SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Is Sugar Toxic? "60 Minutes" Explores Issue: Hurrah!

Tonight,  on "60 Minutes," multiple Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will tell the show's viewers about new studies, which suggest that sugar is toxic.

Specifically, on "60 Minutes," Dr. Gupta will tell viewers:

"New research coming out of some of America's most respected institutions is starting to find that sugar could be a driving force behind some of this country's leading killers."

Of course, this sugar-is-toxic conclusion -- which has been gaining momentum for years -- is nothing new to those of you, who are regular visitors to this Sugar Shock Blog and to readers of my first book, Sugar Shock, which was first published in 2007.

For my part, I'm thrilled that "60 Minutes" is devoting time to explore the question of whether or not sugar is toxic. I've been hoping for such a segment for years.

What I find especially exciting is that Dr. Gupta will spotlight the close cancer-sugar connection, which I also explored in my book, Sugar Shock.

I also examine recent sugar-can-cause-cancer research in my upcoming book, Beyond Sugar Shock, which is being published in June by Hay House. (In the book, I guide readers to eaily break free of their sugar addiction by joining me in a fun, six-week Mind-Body-Spirit adventure.)

Anyhow, in the "60 Minutes" segment about sugar, you'll watch Dr. Gupta interview respected pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert H. Lustig, whose YouTube video, Sugar: The Bitter Truth, has gone viral, attracting 2,159,456 viewers (as of today).

Dr. Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, is not alone in his sugar-is-toxic view.

Indeed, many cutting-edge physicians, including Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra, medical consultant for my book Sugar Shock, contend that the high amount of sugar in the American diet is killing us. (By the way, I disagree with the low figures usually cited -- most Americans consume far more than the 130 or 150 pounds a year that's often mentioned in news reports.)

While I applaud "60 Minutes" for telling the nation that sugar can be toxic, I also need to congratulate Dr. Mehmet Oz for his important work drawing attention to sugar's dangers in several episodes of the top-rated "The Doctor Oz Show."

In one episode, Dr. Mehmet Oz even called sugar "The # 1 food Dr. Oz Wants Out of Your House." Hurrah!

By the way, I'm honored that Dr. Oz praised my book, Sugar Shock.

Again, congratulations to "60 Minutes" for devoting a segment to this important sugar subject.

 Join us on my Facebook fan page during and after "60 Minutes" airs to share your thoughts and feelings about the is-sugar-toxic segment.

Make sure to tell your friends and family members to watch this important "60 Minutes" episode.

Watch the full episode below.

If you have a sugar addiction and are worried about the toxic effects, stay tuned for free teleseminars that will help you to break free of your dangerous behavior.

I also invite you to keep a lookout for my next book, Beyond Sugar Shock, which gives you a simple, compassionate six-week Mind-Body-Spirit Plan to let your addiction float away into nothingness.

High Fructose Consumption Linked to High Blood Pressure

The evidence keeps pouring in pointing to the dangers of fructose, which are found in soft drinks and most processed foods, from breads to cookies to crackers.

The latest study, which finds that people who consume the amount of fructose found in two-and-a-half soft drinks a day appear to have a higher risk of hypertension, appears in the current issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

People who took in at least 74 grams (about 18.5 tsp.) per day had 26% to 77% greater odds of crossing various thresholds of elevated blood pressure (P<0.05 for all), compared with lower levels of consumption, according to Diana Jalal, MD, of the University of Colorado Denver, and colleagues.

"Limiting fructose intake is readily feasible, and, in light of our results, prospective studies are needed to assess whether decreased intake of fructose from added sugars will reduce the incidence of hypertension and the burden of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. adult population," they wrote online in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

One of the best ways to improve your health is to reduce your consumption of high fructose corn syrup -- and that means, just nix the soft drinks. There is no human requirement for soda!

Over this holiday weekend, I encourage you to drink water rather than soda. You can pay a price for gulping all that fructose-laden sweetness.

To get a flavor for how soft drinks can pack on the pounds -- one that will make your stomach turn -- watch this "Pouring on the Pounds" ad from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Eat All the Pancakes You Want & Leave Happy, Ad Says. Huh? Wrong!

Frankly, I don't get it. Here we are in the midst of a horrific nationwide obesity epidemic, and a certain national chain is now enticing people and tempting them via a TV ad to eat can eat all the pancakes they want and leave happy!

You've got to be kidding!

Eating as many pancakes as your heart desires will not make you happy!

Isn't it more accurate to say: "Eat all the pancakes you want, especially ones smothered in butter and syrup, and leave feeling bloated, gross and angry at yourself for pigging out!"

Just imagine: After you eat a pile of pancakes, you'll probably say, "Ugh! I can't believe I ate all those pancakes! I'm so unhappy!"

Wait, that's not all! Let's assume the restaurant's deal really entices you. So, after overeating for several days running on all that sugar (think syrup), fat (butter) and those refined carbs or sugar (the pancakes work in your body like sugar), you can expect to get even more unhappy when you look on the bathroom scale!

Admittedly, you may feel "happy" ever so briefly. In other words, you'll be upbeat and "high" from all the sugar and refined carbs for maybe 1/2 hour or even an hour. But soon, you'll come crashing down and reality will set in. Unfortunately, you may even have more sugar cravings later that day.

What baffles me is that this particular eatery does sell other food fare that's not carb-centered. How can this company permit their ad agency to create such a politically incorrect ad in this weight-worrying climate? Why not promote all-you-can-eat salads or something more healthy instead?

In case you believed the TV bunk that eating pancakes to your heart's delight can will make you happy, I'd recommend that you learn about the dangers of all those refined carbs and sugars. Would you like to be healthy and happy? If so, then gobbling pancakes is not the answer.

Eating pancakes, along with other processed carbs and sweets can, over time, lead to health troubles galore, from heart disease to cancer to type 2 diabetes, as you can learn my book SUGAR SHOCK!

Still want some pancakes? I hope not!

Stay tuned for my healthy "pancake" recipe, which I'll post here tomorrow,

Sugar Addiction Begone! Kick Sugar With Me This Month

If you're like many Americans, you want to shed your excess weight so you can fit into your favorite slim outfit, have the trim, toned, sexy body you crave and be healthy.

Just imagine how you'd feel if you had more energy, more cheerful moods and more satisfying relationships.

Envision what your life would look like if you were more productive, thinking more clearly and experiencing a boost in your libido.

All of the above can happen if you eliminate sugar and refined carbs.

But losing weight, getting more energy, concentrating better, becoming happier and having a bigger sex drive are just a few of many benefits you can gain from eliminating sugar, as I pointed out in my book SUGAR SHOCK!

In fact, when I quit sweets and refined carbs on doctor's orders in 1998, a whopping 44 ailments disappeared and I felt reborn!

But, let's face it, cutting out sugar or those "culprit carbs" can be challenging for most people.

After all, you didn't develop a sugar habit overnight. So let me educate, inspire and guide you to become joyously sugar free.

Join me Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 6 pm for my fun, interactive, life-changing free introductory class, "SUGAR SHOCK! Breaking Free of Your Sugar Habit" at the New York Open Center, the largest urban holistic center in the United States.

On that one night, you'll get some tips and tactics to begin to break free of your sugar habits.

But, as you can imagine, since you've probably had a lifetime of being overly attached to sugar, one hour with me is isn't enough to change your destructive patterns for good.

That's why I'm also teaching a 4-week course at the New York Open Center, which begins next week, from Jan. 12 to Feb. 2.

In this four-week course, I'm sharing proprietary techniques that I developed and which worked for me when I removed sugar from my diet in 1998.

In addition, you're getting dozens of tips that have helped my clients. Plus, you'll receive many ideas from a variety of health experts, who kindly shared them with me.

For instance, in my 4-week course at the New York Open Center, you will:

• Discover the 10 reasons people fail when making New Year's resolutions or when breaking a sugar addiction or other bad habits (what I call babits™).
• Get 7 Smart Starter Strategies so you can conquer your sugar habit for good.
• The most dangerous word in the English language that is disempowering when seeking to kick sugar.
• Find out 5 ways to save money on food and beverages in this economy but still make healthy choices.
• Find out why this course has the wrong title! (But we had to name it "SUGAR SHOCK! Breaking Free of Your Sugar Habit" so you'd know what you're getting.)
• Receive 50 simple, effective tips and tactics to squash your sugar cravings.
• Get a helpful, comprehensive sugar-free shopping list and sample meal plans.
• Discover what 3 most empowering questions to ask yourself whenever sugary foods "call out" to you to stop your destructive cycle.
• Find out how you can use "failing" or being human (i.e., imperfect) to your advantage.
• Have fun discovering tasty, sugar-free desserts from 2 guest bakers.
• Taste delicious sugar-free treats from 2 local chefs.
  
• Find out which 3 foods can drive away your "sweet tooth."
• Get educated about 20 cutting-edge research studies, which reveal the dangers of sugars and refined carbs.
• Receive a list of more than 100 ways your sugar habit is killing you.
  
• Learn how you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, cancer, infertility, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. 
• Be trained as a "Savvy Sugar Sleuth" so you easily unmask sugar's many disguises and read food labels in the grocery store.
• Get invited to one complimentary teleseminar. (This is one of many bonuses you get by signing up for my 4-week course.)
• Learn to identify 10 surprising foods that contain hidden sugars.
• Get inspired by successful "Sugar Kickers," whose sour-to-sweet tales you can listen to at any time via complimentary audio downloads.
  
• Determine how your sugar habit is harming your health, weight, moods, relationships, work, spirituality and ability to get things done.
• Learn how to talk to your loved ones about your sugar habit.
  
• Uncover your 5 "W's" that drive you to sweets and refined carbs.
• Acquire simple, juicy, valuable, always-accessible tips and tools to help stomp out your sugar habit for good and to prevent binging, relapsing and self-loathing
• Get 10 ways to "Say No With Sass!" when offered desserts.
• Develop your special, do-able, personalized plan.
• Learn easy techniques to topple stress so you won't feel a need to turn to sweets.
  
• Discover how sugar wreaks havoc on your body.
  
• Gain insights so you can decide your best course of action -- to quit cold turkey, phase our sweets or still take tastes from time to time
• Receive at least 2 helpful handouts and undertake at least 2 fun, revealing, life-changing adventur-cises™ (adventurous exercises) every week.
• Do valuable "Sugary Soul Searching."
• Learn to surf when cravings strike. (You heard me right!)
• Determine how to embrace your triggers and saboteurs rather than avoid them.
• Invite "The 4 P's" into your life.
• Meet your Kind, Know-It All.
• Get the truth about sugar substitutes and learn which sweeteners are safe to use.
  
• Be coached to help you succeed.
• Have a chance to listen to interviews with a who's who of world-renowned experts in the field of nutrition, diet, fitness, motivation and spirituality. 
• Receive supportive emails and audio messages to "hold your hand" and guide you through the program.
• Find out ways to to nurture and nourish yourself without candies, cakes and chips and how to live a sweeter life without needing to turn to sweets. 
• Get your questions answered.
  

Register now for my complimentary introduction on Jan. 5 and 4-week course, from Jan. 12 to Feb. 2 at the New York Open Center.

Please note: If you're in another part of the re in another part of the country or world and cannot make my talk at the New York Open Center, please join us virtually or telephonically in other upcoming programs so you can still get helpful tips, tactics and tempting tidbits.

• On Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 2 pm on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show, learn how to be happy with author Gretchen Ruben. You can listen live or later. 
• On Thursday, Jan. 7 at 3 pm EST, attend a fun teleseminar/webinar with my friends from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.(You can listen later or you miss it live.) Sign up now for the IIN-sponsored call during which you'll get tips to kick sugar and information about this amazing school (where I studied) and how it helped me.
• And next Monday, Jan. 11 at 8 pm EST, you can join us from anywhere around the world for a complimentary teleseminar/webinar to learn how to kick sugar. Sign up for my free Motivating Morsels ezine to get call-in details.
• You're also invited to mark your calendars. On Feb. 24, join a group of us presenting the Great American Sugar-Out Challenge, where top experts will tell you about sugar's dangers and give you tips to break free. Check back here for details or sign up for my free Motivating Morsels ezine to get call-in details. Details coming.

Register now for four-week course, staring Jan. 12 at the New York Open Center.

If you sign up for the course because of learning about it on this Sugar Shock Blog, you will receive a free gift from me.

Hope to see you there.

Halloween Tricks Kids Into Sugar Overload: Op Ed Piece

Are you re planning on passing out sugar-filled candies for Halloween tomorrow night?

If so, you should know that every time you hand out candies, you're tricking kids into sugar overload. 

Halloween isn't just one night. It paves the way for bad eating habits year-round.

Read more about this in our opinion piece in today's Newark Star-Ledger.

Spread the word to your friends, fans and family members.

Make comments. Get heard, too.

Halloween Cartoon "Shows" Sugar's Reaction

Special thanks to Mike Adams and NewsTarget.com for this cartoon, which cleverly illustrates the dangers of trick-or-treating for candies on Halloween.

Sure, eating sweets too many sweets won't make you look like a snarling monster, but all that sugar can  harm kids in many ways, including causing them to gain weight, develop type 2 diabetes, and even become more violent, according to a recent study in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

 

Soft Drinks: A Habit at Age 5 Predicts Weight Gain

Parents, if you've think there's nothing wrong with giving your toddlers and young ones a couple of cans of soda and other sweetened beverages a day, you better reconsider.

That's because if five-year-olds drink sweetened beverages, they're more likely to pack on pounds in their teens, according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Specifically, researchers from the Center for Childhood Obesity Research at Pennsylvania State University and other institutions found that girls, who, at age five, consumed two or more eight-ounce servings of sweetened beverages such as soft drinks were more likely to have a higher intake and be overweight in the next decade than girls, who drank less during the 10-year period.

Consumption remained stable for those who drank one to two servings a day, the researchers found.

Drinking milk or fruit juice wasn't connected with weight gain, as Food Navigator pointed out.

The researchers pointed out that although the American Academy of Pediatrics has made fruit juice consumption recommendations, the organization hasn't made any regarding sweetened beverage intake.

It's fascinating to me that researchers seem to shy away from the words "soft drinks" and instead use the phrase "sweetened beverages." Of course, you can find numerous other sweetened drinks, too, such as energy drinks, lemonade, fruit punch, etc.

But, let's face it, it doesn't matter what you call them. The message here is that children should stay away from sugary drinks, especially two or more eight-ounce portions.

Of course, we already knew that, but it's always helpful when researchers arrive at conclusions that back up theories.

Halloween Horrors: Nearly $2 Billion in Candy Sales Expected

On Halloween, a national holiday, where you're pretty much encouraged and urged to overdo it on  sweets, adults are expected to fork over a whopping $1.89 billion for candies, which they'll pass out to trick-or-treaters this year, according to a new study from IBISWorld market  research firm.

I guess these candy buyers just aren't aware of  the dangers of sugar and refined carbs.

Even worse, despite the fact that one in three children or teens are overweight or obese, sales of health-harming, mostly empty-calorie sugary "treats" in 2009 are up by 6.8% over last year.

Indeed, despite the bad economy, people's appetite for sweets has increased. (As my clients often complain, when times are tough, they find that their sugar addiction gets worse.) 

Interestingly, people are spending nearly as much on candies as on costumes. Indeed, the $1.89 figure for candies is just shy of the $2.2 billion in projected sales for fanciful outfits. In all, Halloween will cost consumers $6 billion this year.

Apparently American adults, like their kids, are so keen on sweets that they can't wait until Halloween before they delve into their stash.

According to the National Confectioners Association, "40 percent of American adults admit to stashing a few pieces of candy from the trick-or-treat bowl before the ghosts and goblins show up on October 31."

Meanwhile, the candy association also found that:

• Four in ten adults (or 41%) admit that they sneak sweets from their own candy bowl.
• 62% of adults plan to give candies because "it's a personal favorite" or a household tradition (55%).
• 90% of parents admit they sneak "goodies" from their kids' trick-or-treat bags. 

Talk about sugar-obsessed people!

Lest you're tempted by the image of candy corn, I urge you to first learn the nutrition facts, thanks to DietFacts.com. For instance, according to Brach's, 22 pieces are 140 calories. They also contain 75 mg of sodium, as well as 36 grams of carbs and 31 grams (7.75 tsp.) of sugar. They also have absolutely no fiber (9 grams) and no protein (0 grams).

The ingredients contain sugar, corn syrup, salt, honey, confectioner's glze, gelatin, dextrose, artificial colors (titanium dioxide, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 3, Blue 1), sesame oil and artificial flavor.

Still tempted by the candy corn?

Stay tuned for tips to have a healthy Halloween.

Sugar Addiction Could Lead to Macular Degeneration

As my book SUGAR SHOCK! reveals, eating too many sweets and refined carbs leads to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and many other illnesses.

But did you know that a diet high in sugary foods can also make you blind?

Yes, high-sugar diets can significantly contribute to vision impairment. In particular, you can get  Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which is now the # 1 cause for vision loss in the United States.

The following is a post that was contributed by LensShopper.com.

Sugar Addiction Could Trigger Macular Degeneration by Anders Wedin, OD.

Research shows that excessive sugar consumption is a contributing factor to AMD. At Tufts University, 4,000 people between 55 and 80 years old were studied to test the alleged connection. The results strongly indicated that high blood sugar levels increased the risk of AMD.

I'm betting you don't really know about AMD. Well, it’s a very serious eye disease that often develops over a longer period of time, but you rarely show symptoms in its early stages.

This disease affects the macula of the eye, which is the part that controls your central vision -- you know, the part that you need to read books, watch TV, or drive.

Every year, more than 200,000 Americans get AMD -- or about 30 % of Americans over age 75. Not all reported cases lead to complete blindness, but advanced level AMD patients will experience blurriness and blind spots right in the center field of vision. 

To date, according to experts, AMD has no outright cure.

However, many foods that can help decrease the risk and slow the progression of AMD.

The reason we contacted Connie and her Sugar Shock Blog is because the most important action you can take to avoid Macular Degeneration is to stop eating high sugary foods altogether.

Other foods that can help include vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and leafy greens; salmon and other kinds of fish; liver (though not too much); whole grains and walnuts.

In other words, to reduce your risk AMD, dump your sugar addiction!

Anders Wedin, OD is the in-house optometrist at LensShopper.com, a consumer guide to buying contact lenses and general eye care information.

Note from Connie: I hope this provides you with some more motivation to kick sugar. Not only could you lose weight, get more energy, manage your diabetes if you overcome your sugar addiction, but you also could prevent becoming blind in later life.

Agave: Is It a Safe Sweetener Alternative? I Recommend Skipping It

Agave nectar has become quite controversial of late. Lately, many people -- especially folks who are concerned about their health -- have been eagerly consuming it, but I believe they're doing so without knowing the full facts.

After repeated questions from people about whether or not they can safely consume agave, I posted on this Sugar Shock Blog, most recently here and before that, here.

My conclusion? Briefly, I'm really wary of this sweetener, which is really high in fructose. I have too many questions about agave.

To put it bluntly, I won't ever consume agave since I know about the dangers of fructose, which I learned more about last weekend from Dr. Richard Johnson at a Food Addiction Summit in Washington state.

Richard (I got to know him while hiking there) is the author of the fascinating book, The Sugar Fix: The High Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick.

He also gave a fascinating presentation at the conference that recounts the dangers of fructose, many of which he learned about recently in his research.

Anyhow, amidst people's worries or questions agave, I was pleased to see that the Weston Price Foundation run this story, "Worse Than We Thought: The Lowdown on High Fructose Corn Syrup and Agave "Nectar."

Since I'm a journalist, I'm also obliged to show you the opposing view. First this anti-agave item ran on Natural News, Agave Nectar: The High Fructose Health Food Fraud. That led to another article -- one that's decidedly pro-agave -- because it's from agave manufacturer. The piece, Agave Nectar: A Rebuttal to Misinformed Attacks on this Natural Sweetener, still leaves me with many questions.

Despite the fact that agave is reportedly natural, too many questions are raised about its safely. So you just won't ever catch me having any. 

What's the matter with fruit, herbal tea (licorice tea is sweet), or even small amounts of goji berrry or even bananas, when you want something sweet?

Memory Woes? Sharpen Your Mind, Stop ADD & Defeat Depression... Learn How & Ask Your Questions Tuesday

Are we all destined to lose our minds? Will you all have failing memories? Will we become depressed, anxious and tired much the time?

No way!

But then why does there seem to be an epidemic of people with mood problems such as depression and irritability; attention and behavior problems such as ADD/ADHD and autism; and aging problems such as dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's?

Because people have "broken brains," according to three-time New York Times bestselling author Dr. Mark Hyman, a pioneer in the cutting-edge field of functional medicine.

But there's a way out, claims Dr. Hyman in his fascinating new book, The UltraMind Solution:  The Simple Plan to Defeat Depression, Overcome Anxiety and Sharpen Your Mind.

In fact, you can use Dr. Hyman's simple 7-step solution right now to "unleash your body's hidden ability to dramatically improve mood, memory and thinking speed," according to “Oprah” regular Dr. Mehmet Oz, who endorsed this exciting new book.

I was so fascinated by what I read in The UltraMind Solution that I had to post a quick item about it.

In addition, I rushed to book Dr. Hyman on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show so you could learn about this amazing solution.

Catch Dr. Hyman Tuesday, Jan. 6 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern. (You can listen live or later.)

You have a rare treat. For the last third of the show, you can ask Dr. Hyman questions about how to get an "UltraMind." Just reach us at the show call-in number: (347) 426-3366.

You’ll be really surprised at how simple, yet powerful the solution is to getting an “UltraMind.”

Dr. Hyman says that the seemingly separate problems you may have with your brain -- poor memory, lack of focus, anxiety, etc. -- and even your chronic problems such as depression, autism, Alzheimer's, dementia, ADD/ADHD and more -- are really all the SAME problem.

But the solution to resolving your broken brain isn't found in your head. It's found in your BODY -- in the core underlying biology that runs every cell, organ and system you have.

By fixing your body FIRST, you’ll awaken your body's natural intelligence, allowing it to heal your brain automatically...all by fixing the imbalances in the 7 core biological systems at the root of health and most diseases.

You can learn more about how to get an “UltraMind” by visiting this special website.

As I was reading The UltraMind Solution, I was fascinated by the case studies, such as that of Jackie, a 40-year-old, type-A, high-achieving lawyer who was at the top of her class in high school and college and who suddenly lost her short-term memory, developed a deep depression and gained 30 pounds.

After seeing Dr. Hyman and going on The UltraMind Solution, Jackie came out of her brain fog, began to reconnect with life, experienced a tremendous lift in energy and even lost the 30 extra pounds she’d put on after college. Pretty amazing, right?

I also read about a little boy, Jackson, who was diagnosed with autism. He had been developing completely normally until the age of 2, when he suddenly began losing his verbal skills. Within 3 months, Jackson completely lost his speech, became extremely irritable, threw terrible tantrums and eventually completely disconnected socially from his family.

But, after Jackson’s parents took him to see Dr. Hyman and he went on the same program found in The UltraMind Solution, his tantrums stopped almost immediately, his focus improved and he began building up his verbal skills! Now Jackson is talkative again and once again part of his family. Isn’t that remarkable and exciting?

Dr. Hyman's groundbreaking approach in The UltraMind Solution shows us that that there IS hope...

...Hope for our children with ADD, autism and Asperger's.

...Hope for kids who have problems concentrating, staying focused and controlling their behavior...

...Hope for our aging parents, who are suffering from dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and whose lives are quietly slipping away.

...Hope for those of us who suffer from depression, anxiety and brain fog.

...Hope for those of us who have problems remembering things and dealing with stress and mood swings...

And this is all validated by more than 400 scientific references and dozens of case studies like the ones I've listed.

Fortunately, Dr. Hyman is making this program available to you right now after having tested and refined this approach while serving as co-medical director at Canyon Ranch for 10 years and while working in private medical practice in Lenox, Mass.

In fact, you may have seen Dr. Hyman on the “Today Show,” “Good Morning America” or on public television discussing his groundbreaking solution.

This is the same solution that he personally used to help cure himself of chronic fatigue syndrome more than a decade ago... Dr. Hyman was, in essence, his own guinea pig –- he had no other choice.

You can find out much more about The UltraMind Solution and which of the 7 of your own biological systems may be out of balance, by going to this special website now.

Some of the interesting things you'll discover and be able to put to immediate use are:

• How to increase your body's own natural flypaper-like sticky substance to gobble up and eliminate toxins that are dulling your mind...
• What substance you eat every day that literally hardens and encrusts your brain, slowing your thinking and causing mood swings...
• How two of the most powerful natural chemicals in your body, when out of balance, can send your brain into a thick fog (and make it harder to fit into your jeans)...
• Why this one natural supplement can often defeat depression far more effectively than can any drug...
• How a dangerous food to which you may be allergic can set your brain on fire with inflammation and destroy brain cells...
• How this one activity you may do every day literally shrinks your brain and how you can learn a simple technique to prevent this from happening...
• How to go on a simple 6-week brain-boosting program to cleanse, heal and strengthen your brain, leading to an UltraMind...

I sincerely hope that you get as much out of this engaging new book as I have.

And I hope you find your own path to an UltraMind -- one that's calm, confident and happy and leaves you capable of fully enjoying all of the wonderful things that life has to offer.

Remember, Dr. Mark Hyman will explain his fascinating UltraMind solution on Tuesday, Jan. 6 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show. Just listen live or later, at your convenience, at www.GabWithTheGurus.com. And make sure to call us with your questions.

You’ll be absolutely amazed when learning about the success that some people had after going on Dr. Hyman’s program, but after reading case study after case study, it will all make sense to you.

One of the most powerful examples is George, a 70-year-old man who suffered from dementia. He wasn't allowed to play with his grandchildren, and he couldn't manage his business anymore.

But after going on “The UltraMind Solution,” he began managing his business again and playing with his grandchildren. He could even sing in the shower and remember the words to all of his favorite songs! Better yet, he didn’t have the “dementia” diagnosis anymore! Isn’t that remarkable?

Learn more now. Just watch Dr. Hyman describe some of these powerful case studies in clips from his upcoming PBS special on “The UltraMind Solution.” 

High Fructose Corn Syrup Can Harm You, Like Sugar

I continue to be alarmed by the onslaught of so-called "information," which suggests that high-fructose corn syrup is not responsible for obesity and that it's not as bad as sugar.

In fact, I'm worried by the idea that "the tide of research, if not public opinion, has shifted," as Elizabeth Weise suggests in a USA Today article, "New data: High-fructose corn syrup no worse than sugar."

Get the truth, please, about the potential harms of high-fructose corn syrup, which you can learn from my two recent Gab With the Gurus Radio Shows -- including this radio show, which featured several experts, and this radio show (listen to the last 15 minutes), which presented another well known expert, Dr. Richard Johnson, author of The Sugar Fix: The High Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick.

If you dig even a little bit into this subject, you'll find that the average American does NOT consume moderate amounts of high-fructose corn syrup. If you're eating or drinking prepared, processed or fast foods -- which is what most Americans do -- you're taking in high amounts of the stuff. And all that HFCS can lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease, cancer, obesity and much more. (For that matter, too much sugar (or sucrose) is dangerous, too, as I reveal in my book SUGAR SHOCK!)

It's understandable that USA Today's reporter would come to the conclusion that HFCS is "no worse" than sugar since its article came out after the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published five articles, which were part of a December supplement, "High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): Everything You Wanted to Know, but Were Afraid to Ask."

[Thankfully, USA Today reporter Elizabeth Weise does point out that according to endocrinologist Peter Havel, Ph.D. (who wrote one of the new papers), if you consume high levels of fructose -- whether from high-fructose corn syrup or from table sugar -- you'll get increased triglycerides (fat) in the bloodstream, and that could be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.]

But the all-important question is this: Can we really believe the findings of these five studies, which were presented on April 30, 2007 in Washington, D.C. at the American Society for Nutrition Public Information Committee symposium for 2007, titled "High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): Everything You Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"?

For instance, how can we trust findings research about high-fructose corn syrup that's paid for by a company using HFCS? Take for example, this study, "High-fructose corn syrup, energy intake, and appetite regulation," that was supported by PepisoCo North America. Of course, PepsiCo, in turn, uses huge quantities of high fructose corn syrup to put into its sodas.

And should we believe results of this study, "Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: what it is and what it ain't," which was supported by the American Society of Nutrition?

You see, the American Society for Nutrition invites members of the industry to be involved with the organization.

In fact, American Society for Nutrition's Sustaining Members include companies that regularly use high fructose corn syrup, sugar or artificial sweeteners -- Cadbury Schweppes; Campbell Soup Company, Global Nutrition & Research; ConAgra Foods, Inc.; Kellogg Company; Kraft Foods; Mars, Inc.; McNeil Nutritionals; Monsanto Company; National Dairy Council; Nestle Nutrition Institute of Nestle USA; PepsiCo; The Sugar Association, Inc.; and Unilever Bestfoods.

FYI, I'll write more later about these new high-fructose corn syrup studies. Look for a future post -- I can't spend much more time on this now, because I'm still settling into my new place, getting organized and preparing for the holidays.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: Dig Deeper Before Believing the New Corn Lobby Ads & Consuming the Stuff

Have you seen any of the TV spots, print and online banner ads that seek to convince us that high fructose corn syrup is fun to consume?

Before you believe the many new ads from the Corn Refiners Association -- which is spending a reported $20 million to $30 million to convince us of its safety -- I urge you to get facts from my recent Gab With The Gurus Radio Show, where I had the following guests:

• Curt Ellis, director and producer for the fascinating documentary "King Corn." (The best way to describe it is to quoteThe Austin Chronicle: "As relevant as Super Size Me and as important as An Inconvenient Truth.") 
• Acclaimed cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., co-author of my book Sugar Shock!
• Nutritionist, author and personal trainer Pedro Bastos, a colleague of Loren Cordain, Ph.D., acclaimed for his Paleo Diet.
• Biochemist and food and beverage formulator Russ Bianchi, who is also chief executive officer and managing director of Adept Solutions.
• Richard J. Johnson, M.D., author of The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That is Making You Fat and Sick (His interview is coming up.)

Before, during or after you listen to the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show about high fructose corn syrup, I recommend that you:

• Check out the full campaign, which includes three TV spots ("Brothers," "Party" and "Two Bites"), print ads in magazines and newspapers, and online banners that are increasingly seen on the Internet.
• Seee the paid endorsement of high fructose corn syrup with cardiologist James M. Rippe, M.D. (Hmm. I wonder just how much he was paid by the Corn Refiners Association to make those pro-corn syrup statements. By the way, it's interesting that he says "our website" when referring  the CRA website.) FYI, listen to Dr. Stephen Sinatra, my favorite cardiologist (he's co-author of my book), give his opposing point of view on my Gab With The Gurus Radio Show.
• Order a copy of the eye-opening documentary, "King Corn."
• Watch the 3 Minute Ad Age news story, A Sour View of Corn Refiners' Sweetener Ads, for which I was recently interviewed.

Remember, you can listen at any time to the Gab  With the Gurus Radio Show about high fructose corn syrup.

Kids Who Sleep More Weigh Less & Perform Better Enough Sleep?

Parents, are your kids getting enough shut eye?

If your young ones dose off enough, they may be able to ward off obesity and even do well in school.

Indeed, recent studies reveal that insufficient sleep can lead to obesity, poor eating habits, not enough execise and poor academic performance.

In fact, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) urges adolescents to get about nine hours of sleep so they can reach their full potential in both school and their personal lives.

“Getting the proper quantity and quality of sleep is just as important as the proper diet in allowing your child to function their best,” said AASM spokesperson William C. Kohler, MD, of the Florida Sleep Institute. “Sleep problems can lead to difficulty in behavior and academic performance.”

But parents, if your kids don't get enough sleep time, they're at increased risk of depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Plus, they may become moody and irritable, have reduced memory functioning, delayed reaction time and a lack of motivation.

Tai Chi Lowers Blood Sugar Levels, Research Finds

Jennifer Moore for SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

A 12-week program of Tai chi resulted in a drop in the insulin levels of 30 people with type 2 diabetes, according to new research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

In addition, another study, conducted in Australia and also published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that 11 people who followed a 12-week program of Tai chi and Qi Gong saw their BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood sugar and insulin resistance levels improve.

Unlike many types of exercise, Tai chi isn't hard on the joints and muscles, says practitioner Bruce Frantzis, who tipped us to these studies, on his Energy Arts website.

So it sounds like Tai chi would be great exercise for diabetics who are either elderly or extremely heavy -- or for any person, for that matter.

Sign me up.

You’ve Got Diabetes, Better Lose Weight…

From Gerry Pugliese for Connie's SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Losing weight is pretty much always a good idea—okay, maybe not if you’re starving, but definitely if you’ve got diabetes. And now a new study in Diabetes Care claims that slimming down after you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes pays big dividends.

"If you lose weight after diagnosis, you can achieve some long-term benefits in terms of blood pressure and glycemic control that extend even beyond the point at which you regain weight," Gregory A. Nichols, PhD., an investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon, told Amanda Gardner of HealthDay News.

The study followed 2,574 patients—ages 21 through 75—who had been recently diagnosed with type-2 diabetes over four years. About 12% of the people studied were in the "weight loss" group and peeled off an average of 25 pounds.

Even though most participants regained the weight, they were still able achieve favorable blood pressure and blood sugar levels by the fourth year. This lead Dr. Nichols to reach this conclusion: "Losing weight is a good idea, even if you regain it."

Not sure I’d agree with that. I think losing weight and keeping it off is a much better -- and healthier -- idea, but this encouraging nonetheless.

Americans Aren’t Boozing as Much…

From Gerry Pugliese for Connie's SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

A beer and a shot of whiskey are American as apple pie (to use a sugary reference!) and cholesterol-lowering drugs, but according to a new study in The American Journal of Medicine, Americans may be drinking less alcohol than ever before.

The research, according to WebMD, compiled 50 years of data from 8,600 white adults born between 1900 and 1950 living in Framingham, Massachusetts.

The results showed that men and women in each generation actually drank less than previous generations -- a good thing, because the American Diabetes Association links alcohol consumption with diabetes complications.

When asked why there was a drop in drinking, lead researcher Yuqing Zhang, DSc, from the Boston University School of Medicine, told WebMD, “I really don't know.”

Well, at least it’s a happy ending, but I doubt college kids are chugging kegs of soymilk and playing orange juice pong!

Low-Carb/Low-Fat Study -- Guest Column from Jonny Bowden

You may have heard now about the new study in the New England Journal of Medicine -- which compared results from a low-carb versus low-fat study.

Given that I'm laying low now due to Lyme disease (I'm really sick), I'm going to rely on smart nutritionist Jonny Bowden to give you his take on the study.

I also urge you to see the fascinating New York Times story, Diets don't work? by Tara Parker-Pope.

Jonny claims that "like many diet studies," this, too, "was poorly reported and somewhat misunderstood."

Here are Jonny Bowden's thoughts as to "what actually happened:

Israeli researchers recruited 322 moderately obese subjects and randomly assigned them to one of three dietary groups.

Group one followed a low-carb diet without any restriction on calories. For the first two months they limited their carbohydrate intake to 20 grams a day (the exact amount on the Induction Phase of Atkins) and were then encouraged to increase their intake of carbs up to a maximum of 120 grams a day of carbs. (Sharp eyed readers might note that 120 grams of carbs hardly constitutes an Atkins diet, even during the most generous "maintenance" phase. For someone eating 1500-1800 calories a day diet, that would be between 25-40% of calories from carbs, closer to "The Zone" than to Atkins. But I digress.)

In contrast, both the Mediterranean and the low-fat groups were calorie limited: 1500 calories a day for women and 1800 for men. The low-fat group followed the standard American Heart Association guidelines (30% of calories from fat). The Mediterranean group were allowed up to 35% fat, mostly from olive oil and nuts, and were counseled to substitute beef and lamb with poultry and fish.

Interestingly, all three groups lowered their calories significantly compared to where they started, even though the low-carb group wasn't specifically told to do so, meaning the low-carb group "naturally" ate less calories without even trying. (This is an important point, since I've long maintained that a low-carb diet is easier to follow for many people-- especially those with sugar addictions-- because it doesn't stimulate the appetite like high-carb diets frequently do.)

Fast forward two years: the low-carb group lost the most amount of weight, the low-fat diet brought up the rear and the Mediterranean group was in the middle.

The weight loss results, however, were only part of the picture. The low-carb group had the highest increase in HDL ("good, protective cholesterol"), most improvement in cholesterol ratio, and the greatest reduction in triglycerides- an important risk factor for heart disease that I firmly believe is more important than cholesterol- (triglycerides didn’t budge in the low fat group).

It gets better. Low-carb dieters saw their C-Reactive Protein go down the most. C-Reactive protein is a very good measure of inflammation, something I think we need to be way more concerned with than cholesterol. Inflammation is a silent killer and a component of every degenerative disease from heart disease to obesity. Incidentally, C-Reactive Protein levels barely budged in the low-fat group.

Now for the "bad" news. The actual amount of weight lost on all three diets was pretty pathetic-- average of about 12 pounds for the low-carb group, 10 for the Mediterranean group and 7 for the low-fat group- statistically significant results, but pretty depressing considering this was over a two year period! Remember, though, those numbers were averages- some people lost a lot more (the highest number of pounds lost was lost on the low-carb approach, by the way).

So the first question that comes to mind is this: Did the subjects actually stick with their diets?

This is an impossible question to answer perfectly, and it's not the researchers fault. Short of locking folks in a metabolic ward for two years and counting every calorie served to them and left on their plate, there's no way to completely track compliance with any diet- people cheat, misunderstand the instructions, underreport what they ate, forget, and occasionally outright fib.

But the researchers were smart, and worked with what they had. In Israel, the biggest meal of the day is eaten at lunch, and in this study, everyone participating worked at the same facility and ate lunch at the company cafeteria. The employers cooperated fully with the researchers- all food was labeled and color coded, plus the subjects gave written reports about what they were eating outside company hours. If you're a researcher working with "free living" subjects, that's pretty much all you could hope for. Still, we all know what an evening (or a morning) or a weekend can do to sabotage any plan.

So, a lot of weight lost? Not really. But what's really remarkable about the results is that they didn't gain any weight over 2 years (and managed to lose some to boot!) Most people in that demographic (slightly obese, middle aged), left to their own devices, would continue to pack on the pounds. The fact that these people not only didn't gain but actually lost- albeit not that much- shows that there's hope.

This program shows that employers can actually make a big difference. What worked here- besides the diet programs themselves- was the group support, the counseling, the accountaility and the change in choices that was made available at their workplace.

That's a pretty optimistic finding, if you ask me. (Employers and schools- take notice!)

Most important of all, the study shows that there are health benefits to a low-carb approach that go way beyond weight loss. Lowered C-Reactive Protein, lowered triglycerides and increased HDL is nothing to sneeze at and a nice slap in the face of the establishment that keeps telling us how "unhealthy" low carb diets are!

And call me crazy -- I can't help wondering if the low-carb group would had lost even more weight if they had eaten less than the 120 grams of carbs these folks ate, all the while keeping calories at a moderate, reduced amount and incorporating other lifestyle changes like exercise and stress reduction. Can you imagine? A more reasonable level of under 100 grams a day (or even less) might have made a lot of difference- that's a level that seems to work the best for people who have problems with sugar, insulin and carbohydrates in general.

The best we can say about this important study is that it got a lot of attention (after all this was the New England Journal) and gave credibility to the researchers stated conclusion that there are other ways to go besides low-fat. And to the conclusion that no one program works for everyone, and that some people may be more metabolically suited to low-carb (just as some may thrive on vegetarian or raw food diets).

And as far as the dismal weight loss results, let's just remember that weight loss is a tough nut to crack- but with the right match between program and person, the right social support system, a level of determination and commitment, it can be done.

And frequently is- often with much more dramatic results than were seen in this study.

Thanks to Jonny Bowden for letting me use this.

Diabetes: Could Sugar-Sweetened Fruit Juice Raise Your Risk Even More than Soda?

From Jennifer Moore for Connie's SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

A new study suggests that sugar-sweetened fruit juices are absolutely not good alternatives to soda.

Julie Palmer, ScD, M.PH. and her colleagues from Boston University report in the Archives of Internal Medicine that African-American women who drank two or more sugar-sweetened fruit drinks per day had a 31% greater incidence of diabetes than those who consumed less than one a month. (Grapefruit and orange juices, however, weren't linked to greater rates of diabetes amongst study subjects.)

That's probably not news to most people, but this finding might be: African-American women who drank two or more non-diet sodas daily had a 24% greater incidence of diabetes over those who indulged less than once a month. 

Does this mean that as far as diabetes risk goes, most sugar-sweetened fruit drinks are even worse for you than sweetened soda, which is certainly unhealthy in its own right? Or did the juice drinkers in the study consume more juice than the soda drinkers drank soda?

Either way, this is important research to combat claims that fruit juice is healthy, particularly since it's so often marketed that way to kids and their parents. (Click this website from the juice lobby (Juice Products Association) to see what I mean.)

And anyway, if you really prefer your fruits in juice form, why not buy yourself a juicer and make some at home with fresh fruits and no added sugar? Or, better yet, juice some green veggies.

Thanks to Michael Conlon at Reuters for his report on this new study.

Exercise More, Two Studies Urge

Researchers determined that those participants who walked for an extra 45 minutes each day burned more fat, thereby increasing their muscle’s ability to store sugar and help control their diabetes.

And another study, this one in the Archives of Internal Medicine, suggests current exercise guidelines—2.5 hours per week—may not be enough to help keep weight off.

John Jakicic, PhD., an associate professor and chairman of the Department of Health and Physical Activity, and his team at the University of Pittsburgh found that participants in their study benefited from an extra hour of exercise each day. What's more, increased exercise more made it easier for them to commit to a healthy diet.

"There is a growing consensus that more exercise may be necessary to enhance long-term weight loss," Dr. Jakicic told Michael Kahn.

Exercise is like money, you can never get an enough of it! Now, if you’re looking to step up your own workout. Consider taking the 100 Pushup challenge!

From Gerry Pugliese for the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

For a lot of people walking is what they do to get them from the couch to the refrigerator, but a new study in the journal of Diabetes Care claims walking a little more each day can help people control their type 2 diabetes.

"People often find the thought of going to the gym quite daunting, but what we've found is that nearly everyone with diabetes is able to become more active through walking," Dr. Michael Trenell, PhD., a Diabetes U.K. R.D. Lawrence Fellow, of Britain's Newcastle University told Michael Kahn of Reuters.