload light, and ask a friendly trainer to show you some light rotator cuff exercises that can help your damaged shoulder recover.
Nutrition Tip
Avoiding refined sugar is crucial in loosing the excess fat driving you mad. Refined sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, malt, sucrose, dextrose, honey, fructose in soda, syrup, exc.--release into the blood stream almost immediately after consumption. Insulin is released into the blood to take the excess sugar away and provide restored balance to blood sugar levels. Unless the excess sugar is used immediately as energy from physical exertion, it is to be stored as fat on the body. Instead of eating less, stop eating a diet rich in refined sugar, I think you’ll enjoy the outcome.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Fitness & Nutrition Tips of the Week 11/09/09
Fitness Tip
To build a body with strength, stability, and integrity, a solid foundation must be implemented. The body’s foundation lies in its ability to stabilize under the presence of outside stress. Learn how to train your body for stabilization, and feel your body's foundation become sronger.
Stabilization example 1-
Forearm plank
Stabilization example 2 -
Single Leg Balance
Nutrition Tip
The human body is made up primarily of water. Based on that truth, it can be deduced that water should be given to the body on a consistent basis to maintain a high level of function. Because we are oxygen dependent beings, water is the healthiest thing we can consume. Water by weight is 89% oxygen, and 11% hydrogen. This means that by drinking a glass of water, one is drinking a hefty glass of oxygen. The transportation of oxygen is what drives the body’s metabolism, and because of this, the body's metabolism is increased by simply drinking water.
To build a body with strength, stability, and integrity, a solid foundation must be implemented. The body’s foundation lies in its ability to stabilize under the presence of outside stress. Learn how to train your body for stabilization, and feel your body's foundation become sronger.
Stabilization example 1-
Forearm plank
Stabilization example 2 -
Single Leg Balance
Nutrition Tip
The human body is made up primarily of water. Based on that truth, it can be deduced that water should be given to the body on a consistent basis to maintain a high level of function. Because we are oxygen dependent beings, water is the healthiest thing we can consume. Water by weight is 89% oxygen, and 11% hydrogen. This means that by drinking a glass of water, one is drinking a hefty glass of oxygen. The transportation of oxygen is what drives the body’s metabolism, and because of this, the body's metabolism is increased by simply drinking water.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Fitness & Nutrition Tips of the Week 11/04/09
Fitness Tip
Alternating upper body and lower body exercises in a circuit training format will promote increased circulation of blood through the entire body. By increasing the body’s circulation, one can improve the following:
• Heart health
• Energy levels
• Stress levels
• Pain management
• Disease prevention and/or management
• Transportation of oxygen, nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants to the body’s muscles and major organs.
• Immune system
Nutrition Tip
To boost the immune system, drink plenty of water, and eat a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Water will increase the body’s circulation of blood, and the blood will transport the vitamins from the fruits and vegetables throughout the body helping to ward off sickness
Alternating upper body and lower body exercises in a circuit training format will promote increased circulation of blood through the entire body. By increasing the body’s circulation, one can improve the following:
• Heart health
• Energy levels
• Stress levels
• Pain management
• Disease prevention and/or management
• Transportation of oxygen, nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants to the body’s muscles and major organs.
• Immune system
Nutrition Tip
To boost the immune system, drink plenty of water, and eat a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Water will increase the body’s circulation of blood, and the blood will transport the vitamins from the fruits and vegetables throughout the body helping to ward off sickness
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Home of My Dreams
I sometimes consider what kind of home I would like to live in one day. One particular day my head began floating away, as it will from time to time, daydreaming about the kind of home I saw in my future. I became wide eyed with a vision of a personal palace filled with uniquely exquisite rooms, an outside area furnished with a pool and jacuzzi, along with a gigantic yard decorated with flowers and a garden. After a while, my head slowly started to descend out of the clouds, and back to its rightful place, just above my shoulders. I was left in my modest Manhattan apartment, with the realization of how far off I was from the home of my dreams.
As I started considering my current residence, I realized there was very little to consider. I don’t like to say it was disheartening, but let’s face it, it was just that. As we all do at times, I began feeling inadequate. Life always seems so complicated when faced with moments of self discouragement. Because I deplore feeling rotten, I was determined to find a renewed sense of myself.
I went to the busy Manhattan streets with a new determination. I was set on feeling better, only I didn’t know how just yet to do it. In New York there is one common place we all seem to go for peace, a place where we realize there is more than concrete, lights, skyscrapers, subways, and endless horns being slammed by Cabbies competing for the next fair.
Central Park was filled with people enjoying the combination of sun, trees, a light breeze, green grass, dogs, frisbees, softballs, picnics, and one another. I began feeling a renewed sense of peace. As my mind cleared, my thoughts became more focused. I started observing people in a different light. Joggers ran by, bikers briskly streaked along the road, a couple peacefully napped under a tree, and children played in the open field. At once, I realized the inadequacy in my life was gone, and everything was ok. Then, it dawned on me.
The house I’ve always wanted was already mine! The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. I began thinking of all the house had. A strong foundation, good framework, the rooms circulated nicely, the hallways were clean, the exterior and interior still undamaged , the heating and cooling systems worked great, no plumbing problems, the entertainment system was state of the art, it had all the gym equipment necessary, it was even mobile!
All of a sudden, I realized I already was a proud home owner. I began thinking of all the responsibilities that came with owning my home. Maintenance, water, energy, trash removal, regular cleaning, a kitchen full with healthy food, and more! As the stress began to build with thoughts of my new found responsibilities, I suddenly realized my dumb luck. I had already been handling those responsibilities quite well, and without knowing, it had been my job to help others maintain their homes as well!
As grand as my house was, it had only two windows, and these windows were different from any other. I knew immediately they were the most unique windows the world had to offer, and just as immediately, I realized everyone had two of these very same windows.
Night began to fall, and I left Central park. I walked back to my modest Manhattan apartment, looking at the homes I had not really noticed before. Never had I seen so many. I wondered if the home owners realized what I finally had that day. If not, I knew I wanted to make it part of my life’s mission to help them know what I finally knew.
I finished that night as I always do, brushing my teeth and washing my face. I put up my tooth brush, and stood looking through my two windows into the mirror over the sink. I was truly thankful for the first time of my strong healthy home, and I cherished my new perspective on how to take care of where I truly lived after all. At these thoughts, I saw the entrance to my home curl into a smile, and a laugh blow through the gate.
As I started considering my current residence, I realized there was very little to consider. I don’t like to say it was disheartening, but let’s face it, it was just that. As we all do at times, I began feeling inadequate. Life always seems so complicated when faced with moments of self discouragement. Because I deplore feeling rotten, I was determined to find a renewed sense of myself.
I went to the busy Manhattan streets with a new determination. I was set on feeling better, only I didn’t know how just yet to do it. In New York there is one common place we all seem to go for peace, a place where we realize there is more than concrete, lights, skyscrapers, subways, and endless horns being slammed by Cabbies competing for the next fair.
Central Park was filled with people enjoying the combination of sun, trees, a light breeze, green grass, dogs, frisbees, softballs, picnics, and one another. I began feeling a renewed sense of peace. As my mind cleared, my thoughts became more focused. I started observing people in a different light. Joggers ran by, bikers briskly streaked along the road, a couple peacefully napped under a tree, and children played in the open field. At once, I realized the inadequacy in my life was gone, and everything was ok. Then, it dawned on me.
The house I’ve always wanted was already mine! The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. I began thinking of all the house had. A strong foundation, good framework, the rooms circulated nicely, the hallways were clean, the exterior and interior still undamaged , the heating and cooling systems worked great, no plumbing problems, the entertainment system was state of the art, it had all the gym equipment necessary, it was even mobile!
All of a sudden, I realized I already was a proud home owner. I began thinking of all the responsibilities that came with owning my home. Maintenance, water, energy, trash removal, regular cleaning, a kitchen full with healthy food, and more! As the stress began to build with thoughts of my new found responsibilities, I suddenly realized my dumb luck. I had already been handling those responsibilities quite well, and without knowing, it had been my job to help others maintain their homes as well!
As grand as my house was, it had only two windows, and these windows were different from any other. I knew immediately they were the most unique windows the world had to offer, and just as immediately, I realized everyone had two of these very same windows.
Night began to fall, and I left Central park. I walked back to my modest Manhattan apartment, looking at the homes I had not really noticed before. Never had I seen so many. I wondered if the home owners realized what I finally had that day. If not, I knew I wanted to make it part of my life’s mission to help them know what I finally knew.
I finished that night as I always do, brushing my teeth and washing my face. I put up my tooth brush, and stood looking through my two windows into the mirror over the sink. I was truly thankful for the first time of my strong healthy home, and I cherished my new perspective on how to take care of where I truly lived after all. At these thoughts, I saw the entrance to my home curl into a smile, and a laugh blow through the gate.
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