It replaced sugar in many products back in the 1970s. And WHY? Because it was cheaper, of course. In 1977, sugar tariffs and quotas were imposed in system. And, the price of . . . → Read More: High Fructose Corn Syrup….could be damaging to your health!]]> Frequently used sweetener – one you consume every day – could be extremely damaging to your health. One should always strive for total wellness!

It replaced sugar in many products back in the 1970s. And WHY? Because it was cheaper, of course. In 1977, sugar tariffs and quotas were imposed in system. And, the price of corn was kept low through government subsidies. United States food manufacturers refused to pay the higher sugar costs, so, they switched from sugar to a corn-based alternative. It saved them billions in cost.

They did NOT consider the health of the consumers, as is frequently the case. The FDA does NOT consider total wellness for the consumer.

And thus, the time of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) had begun. Consumption of high fructose corn syrup increased by 1,000% from then to the present time. Now, we must make an effort to avoid HFCS as much as we possibly can.

Past studies indicated a major link of HFCS to obesity and diabetes. New research links HFCS to something even worse – a deadly form of cancer (pancreatic). No total wellness here!!!

Why does the FDA let this continue to happen? How can they support Big Corn instead of the public? Here’s the real truth of WHY.

Why High Fructose Corn Syrup Is Bad

Dr. Anthony Heaney published a study revealing new information about high fructose corn syrup. Dr. Heaney is an Associate Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He’s written many articles for peer-reviewed publications, including the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nature Medicine, Clinical Endocrinology, and Pituitary. He is also a reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Cancer Research, and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

His study, published in Cancer Research, focused on pancreatic cancer, which is one of the very worst cancers.

The formulation of high fructose corn syrup is a combination of fructose and glucose. These two sugars have long been considered interchangeable… but that may not be the case. Dr. Heaney found that pancreatic cancer cells metabolized them differently. The cells used fructose to generate nucleic acids – building blocks of RNA and DNA – which cancer cells need to divide and grow.

Dr. Heaney believes his findings “have major significance for cancer patients, given dietary refined fructose consumption.” In fact, he feels so strongly about the need to reduce fructose intake that he believes the federal government should intervene.

Dr. Andrew Weil is in agreement that “high fructose corn syrup is definitely bad for you.” Dr. Weil holds degrees in biology and medicine from Harvard University. He has an international reputation as an expert on alternative medicine, mind-body interactions, and medical botany.

“Eliminating high fructose corn syrup from your diet can have many health benefits,” says Dr. Weil. “[Dr. Heaney's] UCLA study suggests that prevention of pancreatic cancer – and possibly other malignancies – may be one of them.” We need to take back control of our total wellness!!!

Meanwhile, the FDA does absolutely nothing to protect you. In actuality, it works in opposition to total wellness…

Big Corn…

Big Corn’s position is that high fructose corn syrup is “natural.” In the words of Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), “high fructose corn syrup, like table sugar and honey, is natural. It is made from corn, a natural grain product.”

In a letter to the CRA, the FDA gave Big Corn the go-ahead to label high fructose corn syrup “natural.” Despite the fact that it contains a synthetic mixing agent.

Does that sound natural to you? NOT!!!

But according to the FDA, it’s natural as long as the synthetic agent doesn’t touch the corn starch. Talk about stretching the truth.

Geraldine June is the supervisor of product evaluation and labeling at the FDA’s Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements. Responding to an inquiry about the decision, she said:

“However, we would object to the use of the term ‘natural’ on a product containing HFCS that has a synthetic substance such as a synthetic fixing agent included in or added to it.”

Needless to say, Big Corn was thrilled with the FDA decision.

But, here’s the repercussion…

That decision led other companies to stretch the definition of “all natural.” Cadbury Schweppes (whose U.S. beverage unit is now Dr Pepper Snapple Group) and Kraft also made the claim for their 7Up and Capri Sun labels.

How did they get away with it? Both drinks have high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient, which the companies decided makes the drinks natural. They didn’t get away with it for long. Both faced lawsuits. They avoided legal action by quickly changing their labels.

Something stinks, big time…

Meanwhile, the FDA’s decision started to get a lot of bad press. Fighting back, the CRA launched a series of television ads, which presented HFCS as being natural, nutritionally the same as sugar, and with the same number of calories. But consumers are becoming more and more skeptical. The CRA had to quickly find another solution.

So on September 14, 2010, they applied for a name change. They requested to rename high fructose corn syrup “corn sugar” on U.S. food labels.

What was the reason they gave for doing it?

“Consumers need to know what is in their foods and where their foods come from and we want to be clear with them,” said the CRA’s Audrae Erickson. Well, that’s one explanation. But, it is more likely that the HFCS backlash had become so important that they were trying to get rid of the name.

High Fructose Killing Syrup

You see, Dr. Heaney’s findings aren’t the only bad news about high fructose corn syrup…

Studies have also connected it to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. One of those studies is from Princeton University where researchers found that high fructose corn syrup encourages considerable weight gain. Bart Hoebel, a psychology professor who specializes in the neuroscience of appetite, weight, and sugar addiction, was on the research team.

“Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn’t true, at least under the conditions of our tests,” says Hoebel.

High fructose corn syrup consumption is completely out of control in this country. The government even targeted high fructose corn syrup to help foot the bill. Remember when President Obama was trying to pass that $950 billion health care plan? It needed some significant funding. The government considered imposing federal taxes on sugary drinks. A tax of three cents per 12-ounce serving would generate $24 billion over four years. That’s how much of this stuff Americans drink.

The FDA is at the core of the problem. The same agency that promises to protect consumers is doing the opposite which their decision on high fructose corn syrup shows support for obesity, diabetes, and pancreatic cancer. You are encouraged to forget about total wellness in your life!

How to Avoid HFCS

The average American consumes 41.5 pounds of high fructose corn syrup per year. Most people don’t even realize they’re doing it. You may be surprised to learn that high fructose corn syrup can be found in the following products:

• Baked goods
• Tomato sauces
• Soft drinks
• Cereals
• Fruit drinks
• Processed foods
• Salad dressings
• Ketchup
• Yogurt
• Cough syrups

And that’s just the start.

If a dangerous compound like high fructose corn syrup is so ubiquitous, how are you able to protect your own health? How can you lessen your chances of getting the types of cancer that result from high fructose corn syrup intake? Here are some solutions:

1. Read the label – You expect to find high fructose corn syrup in sweets. But lots of other foods contain high fructose corn syrup too, including bread and processed meats.
2. “Natural” doesn’t always mean natural – Look for foods labeled “organic.” That assures you they’re free of high fructose corn syrup.
3. Avoid fast food – It often contains high fructose corn syrup (not to mention hosts of other health-harming ingredients).
4. Careful with cans and bottles – Almost every sweet drink contains high fructose corn syrup. So always check beverage labels for high fructose corn syrup or hidden sugars.
5. Buy fresh ingredients and cook – That way, you know exactly what you’re eating.

The revolution has begun. Big Corn is feeling the pain. The FDA is beginning to feel exposed. Consumers are taking back control over their food and their health.

So, be sure to watch labels, consider only Organic foods, do more eating of raw fruits or slightly steamed vegetables and help be part of the solution to the High Fructose Corn Syrup problems.  I have begun to notice that some manufacturers are eliminating high fructose corn syrup…but be careful…they may have simply changed the label name to corn sugar!  Use products with Stevia (natural herb) used for thousands of years!  Or Honey!  Take back your control and don’t let the FDA cause you major problems with your health! Become involved in Total Wellness for yourself!

Warmly,
Connie
303-770-3180
http://www.behealthysolutions.com

Glutathione is widely recognized as the most powerful of all antioxidants, and one scientist has referred to it as “the great multi-tasker” in a 2006 article. As you read his article, keep in mind: MaxGXL® is not a glutathione supplement, but rather provides the body with the precursors it needs to manufacture and absorb glutathione. ________________________________________________________ Glutathione . . . → Read More: Glutathione – the great multi-tasker]]> Glutathione—The Great Multi-tasker

Glutathione is widely recognized as the most powerful of all antioxidants, and one scientist has referred to it as “the great multi-tasker” in a 2006 article. As you read his article, keep in mind: MaxGXL® is not a glutathione supplement, but rather provides the body with the precursors it needs to manufacture and absorb glutathione.
________________________________________________________
Glutathione – the great multi-tasker
JOE SCHWARCZ, Freelance, Montreal Gazette
Published: Saturday, November 25 2006

Our body doesn’t take chemical insults lying down. It fights back. And one of its most powerful weapons in the battle against toxic invaders is glutathione, a molecule synthesized inside our cells from glycine, glutamic acid and cysteine, three amino acids found in the diet.

Glutathione turns out to be a great multi-tasker. It has antioxidant properties, it improves the activity of vitamin C, it helps white blood cells fight invaders, and it induces the formation of enzymes that help solubilize potentially dangerous substances so they can be eliminated in the urine. Given all of this, it stands to reason that higher levels of glutathione in the blood should correlate with good health. That does seem to be the case, at least if we go by a study carried out at the University of Birmingham in England.

Researchers measured glutathione levels in healthy volunteers, old and young, as well as in elderly patients who either suffered from chronic diseases, or had recently been admitted to a hospital with an acute problem. If glutathione were indeed related to health, such an analysis should muster evidence, the scientists suggested.

They were not disappointed. The healthy young volunteers had the highest plasma levels of glutathione, followed by the healthy elderly, then the elderly outpatients, and finally the elderly hospitalized patients. At the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Mara Julius and colleagues also found that higher glutathione levels were associated with fewer illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease. We also have data from animal experiments about the chemoprotective properties of glutathione. Rats exposed to aflatoxin, a potent carcinogen, fared better when given glutathione.

Animals not treated with glutathione died within two years of exposure to the carcinogen, but 80 per cent of treated animals were alive at the end of that period.

So why are we not wolfing down glutathione supplements? They are available, and there certainly is no safety issue. Nobody has shown any hazard associated with oral glutathione. The problem is that nobody has shown any major benefit either. How come? Unlike rats, humans do not absorb glutathione to any significant extent from the small intestine.

That doesn’t mean oral glutathione is useless. It can be used for benefit by cells that line the intestine. These often become damaged in diseases such as AIDS or cancer, resulting in impaired nutrient absorption, which leads to physical wasting with loss of weight and muscle mass. Oral glutathione has been shown to repair intestinal cells and has been used to advantage in AIDS patients. But for other health benefits, oral glutathione won’t do.

Since oral glutathione is ineffective, we have to look at ways of helping cells make more of the compound. The best way is by ensuring they have an ample supply of the raw materials needed to do this. Glycine and glutamic acid are plentiful in the diet, but cysteine presents a difficulty. It has limited solubility, on top of which it is readily destroyed before it can enter cells. Cysteine therefore becomes the component that determines the amount of glutathione that can be formed in cells. Because of the solubility and destruction issues, oral supplements of cysteine are not the answer either. But cysteine can be readily converted in the laboratory into N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is more soluble and less prone to destruction in the bloodstream.

After absorption into cells it is reconverted into cysteine, which is available for glutathione synthesis. The many people who have been brought from the brink of death after overdosing on acetaminophen can attest to the efficacy of NAC.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol is a common trade name) is a widely used pain reliever. In the recommended dosage it is very effective, but like any medication, it’s a problem when abused. Overdosing on acetaminophen, which is facilitated by alcohol consumption, can lead to severe liver problems and possibly death. Suicide attempts with acetaminophen are not unheard of. Often, though, they remain only “attempts,” because of quick medical intervention with NAC. Our body recognizes acetaminophen as an intruder and tries to eliminate it by converting it into a more soluble compound.

Unfortunately, this compound, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone-imine (NAPQI), is the one that is toxic to the liver. But fortunately, a glutathione-induced enzyme stands ready to help the kidneys excrete it.

When the acetaminophen dose is too high, however, glutathione stores are depleted and liver damage ensues. Unless, that is, NAC is quickly administered to replenish the cellular levels of glutathione.

If NAC works so well to boost glutathione, why are we not being urged to take it in supplement form to prevent disease? Well, we are, by manufacturers of NAC. While there is no major toxicity concern, nausea is a possible side effect. And nobody has really examined the consequences of taking NAC over a long term, or possible interactions with other medications. It would be great if an innocuous way of increasing our glutathione levels were available. And maybe there is. (Visit here for more information on increasing glutathione levels).

Cheese-making requires the separation of the curds from the whey, a liquidy residue that harbours proteins rich in cysteine. When processed in a special way, these proteins can deliver their cysteine content to cells where it can be released to enhance glutathione formation. Some studies have indicated that these special whey preparations have increased endurance in athletes, presumably by reducing free radical damage to muscles. Laboratory work has shown increased glutathione levels in human prostate cells exposed to whey protein, suggestive of protection against prostate cancer.

Animals fed the protein concentrate are more resistant to carcinogens, and whey has been seen to increase glutathione in normal cells, while it depletes it in cancer cells, making these more susceptible to chemotherapy or radiation. Of course we need more evidence before jumping on the bandwagon, but as far as glutathione supplementation goes, we may have found a “whey” to go.

Joe Schwarcz is director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society

Warmly,
Connie Clark
303-770-3180