High Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Diabetes Epidemic

A new study found that countries using high fructose corn syrup in their food supply have a 20 percent higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and University of Oxford reported that large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in national food supplies across the world may be one explanation for the rising global epidemic of type 2 diabetes and resulting higher health care costs.

The article, “High Fructose Corn Syrup and Diabetes Prevalence: A Global Perspective,” is published in the journal Global Public Health.

“HFCS appears to pose a serious public health problem on a global scale,” said principal study author Michael I. Goran, professor of preventive medicine, director of the Childhood Obesity Research Center and co-director of the Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. “The study adds to a growing body of scientific literature that indicates HFCS consumption may result in negative health consequences distinct from and more deleterious than natural sugar.”

The paper reports that out of 42 countries studied, the United States has the highest per capita consumption of HFCS at a rate of 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds, per year. The second highest is Hungary, with an annual rate of 16 kilograms, or 46 pounds, per capita. Canada, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Belgium, Argentina, Korea, Japan and Mexico are also relatively high HFCS consumers. Germany, Poland, Greece, Portugal, Egypt, Finland and Serbia are among the lowest HFCS consumers. Countries with per capita consumption of less than 0.5 kilogram per year include Australia, China, Denmark, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

Countries with higher use of HFCS had an average prevalence of type 2 diabetes of 8 percent compared to 6.7 percent in countries not using HFCS.

“This research suggests that HFCS can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is one of the most common causes of death in the world today,” said study co-author Professor Stanley Ulijaszek, director of the Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Oxford.

To explain the varying degrees of HFCS consumption in the European Union, the researchers note that trade and agricultural policies set quotas for HFCS production, and while some countries, such as Sweden and the U.K., do not take their assigned quotas, other countries, such as Hungary and Slovakia, are able to purchase extra quotas from countries that do not accept them. The findings of the paper thus have important implications for global trade policies that may affect public health.

“If HFCS is a risk factor for diabetes – one of the world’s most serious chronic diseases – then we need to rewrite national dietary guidelines and review agriculture trade polices,” said Tim Lobstein, director of policy for the International Association for the Study of Obesity. “HFCS will join trans fats and salt as ingredients to avoid, and foods should carry warning labels.”

GLAM MORE FEAR LESS: The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic rolls out the red tomato carpet at the 68th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes Podcast Inspired by Chaka Khan celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Month with guests: Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, Pam Butler MS, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, cookbook author Holly Clegg, Mama Rose Marie and Ginger Vieira, from Burlington, VT living with type 1 diabetes

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/11/13/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-chaka-kahn

Mr Divabetic shares a Behind-the-Scene look at presenting diabetes education with DAZZLE at the ADA Expo in Pittsburgh, PA for the past five years

Experience Mr. Divabetic’s wellness with a wow programming in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org 

Why Too Much Sugar is Toxic

The average American eats 2 to 3 pounds of sugar a week. That includes table sugar used in coffee, brown sugar used in cooking, soft drinks, sweetened tea and processed foods containing sugar.

While it is true our bodies need sugar (glucose) since this is the only fuel the brain can use, it’s important to note that a fully functioning body produces enough sugar for the body through the natural digestion of whole, unprocessed foods. By eating healthy carbohydrates like fruits and whole grains you can give your body all of the glucose it needs without ever having to eat refined white or brown sugar.

Refined sugar has been stripped of all of its vitamins, minerals and fiber and therefore does not digest naturally. In order to metabolize sugar through the kidneys, the heart is forced to work extra hard. On top of that, when sugar is released in the bloodstream, it causes an influx of adrenaline, which also puts unnecessary stress on the heart. Eating sugar before going to bed makes the heart work exceptionally hard and puts your health in danger.

Sugar also has addictive properties that make breaking the habit as hard withdrawing from some narcotics.The good news is that its possible to curb your sugar addiction according to Karen Ficarelli is the founder and CEO of Fitness4Her.com.

Karen Ficarelli says, “begin by adding one extra fruit to your daily diet each week or every two weeks. For each fruit you add, subtract one teaspoon or one source of processed foods such as cookies or cake from your diet. Substituting fruit for processed sugar will change your taste buds and train them to appreciate the fructose in place of the sucrose. It may take some time, but it will be a change that you can live with for the rest of your life.”

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3278062

Mr Divabetic shares a Behind-the-Scene look at presenting diabetes education with DAZZLE at the ADA Expo in Pittsburgh, PA for the past five years

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes Podcast Inspired by Chaka Khan celebrating National Diabetes Awareness Month with guests: Constance Brown-Riggs MSEd, RD, CDE, Pam Butler MS, CDE, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, cookbook author Holly Clegg, Mama Rose Marie and Ginger Vieira, from Burlington, VT living with type 1 diabetes

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/11/13/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-chaka-kahn
See Mr. Divabetic‘s nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones.

See Mr. Divabetic live in Tucson, AZ, Santa Clara, CA, Philadelphia, PA, Savannah, GA and Bethesda, MD in 2013. Get more details at www.divabetic.org 

Soda Drinking Every Day Could Raise Women’s Stroke Risk

A new study is linking regular consumption of sugary drinks with risk of stroke.

The newest finding, first reported by Reuters and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows that women who said they drank the most soft drinks in the study had an 83 percent higher risk of ischemic stroke than those who reported drinking the fewest soft drinks.

Earlier this year, a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine showed a link between drinking a diet soda every day and higher stroke and heart attack risk.

“It makes sense, if [sugar sweetened beverages] increase the risk for obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, inflammation, then it should, in fact, raise the risk for cardiovascular disease, and that’s what we’re seeing,” Cleveland Clinic’s Adam Bernstein, who was not involved in the study, told Reuters.

Researchers found that women who had drank the most soda in the study — Reuters reported that this was nearly a soda a day – had a higher risk of ischemic stroke than those who drank the least soda in the study. However, researchers didn’t find a risk between soda consumption and ischemic heart disease, or hemorrhagic stroke for either men or women.

A recent Gallup study showed that nearly half of Americans drink a soda every single day.

Mr. Divabetic plays his nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! with New Yorkers at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Central Park

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes ‘PINK FRIDAY’ Podcast Inspired by Nicki Minaj saluting Breast Cancer Survivors living with diabetes and  raising awareness for Domestic Violence with guests: Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Kathy Gold RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller, Connie Elder, Mama Rose Marie and Leola C., from Grand Rapids, MI living with type 1 diabetes http://ning.it/PUQy9B

See Mr. Divabetic’s nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash!  You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones.

Meet Mr. Divabetic on his quest to glamorize good health at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo in Pittsburgh, PA.

The Easiest Way To Avoid Halloween Cravings

Halloween cravings may be uniquely influenced by seasonal changes. Studies show that as days get shorter, and we are exposed to less sunshine, serotonin activity may be affected. Since eating carbohydrates enhances serotonin synthesis, carbohydrate consumption may be a behavioral way to increase serotonin levels and improve our mood. Other researchers say that sweet cravings are mainly determined by culture or by psychological and behavioral factors, rather than by physiology. Chances are that a combination of factors is responsible.

Availability and proximity probably trump all of the other reasons why we crave and overeat sweets. When tasty foods are around, we simply eat more of them. That’s why Halloween is such a trap. Halloween candy is novel; it only comes around once a year. It comes in small pieces, so you fool yourself into thinking you’re not eating as much. You put it in bowls around the house and eat it mindlessly.

If you have a strong desire for sweets, it may be a sign that you’re depressed, anxious or stressed. But the good news is that you don’t have to indulge in sweets to raise your serotonin levels or to feel good. Exercising, stress management, and spending time with loved ones are activities that will also help reduce depression, anxiety and stress. It’s also important to understand the core of your emotional problems and for that, you may need to seek help from a professional.

Experts agree that if you do find you overeat then you should give yourself a break. Don’t dwell on the negative, and get over it! Analyze objectively what you can do differently next time.

Mr. Divabetic plays his nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash! with New Yorkers at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Central Park

TUNE IN: Free Diabetes ‘PINK FRIDAY’ Podcast Inspired by Nicki Minaj saluting Breast Cancer Survivors living with diabetes and  raising awareness for Domestic Violence with guests: Connie Frazier RD, CDE, Kathy Gold RN, CDE, Catherine Schuller, Connie Elder, Mama Rose Marie and Leola C., from Grand Rapids, MI living with type 1 diabetes http://ning.it/PUQy9B

See Mr. Divabetic’s nutrition game, Serve, Taste or Trash!  You must decide which one you’d serve, which one you’d taste and which one you’d trash.

Before you decide to “trash” a veggie for good, why not try to eat it raw? Raw veggies can be more appetizing than their cooked counterparts to people who aren’t crazy about vegetables. The flavors of raw veggies can be milder than those of cooked ones.

Meet Mr. Divabetic on his quest to glamorize good health at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Expo in Pittsburgh, PA.

7-11 Celebrates 85th Birthday With Free Slurpees Today

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg might not like it but 7-Eleven is ringing in its 85th birthday by offering free Slurpees at more than 9,000 locations today.

Before fans of Michael Bloomberg’s proposed soda ban start making pickets, it’s worth noting that today’s freebies are a slim 7.11 ounces––about eight times smaller than the chain’s popular line of Big Gulp drinks, which max out at a gallon.

The company’s also pushing its new line of sugar-free “Lite” Slurpees, which it released right before Memorial Day.

For a business that’s expanded to more than 46,000 stores worldwide, 7-Eleven’s roots are pretty modest. It started in the summer of 1927 with one Southland Ice Company employee peddling bread, milk and eggs on an ice dock in a Dallas.

Company CEO Joe DePinto said in a statement they expect to dole out 7 million free Slurpees this year, beating last year’s tally by 2 million.

The promotion appropriately runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic is on location in Central Park, New York City to find out people’s reactions to Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed Super Size Soda ban.

LISTEN NOW: Free Diabetes Roundtable podcast Inspired by Rev Run http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/06/12/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-rev-run

 

London Olympics Moves To Ban McDonald’s And Coca-Cola

As McDonald‘s readies to open its biggest location in the world as part of its sponsorship of the Olympics, the chain’s opponents are also ramping up their efforts to ban it and soda mega-corporation Coca-Cola from the games.

With just a month before competitions get underway, the London Assembly has voted to call for a ban on the two sponsors. The Olympics, an event that showcases the world’s best athletic talent, should not be bankrolled by companies that produce high-calorie food and drinks that may contribute to obesity, believes the Assembly.

The London Assembly, established in 2000, is an elected body that monitors the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power to amend the mayor’s annual budget.

The move urges the International Olympic Committee to adopt strict criteria for sponsorship of the Games, which would exclude companies like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola.

But, the issue isn’t black and white. Coca-Cola is the games’ longest-running sponsor, since 1928, and McDonald’s has been one since 1976. Over time, the companies have developed a mutually beneficially relationship.

But despite the criticism of their presence, without companies like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, the Olympics would be under serious financial threat, a fact that organizers are happy to admit. Cash generated by commercial partnerships accounts for more than 40% of Olympic revenues, and the companies under fire have been two of the biggest contributors for many years.The two companies’ sponsorships have been blasted by UK doctors, who say they send the wrong message in a country struggling with obesity rates.

McDonald’s UK’s chief executive, Jill McDonald, defended her company’s offerings to the AP in May. “We do offer a breadth of menu,” she said. “You can see on the menu here we have grilled chicken wraps, we have salads, fruit smoothies as well as the more indulgent recipes that people know and love.”

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic is on location in Central Park, New York City to find out people’s reactions to Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed Super Size Soda ban.

LISTEN NOW: Free Diabetes Roundtable podcast Inspired by Rev Run http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/06/12/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-rev-run

Saturday Morning Cat Lovers’ Cartoons

Ready for some  Saturday morning fun? Mr. Divabetic‘s cat-friendly cartoon, Carb Kitty, makes counting carbs easy.

Between the potato salad, the hamburger buns, and the strawberry shortcake served  at the cookout on July 4th, you may not realize how many carbohydrates you’re eating. Carbohydrates (“carbs”) can be counted 2 ways: by grams or by carb choices. Remember: 1 carb choice = 15 grams of carbohydrate.

The foods highest in carbs are high in starch or sugar. This includes anything made with flour or sugar, grains, foods with added sugar, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn. Most processed foods are high in carbohydrates. Examples of low carb foods are proteins such as meat and eggs, most vegetables, low sugar fruits (such as strawberries), soy beans, and some dairy products.#carbkitty

See  the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic perform live at: American Diabetes Association (ADA) Expos – Pittsburgh, PA and Taking Control Of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) Conferences & Health Fair – Austin, TX,  special appearances in Los Angeles, CA, Philadelphia, PA and more!

For more games, glucose inspiration and glamour go to: www.divabetic.org

Alcohol Found In Popular Sodas

What are we really drinking when we grab soda to quench our thirst?

Trace amounts of alcohol can be found in popular soft drinks including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, according to new findings by the National Institute of Consumption in Paris.

The research, published in the French magazine 60 Million Consumers, found small amounts of alcohol measuring around 0.001 percent per liter in 19 popular sodas around the world. Generic supermarket brands, however, were alcohol-free.

Business Insider also reports that another chemical present in Coke, 4 methylimidizole (4-MI), is considered a carcinogen by the Center for Science in Public Interest.

The publication has more background on why the alcohol was detected:

Coca-Cola France’s scientific director Michel Pepin told Channels TV that it is possible “alcohol traces come from the process of making our drink according to its secret recipe,” perhaps due to natural fruit fermenting.

While the amount of alcohol found is negligible, the revelation may anger thousands of Muslims, whose religion prohibits them from drinking alcohol.

However, as the Seattle Post Intelligencer notes, Coca-Cola’s web site is up front about alcohol levels in its products:

Trace levels of alcohol can occur naturally in many foods and beverages. Governments and religious organizations have recognized that such minute levels are considered acceptable in nonalcoholic foods and beverages.

That being said, the news has prompted Coca-Cola to announce it will alter its recipe for sodas sold in the U.S. It reportedly has no plans to do so worldwide.

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic is on location in Central Park, New York City to find out people’s reactions to Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed Super Size Soda ban.

LISTEN NOW: Free Diabetes Roundtable podcast Inspired by Rev Run http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/06/12/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-rev-run

Slimmed Down Alec Baldwin Is Broadway Bound

Alec Baldwin, now 30 pounds lighter,  will be hitting Broadway soon! The actor shed the weight by avoiding sugar and starch. Baldwin says he also began to exercise more regularly.

Last year,  he was diagnosed as pre-diabetic  and subsequently began to change his diet.

Now, the often-honored and often-volatile actor will star in the revival and Broadway premiere of “Orphans,” a Lyle Kessler play directed by Daniel Sullivan.

It will open at the Shubert Theater next spring, by which time Baldwin is widely expected to have wrapped up his role in the NBC sitcom “30 Rock.”

The play is about two orphaned brothers who live in a rundown house in North Philadelphia.

The elder, Treat, supports his younger brother Phillip by “petty thievery,” until one night he kidnaps a wealthy older man, Harold.

They develop a strange sort of quasi-family relationship, with each having his own motivations.

Baldwin will play Harold, and the other two roles have not yet been cast.

“I have dreamed, for a long time, of doing this play with this director,” Baldwin said in a statement. “It’s an honor to work with Dan Sullivan in Lyle Kessler’s ‘Orphans’.”

Look who’s on the red TOMATO carpet with the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic stops at the 66th Annual Tony Awards to support diabetes awareness.

LISTEN NOW: Diabetes Roundtable Inspired by Kristin Chenoweth http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/03/13/diabetes-roundtable-inspired-by-kristen-chenoweth

 

Is Your Morning Loaded With Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are found in almost all living things and play a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system but excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates like sugar or corn syrup should be avoided.

Most ready to eat cereals which come in a box are packed with sugar, this is even true for those that claim to be “whole grain”. Read the label on the back of the box, some of these foods are 90-93% carbohydrate. In contrast, hot cereals which you prepare at home like oatmeal and ryecan contain 10-12% carbohydrate, with far more vitamins and complex carbohydrates that are better for your body.

Carbohydrates (“carbs”) can be counted 2 ways: by grams or by carb choices. Remember: 1 carb choice = 15 grams of carbohydrate. Mr. Divabetic’s educational game, Carb Kitty, makes counting carbs fun.

See Mr. Divabetic perform live at: American Diabetes Association (ADA) Expos – Pittsburgh, PA and New York, NY, Taking Control Of Your Diabetes (TCOYD) Conference & Health Fairs – Austin, TX and special appearances in  Los Angeles, CA, Columbia, SC, Philadelphia, PA and more!

LISTEN NOW: Free Golden Rules of a Diabetes Diet Podcast  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatalkradio1/2012/06/01/studio-d-the-golden-rules-of-a-diabetes-diet

For more games, glucose inspiration and glamour go to: www.divabetic.org