Sugar Makes You Fat and Sick - and More

Fat doesn't make you FAT, Sugar is making you fat. There are healthy fats and their are poor choice fats. The healthy fats can actually HELP you lose weight. The thing to remember is that fats are calorically dense. So while they are important in the diet to make hormones, cushion the organs, and for a reasonable energy reserve , you still need to be conscious of the amount- even from the healthiest sources. In general the very best fat sources come from Olive Oil, Fatty Fish (omega 3s), Avacados, and nuts. The less healthy fats are from dairy, butter, and red meat. Trans fat is a man made fat that basically changes a mono-unsaturated healthy fat into a chemically made satuarated fat. It is extrememly harmful to the body! Manufacturers use trans-fat to extend the shelf life of their products. It must be avaoided. Keep in mind that a company can list a product as having 0 trans fat even if it has a .5 gram amount per serving. Often times this happens in crackers, where a serving for the average person is more like 4 and so therefore people consum 2 grams of this trans fat unknowingly. Be aware. In the ingredient list it will show up as "partially hrdrogenated oil". That's TRANS FAT. Don't eat it and don't feed it to your kids either.

If you eat that fat that naturally occurs in foods you will be healther than if you are adding fat to your food such as lard, butter, cream cheese, etc. Todays most harmful ingredient is sugar. Read on to see the many ways.

If this does not get you to stop or cut back on eating sugar, I am not sure what will. How many of these can you relate to?


Counting the Many Ways Sugar Harms Your Health


Contributed by Nancy Appleton, PhD
Author of the book Lick The Sugar Habit

In addition to throwing off the body's homeostasis, excess sugar may result in a number of other significant consequences. The following is a listing of some of sugar's metabolic consequences from a variety of medical journals and other scientific publications.

Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.1,2

Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium. 3,4,5,6

Sugar can cause can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.7,8

Sugar can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.9,10,11,12

Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.13

Sugar feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.14,15,16,17,18,19,20

Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia.21,22

Sugar can weaken eyesight.23

Sugar can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.24,25,26,27,28

Sugar can cause premature aging.29

Sugar can lead to alcoholism.30

Sugar can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.31,32,33

Sugar contributes to obesity.34

Sugar can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.35,36,37

Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).38

Sugar can cause gallstones.39

Sugar can cause appendicitis.40

Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.41

Sugar can cause varicose veins.42

Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.43

Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.44

Sugar can cause a decrease in your insulin sensitivity thereby causing an abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.45,46,47

Sugar can lower your Vitamin E levels.48

Sugar can increase your systolic blood pressure.49

Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.50

High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar molecules attaching to and thereby damaging proteins in the body).51

Sugar can interfere with your absorption of protein.52

Sugar causes food allergies.53

Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.54

Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.55

Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.56,57

Sugar can impair the structure of your DNA.58

Sugar can change the structure of protein and cause a permanent alteration of the way the proteins act in your body.59,60

Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.61

Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.62,63

Sugar can cause emphysema.64

High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in your body.65

Sugar lowers the ability of enzymes to function.66

Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson's disease.67

Sugar can increase the size of your liver by making your liver cells divide and it can increase the amount of liver fat.68,69

Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney such as the formation of kidney stones.70,71

Sugar can damage your pancreas.72

Sugar can increase your body's fluid retention.73

Sugar is enemy #1 of your bowel movement.74

Sugar can compromise the lining of your capillaries.75

Sugar can make your tendons more brittle.76

Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.77

Sugar can reduce the learning capacity, adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.78,79

Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves which can alter your mind's ability to think clearly.80

Sugar can cause depression.81

Sugar can increase your risk of gout.82

Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.83

Sugar can cause hormonal imbalances such as: increasing estrogen in men, exacerbating PMS, and decreasing growth hormone.84,85,86,87

Sugar can lead to dizziness.88

Diets high in sugar will increase free radicals and oxidative stress.89

High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.90

High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration and is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.91,92

Sugar is an addictive substance.93

Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.94

Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.95

Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.96

Your body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.97

The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.98

Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).99

Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.100

Sugar can slow down the ability of your adrenal glands to function.101

Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.102

I.V.s (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to your brain.103

Sugar increases your risk of polio.104

High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.105

Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.106

In intensive care units: Limiting sugar saves lives.107

Sugar may induce cell death.108

In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44 percent drop in antisocial behavior.109

Sugar dehydrates newborns.110

Sugar can cause gum disease.111

References

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Ringsdorf, W., Cheraskin, E. and Ramsay R. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis and Resistance to Disease, Dental Survey. 1976;52(12):46_48.

Couzy, F., et al. "Nutritional Implications of the Interaction Minerals," Progressive Food and Nutrition Science 17;1933:65-87

Kozlovsky, A., et al. Effects of Diets High in Simple Sugars on Urinary Chromium Losses. Metabolism. June 1986;35:515_518.

Fields, M.., et al. Effect of Copper Deficiency on Metabolism and Mortality in Rats Fed Sucrose or Starch Diets, Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1983;113:1335_1345.

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Goldman, J., et al. Behavioral Effects of Sucrose on Preschool Children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.1986;14(4):565_577.

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Scanto, S. and Yudkin, J. The Effect of Dietary Sucrose on Blood Lipids, Serum Insulin, Platelet Adhesiveness and Body Weight in Human Volunteers, Postgraduate Medicine Journal. 1969;45:602_607.

Albrink, M. and Ullrich I. H. Interaction of Dietary Sucrose and Fiber on Serum Lipids in Healthy Young Men Fed High Carbohydrate Diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:419-428. Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Med Hypotheses. Mar 1993;40(3):174-81.

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Lewis, G. F. and Steiner, G. Acute Effects of Insulin in the Control of Vldl Production in Humans. Implications for The insulin-resistant State. Diabetes Care. 1996 Apr;19(4):390-3 R. Pamplona, M. .J., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses. 1990;40:174-181.

Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. "Glucose and Aging." Scientific American. May 1987:90. Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science; 663:63-67.

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De Stefani, E."Dietary Sugar and Lung Cancer: a Case control Study in Uruguay." Nutrition and Cancer. 1998;31(2):132_7.

Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France. European Journal of Epidemiology 11 (1995):55-65.

Kelsay, J., et al. Diets High in Glucose or Sucrose and Young Women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1974;27:926_936. Thomas, B. J., et al. Relation of Habitual Diet to Fasting Plasma Insulin Concentration and the Insulin Response to Oral Glucose, Human Nutrition Clinical Nutrition. 1983; 36C(1):49_51.

Dufty, William. Sugar Blues. (New York:Warner Books, 1975).

Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica. Mar 2002;48;25. Taub, H. Ed. Sugar Weakens Eyesight, VM NEWSLETTER;May 1986:06:00

Dufty.

Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129

Cornee, J., et al. A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France, European Journal of Epidemiology. 1995;11

Persson P. G., Ahlbom, A., and Hellers, G. Epidemiology. 1992;3:47-52.

Jones, T. W., et al. Enhanced Adrenomedullary Response and Increased Susceptibility to Neuroglygopenia: Mechanisms Underlying the Adverse Effect of Sugar Ingestion in Children. Journal of Pediatrics. Feb 1995;126:171-7.

Lee, A. T.and Cerami A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science.1992;663:63-70.

Abrahamson, E. and Peget, A. Body, Mind and Sugar. (New York: Avon, 1977.}

Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and Youngmee, K. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force. 1986:39:00 Makinen K.K.,et al. A Descriptive Report of the Effects of a 16_month Xylitol Chewing_gum Programme Subsequent to a 40_month Sucrose Gum Programme. Caries Research. 1998; 32(2)107_12.

Glinsmann, W., Irausquin, H., and K. Youngmee. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners. F. D. A. Report of Sugars Task Force.1986;39:36_38.

Appleton, N. New York: Healthy Bones. Avery Penguin Putnam:1989.

Keen, H., et al. Nutrient Intake, Adiposity, and Diabetes. British Medical Journal. 1989; 1:00 655_658

Darlington, L., Ramsey, N. W. and Mansfield, J. R. Placebo Controlled, Blind Study of Dietary Manipulation Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lancet. Feb 1986;8475(1):236_238.

Powers, L. Sensitivity: You React to What You Eat. Los Angeles Times. (Feb. 12, 1985). Cheng, J., et al. Preliminary Clinical Study on the Correlation Between Allergic Rhinitis and Food Factors. Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zhi Aug 2002;16(8):393-396.

Erlander, S. The Cause and Cure of Multiple Sclerosis, The Disease to End Disease." Mar 3, 1979;1(3):59_63.

Crook, W. J. The Yeast Connection. (TN:Professional Books, 1984).

Heaton, K. The Sweet Road to Gallstones. British Medical Journal. Apr 14, 1984; 288:00:00 1103_1104. Misciagna, G., et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1999;69:120-126.

Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease. (New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, 1974).

Ibid.

Cleave, T. and Campbell, G. (Bristol, England:Diabetes, Coronary Thrombosis and the Saccharine Disease: John Wright and Sons, 1960).

Behall, K. Influ ence of Estrogen Content of Oral Contraceptives and Consumption of Sucrose on Blood Parameters. Disease Abstracts International. 1982;431437.

Tjäderhane, L. and Larmas, M. A High Sucrose Diet Decreases the Mechanical Strength of Bones in Growing Rats. Journal of Nutrition. 1998:128:1807_1810.

Beck, Nielsen H., Pedersen O., and Schwartz S. Effects of Diet on the Cellular Insulin Binding and the Insulin Sensitivity in Young Healthy Subjects. Diabetes. 1978;15:289_296 .

Sucrose Induces Diabetes in Cat. Federal Protocol. 1974;6(97). diabetes

Reiser, S., et al. Effects of Sugars on Indices on Glucose Tolerance in Humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:151-159.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Aug 2000

Hodges, R., and Rebello, T. Carbohydrates and Blood Pressure. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1983:98:838_841.

Behar, D., et al. Sugar Challenge Testing with Children Considered Behaviorally Sugar Reactive. Nutritional Behavior. 1984;1:277_288.

Furth, A. and Harding, J. Why Sugar Is Bad For You. New Scientist. Sep 23, 1989;44.

Simmons, J. Is The Sand of Time Sugar? LONGEVITY. June 1990:00:00 49_53.

Appleton, N. New York: LICK THE SUGAR HABIT. Avery Penguin Putnam:1988. allergies

Cleave, T. The Saccharine Disease: (New Canaan Ct: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1974).131.

Ibid. 132

Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses . 1990:00:00 174_181.

Vaccaro O., Ruth, K. J. and Stamler J. Relationship of Postload Plasma Glucose to Mortality with 19 yr Follow up. Diabetes Care. Oct 15,1992;10:328_334. Tominaga, M., et al, Impaired Glucose Tolerance Is a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease, but Not Fasting Glucose. Diabetes Care. 1999:2(6):920-924.

Lee, A. T. and Cerami, A. Modifications of Proteins and Nucleic Acids by Reducing Sugars: Possible Role in Aging. Handbook of the Biology of Aging. (New York: Academic Press, 1990.).

Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology 1990:45(4):105_110.

Cerami, A., Vlassara, H., and Brownlee, M. Glucose and Aging. Scientific American. May 1987:00:00 90

Dyer, D. G., et al. Accumulation of Maillard Reaction Products in Skin Collagen in Diabetes and Aging. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1993:93(6):421_22.

Veromann, S.et al."Dietary Sugar and Salt Represent Real Risk Factors for Cataract Development." Ophthalmologica. 2003 Jul-Aug;217(4):302-307.

Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI

Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology. 1990:45(4):105_110.

Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.

Appleton, Nancy. New York; Lick the Sugar Habit. Avery Penguin Putnam, 1988 enzymes

Hellenbrand, W. Diet and Parkinson's Disease. A Possible Role for the Past Intake of Specific Nutrients. Results from a Self-administered Food-frequency Questionnaire in a Case-control Study. Neurology. Sep 1996;47(3):644-650.

Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38.

Ibid.

Yudkin, J., Kang, S. and Bruckdorfer, K. Effects of High Dietary Sugar. British Journal of Medicine. Nov 22, 1980;1396.

Blacklock, N. J., Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):9- Curhan, G., et al. Beverage Use and Risk for Kidney Stones in Women. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1998:28:534-340.

Goulart, F. S. Are You Sugar Smart? American Fitness. March_April 1991:00:00 34_38. Milwakuee, WI,:

Ibid. fluid retention

Ibid. bowel movement

Ibid. compromise the lining of the capillaries

Nash, J. Health Contenders. Essence. Jan 1992; 23:00 79_81.

Grand, E. Food Allergies and Migraine.Lancet. 1979:1:955_959.

Schauss, A. Diet, Crime and Delinquency. (Berkley Ca; Parker House, 1981.)

Molteni, R, et al. A High-fat, Refined Sugar Diet Reduces Hippocampal Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, Neuronal Plasticity, and Learning. NeuroScience. 2002;112(4):803-814.

Christensen, L. The Role of Caffeine and Sugar in Depression. Nutrition Report. Mar 1991;9(3):17-24.

Ibid,44

Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129

Frey, J. Is There Sugar in the Alzheimer's Disease? Annales De Biologie Clinique. 2001; 59 (3):253-257.

Yudkin, J. Metabolic Changes Induced by Sugar in Relation to Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes. Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):5-8.

Yudkin, J and Eisa, O. Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988:32(2):53-55.

The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1.

Gardner, L. and Reiser, S. Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate on Fasting Levels of Human Growth Hormone and Cortisol. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1982;169:36_40.

Journal of Advanced Medicine. 1994;7(1):51-58.

Ceriello, A. Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation. Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29.

Postgraduate Medicine.Sept 1969:45:602-07.

Lenders, C. M. Gestational Age and Infant Size at Birth Are Associated with Dietary Intake among Pregnant Adolescents. Journal of Nutrition. Jun 1997;1113- 1117

Ibid.

Sugar, White Flour Withdrawal Produces Chemical Response. The Addiction Letter. Jul 1992:04:00 Colantuoni, C., et al. Evidence That Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake Causes Endogenous Opioid Dependence. Obes Res. Jun 2002 ;10(6):478-488. Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Society, Toronto, June 17, 2001 www.mercola.com/2001/jun/30/sugar.htm

Ibid.

Sunehag, A. L., et al. Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition Diabetes. 1999 ;48 7991_800.

Christensen L., et al. Impact of A Dietary Change on Emotional Distress. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.1985;94(4):565_79.

Nutrition Health Review. Fall 85 changes sugar into fat faster than fat

Ludwig, D. S., et al. High Glycemic Index Foods, Overeating and Obesity. Pediatrics. March 1999;103(3):26-32.

Pediatrics Research. 1995;38(4):539-542. Berdonces, J. L. Attention Deficit and Infantile Hyperactivity. Rev Enferm. Jan 2001;4(1)11-4

Blacklock, N. J. Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone. Nutrition Health. 1987;5(1 & 2):9-

Lechin, F., et al. Effects of an Oral Glucose Load on Plasma Neurotransmitters in Humans. Neurophychobiology. 1992;26(1-2):4-11.

Fields, M. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Aug 1998;17(4):317_321.

Arieff, A. I. Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco. San Jose Mercury; June 12/86. IVs of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain.

Sandler, Benjamin P. Diet Prevents Polio. Milwakuee, WI,:The Lee Foundation for for Nutritional Research, 1951

Murphy, Patricia. The Role of Sugar in Epileptic Seizures. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. May, 2001 Murphy Is Editor of Epilepsy Wellness Newsletter, 1462 West 5th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97402

Stern, N. & Tuck, M. Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Mellitus, a Fundamental and Clinical Test. 2nd Edition, (PhiladelphiA; A:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000)943-957.

Christansen, D. Critical Care: Sugar Limit Saves Lives. Science News. June 30, 2001; 159:404.

Donnini, D. et al. Glucose May Induce Cell Death through a Free Radical-mediated Mechanism.Biochem Biohhys Res Commun. Feb 15, 1996:219(2):412-417.

Schoenthaler, S. The Los Angeles Probation Department Diet-Behavior Program: Am Empirical Analysis of Six Institutional Settings. Int J Biosocial Res 5(2):88-89.

Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition. Diabetes. 1999 Apr;48(4):791-800.

Glinsmann, W., et al. Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners." FDA Report of Sugars Task Force -1986 39 123 Yudkin, J. and Eisa, O. Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988;32(2):53-5.

Fasting for Health and Weight Loss

Let me start by saying that I personally have never done a fast. I barely go 3 hours without eating. SO today I thought i would try it. My friends definition of a fast is not chewing, so anything liquid goes. I came home from my 90 minute trail run and had a recovery protein shake and I added some paleo greens to it with water and ice. No problem so far!! A few moments later I figured out that you don't really have to chew yogurt, so down it went. Then I thought if I put a banana in my mouth for long enough it would not really have to be chewed, but would disintegrate and slide down my throat. About an hour later I was back at the refrigerator looking to see what else could be sucked on without really chewing it . . . organic almond butter, chocolate soy pudding, pomegranate juice . . . then there were things I could throw in the blender that were wouldn't have to be chewed . . . Hmmm. When I started contemplating if a meatball could melt in my mouth, I knew I was not long for this fasting thing. For me, the minute I tell my brain I can't have something, the more I want it. Optimally I eat things that are good for me and my body craves them. That does not mean that I don't crave chocolate or ice cream, but when you eat healthy, you crave healthy. When you eat junk, you crave junk. Your body always wants to right itself meaning it wants to maintain homeostasis or balance. If you fast, then it feels deprived and the next chance you give it to eat, you will over eat (hence the binge and purging associate with eating disorders).

Okay now more seriously, the main benefit offered by a fast, to those who wish to lose weight, is the speed of the weight loss. It's possible for a person drop 30-to-40 pounds in a 30-day juice fast. During that time they are losing water, fat and muscle -yes the muscle you worked so hard to earn. For some the fast becomes a catalyst for a total life overhaul by weight loss.

When someone fasts for even 2 days they can drop, 8 lbs. from the colon, 5 lbs. in water and 2 lbs. in body fat. For some the detoxification is powerful and they feel healthier, less ill and have more mental clarity.

AFter a few days of a fast (or very low calorie diet) the colon is empty there is also a reduction in bulk that flattens the stomach. This weight loss from having an empty colon is not permanent.

Fasting Weight Loss Rates Vary According to Metabolism. The slower your metabolism is, the slower the weight loss. Fasting can slow the metabolism as the body begins to shut down with so little energy and when it eats away at your metabolically active muscle.

Initially, weight loss can be as high as three-to-four pounds per day, but as the fast continues, the average loss is less and you are putting your body in a state of ketosis, which is dangerous. If you are going to do a true fast you should consider taking a liquid multi vitamin like Intramax which is providing you with essential nutrients, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. I would at least recommend some nutritious drink that included some greens and protein or berries.

By now you know II encourage everyone to develop life long healthy disciplines including exercise, a diet high in raw fruits and veggies and lean protein, stress management 7+ hours of sleepa night, pampering and so on. If you choose to fast I would recommend a Friday after boot camp where you can sleep in on Saturday and do it with some combination of nutrition.

It does take a tremendous amount of discipline not to eat when it's a natural thing that your body needs and is used to.

When a fast ends, you will naturally regress to your regular patterns of living and if they are unhealthy you lose all the benefits gained by fasting.
Try to stay focused on the healthy things you are doing to improve your life rather than being consumed with the number of pounds lost.

The best motivation to fast is for physical and spiritual health. Toxins will leave your body, but your body has a natural ability to eliminate toxins - assuming you are not overloading it. Do not have unrealistic expectations about fasting. Give your body the time it needs to do the work of cleansing naturally.

Again I am not a fasting expert or necessarily an advocate. There are books and research on very low calorie diets and the benefits to health and especially longevity. If you are considering a fast for health or weight loss reasons, consider a low calorie diet temporally instead. Or a liquid diet for a few days. Boot camp is not really the time for fasting. You can burn up to 700 calories in a boot camp workout. Even if you spend the rest of your day sitting and praying you would still start to eat away at your muscle after the second day.

Here is a study on mice to consider . . .


Study on mice shows fasting improves health as much as cutting calories. Periodic fasting and cutting calories is proven to increase health and lifespan.

Research -Fasting Increases Lifespan and Insulin Sensitivity
Several recent studies have reported a variety of benefits from a sharply restricted diet, including longer life span, increased insulin sensitivity and stress resistance.

In the new report, mice that were fed only every other day - but could gorge on the days they did eat - saw similar health benefits to ones that had their diet reduced by 40%, a team of researchers reports in Tuesday’s online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Research - Fasting and Calorie Reduction Detoxifies the Body
But the new study by Mark P. Mattson and colleagues at the National Institute on Aging found equal benefits for mice that ate only every other day, but didn’t cut total calories because they ate twice as much on days they weren’t fasting.

Mattson said a study is in the planning stages to compare the health of a group of people fed the normal three meals a day with a similar group, eating the same diet and amount of food, but consuming it within four hours and then fasting for 20 hours before eating again.

Research Proves Skipping Meals is Healthy

“Overeating is a big problem now in this country, it’s particularly troublesome that a lot of children are overweight. It’s still unclear the best way to somehow get people to eat less …. One possibility is skipping a meal a day,” Mattson said. “Our study suggests that skipping meals is not bad for you.”

Dr. Carol A. Braunschweig of the University of Illinois at Chicago, who was not part of the study team, said she was intrigued by the suggestion that a drastic change in eating patterns might have benefits.

“With the current epidemic of obesity and physical inactivity facing the U.S. today, identification of a beneficial eating pattern that could address some of the untoward effects of excess weight would be a very significant finding,” she said.

Mattson said an earlier study found that mice that fasted every other day had extended lifespans and the new experiment found the mice also did better in factors involved in diabetes and nerve damage in the brain similar to Alzheimer’s disease.

“We think what happens is going without food imposes a mild stress on cells and cells respond by increasing their ability to cope with more severe stress,” Mattson said. “It’s sort of analogous to physical effects of exercise on muscle cells.”

He said the researchers think this stress occurs throughout the body, and that may be the reason fasting seems to increase lifespan and the animals become more resistant to the diseases of aging.

The dieting mice consumed 40% less food than mice eating normally and lost nearly half their body weight (49 percent) in the experiment, while the fasting mice weighed only a little less than mice eating normally.

In recent years, some nutritionists have recommended eating smaller amounts more often, but this study did not deal with that type of eating pattern.

In the new report, the researchers said both the fasting mice and those on a restricted diet had concentrations of blood sugar and insulin that were significantly lower than mice allowed to eat whenever they wanted. Indeed, insulin levels in the fasting mice were even a bit lower than the dieting ones.

Fasting Increases Resistance to Toxins
At the end of the experiment all three groups of mice were injected with a toxin that damages cells in the part of the brain called the hippocampus. It’s cell damage there that that is involved in Alzheimer’s in humans.

When the mouse brains were later analyzed the scientists found that the brains of the fasting mice were more resistant to damage by the toxin than the brains of either dieting mice or those eating normally.

Note by Tom Coghill: The above research proves that periods of fasting will improve health even if the food intake is doubled the next day. Calorie reduction also causes a detoxification with health benefits similar to fasting. The research was first published in 2005. The photo below is “our” estimation of the results.

End

The bottom line is calories in and out at the end of a 24 hour period. You want the most nutritious calories for each calorie that passes your lips.

Your friend in fitness,

Kelli

Organic Shopping for Less:

Below are some comments from Dr.Mercola on shopping for organic foods. Keep in mind that he's a little extreme for some, but he has some great and entertaining points.



I always like to remind people that paying a little more now to provide your family with high-quality food will help save you big-time later on in the form of unnecessary medical bills.

Quite simply, the better the food is that you put into your body, the healthier you will be.

Still, with food and gas prices rising the way they are, many people are having trouble affording food at all, let alone organic varieties. From 2005 to 2007, prices for healthy food jumped nearly 20 percent, compared to a 5 percent increase in the overall food price inflation.

But eating right doesn’t have to be cost-prohibitive, if you know how to buy your food wisely.

How to Get the Most Bang for Your Organic Food Buck

If you need to pick and choose what you can and can’t buy organic, the tip above -- to buy organic in the things you eat most -- is a good tip, but I’ve got one that’s even better.

The most important foods to buy organic are animal, not vegetable, products. This is because animal foods tend to concentrate pesticides more -- non-organic meats have up to five times more pesticides than non-organic vegetables.

Non-organic butter, meanwhile, can have up to 20 times as many pesticides as non-organic vegetables.

So when prioritizing your purchases, look for organic meats, eggs and dairy products before anything else.

There is one exception to this rule, and this is organic milk, as it is nowhere nearly as concentrated. Additionally, the pasteurization causes far more problems than the pesticides for most people.

If you can afford to buy even more organic items, choose produce that tends to have the most pesticides. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the top 10 fruits and veggies with the highest pesticide load are:


1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet bell peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Lettuce
9. Grapes (imported)
10. Pears


So if you love any of the produce on this list, it would be money well spent to buy them organic. EWG actually has a great wallet guide you can download of the produce with the most and least pesticides to help you out when you’re at the store.

How to Save Even More Money … and Still Eat Healthy

The following 14 tips are the best of the best to get high-quality food on a budget:


1. Choose local foods over organic foods. Often, locally grown foods are raised according to organic standards at a more affordable price.

2. If all that’s available or affordable is fresh, conventionally grown produce, buy it, wash it well at home, and eat it.

3. Look for local farms and food coops offering raw dairy products, eggs, produce, and grass-fed meat. This will allow you to cut out the middleman and save money. Buying in large quantities, such as a side of grass-fed beef, can also save you money in the long run as long as you have room to freeze it (and you consume it before it goes bad).

4. Skip prepared or pre-cut foods, which can cost up to double the amount as the unprepared versions.

5. Plan your meals ahead of time (including cooking large batches and freezing some for later) so you don’t splurge on expensive, unhealthy fast-food at the last minute.

6. Pass on junk foods like potato chips, soda, cookies, candy, and other snacks. These are a complete waste of money, even if they’re “organic.”

7. Buy lots of fresh veggies, they’re usually less expensive than canned versions (just make sure you use them before they go bad).

8. Only buy what you need. Keep track of what’s in your pantry so you don’t double-up on foods unnecessarily.

9. Clip coupons and use them when you can (but don’t buy something unhealthy just because it’s on sale).

10. Watch the register when you check out of the grocery store. They often ring up wrong prices, at your expense.

11. Shop with a calculator so you can determine if it’s really a better deal to buy something in bulk or in a larger size.

12. Watch weekly specials, and be aware of what’s really a good price. You can often find organic produce on sale for less than conventional produce if you know what prices to watch for.

13. If you have the space, grow your own fresh veggies such as greens, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, string beans, etc.

14. Remember this rule of thumb: Fresh food is always better than frozen, but frozen is better than canned.

End.

You know my position is to buy organics when possible. That does not mean organic donuts and poptarts, but the freshest foods whenever available.

Have a wholesome day,

Your friend in fitness,

Kelli Calabrese

www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com

Exercise and Hypoglycemic Reactions

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar can be a common reaction during exercise. It's more common for diabetics, elderly or beginner exercisers, but it can also happen for someone who had eaten too little.

Read on for causes and precautions:

What Causes Hypoglycemia
The most common cause of hypoglycemia is not following your meal plan. It is easy to get very busy and let a meal time pass by. The amount of food is also important. There should be an attempt to eat the same amount of food at the same time every day. Too much exercise can also cause low blood sugar. It is a good idea to eat a small amount of carbohydrate before and after exercise. It is a good idea to keep a source of sugar close while you exercise. A

Alcohol and other drugs have strong and unpredictable effects on insulin up take. Alcohol lowers blood glucose in small amounts, but in larger amounts it can cause the blood sugar to skyrocket. Stress makes insulin uptake unpredictable as well. Stress can cause one's blood sugar to either rise or fall.

What are Insulin Reaction Symptoms?
sweatiness
shakiness
irritability
old, clammy skin
nervousness
weakness
rapid heart beat
nausea
blurred vision
numb lips and tongue
passing out - fainting
confusion
personality change


Hypoglycemia Can be Broken Down into Three Categories
Mild Hypoglycemia
Blood glucose levels of 60 to 80. Mild hypoglycemia is usually only a nuisance. Cognitive deficits usually do not accompany mild reactions, and patients are capable of self treatment. The symptoms of mild hypoglycemia are mostly due to epinephrine release form the adrenal gland (adrenergic symptoms). Frequent mild hypoglycemia can lead to over eating and obesity.

Mild hypoglycemic reactions usually consist of:

tremors
palpitations
sweating
excessive hunger
These mild symptoms usually respond within 10 to 15 minutes after eating a simple carbohydrate



Moderate Hypoglycemia
Blood glucose levels of 40 to 60. Moderate hypoglycemia affects the central nervous system. Therefore, some of the symptoms listed below are often referred to as neuroglycopenic:

headache
mood changes
irritability
decreased attentiveness
drowsiness
Patients with these symptoms may require assistance in treating themselves. Since moderate hypoglycemia produces longer-lasting and somewhat more severe symptoms, patients often need to repeat ingestion of a simple carbohydrate.



Severe Hypoglycemia
Characterized by:
unconsciousness
possible convulsions

Preparing Kids for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating

Boy, I could really go to town on this topic, but if I want my kids to have any friends, I need to be slightly diplomatic. With an 8 year old son and 6 year old daughter, we have our share of food discussions. Thankfully my children mostly eat very healthy, but given the choice, they would prefer ice cream over organic black berries - hopefully they would want the black berries on their ice cream - there is a happy medium. Recently I had looked into putting healthy vending machines into the local schools the day after my son came home with a ring of chocolate around his mouth from a snickers he got while at camp. After some investigating, I found out that the healthy vending machines with organic crackers, dried fruits and nuts, organic milk and natural fruit juices don't' make any money. The inventory sits and the parents ask for the M&M's and soda.

With the summer season, I have the opportunity to observe lots of kids in bathing suits and what I see are over fed under nourished kits. They may be skinny, but have big bellies, no strength or endurance. The only fruits and vegetables some kids get are ketchup on french fries (yes they count ketchup (second ingredient sugar) as a vegetable), as well as gummy vitamins, fruit roll ups or sweetened fruit juices. Most kids rarely bite into a fresh fruit or vegetable.

We are doing something so dramatically wrong with our children's eating habits. 19% of kids eat meals in the car, the family dinner is fading away and the negotiations that go on over food can be absurd.

You are your child's greatest teacher regardless of their age. Do your best to educate and empower them, but most of all set a great example. It can't be a battle and the child has to be involved in the process of change, having some power in the decisions. Don't' make it a struggle. Take your child to the store, see what new vegetables and fruits they are willing to try. See if they will swap out a low nutritional value cereal for another one and make changes slowly as they are ready.

Read on for more information to make meal time a healthy event that everyone can enjoy and live long strong years as a result.


Mixed Messages: Preparing Kids for a Lifetime of Healthy Eating

by: Lisa Tsakos

If you don’t eat your broccoli, you can’t have dessert. Many parents negotiate at the dinner table each night using dessert or other treats as an incentive. The message to children is loud and clear: broccoli is the unpleasant prerequisite for the reward, dessert. But when you think about it, considering the effect sugar has on immunity and the developing brain, dessert is no reward!

We pass these attitudes on to our children; they then pass them down to their children. It’s no wonder as adults we “treat” themselves with treats on a regular basis, even for insignificant events such as getting through a rough day at work.

Today, about 17% of children and adolescents are overweight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the last three decades, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled for children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years, and more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults. Studies indicate that if kids become overweight before age 8, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe. A diet of quick ‘n easy processed foods and a drop in activity levels are mainly to blame. Nearly 1/3 of American children eat fast food daily, potentially resulting in about six pounds of weight gain per year, per child.

During the toddler years (ages 1 to 5), children are growing quickly and are learning to communicate. Though they don’t have much control over their world, toddlers quickly learn how to use eating (or not eating) to manipulate. Children at this age need to eat several small meals and snacks spaced throughout the day. Establish a structured eating schedule, setting specific feeding times. Rather than pressuring your child to eat at each meal, allow them to practice listening to their internal cues. Children forced to eat may not learn what it is like to be hungry or full. With structured meal times, a child who skips a meal finds it reassuring to know when to expect the next one.

A toddlers’ diet requires antioxidant-rich foods (plenty of fruit and vegetables), the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and DHA for brain development. A good, low-glycemic breakfast is imperative. Studies show that children who consume more simple carbohydrates in the morning tend to eat more calories from sugar throughout the day. Ensure essential fatty acids, particularly DHA-containing omega 3, are included either from food or supplements. Dry skin and hair are sometimes indicators that more essential fatty acids are required. Be aware of signs of allergy. Stomach aches, puffy eyes or dark circles (red or black) under the eyes, bed wetting, and persistent nasal drip often indicate allergies.

From the ages of 5 to 12, children are thinking more independently, but the good eating habits learned in this stage will serve them for a lifetime. With increased exposure to the public come new germs and temptations to eat sugar and junk food. Enticing, colorful meals that are rich in nutrients are key to avoid the saturated fats, sugar and nutrient-deficient foods kids will ask for. Whenever possible, allow your kids to participate in the cooking process. Use meal preparation as an opportunity to spend quality time with your child.

Praise, reward, and gently educate. Rather than rewarding your child with unhealthy foods (like fast food, junk food, or dessert), provide positive feedback for eating healthy foods. Since kids are learning to compete in this stage, friendly eating challenges with siblings and friends will encourage them to eat healthier and remind them that eating well can be fun. Reward the sibling who can name all the fiber sources on the dinner plate. Give the child who chews each bite the longest at dinner-time a prize. The whole family will learn about how specific nutrients affect the body.

Avoid the guilt trip. Don’t force kids to eat. Many of us were raised to clean our plates and not waste food. The habits we learned from our parents (which they learned from theirs) may have been established during a period when food wasn’t as plentiful. These old belief systems no longer apply. Forcing kids to eat more than they want or need teaches them to ignore their cues for satiety. This can contribute to weight issues in the future.


Make dinnertime a happy family time. Long-term eating habits are greatly influenced by our memories of social interaction during meals. Eat at the dinner table, not in front of the television. If certain topics create tension, keep those discussions off limits at the table. Involve the children in the planning and preparing of meals. Pleasant memories of family meals at home start family traditions that your children will carry throughout life.

Serve appropriately-sized portions. Parents often overestimate how much food a child should eat. Small portions are less overwhelming, while bigger portions may encourage overeating. If your child doesn’t like broccoli, sneak it into tomato sauce, on pizza, or into soups. Serve it in small portions and don’t stop serving it – even if it remains untouched.

Actions speak louder than words. Be a positive role model. As a parent, you’re the most important influence in your child’s life. Just as kids learn positive behaviors, they also pick up your attitudes about food. If your children are demonstrating unhealthy attitudes toward food, examine your own behavior. Do you frequently talk about losing weight, dieting, and fattening foods? Do you eat out of boredom, stress or in front of the television?

You’re in charge of the grocery shopping. Parents often shop to please their children or choose foods they are certain will be eaten. If your grocery cart is filled with processed, packaged foods, who is really in control of your kitchen? Fill your cart with foods from the periphery of the grocery store: fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, naturally made whole grain breads (the first ingredient should read “whole grain”), lean meats and fish, and organic eggs and dairy.

Listen to Your Child. Pay attention to hunger cues as well as to signs that your child is full to avoid overfeeding. Be alert to what toddlers say through their actions. Sometimes disliking a food is not a matter of taste. Kids aren’t able to express or explain when a food makes them feel uncomfortable or causes pain. If your child often cries when you present a certain food, consider that food (or an ingredient contained within it) as a potential allergen and keep your eyes open for other signs.

Get involved at school. Encourage your child’s school to provide healthier meal and snack options. Many schools have already introduced healthy eating initiatives such as removing fryers from the cafeteria, providing a vegetarian option daily, replacing sodas and sugary juices with pure juice and water, offering non-starchy vegetables, and stocking vending machines with healthier options. Ensure educators include nutrition information in their teaching curriculum and that they provide healthy alternatives for celebrations (besides hot dogs and pizza).

End.

These are some wonderful options for making meals enjoyable and healthful. Apply one at a time for yourself and ultimately your family.

Kelli

Preventing, Recognizing and Treating Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is typically caused when people who are not well adjusted to heat exercise in a hot, humid environment. At high temperatures, the body cools itself largely through evaporation of sweat. When it is very humid, this mechanism does not work properly.
The body loses a combination of fluids and salts which include electrolytes. When this is accompanied by an inadequate replacement of fluids, disturbances in the circulation may result that are similar to a mild form of shock.

Heat exhaustion occurs when your body gets too hot. The body's core temperature is controlled by the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that also controls thirst and hunger. Normally, the body gets rid of excess heat by sweating. But if you are exposed to high temperatures (working outdoors in the summer, for example) for a long time and don't replace the fluids you lose, the body systems that regulate temperature become overwhelmed. As a result, your body produces more heat than it can dissipate. Heat exhaustion requires immediate attention, because it can progress to heat stroke, a serious (even fatal) illness.

Signs and Symptoms
Heat exhaustion is accompanied by the following signs and symptoms:
Heavy sweating
Fatigue
Headache
Pale, clammy skin
Thirst
Rapid heartbeat
Dizziness, fainting
Nausea, vomiting
Muscle cramps

If body temperature goes above 104°F, or if coma or seizure occurs, the patient likely has a more serious condition called heat stroke. Heat stroke can quickly lead to heart attack and death if not treated.

What Causes It?

Heat exhaustion occurs most often when you are exposed to high temperatures and become dehydrated, usually from not drinking enough fluids. It also can happen when large volumes of sweat are replaced with fluids that don't contain enough salt.


Who's Most At Risk?
The following factors increase the risk of developing heat exhaustion:
Being dehydrated
Age (the elderly and children under 5 years of age)
Illness or chronic disability
Obesity
Pregnancy
Cardiovascular disease
Respiratory disease
Drinking alcohol
Physical exertion in hot or humid environments (athletes, military personnel, outdoor laborers are particularly at risk)
Taking medications that interfere with the body's ability to cool itself, including antipsychotics, tranquilizers, antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, and some over-the-counter sleeping pills

What to Expect at Your Provider's Office
If you have symptoms of heat exhaustion, you should see a doctor immediately. The doctor will perform a physical examination; check your blood pressure, pulse, and temperature; and assess how dehydrated you are. Lab tests of blood and urine samples may be needed.


Treatment Options

Prevention
If you are working or exercising in the heat, don't wait until you get thirsty to drink fluids. Instead, drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after the activity. Take the following precautions to prevent heat exhaustion:
Stay in cool or air-conditioned spaces when possible on hot days.
Drink more fluids than usual. Drinking enough fluids during exercise, for example, helps to improve heart function, maintain kidney function, and lower the body's core temperature. Dehydration can stress the heart and reduce the kidneys' ability to maintain the correct balance of electrolytes (charged elements -- such as potassium, sodium, phosphorous and chloride -- essential for the normal function of every cell in the body).

Check on those vulnerable to heat exhaustion (the elderly, for example).
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar, which can cause dehydration. Drink water or sports drinks sweetened with natural juices.
Exercise or work outdoors during cooler times of day.
Take cool baths.
Wear loose, lightweight clothing.
Long-term prevention of heat exhaustion includes regular, doctor-approved exercise. Those who exercise regularly over time, allowing their bodies to adjust to hot conditions, may better tolerate exercise on hot days.


Treatment Plan
The primary treatment for heat exhaustion is to rest in a cool environment (a shady spot or, better, an air-conditioned room) and to drink cool (not icy) fluids. Water is usually enough to reverse dehydration, or you can drink a sports drink that contains electrolytes. You can also cool down by spraying yourself with water and fanning.

Health care providers may recommend saline electrolyte solutions, administered orally for mild dehydration and intravenously in more severe cases.

Drug Therapies
Oral or intravenous saline electrolyte solution may be used.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Nutrition and Supplements
Health care providers may recommend drinking fluids that contain electrolytes (see Prevention section for more details). Endurance athletes may want to take mineral supplements including:
Calcium
Magnesium
Potassium
Foods high in these nutrients include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains, sea vegetables, blackstrap molasses, and bananas.
Herbs
The most important treatment for heat exhaustion is replacing lost fluids by drinking water or a sports drink. Some herbs may help reduce body temperature, but if you have symptoms of heat exhaustion you should talk to your health care provider before taking anything. Although no studies have examined using herbs to treat heat exhaustion specifically, herbs traditionally used to reduce fever or lower body temperature include:
Chinese skullcap ( Scutellaria baicalensis ) -- used in traditional Chinese medicine to reduce temperature by dilating blood vessels near the surface of the skin, which helps the body get rid of heat
Elder flower ( Sambucus nigra) -- used to treat fever, sometimes combined with peppermint leaf ( Mentha x piperita )
Willow bark ( Salix spp. ) -- used to treat fever. Do not take willow bark if you are allergic to aspirin, and do not give it to children under 16 because of risk of developing Reyes syndrome, a serious illness.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium ) -- used to treat fever
Cayenne pepper (Capsicum spp. ) -- contains capsaicin, which may lower body temperature by stimulating sweat glands

Homeopathy
Although very few studies have examined the effectiveness of specific homeopathic therapies, professional homeopaths may consider the following remedies for the treatment of fevers based on their knowledge and experience. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account a person's constitutional type -- your physical, emotional, and psychological makeup. An experienced homeopath assesses all of these factors when determining the most appropriate treatment for each individual.
Belladonna -- often used for fever, particularly if flushed with bright red skin and dulled mentation. The person for whom this treatment is appropriate does not usually feel thirsty even though his or her mouth and skin are dry
Glonoinum -- used for fever if the person is flushed and sweaty. The person for whom this is appropriate may complain of a hot face but cold extremities, as well as irritability, headache, and confusion. It is often used for ailments brought on by overexposure to the sun. <

Prognosis/Possible Complications
If you avoid heat stroke, recovering from heat exhaustion usually takes 24 - 48 hours. Depending on the severity of heat exhaustion, you may be hospitalized so your fluid and electrolyte levels can be monitored to avoid complications.

Following Up
Your health care provider will want to check the fluid levels in your body to see if electrolyte replacement should be continued.

Supporting Research
Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckmann J, eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs . Newton, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000:103-105; 419-423.
Cecil RI, Plum F, Bennett JC, eds. Cecil Textbook of Medicine . 20th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders; 1996.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heat-related illnesses and deaths -- Missouri, 1998, and United States, 1997–1996. JAMA . 1999;282(3):227-228.
Dambro MR, ed. Griffith's 5 Minute Clinical Consult . Baltimore, Md: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1999.
Dib B. Effects of intrathecal capsaicin on autonomic and behavioral heat loss responses in the rat. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1987;28(1):65-70.
Duthie EH, Katz PR, Kersey R, eds. Practice of Geriatrics . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders; 1998.
Eichner ER. Treatment of suspected heat illness. Int J Sports Med . 1998;19(suppl 2):S150-S153.
Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Isselbacher KJ, et al, eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine . 14th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Book Co; 1998.
Fishbane S. Exercise-induced renal and electrolyte changes. Phys Sportsmedicine . 1995;23(8):39-40, 42-46.
Furman JA, Assell C. Acute, exercise-induced compartment syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, and renal failure—a case report . Nutr Clin Pract. 1999;14(6):296-298.
Glazer JL. Management of heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Am Fam Physician . 2005 Jun 1;71(11):2133-40.
Lin MT, Ho ML, Chandra A, Hsu HK. Serotoninergic mechanisms of the hypothermia induced by Clerodenron fragrans (Ventenaceae) in the rat . Am J Chin Med. 1981;9(2):144-154.
McCormick CC, Garlich JD. The interaction of phosphorus nutrition and fasting on the survival time of young chickens acutely exposed to high temperature. Poult Sci. 1982;61(2):331-336.
Rakel RE, ed. Conn's Current Therapy . 51st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders Co; 1999.
Rosen P, Barkin R, eds. Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Management . 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby-Year Book; 1998.
Semenza JC, McCullough JE, Flanders WD, McGeehin MA, Lumpkin JR. Excess hospital admissions during the July 1995 heat wave in Chicago. Am J Prev Med . 1999;16(4):269-277.
Simon HB. Hyperthermia. N Engl J Med . 1993;329(7):483-487.
Von Duvillard SP, Braun WA, Markofski M, Beneke R, Leithauser R. Fluids and hydration in prolonged endurance performance. Nutrition . 2004 Jul-Aug;20(7-8):651-6.
Review Date: 12/10/2006
Reviewed By: Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D., private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

How We Eat Effects our Brain

Every day I write to my dedicated boot camp ladies about how to become a better you. I hope they not only read, but comprehend and apply what a share. I want then to go beyond calories, weighing and measuring food or watching pounds on a scale each day from which they measure their worth. I would love to see the shift where their body is viewed as their temple Something they only have one precious one to take care of, to build a solid strong foundation. I would love for them to get to the point where they want to nourish their bodies with foods that will take how well they feel to a whole new higher level.

Today's article is about food for your brain. When you eat healthy brain foods, a wonderful side effect is a healthy body and mind and spirit. Regardless of how many mistakes you have made regarding your body, health and food choices, each day, each meal, each workout, each moment you have a new opportunity to turn in the right direction.

This weekend, add at least one new "brain food" to your grocery shopping list!

Cognition nutrition
Food for thought
Jul 17th 2008From The Economist print edition
Eat your way to a better brain

CHILDREN have a lot to contend with these days, not least a tendency for their pushy parents to force-feed them omega-3 oils at every opportunity. These are supposed to make children brainier, so they are being added to everything from bread, milk and pasta to baby formula and vitamin tablets. But omega-3 is just the tip of the nutritional iceberg; many nutrients have proven cognitive effects, and do so throughout a person’s life, not merely when he is a child.
Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, a fish-loving professor of neurosurgery and physiological science at the University of California, Los Angeles, believes that appropriate changes to a person’s diet can enhance his cognitive abilities, protect his brain from damage and counteract the effects of ageing. Dr Gómez-Pinilla has been studying the effects of food on the brain for years, and has now completed a review, just published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, that has analysed more than 160 studies of food’s effect on the brain. Some foods, he concludes, are like pharmaceutical compounds; their effects are so profound that the mental health of entire countries may be linked to them.


Last year, for example, the Lancet published research showing that folic-acid supplements—sometimes taken by pregnant women—can help those between 50 and 70 years old ward off the cognitive decline that accompanies ageing. In a study lasting three years, Jane Durga, of Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and her colleagues found that people taking such supplements did better on measures of memory, information-processing speed and verbal fluency. That, plus evidence that folate deficiency is associated with clinical depression, suggests eating spinach, orange juice and Marmite, which are all rich in folic acid.

Another suggestion from Dr Gómez-Pinilla’s review is that people should eat more antioxidants. That idea is not new. Antioxidants are reckoned by many to protect against the general effects of ageing. Vitamin E, for example, which is found in vegetable oils, nuts and green leafy vegetables, has been linked (in mice) with the retention of memory into old age, and also with longer life.
Dr Gómez-Pinilla, however, gives the antioxidant story a particular twist. The brain, he observes, is peculiarly susceptible to oxidative damage. It consumes a lot of energy, and the reactions that release this energy also generate oxidising chemicals. Moreover, brain tissue contains a great deal of oxidisable material, particularly in the fatty membranes surrounding nerve cells.

That suggests, among other things, the value of a diet rich in berries. These have been shown to have strong antioxidant effects, though only a small number of their constituents have been evaluated in detail. One group that has been evaluated, the polyphenols, has been shown in rodents to reduce oxidative damage and to boost the ability to learn and retain memories. In particular, these chemicals affect changes in response to different types of stimulation in the hippocampus (a part of the brain that is crucial to the formation of long-term memories, and which is the region most affected by Alzheimer’s disease). Another polyphenol, curcumin, has also been shown to have protective effects. It reduces memory deficits in animals with brain damage. It may be no coincidence that in India, where a lot of curcumin is consumed (it is the substance that makes turmeric yellow), Alzheimer’s disease is rarer than elsewhere.

Peas of mind
Though the way antioxidants work in the brain is not well known, Dr Gómez-Pinilla says it is likely they protect the synaptic membranes. Synapses are the junctions between nerve cells, and their action is central to learning and memory. But they are also, he says, the most fragile parts of the brain. And many of the nutrients associated with brain function are known to affect transmission at the synapses.

An omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), for example, provides membranes at synaptic regions with “fluidity”—the capacity to transport signals. It also provides “plasticity”—a synapse’s capacity to change. Such changes are the basis of memory. Since 30% of the fatty constituents of nerve-cell membranes are DHA molecules, keeping your DHA levels topped up is part of having a healthy brain. Indeed, according to the studies reviewed by Dr Gómez-Pinilla, the benefits of omega-3s include improved learning and memory, and resistance to depression and bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, attention-deficit disorder and dyslexia.

Omega-3s are found in oily fish such as salmon, as well as in walnuts and kiwi fruit, and there is a strong negative correlation between the extent to which a country consumes fish and its levels of clinical depression. On the Japanese island of Okinawa, for example, people have a strikingly low rate of mental disorder—and Okinawans are notable fish eaters, even by the standards of a piscivorous country like Japan. In contrast, many studies suggest that diets which are rich in trans- and saturated fatty acids, such as those containing a lot of deep-fried foods and butter, have bad effects on cognition. Rodents put on such diets show declines in cognitive performance within weeks.

In the past few years, several studies have looked at the effect of adding omega-3s to people’s diets—particularly those of children. One such, carried out in the British city of Durham, was controversial in that it was funded by a maker of children’s omega-3 supplements and did not include a control group being given a placebo. Despite the publicity this study has received, Ben Goldacre, author of a book called “Bad Science” that includes an investigation of it, says the results will not be released.

Work by other researchers, however, has suggested such supplements do improve the performance and behaviour of school-age children with specific diagnoses such as dyslexia, attention-deficit disorder and developmental co-ordination disorder. Moreover, although more work is needed to elucidate the effects of omega-3s on healthy school-age children, Dr Gómez-Pinilla says that younger children whose mothers took fish-oil supplements (which contain omega-3s) when they were pregnant and while they were breast-feeding do show better cognitive performance than their unsupplemented contemporaries.

Eating well, then, is one key to a healthy brain. But a word of warning—do not overeat. This puts oxidative stress on the brain and risks undoing all the good work those antioxidants have been up to. For those who would like a little practical guidance, The Economist has some suggestions for dinner (see menu). So why not put the Nintendo brain trainer away tonight, and eat your way to intelligence instead?

End

By the way, Omega's are one of the only vitamins I take in addition to a multi. They really have so many benefits. If you are looking for a pure omega, go to www.MyNutritionStore.com/PersonalTrainer.

Your friend in fitness,

Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com

US Fails Health Care Test

If you are a repeat camper or reader you have read my rants on the broken mess that our health care system is. Today’s article is more proof of the sick care system in the United States. We score among the lowest rating of all developed nations in our health care or what is referred to in this article as Wasteful Care or as I refer to it as sick care.

You must take your health into your own care. Focus on prevention rather than treatment of symptoms. Do some detective work to find the root of any health care issues and turn first to your bodies natural defenses - food, rest and exercise - which are medicine.



U.S. still flunks healthcare test
Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:31am EDT

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States fails on most measures of health care quality, with Americans waiting longer to see doctors and more likely to die of preventable or treatable illnesses than people in other industrialized countries, a report released on Thursday said.
Americans squander money on wasteful administrative costs, illnesses caused by medical error and inefficient use of time, the report from the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund concluded.
"We lead the world in spending. We should be expecting much more in return," Commonwealth Fund senior vice president Cathy Schoen told reporters.

The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation, created a 100-point scorecard using 37 indicators such as health outcomes, quality, access and efficiency.

They compare the U.S. average on these to the best performing states, counties or hospitals, and to other countries. The United States scored 65 -- two points lower than in 2006.
One key measure is prevention of premature deaths from easily treated conditions such as asthma and heart attacks.

The United States fell from 15th to last among 19 industrialized nations on this measure from 2006 to 2008. The report estimated the U.S. health care system could save 100,000 lives if it matched Japan or France, the top performers.

Infant mortality remains high in the United States, with a rate of 7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to 2.8 per 1,000 in Japan and 3.1 in Sweden.

WASTEFUL CARE
Efficiency received a score of 53 "in part because of widespread delivery of inappropriate and wasteful care throughout the United States, including potentially avoidable hospital admissions, minimal use of information technology, and high insurance administrative costs," the report added.

The United States spent 7.5 percent of national health expenditures on insurance administration in 2005, compared to 6.9 percent in France, the next highest spending nation, 2.3 percent in Japan and 1.9 percent in Finland.

While 98 percent of doctors in the Netherlands and 89 percent in Britain use electronic medical records, only 28 percent do in the United States.

Some 47 million Americans have no health insurance and another 28 million are underinsured.
On the plus side, control of high blood pressure increased from 31 percent in 2000 to 41 percent of patients in 2004.

The researchers, who used data and recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and elsewhere, said U.S. adults are significantly less likely than patients in five other countries surveyed to get an appointment with a doctor the same or the next day. (Editing by Akan Elsner)

End

Your friend in fitness,

Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com

Tips to Stop Late Night Eating

The American Diet is turned upside down - especially for those trying to lose unwanted fat. Eating most of your calories in the evening makes them difficult to burn off and it usually means your eating is shifted. Most people looking to lose fat will skip breakfast, have a salad for lunch and then wind up clawing at the cabinets until they go to bed. The calories eaten late at night are typically not the most nutritious ones. Late night eating is a habit that can be changed and when it does, you will notice the excess weight begin to fall off. Eating late at night effects your sleep, detoxification, hormones, energy and more. Here are some tips to eat healthful throughout the day and cut out eating past 7 PM.

Late Night Eating - 9 Tips to Stop Night Time Snacking


Late night eating is a terrible problem for most dieters. Many people maintain good diets during the day only to blow it late at night. Below are 9 tips to curb late night eating.
Be sure to eat 3 good meals during the day with 1 or 2 between meal snacks. Most people try to eat too few calories during the day only to binge late at night. A good insurance policy is to eat most of your calories before 6 PM.

When you feel the urge to eat late at night, try drinking 2 or more cups of water. You can also make a cup of herbal tea sweeten with honey or artificial sugar. Hot liquids have a soothing effect on emotions and appetite.

Remind yourself that it's normal to feel hungry late at night due to habitually eating late. Breaking this habit is like learning to quit smoking. Remind yourself of your goal to lose 20 or 30 pounds and the key to losing this weight is to STOP late night eating.

Much of late night eating after dinner can be avoided by hiding the junk food. Put foods that you're prone to eat late at night out of sight. Better yet, don't buy junk food at all, though this may not be possible if you have kids.

Suck on hard candy. Most hard candy have only a few calories and they give you the satisfaction of snacking.

Keep a written copy of your diet plan in view, which will keep your goal of losing weight firmly fixed in your mind. The temptation to snack late at night will not be as great if you don't give into the urge for several weeks.

Some people have great success by simply brushing their teeth late at night. This method has been known to curb late night eating for many people.

The most vulnerable time for eating late is 1 hour after dinner right up to bedtime. Keep your life interesting by working on a favorite hobby and NOT watching TV. The ads on TV can subconsciously trigger the impulse to eat. Boredom is your biggest danger to late night eating.
Psyche yourself for the battle. You know that you will feel tempted to snack late at night. It's an artificial feeling that will go away when you go to bed. The next morning, you probably won't be hungry .... eat breakfast anyway .... it's the most important meal of the day.

End

Article # 2 from Web MD

Are You a Midnight Muncher?



Break the late-night eating habit

By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert Column
Does the refrigerator call your name after dark? Chances are, you satisfied your hunger at dinner, so these late-night munchies are not about being hungry. Instead, they're a result of habit, boredom, stress, or fatigue after a long, hard day. No matter what the cause, eating at night usually leads to overeating, and can wreak havoc on your weight-loss diet.

For many people, late-night eating is just a habit -- it's quiet at night, no one is around to see you eat, and it's a peaceful time to enjoy your favorite foods. Unfortunately, this habit has got to go if you are going to lose weight permanently. If you eat more calories at times of day when you're not expending much energy, you're likely to gain weight.

Breaking Free of Late-Night Eating

But keep in mind that it's not necessarily the time you eat that leads to weight gain, but the type of foods you tend to eat late at night. Favorite foods for after-dark munching include ice cream, potato chips, chocolate, desserts -- you get the picture. Your body does not process food differently after dark, but nighttime tends to be the most sedentary time of the day, when your calorie needs are minimal. The bottom line: Eating after dinner tends to pack on the pounds.
So what's a dieter to do? The ideal solution is to eat three square meals a day and avoid all between-meal eating. Because that is not so easy to do, here are 10 tips to help you get over midnight munching:

Resolve not to eat late in the day or after dinner.
Distract yourself -- take the dog for a walk, curl up with a good book, or relax in a hot bath.
Satisfy your cravings with a low calorie alternative like herbal tea, a handful of veggies, or a piece of fruit.
Increase the fiber in your diet, especially at dinner. Try adding beans or whole grains to keep you feeling full.
Increase the protein in your dinner. Recent research suggests that protein has the greatest staying power to keep hunger at bay.
Limit all eating to the kitchen or dining room, and always eat while sitting down at the table. This helps curb "eating amnesia," that mindless munching in front of the television.
Eat slowly and savor the taste of your food. Give yourself 15 to 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal that you have had enough.
Start your day with breakfast. People who skip breakfast are more likely to snack impulsively on calorie-laden foods.
Let your journal be your friend. Use your diet journal to help you track your meals and keep you on target with your eating plan.
Drink plenty of water. Not only will it help you stay hydrated, it will give you something to do with your hands and mouth.

Here's one more important consideration: Make sure you have not cut your calorie intake so low that you are starving at night. You may need to bump up your daytime calories a bit to stave off late-night hunger. But before you create a new eating plan, make sure that your urge to eat at night is really hunger -- not boredom or just habit.

The most successful dieters eat three meals a day and resist the temptation to snack between meals and after dinner. Oprah Winfrey's diet guru, Bob Greene, advises clients not to eat at all after 8 p.m., as a technique to limit total calories.

So if you're plagued by midnight munchies, do your best to get yourself into a regular meal routine. Keep it simple, and remember that your main goal is to get into the habit of not eating after dinner.

Originally published Sept. 12, 2003. Medically updated Sept. 1, 2004.

Overcoming Sleep Disorders

I can not stress enough the importance of getting enough sleep. I usually write about the effects of lack of sleep as it relates to obesity and fat loss resistance. Today will focus on how over time lack of sleep builds up to sleep disorders - which can be reversed, but can be fatal if they become too extreme. Have a calming night time ritual, turn off the TV, shut down the computer, turn the ringer off the phone, make sure your room is in complete darkness and that your bedding is comfortable. The room should be cool around 68 - 70 degrees. Consider a lavender candle, a hot shower or bath, dry brushing, chamomile tea or anything else you find relaxing.

So make it a point to get to sleep at night. You know you are getting a good nights sleep when you fall asleep within 10 minutes of getting in bed, sleep 7 consecuitve hours with out waking up and wake up feeling energized.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep is as essential for a healthy body and mind as anything else you do during the day. Sleep slows metabolism, heartbeat and breathing rate, which helps the body replenish after daily activity. During sleep a hormone is released that aids in the growth of tissues, new red blood cells and strengthens your immune and nervous systems. Dreams stimulate the brain regions used for learning and help us to organize thoughts and images from the day into memories.

Sleep is necessary for survival. Research has shown that the brain keeps track of “sleep debt” which is the amount of sleep lost each night, and when this “sleep debt” adds up, the body gets used to having no sleep and reacts in very unhealthy ways. Insomnia is the most common sleeping disorder. Insomnia is a condition where one has trouble falling asleep on a regular basis. Sixty million Americans suffer from insomnia each year, and it hits women harder since as many as 40 percent of women over 40 years old experience it. Insomnia has no exact cause, but stress is one main theory.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a very serious life threatening condition in which someone temporarily stops breathing during sleep. Sleep Apnea causes extreme daytime sleepiness and increases the risks for work or driving related accidents. It is estimated that 12 million American adults have this disorder, and more than half of them are overweight or obese. The extra soft fat tissue thickens the wall of the windpipe and causes the inside opening to narrow.

Sleep Apnea is characterized by loud and chronic or ongoing snoring at night along with pauses in the snoring followed by choking or gasping. Another symptom is fighting sleepiness during the day at work or while driving. This is due to the fact that not enough air flows into your lungs when your airways are fully or partly blocked during sleep. This can cause a drop in your blood oxygen levels. When the oxygen drops to dangerous levels, it triggers your brain to disturb your sleep. This helps tighten the upper airway muscles and open your windpipe. Normal breathing then starts again, often with a loud snort or choking sound.


The frequent drops in oxygen levels and reduced sleep quality in turn trigger the release of stress hormones. These hormones raise your heart rate and increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and irregular heartbeats. They also raise the risk for or worsen heart failure. Untreated sleep apnea also can lead to changes in how your body uses energy. These changes increase your risk for obesity and diabetes. Sleep apnea becomes more common as you get older and women are much more likely to develop it after menopause. Lifestyle changes such as weight loss, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and/or surgery are used to treat sleep apnea.

Healthy Cookouts - without the Guilt

While outdoor cookouts are a great opportunity to relax and visit with friends and family did you know that the average barbecue meal exceeds 1500 calories? That's almost an entire day's worth of calories in one meal. That can really added unwanted inches to your waist line over the course of the summer.

The good news is that barbecue season doesn't have to be fattening. In fact, with a few small changes to your barbecue menu you can turn summer into the perfect opportunity for weight loss. So before you slather on the sun screen and fire up your grill, read the following tips to lighten up this summer.

On the Grill: Believe it or not, grilling is actually a very healthy way to cook meat. Of course the type of meat that you choose will make all of the difference. Burgers and hot dogs are traditional barbecue meats, though they aren't the healthiest.

Try the following:
Choose lean cuts of beef, pork or poultry
Marinade with low fat dressing
Make hamburgers with extra-lean ground beef
Take the skin off chicken before grilling
Replace beef patties with ground turkey patties
Grill up salmon or cod
Forego the meat and grill veggie burgers


Side Dishes: This is where most people run into trouble. Barbecue side dishes are typically filled with one thing - fat. Creamy coleslaw and potato salads can hold as much as 15 grams of fat per serving.

Try the following:
Make veggie kabobs and grill them
Replace the mayo in your salads with low-fat mayo
Serve fresh salad with light vinaigrette
Try whole-grain macaroni for your pasta salad
Grill up corn on the cob
Put out a veggie tray with low fat dip


Drinks: Most people don't realize that beverages play a big role in summer weight gain. Margaritas, beer, soda pop and punch all contain tons of empty calories. Try the following:
Drink water, it is always your healthiest option
Stick with light beer (if you really want to drink beer
If you have to have a soda pop stick with diet
Brew unsweetened ice tea and serve with lemon


Dessert: Yes, there are ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while staying healthy. Think outside of the box instead of turning to the typical fattening options like ice cream, pie, cake or cookies. Try the following:

Grill mango, banana and pineapple on kabobs
Stick with sorbet instead of ice cream
Replace peach pie with grilled peach halves
Choose light ice cream over regular

Remember, it's ok to splurge every once in a while. Enjoy yourself. Just keep in mind that by taking a few of the above suggestions you can enjoy great food while getting back into great shape.

So you now have the tools to enjoy your next barbeque guilt free.

Your friend in fitness,

Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com