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Quality Nutrition is Essential
Nutritional Therapeutics, Inc. has operated on a food philosophy when developing our products. We understand that the best way to achieve good nutrition is to eat well and stay active. However, some diets do not offer complete nutrition and some of us may need more than just a balanced diet to stay healthy and energized. Adding vitamins and supplements to your diet is a great way to increase your overall health, boost your energy, maintain your immune system and fight aging. NT Factor is a completely food and food extract based formula that is easily recognized and absorbed by your body. Remember, when it comes to the foods we eat and the supplements we take, quality is key!
Dello Certified Nutritionals, Inc. educates and guides its patients towards making smart nutritional choices. Visit their website or call to schedule an appointment today, it’s never too early or two late to get on the path to well balanced nutrition!
Contact Dello Certified Nutritionals, Inc: Phone (516) 365-1222; www.dellonutritionals.com
The Health Benefits of Going Organic!
In order to be labeled “organic” foods must be produced without synthetic fertilizers and chemicals, they cannot be genetically modified, contain hormones or antibiotics and must be without irradiation.
Non-organic fruits and vegetables are grown in toxic conditions, pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers are used by farmers that grow non-organic. These harmful toxin residues are left on the skin of the fruits and vegetables and can absorb into them as well. Overtime the toxins can build up in the fatty tissues in the human body, damaging cells and ultimately causing disease.
A study published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that those exposed to pesticides are 1.13 times more likely to Parkinson’s disease than those who were never exposed. Past studies have also linked exposure to pesticides to increased prevalence of cancer, issues with fertility, brain tumors, leukemia, lymphoma, birth defects, skin irritation, nervous system damage and hormone imbalances. These harmful toxins are especially dangerous to children still in the developmental stage, and to unborn children and pregnant women. Remember, babies consume more fruits and vegetables than most adults.
Dangerous bacteria that are seen in traditionally grown beef, such as cryptosporidium, listeria, e.coli and almonella are rare occurrences in organically raised beef; e.coli is the cause of death for over 200 Americans and Brits each year.
Shopping Organic
Organic fruits and vegetables are sometimes more expensive than traditionally grown products, but you may be getting more value for you dollar when you buy organic. Organic produce is grown in enriched soil increasing the nutrients available during growth. Traditional methods of farming often include genetically modified structures that allow the fruit or vegetable to absorb more water from the soil. You are buying less food when you don’t shop organic produce; organic fruits and vegetables can contain up to 26% more dry matter, less water, than traditionally grown produce and non-organic produce actually shrinks more during cooking.
Going 100% Organic may be difficult and expensive; here are some great tips for healthy shopping.
- Buying from local farmers and producers when possible guarantees fresher foods, organic or not.
- The darker the greens the more beneficial the nutrients. Darker greens like escarole, dandelion and mustard greens have a natural bitterness that defends against insects. They are also loaded with beneficial antioxidants that help to defend your cells against damage and aging.
- Fruits with skins are going to have higher amount of pesticides and should always be bought organic.
The Most Contaminated Fruits and Vegetables: Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Nectarines, Grapes, Sweet bell peppers, Potatoes, Blueberries, Lettuce and Kale/collard greens.
Fruits and Vegetables with the Least Amount of Pesticide Residues: Onions, Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Avocado, Asparagus, Sweet peas, Mangoes, Eggplant, Cantaloupe, Kiwi, Cabbage, Watermelon, Sweet potatoes, Grapefruit and Mushrooms.
- Remember, whatever animals eat will be passed into your body when you consume their meat. It is better to buy organic meats and poultry. Note: Beef and pork tend to be fed grass and tend to be healthier.
- Choose hormone free milk when shopping for dairy products, including cheese and yogurt. The consumption of milk products from hormone laden cows has been linked to breast cancer in humans. Note: Whole milk has more of the natural nutrients than skim milk, Vitamin A, D and Calcium are essential to healthy bodies.
- Go Organic with your eggs! Eggs from grass-fed or pastured chickens have been found to contain more omega-3s and Beta Carotene.
- Try raw milk cheeses, they are unpasteurized and have living enzymes that are helpful for digestion and the immune system.
- Look for organic breads. Many wheat sources are sprayed with herbicides and pesticides that may be cancer causing.
Learn More About Shopping Organic: http://www.everydayhealth.com/photogallery/How-to-Shop-Organic.aspx#/slide-1
Learn More About the Benefits of Eating Organic Foods from Health Realizations: http://articles.healthrealizations.com/FoodsForFibromyalgia/2012/02/27/The-15-Most-Important-Fruits-and-Vegetables-to-Buy.aspx?SubscriberEmail=isis1lotus@yahoo.com
Visit Eartheasy for great tips on maintaining a natural or organic home and garden: http://eartheasy.com/eat_pesticides_produce.htm
Brain cells, called neurons, are responsible for sending, receiving and interpreting the messages from the body’s central nervous system. These messages coordinate muscle contractions that allow the body to move; walking, running, swimming, jumping and all other movements our body makes.
Exercising increases the activity of the neurons, increasing the brain’s need for fuel. The brain is able to balance this energy need with the help of specialized cells called astrocytes that contain stored carbohydrates that fuel the neurons and maintain the health of the brain. Astrocytes allow neurons to function during exercise which may have a positive connection with maintaining the brain’s cognitive and memory abilities as you age.
Japanese researchers at the Laboratory of Biochemistry and Neuroscience at the University of Tsukuba developed a experiment using mice to determine the levels of stored carbohydrates, called glycogen, present in the brain of mice that were exercised and those that were not. Little was known about what fueled the brain before this experiment as we were never able to measure the glycogen levels during studies because it is burned after cell death. The Japanese Research team was able to develop a method that froze the glycogen, allowing for the carbohydrate levels in the astrocytes to be measures in live conditions.
The results of the study after one exercise session were as one would image, the stored energy in the cells was used up. However, a follow-up experiment showed that after 4 weeks of exercise, the baseline glycogen levels in the mice that exercised were ubstantially increased as compared to the rats that were not exercised. Glycogen increases were specifically noted in the cortex and hippocampus of the brain, critical for learning and memory.
The research team has shown that the increase in glycogen levels in some of the brain areas is greatest when the subject had carbohydrates immediately after exercising. According to the Japanese Research team, equipped with Hideaki Soya, a professor of exercise biochemistry and Dr. Soya, continued exercise can increase the fuel levels available for the brain in the memory.
Learn More: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/how-exercise-fuels-the-brain/?src=recg
What does that mean for us?
Exercising daily is a great way to stay fit and healthy and maintain brain function. Start a new work-out regiments and note how you feel. For those who undergo strenuous exercised, a chocolate milk or a banana may be great for your brain!
How can you boost your energy to begin a work-out regiments?
Smart Youthful Energy is a food and food extract based energy drink that does not contain herbs, chemicals or stimulants. Smart Youthful energy uses the power of Lipid Replacement Therapy to restore energy levels to the body by repairing damaged lipids in the cell membranes. It can boost your energy in as little as 15 minutes and does not leave you crashing at the end of the day. Smart Youthful Energy comes in convenient 2 ounce shots that can be carried with you for a needed boost on an especially busy day or before a work out.
Try Smart Youthful Energy Today: http://ntfactor.com/nt-factor-lipids/
Do you have trouble getting a good night’s rest?
Poor-quality sleep may lead to a build-up of brain plaques that can lead to Alzheimer’s Disease later in life. A recent sleep study conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis showed that those who awakened frequently during the night were more likely to have amyloid plaque accumulations than those with fewer sleep disturbances. Study participants sleep patterns were initially monitored for two weeks; those who slept less efficiently were more likely to have early indicators for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Amyloid plaques are one of the brain abnormalities that define Alzheimer’s disease, neurofibrillary tangles are the other necessary component for an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Amyloid is an important membrane protein that is found in tissues throughout the body. The protein can divide improperly, generating beta amyloid, commonly called amyloid plaque, which is toxic to neurons in the brain. Amyloid plaques are sticky buildup that accumulate outside nerve cells preventing the cells from working properly and causing cell death. When brain cells die, the brain shrinks reducing the number of neurotransmitters available for communication within the brain and with the rest of the body. Brain cell death can cause degenerative brain disease that usually manifest early on through the following symptoms: poor judgement, personality and mood changes, memory loss, speech problems, difficulty reading and writing and sleep disturbances.
The study is still underway as participants sleep patterns are continually monitored to gather more information, but it is predicted that poor quality of sleep will show to be an Alzheimer contributor.
Learn More: http://news.health.com/2012/02/14/sleeplessness-tied-to-early-alzheimers-study-says/#more-54359
Alzheimer’s Disease does not have a single cause, but it can be prevented or delayed. Whether or not you have a history of Alzheimer’s Disease in your family, it is important to get educated in order to keep your brain healthy.
The Six Pillars for a Brain-Healthy Lifestyle:
1. Regular Exercise
2. Healthy Diet
3. Mental Stimulation
4. Quality Sleep
5. Stress Management
6. An Active Social Life
Learn More: //www.helpguide.org/elder/alzheimers_prevention_slowing_down_treatment.htm
Alzheimer’s Disease can also be promoted from oxidative stress, oxidative stress occurs when the production of free radicals overcomes the number of naturally occurring antioxidants in the body. When the body’s natural antioxidants are not able to neutralize the damaging chemical reactions produced by free radicals, the lipids in cell and mitochondrial membranes are degraded, causing a decrease in cell function and even cell death. Adding antioxidants through a fruit and vegetable rich diet and antioxidant supplementation can help reduce oxidative stress and protect our cells. However, adding antioxidants to your diet cannot reverse damage already done to your cells by free radicals. Lipid Replacement Therapy is the process through which healthy phospholipids are introduced into the body and replace damaged lipids in the cell membranes and mitochondrial membranes. Lipid Replacement Therapy effectively restores optimal function to the cells and allows them to properly conduct all necessary processes. Nutritional Therapeutics, Inc. has introduced a unique food and food extract based formula, NT Factor, that includes antioxidants and phospholipids. The NT Factor blend can be found in all the NTI products.
Learn More: http://ntfactor.com/
A study recently published in the February issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise finds that people who engage in daily physical activity have less risk of dying from dementia related diseases. More than 60,000 individuals were grouped into 3 fitness categories, low, medium and high as part of a 17-year study. At the end of the 17-years, of the 4,050 participants that died, 164 were dementia related. The number of dementia related deaths was distributed through the three fitness groups as follows:
123 Low Fitness
23 Middle Fitness
18 High Fitness
Learn More: http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/0213/exercise-a-defense-against-dementia.aspx?xid=tw_everydayhealth_20120213_exercise
Physical excercise increases the natural process of autophagy, our cell’s natural detoxification process. Autophagy is the process through which cells in our bodies create specialized membranes that are able to absorb harmful by-products of cell activity and transfer it to usable energy. If our cells are unable to detoxify, harmful byproducts build up and damage the membranes of our cells. Membrane damage can result in a loss of cell function and even cell death, leading to a variety of disease and illness.
Learn More about autophagy and maintaining healthy cells from NTI’s Blog “Maintain Healthy Cells with Exercise and Supplementation”
Dementia and Alzheimer’s have become a serious health concern. While deaths from heart disease, breast cancer and stroke have decreased in recent years, partly due to awareness; deaths related to dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease have rised by 46% between 2002 and 2006.
Learn more about the causes, symptoms and prevention methods of dementia and Alzheimers. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dementia/DS01131/DSECTION=causes
Find Your Daily Recommended Physical Activity Levels:
American College of Sports Medicine, Recommended Physical Activity: http://www.acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/news-releases/2011/08/01/acsm-issues-new-recommendations-on-quantity-and-quality-of-exercise
Almost 20% of the antibiotics prescribed in the United States are for sinus infections, but they may not be as beneficial as we think.
“A new study adds to the growing body of science suggesting that with some infections, including those of the sinuses, antibiotics aren’t the best course of treatment.” -Jennifer LaRue Huget, Special to The Washington Post
During the study the antibiotic group did not achieve more relief than the placebo group until the seventh day, at which time they experienced a reduction in infection symptoms like fevers and headache. Time may be an equally effect and healthier choice than antibiotics for treating infections; most sinus infections clear themselves within 10 days without treatment.
Sinus infections can be caused by:
Excessive dairy consumption
Environmental allergies
Tobacco and pollution irritation
Food allergies
Dental infection
Fungal infection in the sinus cavity
Systemic Candida albicans
Colds and flu symptoms
Eliminating products from your diet that contain milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream cuts back on the production of mucus and allows the sinuses to clear. Vitamins like Quercetin and Bioflavonoids can help fight allergy environmental and asthma related inflammation. Taking a daily probiotic can help maintain healthy intestinal flora levels and prevent against systemic candida overgrowth. A multivitamin along with Vitamins C and D can help keep your system healthy and prevent everyday cold and flu symptoms. Keeping yourself healthy on a daily basis can help fight off a number of infections.
The overuse of antibiotics has become a growing concern in the health industry. Antibiotics disrupt healthy bacteria levels in your gastrointestinal tract that can lead to further problems. A lack of healthy flora can lower the immune system and negatively affect digestion. If you do need antibiotics, make sure to take a probiotic during your regiment. Antibiotics can also create the potential for breeding stronger infectious bacteria if the regiment is regiment is not completed correctly; future infections may have to be treated with stronger antibiotics.
Learn More: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2017537162_sinusinfection19.html
There are many factors that can degrade the cells in our bodies creating energy inefficiencies and cell death, causing fatigue, genetic mutations and disease and speeding of the aging process. Cell degradation is caused by oxidative stress from; environmental toxins, medical treatments, disease, illness, the natural progression of aging and a buildup of by-products from life sustaining chemical reactions that occur within our cells. A healthy body system can protect against cell damage with naturally produced antioxidants and through autophagy. Autophagy is the process through which cells in our bodies create specialized membranes that are able to absorb the harmful materials that build up inside of our cells and carry it to the lysosomes for breakdown of the materials into usable energy. This is the way that our cells detoxify themselves, clean house so to speak. However, as we age the natural production of antioxidants and autophagy is decreased, leading to cell degradation and cell death. The decrease in antioxidant production and autophagy can also occur prematurely if the body is subject to excess oxidative stress. It is suspected that the degradation of cells due to the inefficiencies of these processes can lead to disease such as; Chronic Fatigue, Alzheimer’s, Cancer, Diabetes, Muscle Dystrophy and Premature Aging.
In a recent study on laboratory mice, it was shown that physical activity can increase the occurrence of autophagy and in turn maintain a healthy body system. Two groups of mice were studied during physical activity; one group was given a genetic defect that caused the gene for autophagy to be inactive, meaning that the occurrence of autophagy could not be increased by any means. Mice without the autophagy gene became fatigued and their cells seemed to be incapable of drawing sugar from the cells for additional energy. Therefore, they were unable to increase the specialization of cell membranes and the process of autophagy and harmful materials continued to build up in their cells. The other group of mice was able to increase the number of cell membranes useful for autophagy, as seen by treating the mice with a dye that makes the membranes glow.
Researchers also tested the benefits of exercise for diabetes by initiating the disease in both groups of mice by feeding them a high fat diet. The autophagy resistant mice were unable to absorb blood sugar normally and showed higher cholesterol levels than the normal mice, they were unable to combat the disease even after long term exercise. The normal group of mice was able to reverse the rodent version of diabetes through exercise induced autophagy.
What does this mean for humans? Exercise can increase the natural process of autophagy, the process through which harmful materials are removed from the cells through specialized membranes and transformed into energy.
Free radicals and other harmful materials in our cells attack and degrade the lipids in the membranes of our cells and mitochondria. Membrane lipids are essential for protecting the reactions that occur within the cells and mitochondria and for transferring energy created to the rest of our bodies. Damage to our lipids from free radicals and by-product build cannot be completely prevented, damage occurs every day causing our bodies to degrade overtime even with supplementation. Antioxidants and the process of autophagy can help to prevent some of the future damage, but they cannot repair cells that have already been harmed. The benefits of antioxidant supplementation have been seen over time in a number of health related studies and are highly recommended for older individuals, those under high stress and people receiving medical treatment. Antioxidants are able to neutralize the harmful chemical reactions produced by free radicals, which are produced as by-products of life sustaining reactions occurring within our bodies.
Lipid Replacement Therapy is the process through which damaged lipids in cell membranes and mitochondrial membranes are replaced with healthy lipids. Lipids in the cell membranes can be damaged to an extent that can cause the death of the cell, creating a variety of effects depending on the location of the cell in the body. The mitochondria are responsible for producing energy while the cell membrane protects energy production and other reactions occurring within the cell and also acts as the medium for transferring energy generated inside the cell to the rest of the body.
Damage to the phospholipids in your cell membranes and mitochondria often manifests physically as fatigue but can contribute to a variety of other conditions and diseases; the effect of the damage varies based on the body system or organ affected. If free radicals attack the brain, brain cells are damaged and killed. As more brain cells are killed, brain shrinkage occurs overtime which leads to memory loss and a decrease in cognitive function seen in degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. If free radicals attack the Immune System, the body is more susceptible to infection and disease and is often unable to defend itself against even the common cold. Contracting a virus or infection can put further stress on the body and exacerbate the damaging effects free radicals have on cells. When the walls of our mitochondria are attacked by free radicals additional reactions are created that can degrade DNA and proteins found inside the mitochondria, possibly resulting in genetic defects and certain diseases arising or worsening.
Through Lipid Replacement Therapy healthy lipids are introduced into the body to replace damaged lipids, restoring optimal function to the cell therefore reducing fatigue and protecting against other degenerative diseases. Lipid Replacement Therapy using a proprietary blend of food and food extracts, glycophospholipids, healthy bacteria, growth media and antioxidants found only in NT Factor has proven successful for restoring cell function, reducing fatigue, enhancing overall health, increasing the benefits of medical treatments, aiding in weight loss and restoring optimal function to the immune and central nervous systems. NT Factor contains healthy bacteria, bifido and lactobacillus, that create a stable environment in the stomach and intestinal tract for the phospholipids. Growth media in the formula supports the rapid growth of the bacteria colonies. NT Factor also contains antioxidants that neutralize the effects of free radicals to allow NT Factor lipids to stay healthy during their transportation to the damaged cells.
Learn More About Cellular Cleansing: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/01/exercise-as-housecleaning-for-the-body/?src=dayp
Supplement Your Healthy Diet and Exercise Regimen with Powerful Anti-Aging Formulas:
Nutritional Therapeutics, Inc. manufactures a complete nutritional system with essentials vitamins, minerals, omegas, antioxidants and the NT Factor blend; Propax Gold with NT Factor. Vitamins and minerals are essential for every day body functions, tissue health, stress management, bone support and immune health. Additional antioxidant supplementation can protect your body against oxidative stress from free radicals. Omegas are important for cardiovascular health, brain function and joint health. The power of the NT Factor blend gives Propax Gold an advantage over other multivitamins and supplements protocols; protect the health of your cells with antioxidants and exercise and repair previous damage with NT Factor!
The unique NT Factor formula has been coupled with White Kidney Bean Extract in a natural, stimulant free weight loss supplement, Healthy Curb with NT Factor. White Kidney Bean, also known as phaseolus vulgaris, has been proven to reduce carbohydrate and sugar cravings and naturally decrease appetite. Healthy Curb contains NTI’s proprietary blend NT Factor that not only restores cell health through Lipid Replacement Therapy, but helps to provide the energy needed to begin and maintain an exercise regimen that can optimize cell function by increasing autophagy.
Try an NT Factor Formula Today: http://ntfactor.com/healthy-curb-weight-management/
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been recognized as a serious disease, studies have been released linking chronic fatigue to genetic abnormalities involved in physiological processes. The prevalence of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is higher than previously thought by doctors and scientists and has been receiving high attention; its effects on the body have been compared to the debilitating symptoms of AIDS, Chronic Pulmonary Disease and Breast Cancer. Studies show that fatigue sufferers experience abnormalities in their nervous systems, immune systems, cognitive functions and their response to physical and environmental stress. Fatigue has a variety of causes, including; genetic predisposition, exposure to viruses and parasites, environmental toxins, physical trauma, emotional stress, illness, disease, medical treatment and the natural progression of aging. Fatigue is often a co-diagnosis with, and may be caused by, certain disease; Lyme disease, Q Fever, Ross River Virus, Mononucleosis, Parvovirus, Fibromyalgia, Diabetes and Gulf War Syndrome.
No matter the underlying orientation of fatigue, the cause is the same. When oxidative stress builds up in our bodies, damage occurs to our cells. Oxidative stress degrades the lipids in our cell and mitochondrial membranes, reducing their effectiveness and efficiency. When cells and mitochondria are damaged, they are no longer to produce and transfer adequate energy for our body’s daily processes. Prolonged Chronic Fatigue can have effects on the body once the accumulation of damage to the body begins to express itself: impaired memory and concentration, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, disturbed sleeping patterns and feelings of malaise after exertion.
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-chronicfatigue-ess.html
Protect yourself from oxidative stress with antioxidant supplements, a healthy diet and exercise. Lipid Replacement Therapy, using glycophospholipid supplements, can restore optimal function to cell and mitochondrial membranes but replacing damaged lipids with health ones.
http://ntfactor.com/propax-gold-with-nt-factor/
Green tea polyphenols are potent antioxidant compounds that are not only an antioxidant alone, but can increase the activity of natural antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes. Epigallocatechin gallate, EgCG, is the most significant flavonoid in Green Tea and has a variety of benefits for overall health, anti-aging and even disease prevention. EgCG is at least 100 times more potent of an anti-oxidant than Vitamin C and is approximately 25 times stronger than Vitamin E for protecting DNA from oxidative stress that can promote disease expression.
Clinical studies have indicated that the antioxidant properties of Green Tea may; prevent atherosclerosis, reduce LDL cholesterol levels, reduce platelet activity that can cause artery blocking blood clots, inhibit lipid peroxidation that can degrade cell and mitochondrial membranes and correlate with less prevalent cancer rates if consumed regularly. Green Tea is also an anti-inflammatory and has shown benefits for arthritis, Chron’s disease, viral hepatitis and intestinal bowel syndrome. EgCG has also been shown to benefit weight loss regiments; it is used to control blood sugar levels, boost metabolism and burn fat. Green Tea also has external benefits! EgCG has been shown to benefit skin conditions, including reducing the appearance of psoriasis, rosacea, wrinkles and wounds. Diabetics benefit from Green Tea supplementation, it speeds the healing process of their wounds.
Add Green Tea to your vitamin regiment today, you will feel and see the benefits!
http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/118
Fatigue is very often a co-diagnosis that occurs with many illnesses, diseases and lifestyles. Fatigue is brought on by the degradation of your body’s cell and mitochondrial membranes from oxidative stress. Fatigue, no matter what is cause, can be reduced through Lipid Replacement Therapy with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Common Physical Causes of Fatigue:
- Extreme Physical Activity
- Sleep Disturbances (insomnia, jet lag, sleep apnea)
- Vitamin or Mineral Deficiencies (anemia, B vitamin deficient, low potassium, low magnesium)
- Medical Treatment (radiotherapy, chemotherapy)
- Poor Diet (processed foods, high fat)
- Illness, infection or disease
Common Causes of Fatigue From Physical Illness or Infection:
- Diabetes or High Blood Sugar
- Hypoglycemia or Low Blood Sugar
The United Nations affirmed this past September that chronic non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are of greater health concern than infectious diseases. The UN’s announcement specifically addresses the dangers of tobacco products, alcohol and poor diet as risk factors for non-communicable disease. Alcohol and tobacco products are currently regulated by governments to protect public health; will they intervene with food as well? It is argued that fructose, fruit sugar, exerts similar toxic effects on the liver as alcohol, which is a byproduct of the fermentation of sugar. There have been studies that show that the excess consumption of sugar can lead to cancer and cognitive decline.
Some countries are already taking steps to regulate the consumption of foods that are harmful to our bodies. In 2011 Denmark began taxing foods high in saturated fats, and now they consider taxing sugar as a means to reduce obesity and increase the overall health of their population.
Sugar affects the brain similarly to the addictive properties of tobacco and alcohol, it’s properties encourage the brain to crave additional intake. It also affects certain hormones that control hunger and can lead to over eating. Excess consumption of fructose can lead to the same health problems as alcohol consumption: hypertension, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, pancreatitis, obesity, malnutrition, hepatic dysfunction and habituation. A little sugar is not the problem, but The United Nations is rightfully concerned with the dangers of excess sugar consumption as it has tripled worldwide over the last 50 years. Today, people are consuming an average of 500 calories per day just from added sugar! Countries that have adopted the low-cost, high processed diet common in Western cultures have seen the consequences with rising obesity and obesity related disease rates; there are 30% more obese people in the world today than the number of undernourished people. When this excess sugar consumption is combined with the natural degradation of our bodies due to the aging process, damage is caused to our lipids, proteins and DNA furthering the risk of developing disease.
Obesity is not the cause of disease, normal weight individuals are also affected, but obesity is a risk factor for diseases that constitute metabolic syndrome; diabetes, hypertension, lipid problems, cardiovascular disease and fatty liver disease. There are long-term economic and health-care costs associated with metabolic syndrome; in the United States $65 billion is cost in lost productivity and $150 billion is spent on health care resources from metabolic syndrome and its associated disease.
Sugar is natural, a nutrient and pleasure but too much of a good thing can be toxic. Both alcohol and tobacco are regulated from the supply side through taxation, age restrictions and distribution controls. These methods have been successful for reducing these substances’ abuse and related health concerns. Can this work for sugar? Currently, education based programs in schools have had little effect on limiting the consumption of sugars. Proposals are being made by different health organizations to tax certain foods that are highly processed or contain certain added sugars. Strategies to limit availability of the harmful foods are also being considered, such as regulating the hours of operation for retailers, implementing age restrictions for purchase and limiting the density of retail outlets that sell the products. There has also been a push to remove commercials from television for products with added sugars and replace them with healthy food promotions. Many schools have implemented their own policies for regulating sugar consumption; removing candy and soda from vending machines.
The US Food and Drug Administration has the power to start a healthy revolution, but it is also up to the food producers, manufacturers and distributors to limit the amount of added sugar in foods. However, your health should be one on your highest priorities. Be conscious of your eating habits and food choices, educate yourself on the dangers on excess sugar consumption and pass along the information.
http://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/Comment_sugar1.pdf
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