Category: Food

A few years ago now, William Duffy wrote a book called Sugar Blues. In it he writes about the addictive qualities of white sugar saying, “It is much like a drug and the difference between sugar addiction and narcotic addiction is largely one of degree,” What makes sugar qualify as an addictive substance? By eating one piece or one bite of something containing sugar, it creates a desire for more and more. Also when one decides to quit eating it ‘cold turkey’, withdrawal symptoms appear which encourage one to go back to eating sugar again.  Symptoms like depression, fatigue, fuzzy thinking, headaches, blurred vision, strong cravings and mood swings are not pleasant and can be caused by withdrawing sugar from the diet.… Read the rest

In a recent issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine, Australian researchers have shown how a sugar hit affects the microzymas that make up human genes, altering their ability to function. Since sugar is very acidic to the body, the microzymas “remember” the hit for up to two weeks. The effect is such that the genetic material switches off genetic controls that are designed to protect the body against damage that causes chronic disease.
Researchers in Australia, led by lead researcher Sam El-Ostra, from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute says, “ We now know that chocolate bar you had this morning can have acute effects, and those effects can continue for up to two weeks.”
“These changes continue beyond the meal itself and have the ability to alter natural metabolic responses to diet,” he told Australian Associated Press Friday.… Read the rest

Sugar is one of the most seductive foods out there. It tastes good and it is in more foods than you can imagine. Worst of all, with some people it is addictive. They can’t get enough of it. The truth is sugar is a poison. It will eventually ruin your health, especially past the age of 35.

The sad thing is, everyone thinks they are immune to any kind of illness. They keep eating things that they like, because they like them. They don’t think about consequences down the road. I feel fine right now so that is all that counts.

Sugar is an emotional comfort. It brings comfort and pleasure when you’re tired, stressed or upset. Time for coffee and donuts at 10:30 to tide you over until lunch.… Read the rest

Epigallocatechin Gallate or EGCG is one of the most powerful antioxidants known. One of the most delicious sources is green tea. EGCG has been shown in very promising studies to slow or even reverse leukemia symptomology.

Since the 1970’s scientists have known about the cancer fighting abilities of green tea. In countries that consume large quantities of green tea per capita, cancer rates are much lower than the norm. In a study published in 2004, researchers found EGCG could kill leukemia cells.

In the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a new study from the Mayo Clinic showed that EGCG reduced the symptoms of cancer patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Patients were treated with varying doses of an EGCG extract.

When health professionals at the Mayo noticed that patients who drank green tea began showing signs of improvement, they decided to do a study.… Read the rest

Products containing chocolate have been prized as very special treats for hundreds of years. In recent years, studies are showing extraordinary health giving qualities in chocolate after the milk, sugar and high fructose corn syrup are stripped away. The phytochemicals (nutrients derived from plants) in chocolate are some of the most concentrated and powerful in any food source. These plant nutrients have fancy names but don’t let their names fool you. They all have flavonoid and antioxidant qualities that are unrivaled in the plant kingdom.

Procyanidin flavonoids, epicatechins and catechins are what make chocolate one of the world’s most potent super foods. Over 10 percent of the weight of pure cocoa powder is flavonoids. There is a small fraction of theobromine, about 1.2… Read the rest

Public health advocates are pushing for a ban on the sale of sports drinks and flavored waters in schools, warning that drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade contain as much as two-thirds the sugar of sodas, and more than three times the sodium.

But a report from the University of California at Berkeley warns that people who drink one 20-ounce sports drink every day for a year may gain about 13 pounds. This is no surprise to some nutritionists, who note that when you look at the ingredients, it’s water, high-fructose corn syrup, and salt.

According to Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, “For years we’ve been programmed to believe that sports drinks are healthy and you need to replenish those electrolytes after you go out and walk your dog.… Read the rest

We’ve all heard that certain foods are good for you. Mom told us that, but did you know there are some foods that are really over the top for nutrition. Some people call them super foods and for good reason. They contain exceptional amounts of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and good fats hidden among their extraordinary flavors.

Life is very hectic these days with free radical levels higher than they have ever been. Lots of people have aches and pains, are tired or just don’t feel well. Our bodies are reeling from the pace that we have set for ourselves. Some people even have difficulty eating healthy, so super foods can put a big dent in the nutritional desert some of us find ourselves in.… Read the rest

That much maligned fat-rich avocado might be better for you than you think. Certain good fats help the absorption of key nutrients that are important for your good health.

In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers at Ohio State University reported that avocados, which are rich in the monounsaturated type of omega 3 fatty acids help the body absorb up to 15 times more of a class of nutrients called carotenoids, which protect the body against heart disease, inflammation, cancers and blindness.

In recent decades people have been encouraged to eat more vegetables, particularly green ones. Many vegetables, especially the red, orange, yellow and green ones carry high levels of carotenoids but they are extremely low in fat.… Read the rest

By eating a diet rich in sugars and refined carbohydrates you set your body up for a yeast and fungus overgrowth. A by-product of their growth is over acidity of the body with a resulting accumulation of mycotoxins, the waste of these organisms. These poisons are very irritating to the tissues and continue to be produced as the ideal environment for the yeasts and fungus continues.

Digested grains and sugars are the main foods for these organisms which can multiply in the thousands within minutes. They literally can overtake the beneficial bacteria in your intestines creating a situation where you have gas, bloating and even gastric reflux, not to mention allergies.

They mycotoxins produced can severely stress the immune system as they constantly stimulate it with the ever-present irritation.… Read the rest