The Health Blog

Copyright © 2008 Mark Hyman, M.D.

Ever watch a very large person order a Big Mac, large fries, and top it off with a Diet Coke?

Ever notice that you rarely see thin people drinking diet sodas?

I have. And it made me wonder if could there be a link between diet beverages or artificial sweeteners and obesity.

Research suggests that there is, indeed, a link.

First, our current obesity epidemic has coincided perfectly with the introduction of large amounts of artificial sweeteners into our food supply. While we don’t know that one has caused the other, it is suspicious.

For example, the number of Americans who consume products that contain sugar-free sweeteners grew from 70 million in 1987 to 160 million in 2000.

At the same time, the incidence of obesity in the United States has doubled from 15 percent to 30 percent across all age groups, ethnic groups, and social strata. And the number of overweight Americans has increased from about 30 percent to over 65 percent of the population. The fastest growing obese population is children.

Next, we know that just the thought or smell of food triggers a whole set of hormonal and physiologic responses that prepare the body for food.

Just as in Pavlov’s dog experiment, where he trained dogs to salivate in anticipation of food simply by ringing a bell, diet sodas and artificial sweeteners act as the bell for your physiology.

Your brain prepares for food even before your fork or cup crosses your lips.

This allows you to anticipate and prepare for the arrival of nutrients in your intestinal tract, improves the efficiency of how your nutrients are absorbed, and minimizes the degree to which food will disturb your natural hormonal balance and create weight gain.

Any sweet taste will signal your body that calories are on the way and trigger a whole set of hormonal and metabolic responses to get ready for those calories.

When you trick your body and feed it non-nutritive or non-caloric sweeteners, like aspartame, acesulfame, saccharin, sucralose, or even natural sweeteners like stevia, it gets confused.

And research supports this.

An exciting new study in the Journal of Behavioral Neuroscience has shown conclusively that using artificial sweeteners not only does not prevent weight gain, but induces a whole set of physiologic and hormonal responses that actually make you gain weight.

The researchers proved this by giving two different groups of rats some yogurt. One batch of yogurt was sweetened with sugar and the other was sweetened with saccharin.

They found that three major things happened over a very short period of time in the rats that were fed artificially sweetened yogurt.

First, the researchers found that the total food eaten over 14 days dramatically increased in the artificial sweetener group — meaning that the artificial sweetener stimulated their appetite and made them eat more.

Second, these rats gained a lot more weight and their body fat increased significantly.

And third (and this is very troubling) was the change in core body temperature of the rats fed the artificial sweeteners. Their core body temperature decreased, meaning their metabolism slowed down.

So not only did the rats eat more, gain more weight, and have more body fat, but they actually lowered their core body temperature and slowed their metabolism.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: All calories are not created equal.

The study’s most astounding finding was that even though the rats that ate the saccharin-sweetened yogurt consumed fewer calories overall than the rats that ate the sugar-sweetened yogurt, they gained more weight and body fat.

This helps disprove the conventional view that people will consume fewer calories by drinking artificially sweetened drinks or eating artificially sweetened foods.

Despite their name, these are not “diet” drinks. They are actually “weight gain” drinks!

My bottom line?

Avoid artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, acesulfame, sucralose, sugar alcohols such as malitol and xylitol (pretty much anything that ends in “ol”), as well as natural artificial sweeteners like stevia.

Stop confusing your body. If you have a desire for something sweet, have a little sugar, but stay away from “fake” foods.

Eating a whole-foods diet that has a low glycemic load and is rich in phytonutrients and indulging in a few real sweet treats once in a while is a better alternative than tricking your body with artificial sweeteners — which leads to wide scale metabolic rebellion and obesity.

So, put that teaspoon of sugar in your tea and enjoy!

REFERENCES:

Swithers SE, Davidson TL. A role for sweet taste: Calorie predictive relations in energy regulation by rats. Behav Neurosci. 2008 Feb;122(1):161-73.

About The Author:

Mark Hyman, MD is a pioneer in functional medicine, practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak preview of his book “The UltraSimple Diet” is available. See The UltraWellness Blog for more on Artificial Sweeteners

Article Source: thePhantomWriters Article Submission Service

Have you just recently made the decision to start eating healthier with organic foods?  If you have, you may be looking for ways to improve your shopping.  If that is the case, you may want to consider buying your organic foods online.

When it comes to buying organic foods online, many individuals first wonder if they can do so.  If you are one of those individuals, it is important to know that you can.  Next, many wonder if it is worth it to shop online for organic foods.  As for that answer, you will find that it all depends.  A great way to determine if buying organic foods online is right for you is to examine the pros and cons of doing so.

One of the many pros or plus sides to buying organic foods online is the convenience of doing so.  If you have ever shopped online before, you should already know just how easy it is to do so.  A standard internet search can help you find a number of online organic food stores.  When performing a standard internet search, you can search with a generalized phrase, such as “organic food stores,” or you can search for something in particular, such as “organic frozen meals.”  Many also like the fact that their foods can be delivered directly to their doors.

In addition to saving you time, buying organic foods online can also save you money.  This is because you have the ability to compare organic food sellers online.  Not only can you compare their prices, but you can also compare their product selection and you can do so in just a few minutes worth of time.  This is something that you cannot do when shopping locally.  The ability to quickly and easily compare online organic food stores, products, and prices makes it easy for you to save money when shopping online.

The organic foods that you can find available for sale online are another one of the many pros or plus sides to buying organic foods online.  There are many individuals who are surprised with just how many foods they can buy online.  Popular foods that sell online include packaged organic foods, such as organic crackers or organic cookies.  With that being said, there is so much more that is available for sale.  Organic frozen foods and fresh organic fruits and vegetables can also be ordered online and delivered directly to your door.

Although there are a number of pros or plus sides to buying organic foods online, it is also important to focus on the cons or downsides to doing so.  One of those downsides is that you must have internet access.  Yes, most homes have internet access and a computer, but not all do.  In addition to having internet access, most shoppers need to have an ideal way to pay online.  For example, many online organic food stores only accept credit or debit cards, which must be processed as credit cards, as payment.

As it was previously stated, you have the ability to save money when looking to buy organic foods online.  This is mostly due to the fact that you can easily and quickly compare prices, looking for the best deals.  As nice as this is, it is important to proceed with caution where shipping is concerned.  If you are not careful, the cost of shipping can add up or be too high.  That is another one of the cons or downsides to shopping for organic foods online.  With that said, you can eliminate this con by simply being aware and by never paying more for shipping than you need to.

Buying organic foods online is convenient for many, but some individuals can benefit the most from doing so.  You may be one of those individuals if you do not have a specialty organic food store located near by your home.  Also, if you do, but are unimpressed with the prices or selection of foods, you can and should consider buying your organic foods online.

Almost every article we read regarding weight management is tackling about weight loss. Everybody wants to be slim, that’s the point of each of this article. But how about those who are naturally slim and want to put some weight? What could we recommend?

The discipline and guidelines you need work similarly in losing and gaining weight.

So how to gain some weight without compromising your health?

1. Observe the food you eat. Increase your food intake without consuming too much fat and sugar. Add more carbohydrates and protein to your diet. Drink a lot of juices and milk.

2. Eat your regular meals with in-between snacks. However, do away with fast foods. A healthy tip is to always bring your home-made sandwich or any snack at your work or office.

3. Take your time with meals and make sure you are relaxed. This is to ensure that your digestive system functions properly.

What Should You Eat To Gain Weight?
The following diet for gaining weight can supply those extra calories. Eat at least these group food items.
a) Milk Group: milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream.
b) Meat Group: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dried beans and peas, nuts.
c) Vegetable Group: fresh, frozen, canned, juiced vegetables.
d) Fruit Group: Fresh, frozen, canned, dried, juiced fruits.
e) Grain Group: Cereals, breads, rolls, pasta, muffins, pancakes, grits, rice.

What foods to avoid? Caffeine and nicotine are good stimulants and help to increase the metabolism of our body. Avoid having these stimulants in excess quantity to help your body retain maximum nutritional value from what you eat.

Didn’t we always hear our mothers reminding us (or even nagging us at times) that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that it shouldn’t be skipped. I could pretty much relate to breakfast skipper.  I have been depriving myself of hearty breakfast (for four years) ever since I entered medical school.  I usually start my day with only a cup of coffee and two slices of bread, especially if I have only minutes to get prepared for hospital duties and school. I am a late riser so I am always having an early morning rush. My mother would always remind me that it is a healthy way to start my day and she’s been right.

In a U.S. study, skipping breakfast was found out unhealthy and is linked to teen obesity.

Teens who ate breakfast daily have a healthier diet overall and were more physically active than teens who skipped breakfast.  A five-year follow up was done showing consistent results with breakfast skippers gaining more weight also.

So always have a healthy breakfast.  Aside from preventing obesity, breakfasts energizes your day.

A recent study published in the Aging Cell journal found out that certain ingredients in black tea could act as an insulin substitute and might help prevent type 2 diabetes. Several components of black tea - called theaflavins and thearubigins can mimic the action of insulin and we know that lack of insulin production leads to diabetes.

The researchers advise that diabetics shouldn’t be rushing to drink masses of black tea thinking it will cure them of diabetes. Their research into tea compounds is at a preclinical, experimental stage and people with diabetes should continue to take their medication as directed by their doctor.

Source: HealthDay

Migraine headaches bring crushing pain to many people. For some what they eat may play a role. If your migrains are triggered by certain foods, it’s possible that avoiding those may help you avoid headache.

Foods and food ingredients that are sometimes associated with migraines include:

1. Alcohol, especially red wine and beer. The phytochemicals called phenols, which are found in red wine, may be a migraine trigger. Beer and other alcohol drinks depletes the “happy hormone” called serotonin which may trigger headache.

2. Aged Cheese. It contains the amino acid tyramine, which depletes the level of serotonin and affects the dilation of blood vessels, triggering migraine headaches.

3. Caffeine, especially cutting back. Caffeine is said to be beneficial and harmful to migraine sufferers. Some over-the-counter pain relievers contain caffeine to make them 40% effective in treating headaches. Caffeine also results to quicker absorption of headache medications, providing faster relief. However, in some patients it can cause withdrawal or rebound headaches.

4. Chocolate contains both caffeine and tyramine, which are headache triggers.

During Valentines day or the heart’s season, the one food we all think of is chocolate. Indeed, this is one of the healthy foods you could give your loved ones this Valentines Day.

Recent researches reported that cocoa and other chocolates may keep high blood pressure down, your blood flowing and your heart healthy. Thus, eating flavonoid-rich foods will reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

One study found that a substance in cocoa helps the body process nitric oxide (NO) which is a compound critical for healthy blood flow and blood pressure. Another study found that flavonols in cocoa prevent fat-like substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries, and make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause clots.

A bottle of red wine is also a good choice. Red wines contain antioxidants, which act like as protective shield, preventing the oxidation process whereby reactive particles known as “free radicals” cause damage to healthy cells. For the moderate drinker, drinking one to two glasses of wine daily, the antioxidants in red wine offer some protection against heart disease.

The medical and behavioral references stated it. Anxiety disorders cannot be prevented. But there are ways you can do to control or lessen symptoms.

1. Reduce caffeine intake. Dr. James Lee, a psychiatrist at Duke University said that “moderate caffeine consumption makes a person react like he/she is having a very stressful day. If you combine the effects of real stress with the artificial boost in stress hormones that comes from caffeine then you have compounded the effects considerably”.

2. Proper breathing is the trick. Breathing can decrease heart rate, blood pressure, and increase circulation. To do a proper breathing, inhale fully and then, without pausing, exhale slowly.

3. Practice relaxation and meditation.

4. Exercise daily and eat a healthy, balanced diet.

A study conducted by Oceana found high mercury levels in fresh tuna, swordfish and sushi, they tested from a variety of grocery stores in 26 different cities across the US.

Oceana found out that:

• Mercury levels in tuna were much higher than the FDA data suggest
• One-third of sushi tuna samples exceeded the FDA “action level” of 1 part per million
• Nearly 90 percent of seafood counter attendants either did not know the FDA advice about mercury in fish, or gave a wrong interpretation of this warning
• Two-thirds of swordfish tested were above the FDA “action level”, which would permit the administration to remove these fish from sale
• Sushi tuna samples, on average, contained higher levels of mercury than fresh tuna samples from Oceana’s grocery stores and the FDA’s data on fresh tuna
• Average mercury levels in sushi tuna were higher than king mackerel, a fish the FDA advises women of childbearing age and children to avoid due to high mercury levels

Are you overweight? Have you tried to lose weight with diet and exercise, but failed? Are you concerned about your health? If so, you are definitely not alone. Worldwide, more and more people are struggling with obesity and it’s health consequences. As people search for help with weight loss, many are considering weight loss surgery. One of the most promising
surgical options is laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, also known as
lap band surgery.

Lap band surgery is a weight loss procedure that helps a person lose weight by limiting the amount of food that can be eaten at any one time and increasing the feeling of fullness after eating only a small amount of food. Lap band patients will not only eat less but will also learn new eating habits as they adopt a lap-band diet.

During surgery, small slits are cut into the body and the surgeon places a silicone ring, known as a lap band or gastric band, around the stomach opening. The band creates a new small stomach pouch and reduces the size of the opening to the main stomach area, slowing the digestion process. It is considered a safer and less drastic alternative to gastric bypass surgery
because it does not involve cutting the stomach and intestines or rerouting the digestive tract.

Do you prefer fast foods? Well, you have to refrain eating more now. A new study finds out that the typical Western diet increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Indulging in a typical Western diet of burgers, fries, and diet soda boosts your risk of getting heart disease and diabetes, a study shows.

This study found out that just two burger patties a day and one daily diet soda substantially boost the risk of getting metabolic syndrome, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Their findings:
1. The Western diet increased risk by about 18% overall of getting metabolic syndrome over nine years

2. Those who ate two or more servings of meat a day, or about two burger patties, boosted their risk by 26% compared with those who only ate meat twice a week.

3. Diet soda, one can a day, increased risk by 34%.