Diabetes: A 21st Century Scourge - Causes of Diabetes

Where and how does one of the most prolific medical scourges of the 21st century begin? Let's start at the table. Whether that be at home, work or your favorite restaurant what we put on it can sometimes be the beginning of the end. Our sugar laden, artificial and bleached foods combined with an abundance of alcoholic drinks, prescriptions and over the counter medications has helped to establish what is and continues to be a tragic epidemic on a global scale.

Artificial Sweeteners - The Zero Calorie Killer

Along with diabetes artificial sweeteners are linked to other adverse health conditions including weight gain. It is one of the most insidious food additives on the market today. The sweeteners cause spikes in blood insulin levels. How is this possible? The body is wired to prepare for the introduction of carbohydrates since carbs are the chief and most energy efficient forms of fuel. When artificial sweeteners wash over the tongue the brain signals the body to prepare for sugar intake. But this is no normal preparation. Consider the fact that artificial sweeteners are up to 300% sweeter than regular sugar. The body thinks it is getting tons of it which drives insulin production sky high. The cells in the body continuously seeing insulin in the bloodstream for seemingly no reason begin to build a sensitivity towards it thus the term insulin sensitivity. This is not the only way cells become sensitive to insulin but it is one of the main reasons. To add insult to injury what blood sugar is in circulation gets swept up by the excess insulin driving blood sugar levels low. The low blood sugar levels are detected by the body and triggers the production of a hormone called ghrelin. This hormone makes us feel hungry and usually we will eat. The weight gain trap is sprung as most people will alternate between artificially sweetened products (especially soda) and eating highly processed foods mostly unaware of the weight gain connection. Zero calorie foods tend to make people consume more calories of other foods and that is a killer both figuratively and literally.

These diabetes inducing sweeteners can be found in almost anything like: prescription medication, cough syrup, aspirin and other over-the-counter drugs, chewing gum, anything labeled 'sugar free', and drink powders to name a few.

Highly Processed Foods and Our Love Affair with Bleach

Walk down the aisle almost any grocery store and pick up a prepackaged item containing wheat. These would be your breads, cereals, cookies and pastas. Read the list of ingredients on the back. If it is not organic some of the first words you will see are bleached or enriched. This is code for 'we have stripped the goodness out of this product and added what we think you would like to taste'. Why would anyone do this? To make us eat more and eat more often. Bleached and enriched foods undergo chemical processes that converts them from complex carbohydrates (good) to simple carbohydrates (really bad). Once this happens the producer of that food experiences an increase in profit because you will eat more of it and you will eat it more often. As their profits increase so does our waist lines and risk of diabetes. I am sure that there will be some who read this and decide this is a conspiratorial view but consider the chart from the previous article. As food distribution around the world increases (usually simple carbs) so too does the incidence of diabetes.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): Americans consume an astounding 60 lbs. of HFCS every year. What's so astounding about this? Consider the fact that fructose is metabolized in the liver into fat more readily than glucose. When bombarded with fructose all at once the liver becomes sluggish and fatty itself. Fatty livers usually precedes insulin resistance which can ultimately lead to the development and persistence of Type II diabetes. The reason Americans can consume 60 lbs. of HFCS on average is because it is found in many processed foods and is often one of the first three ingredients in a product. Some of the products include soft drinks, pancake syrup, yogurt, canned fruits, barbecue sauce, pasta sauce and fruit drinks that are not 100% juice just to name a few. HFCS is a metabolic nightmare that many of us are unaware of including diabetics. Are you or do you know someone who is diabetic or pre-diabetic? Have you or they ever been warned to stay away from HFCS? If not, please consider this a warning.

Constant Cravings???

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Allow me to set the scene if you will: You've decided to be healthier and with that decision you endeavored to do things right. Things like eat healthier, eat more often, engage in moderate exercise and engage in stress reduction to help shed unwanted pounds and improve overall health. A hearty congratulations goes out to you because you bridged the gap between talking the talk and walking the walk. But what sometimes happens is as you progress in this healthful turnover you may stumble with an insidious and formidable adversary that has the potential to sabotage your efforts. That adversary is called cravings!

The cravings are usually for foods (or stuff that is supposed to pass as food) that are highly refined and either salty or sugary. In other words simple carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar, increases appetite, increases insulin sensitivity (and subsequently enhances fat storage - not good) and has the potential to wreck your healthy habits. Cravings stem from a variety of reasons and being cognizant of them may prove helpful as you contend with those cravings in the future.

• Candida albicans: Candida is a fungus that is primarily birthed in the gut usually due to intestinal flora imbalance brought on by antibiotic use, poor nutrition, sluggish digestion or any combination thereof. A good colon cleanse along with a quality probiotic can help reverse the candida invasion. Candida thrives on sugars so it releases compounds that acts on the brain to signal hunger pangs and so the cravings begin. 
• Chemical addiction: Many of the foods and psuedofoods we consume today are laced with chemical flavor enhancers that interact with the pleasure centers in our brain (e.g. free phenylalanine metabolized after drinking diet soda). This is a sure way to create cravings because physiologically one becomes addicted to the euphoria that can be created when consuming certain chemicals found in what we eat. Have you ever noticed in some people, or yourself, that mood and disposition change for the better after they have a simple carbohydrate snack (e.g. cookies, pastries, etc.) or a diet beverage or snack? 
• Psychological: Stress in our society is unrelenting and rarely handled in a positive way. In other words we as group of people have fallen short on our stress coping skills. With a lack of positive coping skills we often turn to binge eating of comfort foods. Again, it tends to be chemically laced simple carbohydrates that exacerbates the chemical addiction component of cravings. Wondering if this is true? When was the last time you saw someone become stressed and then consumed an entire bag of carrots? You are not likely to see such a thing because carrots, or any other healthy food, would not satisfy the pleasure centers in the brain without being laced by a chemical cocktail.

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What are we to do then? Is there any hope for us mere mortals who seek positive health outcomes? Fear not because there are ways to help overcome these cravings. Here are some ideas for you to consider:

• Avoid highly processed foods. These are foods that primarily come packaged in bags or boxes (e.g. potato chips and cookies). These foods are also most likely to be laced with chemical flavor enhancers that wreak havoc by causing cravings.
• Address candida issues by cleansing your colon and taking probiotics. There are several chemical free all-natural colon cleanses on the market today that could prove helpful in cleaning out the gunk, increase digestion and in turn increase metabolism. It can also pave the way to allow for proper intestinal flora balancing through probiotics. Probiotics work much better in people who do not have impaired digestive function. Balanced intestinal flora decreases candida and therefore decreases cravings.
• Eating every 3-4 hours is also extremely helpful. Not only does this increase metabolism but it helps the body maintain blood sugar at steady levels which decreases cravings. 
• Destress. I know this sounds easier said than done but it must move up your list of priorities  Breath exercises, meditation, Tai Chi, or anything of the like will start you on the right path and take care of the psychological aspects of cravings.
• Parasites are seldom considered when regarding cravings but they can have a profound effect on what a person eats especially when it comes to sweets.

The last two items that could assist you in decreasing cravings are natural supplements.

The first item is L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (also known as 5-HTP) help with cravings by assisting the body in serotonin production. Serotonin is generally credited with creating feelings of happiness and well-being. Because of this action L-tryptophan and 5-HTP can counteract the negative stimulus of chemical food additives on the pleasure centers of the brain. The recommended dose of L-tryptophan is 500-2,000 milligrams and should be taken at bedtime. The dose for 5-HTP is 50-100 milligrams taken one to three times per day or 100-300 milligrams at bedtime. Two notes of caution here. One, these supplements are not a substitute for eating healthy and highly processed foods should be avoided even if you decide to take these supplements. Secondly, if you are on migraine medication called triptans or on a SSRI anti-depressant you should consult with your doctor before taking either supplement.

The second item is N-acetyl L-tyrosine which raises dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain. The potential for a better mood, decreased appetite and decreased cravings are greatly enhanced. N-acetyl L-tyrosine should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning or early afternoon (to avoid not being able to sleep) in a dosing range of 500-1,000 milligrams.

Constant cravings? Try some of the above recommendations and be sure to allow enough time for proper assimilation and assessment (30-90 days) to see if it helps. Go in good health and take back your life!

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Treating Constipation: Nutrition

Constipation is a very real and daily preoccupation for some. The pain and general discomfort is unfortunate and because of this many seek to chemically remedy their situation only to exacerbate the problem. How then, can a person pull themselves from this seemingly unending daily cycle? There are three specific techniques to utilize on the daily basis (note the emphasis which is mine) for long term, lasting relief. Proper nutrition, stress relief and detoxification are essential for great intestinal health. This article will focus on nutrition.

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Proper Nutrition

We in the western world have a fast food problem leading us down a road of epidemic health concerns. Obesity, hypertension, malnutrition (more on this later) and of course constipation are just a few of the outcomes of constantly pulling around to the drive-thru window. Before we go any further in this discussion the need to explain what fast food is arises so we can all be on the same page. We have our usual suspects of course. Those places labeling themselves as “fast food” or the new catch phrase “quick service” restaurants (in an attempt to confusion and befuddle people who are on to them) are obvious but there are other types of fast food. Please consider that just about anything you can microwave as a meal or snack from your grocers freezer or shelf  is “fast food”. We don’t traditionally think of restaurants that you sit down and order from a menu without numbers as being fast food but they most certainly can be. Fast food isn’t about how quickly you get your food. It’s about how processed the food is and it is these highly processed foods (to include junk food) that wreak havoc on our digestive health and then our health overall. 

When it comes to proper nutrition a great place to start is with fruits and vegetables. Obvious, right? Fruits and veggies should comprise at least 60% of the diet especially if you are prone to constipation. Not only are fruits and vegetables nutrient rich but they are easily digested which is extremely important where constipation issues are concerned. 20% of the diet should come from complex carbohydrates (whole grains, cereals), 15% from proteins and 5% from fats (quality fats like Omega 3 and Omega 6 found in legumes and nuts). Here is an interesting fact. Adding 20g (just under an ounce) of bran to the daily diet will increase fecal weight by 127% and reduce food transit time in the digestive tract by 40%! Food transit time is a great indicator for how well the digestive tract is functioning.

There are many people who now avoid carbs like the plague but without complex carbs, where the majority of our fiber comes from, we risk chronic constipation. Our bodies were built with some level of balance in mind not extremes. The extreme of avoiding all carbs will only cause issues. It is agreed that all simple carbs should be avoided when possible (highly refined sugars and highly refined flour products) but complex ones should be embraced. Extremes in any form will ultimately lead to suffering. 

Malnutrition was mentioned earlier because not many people know or realize just how malnourished we are as a society. We think we have plenty of food but we do not. What we have is plenty of “stuff” designed to look and taste like food and can be highly addictive (a subject for another article most likely). The truth is most of what we consider food today is void of the most basic nutrition and as such is extremely difficult to eliminate from our bodies. The “stuff “ we eat turns into a sort of gelatinous goo which coats the intestines preventing the uptake of nutrients when we do get something wholesome into our stomachs. The result is constipation. The result is malnourishment. The result is degenerative disease. The result then becomes premature death. After all, it has been noted by ancient physicians and new that death begins in the belly. 

Not So Fun Fact: It is estimated that 90% of all acid reflux issues are due to slow digestion predicated by poor elimination of waste in the colon (i.e. constipation).

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Constipation and Your Health: The Beginning of the End Part II

Our modern lifestyles have helped to usher many new and wondrous things into our lives but also some downright devastating ventures. How and what we eat, how we handle stress, and the excessive amounts of drugs, pharmaceutical and otherwise, damages our health through constipation.

Highly processed foods have become a main stay in the average American diet. Highly processed foods (bleached and enriched bread products, junk food, refined sugar, etc.) not only tend to be void of nutrition but also notoriously difficult to eliminate from the system with any kind of efficiency. Highly processed food (if you can call it food) which is not easily eliminated causes a log jam (no pun intended) in the intestines that becomes increasingly worse with each passing day. The lack of soluble and insoluble fiber in our diets only serves to compound the problem.

Stress is known as a silent killer that affects the cardiovascular system but what is often not known is how stress affects our digestion. We know that stress can create ulcers in the stomach but did you know it can lead to other gastrointestinal issues like constipation? In extreme cases stress can cause peristalsis to become extremely weak. Peristalsis describes the involuntary contractions of the colon which helps eliminate waste. Weak peristalsis makes the colon dysfunctional and constipation ensues. Also, highly stressed people tend to be enzyme deficient leading to poor digestion setting them up for constipation.

As previously mentioned Americans spend approximately $700 million annually on laxatives. While occasional use may be fine chronic laxative use can cause more harm than good. Laxatives stimulate contractions in the intestines by affecting the nerves. These stimulations are abnormal and can lead to a slow paralysis of those nerves making constipation a lifelong issue. In addition, common medications like antibiotics tend to disrupt natural intestinal flora (the balance between good bacteria and harmful bacteria). A buildup of toxic material in the intestines is a result causing constipation. Other drug types that cause constipation as a side effect are anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, antacids, antidepressants, antihypertensive drugs and diuretics.

The treatments for constipation will be discussed in the next post.

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Eating the King's Food

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Chronic illness and inflammation is rampant in our society. We spend a lot of money on highly processed foods and fast foods to fill our collective stomachs all to the detriment of our collective health. Insurance premiums have sky-rocketed along with the cost of hospital stays and prescription drug prices have followed suit just the same. It would seem that we are destined to have a medical model that is doomed to failure. What is needed is a more common sense approach to addressing chronic illness before it begins. If we can head our illnesses off "at the pass" we could avoid continued failed health. I would like to share with you something that I have found that is a significant first step in taking back our health.

The Book of Daniel gives us an ancient clue that is well researched and time tested. Chapter 1 reads in part:

"8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."

It continues,

"11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead."

The "royal food" was the "King's food" (as it reads in other versions of the bible). What made up the King's food? King Nebuchadnezzar ate sumptuously by the standard of the day. Because he was king he had the resources to afford meat and much wine. The average citizen of Babylon could hardly afford to eat the way the king did but we can (and do) in our daily lives. We consume more meat today as a society than in any other time period. Many chronic and inflammatory conditions (e.g. gout, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis) can be laid right at the feet of increased meat consumption especially red meat.

Daniel asked to be tested so he might prove that a diet consisting of vegetables and water would be superior to the royal food eaten. Note that it only took 10 days to see a noticeable difference. That is a testament to just how resilient our bodies can be if we give it a chance and provide it the tools necessary for healing. When Daniel made his observations he was a young servant along with his fellow colleagues. Surely if the young ones benefit from a wholesome diet and also perish with a diet that is less than stellar, as illustrated in the passage, how much more important would it be for us older folks?

Let us strive together to reduce the burden on our bodies by reducing the amount of meat we consume. Vegetarianism is not necessarily the goal here but surely we can learn from this ancient text much about how we should eat. We, too, like Daniel should resolve to not defile our bodies.

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Good Intestinal Health Part II

Lets face it, we live in a fast paced and highly competitive world and our food has become just as fast. Today the vast majority of food in Westernized societies is highly processed and/or refined.Typically most people don't think twice about that boxed 'mac and cheese' or Sunny D styled drinks and how it affects numerous aspects of our bodies but more specifically our digestion.

Highly processed/refined foods are foods that have been stripped down to their barest components and most likely have artificial ingredients added to them chiefly to extend shelf life. Unfortunately our bodies are not designed to efficiently digest these marginal food products. Take white flour for example. The wheat that it is made from has been stripped of almost all minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Even enriched flour has synthetic minerals and vitamins added to them in an attempt to make them seem nutritious that are not digestible. This makes white flour products nutritionally void and without the fiber that was stripped out it can not pass through our bodies easily rendering our digestive systems sluggish and causing constipation among other things.

Refined sugars including High Fructose Corn Syrup (more on High Fructose Corn Syrup in later posts) also contribute to sluggish digestion and constipation. These refined sugars are broken down easily in the stomach even in someone who has slow digestion. These simple sugars are then feasted upon by unfriendly gut bacteria and candida (fungal infestation). As unfriendly bacteria grow and candida over growth ensues due to the buffet in the sluggish gut digestion is further hindered. This is because the bacteria and candida compete with the body for resources. The body must also fight the respective infestations at the same time leaving you malnourished, constipated, and susceptible to many kinds of illnesses.

By the way, the more constipated a person is the longer food sits in the stomach. If food is there too long it begins to putrefy and your body is forced to activate your immune system to aid in digestion. This is a bodily defense mechanism so that rotten food doesn't send a person into toxic shock. The immune system is not designed for digestion and while it is distracted with digestion your body is open to attacks because the defenses are down. Yet another reason to strive for a bowel movement at least once daily.

Whole foods and perhaps a fiber supplement, if necessary, is the way to go. A properly functioning digestive system frees the body from chronic constipation and allows your immune system to remain on its primary task of policing pathogens trying to disrupt the body. Next week we will wrap up with how combining certain foods causes slow digestion and cover what to watch for in fiber supplements (they are not all equal or healthy for you). Go in peace.

Good Intestinal Health

Salutations and good tidings to everyone.

Our fast food and highly processed society has played havoc on our digestive health. Chronic conditions such as constipation, irritable bowel disease (IBD), and colon cancer along with other intestinal issues are becoming increasingly prevalent. I will break this subject up into three parts beginning today with fiber and water intake. Subsequent offerings over the next two or three weeks will include what highly processed foods do to our digestive health and how improper food combinations can lead to sluggish digestion which in turn leads to constipation and a whole host of other issues seldom considered. Prevention is the order of the day and there are a few things we can do for ourselves today for better digestive health tomorrow.

We can begin simply by increasing our water and fiber intake. There is some debate as to how much water we should ingest daily but it is reasonably accepted that 6 - 8 glasses (48 oz. - 64 oz.) of fresh clean water is needed. For now we will leave it at that. Water is the grand solvent by which advantageous materials are moved in and unwanted or waste materials are moved out. Without a sufficient amount of water our ability to eliminate waste properly is greatly diminished. A person can acquire water through fruit and vegetable consumption, whether they be whole or juiced, as well as simply drinking water itself. You may have noticed I didn't mention soda. That is because despite having water in it soda manages to rob the body of other essential nutrients that can be detrimental to good digestive health.

Fiber is essentially indigestible carbohydrates that combines with water. Fiber makes our stools bulkier and less dense. This makes passing "complete" stools easier and helps keep the colon clean. Both soluble (easilt dissolved in water) and insoluble (not easily dissolved in water) should be sought through the intake of whole foods (foods that are not highly processed, refined or over cooked) such as whole grains, lentils, beans, nuts, and seeds along with 5 servings of green leafy vegetables and 3 - 4 servings of fresh fruit. By the way, this doesn't leave much room for junk food or other empty calories which is a benefit to ye olde waistline! An ideal intake of fiber is at least 35 grams which is covered easily if you are taking in the foods listed above. However, through years of harsh eating plans a super sluggish system may benefit from supplementation but a proper diet is highly recommended in conjunction to any supplementation. In case you are wondering a person with a sluggish system is generally regarded as someone who has fewer than one bowel movement a day!

Next week we will discuss how highly processed foods, refined foods (including enriched foods), and over cooked foods can upset the delicate balances within us that determine good or bad intestinal health so please stay tuned.

Peace and much love to all!