Dairy Products and Cancer

The Link Between Dairy Products and Cancer (and Obesity)

I first became aware of the link between dairy and cancer when I was reading Professor Jane Plant’s book “Your Life In Your Hands” (for access see my page,Recommended Reading).  Professor Plant is a breast cancer survivor herself (she had it several times) and has this to say about dairy and cancer:

“…cow’s milk, although an ideal food for young bovines, is far from ideal for adult humans.  But how could dairy products be linked to breast and prostate cancer?  I believe that the evidence suggests that consuming dairy products (milk and meat), including low fat products such as yoghurt, does indeed increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer in exposed populations.  When I eliminated all dairy products from my diet, a large ‘secondary’ tumor  comprising cancer cells in the lymph nodes in my neck, which was thought to be incurable, disappeared in weeks.  For me, this is pretty compelling evidence.”

(Prof J Plant, “Your Life In Your Hands”, Virgin Publishing Ltd, 2000, p. 92).

Insulin-Like Growth Factors and Growth Hormones

There are powerful chemicals in cow’s milk known as growth factors.  One particular growth factor, IGF-1 (stands for insulin-like growth factor), causes cells to increase in size and promotes cell proliferation.  Baby bovines need this.  Human adults do not, particularly if they are already battling cancer.

To further muddy the waters (or the milk),  farmers have taken to using a synthetic bovine growth hormone (rBGH) to keep up with the demand for dairy products.  The effect of rBGH on lactating cows is to increase their secretions, blood flow, nutrient uptake and milk synthesis.

What rBGH does in humans is still being studied but as early as 1985 scientists reported changes in the proportion of the natural fatty acids found in milk. What they do know is that rBGH releases extra quantities of IG-F which, as previously noted, causes an increase in size of cells and proliferation and you don’t want this happening if you’re actively fighting cancer.

The bottom line is, if you have cancer you really should avoid dairy products completely.  For this society, it’s a hard thing to do.  I know, because I’ve tried it.  Now that I’m cancer free I allow myself small quantities of organic cheeses and occasionally organic sour cream.  There’s a great substitute for ice cream – totally non-dairy – made from organic coconut milk.  I also highly recommend replacing cow’s milk with a combination of almond and coconut milks.  It’s quite palatable!  Give it a try.

Resources:

http://www.rense.com/general26/milk.htm

http://www.nutritionmd.org/nutrition_tips/nutrition_tips_understand_foods/dairy.html

http://www.vibrancyuk.com/dairy.html

Source of this article:  http://marnieclark.com/category/breast-cancer-and-nutrition/dairy-products-and-cancer/

Articles on dairy and cancer:

1. A change of diet cured my cancer
2. 'Give up dairy to beat cancer':

This post is on Healthwise

Chelation Treatments for Heavy Metal Toxicity

The term “chelation” (pronounced key-lay-shun) comes from the Greek word chele, which means “claw”.  This may sound strange until you understand that certain agents, known as chelators are able to chemically bond with metals, minerals, or chemical toxins and whisk them out of the body via the urine and feces.

What Is Chelation?

In our increasingly toxic world, this is beginning to be a very necessary step toward wellness for many people.  One of the methods by which people are discovering their heavy metal toxicity is via a test known as hair mineral analysis, usually ordered by a naturopath or an integrative doctor searching for the underlying cause for disease.

People are discovering that their bodies are polluted with heavy metals such as iron, lead, mercury, cadmium, copper and zinc.  Our bodies cannot break down heavy metals, thus creating toxic levels which are playing havoc with health.

Natural therapists have long known that certain agents are able to chelate – grab onto – these heavy metals and pull them out of the body’s blood and tissues.  They form complex molecules that are chemically inert and can be easily excreted without interacting any further with the body.  This is the method by which chelation therapy detoxifies heavy metals.

So Where Are All These Heavy Metals Coming From?

Heavy metal toxicity is due to many different things, including amalgam dental fillings (which are about 50% mercury), lead in paint, tap water, chemical residues in processed foods, petrochemical products, and cosmetics (unless organic).  Mercury is probably the worst offender and those who work in these professions have the highest risk of mercury overload: physicians, pharmaceutical workers, any dental occupations, laboratory workers, potters, hairdressers, painters, printers, metal workers, welders, cosmetic industry workers, battery makers, engravers, photographers, and visual artists.

Dr. Garry Gordon, a leader in the field of chelation says, “No one on Planet Earth is operating at optimal levels without doing something about the toxic metals.  Thus the conclusion I draw is that chelation appears to be a lifetime necessity for all.  There is no chelation that can dent the lead levels of bones unless continued for at least seven years (bone turnover time).”

How Is Chelation Therapy Administered?

Depending on the agent used and the type of metal toxicity, chelating agents may be taken orally or injected into a vein or muscle.

Known Chelators

Note:  It is possible to feel worse after chelation than when you began if you are not well-informed and do not proceed carefully under the care of a competent healthcare practitioner.  You will want to get the hair mineral analysis test done first to see what metals you have a problem with (if any) and this test is usually done with a qualified professional like a naturopath or integrative doctor.  The following list is purely for informational purposes.

Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA) is the most widely used and studied chelating agent.  It is a synthetic amino acid first used in the 1940’s as a treatment for lead poisoning.  In the 1950’s physicians began to use it for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. 

In 1980, Drs W Blumer and T Reich headed a study which discovered that people who lived close to a busy road had higher chances of dying from cancer than those who did not live close to a busy road.  They discovered that lead from vehicle exhaust was suspended in dust particles and sediment dust along the automobile artery.  They further found that calcium EDTA helped to eliminate the lead poisoning.  It appears that someone listened to this report – all vehicles manufactured after 1986 in the USA were required to operate completely on unleaded fuel.

However.  Using synthetic chelators with their own toxic side effects is not the best way to chelate.

More Natural Chelation Agents Include:

Homeopathic merc sol – good for the removal of arsenic, iron and mercury.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) – a nutritional supplement that transforms into dithiol dihydrolipoic acid, a chelator of both mercury and arsenic.  It is advised that ALA should be taken with caution by starting at low dosages and supporting its use with a full protocol, which includes clay, to ensure that the heavy metals do actually leave the body.

Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP6) – derived naturally from seeds and rice bran, is the most potent natural chelator of iron and completely non-toxic. Researchers at Wake Forest University Health Sciences state that “iron chelators may be of value as therapeutic agents in the treatment of cancer. They may act by depleting iron, a necessary nutrient, and limiting tumor growth.” [Current Topics Medical Chemistry 4: 1623—35, 2004].   IP6 appears to work selectively against cancer cells. Because cancer cells are high in iron content, IP6 directs most of its attention to these abnormal cells by selectively removing iron.  That deprives them of their primary growth factor.  IP6 does not remove iron from normal red blood cells which are tightly bound to hemoglobin.  Unlike cancer drugs, healthy cells are not affected with IP6, so IP6 has very low toxicity. [Deliliers GL, British J Haematology 117: 577—87, 2002]

Furthermore, IP6 actually enhances the anti-cancer effects of Adriamycin and Tamoxifen, two commonly used breast cancer drugs. [Tantivejkul K, Breast Cancer Research Treatment 79: 301—12, 2003]  For further research on IP6 on pubmed.gov, click this link.

Cilantro (Coriander) – a very effective chelator.  Many people suffering from mercury exposure report a reduction in the often-cited feeling of disorientation when they consume large quantities of this popular herb.  It appears to work better when combined with chlorella (see below).

Parsley, Alfalfa, and Chlorella (blue-green algae) – all three are powerful chemical and heavy metal chelators.  They help to get your system more alkaline and purify the blood, making it easier for the body to rid itself of wastes with less discomfort or “healing crisis” (which is often felt when the toxic debris coming out of the cells causes you to feel sick or like you have the flu).

Onions and garlic –  The high sulfur content works to eliminate heavy metals.  Eggs, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage also have high sulfur content.

Food-Grade Activated Charcoal –  Al Sears, MD recommends his patients utilize food grade activated charcoal for detoxifying heavy metals.  He recommends a total of 20 grams per day, spaced apart in two to four doses, over a 12 day period.

A few more tips:  Remember to replace the good minerals which may be lost during the chelation process with a great quality mineral supplement.  Note that it is best to eliminate heavy metals gently – slower is better than faster – so that the body can reabsorb less and avoid flooding the body with toxic metals that can cause you to feel rotten.  I said it up above and I will repeat it here – it is possible to feel worse after chelation than when you began if you are not well-informed and do not proceed carefully under the care of a competent healthcare practitioner.

References:

http://www.gordonresearch.com/answers/chlorella_and_cilantro.html

http://drsircus.com/medicine/essentials-natural-chelation

http://pubmed.gov

Source of this article:  http://marnieclark.com/category/chelation-treatments/

This article is on Healthwise.

10 Amazing Benefits of Durian Fruit

If you are new to Durian fruits then the very first sight of this fruit could remind you of a porcupine! Credit goes to the spikes present on this henna-green skinned fruit. The flesh, in contrast, is rich, juicy, and succulent.

May 4, 2015

This post is on Healthwise

The flesh emits a very strong smell, which could ideally dissuade a first-time eater from trying it. Despite possessing a very strong odor, it is known to have a fantastic effect on the taste buds. Unique in taste, this fruit is packed with assorted nutrients and hence, offers benefits that surely are noteworthy.

A single durian weighs nearly 602 grams and is a good source of energy. 100 grams of this fruit renders about 147 Kcal of energy, which is about 7% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

The fruit does not contain any cholesterol, but is a great source of dietary fiber and protein. Let’s take a look at the benefits offered by the ‘King of Fruits’ before you start munching on it.

Durian Fruit Benefits For Health:

1. A good source of energy:

100 grams of this fruit satiates about 21% of the daily carbohydrate requirement. Being a rich source of carbohydrates, it is helpful in replenishing your energy levels (1).

2. Acts as a natural anti-depressant:

Studies have proven that low levels of serotonin could actually trigger depression. Durian is naturally rich in Vitamin B6 which is essential for the production of serotonin. Hence, the intake of durian is advised to boost serotonin levels and thus, tide over depression (2).

3. For healthy bones and teeth:

The presence of calcium, potassium and B vitamins in significant amounts makes this fruit beneficial for maintaining healthy teeth and bones (3).

4. Aids in delaying aging:

Vitamin C is found in abundance in this fruit. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to keep the oxidative stress prompted by free radicals at bay (4). The lower the oxidative stress levels, the slower the aging process.

5. For a healthy digestive system:

The presence of dietary fiber in durian helps in easing bowel movement. This in turn keeps away constipation and improves the power of digestion. The presence of thiamin and niacin improves appetite as well as digestive power, thus ensuring that your digestive system stays healthy (5).

6. Maintaining blood sugar levels:

The presence of manganese in desired levels aids in the regulation and maintenance of blood sugar levels (6). Hence, it can be relished by diabetics without any fear.

7. Maintaining blood pressure levels:

Durian is a good source of potassium which is required to keep the sodium levels of the human body intact. Regular intake of this fruit can thus ward off hypertension and associated medical conditions (7).

8. Beneficial for Anaemic patients:

Folate, if not present in adequate quantities, could lower the amount of red blood cells produced. This in turn can trigger anaemia. Durian is a good source of folate along with copper and iron (8). Hence, anaemic patients can tap the power of this fruit to overcome the health condition.

9. Helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases:

The presence of organosulfur helps it to regulate the inflammatory enzymes. Hence, it has the potential to keep cardiovascular diseases away.

10. For a better libido:

Durian is known to enhance libido. Thus, it helps in revitalizing your sexual life (9).

Durian Fruit USDA Nutrition Chart:

[Nutrition value per 100 g]

Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	147 Kcal	7%
Carbohydrates	27.09 g	21%
Protein	1.47 g	2.5%
Total Fat	5.33 g	20%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	3.8 g	10%
Vitamins
Folates	36 mcg	9%
Niacin	1.074 mg	7%
Pantothenic acid	0.230 mg	4.5%
Pyridoxine	0.316 mg	24%
Riboflavin	0.200 mg	15%
Thiamin	0.374 mg	31%
Vitamin A	44 IU	1.5%
Vitamin C	19.7 mg	33%
Minerals
Sodium	2 mg	0%
Potassium	436 mg	9.5%
Calcium	6 mg	0.6%
Copper	0.207 mg	23%
Iron	0.43 mg	5%
Magnesium	30 mg	7.5%
Manganese	0.325 mg	14%
Phosphorus	39 mg	6%
Zinc	0.28 mg	2.5%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-α	6 mcg	—
Carotene-ß	23 mcg	—
Lutein-zeaxanthin

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-benefits-of-durian-fruit/

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The Surprising New Leading Cause of Cancer - Obesity

Things are changing with cancer. Being seen less and less as a disease of old age, this new, very common culprit is taking over as the main cause of 10 different types of cancer. And this new top cause is something you can, for sure, take action on.

This post is on Healthwise

27 July 2015

Obesity Will Soon Overtake Smoking as Principal Cause of Cancer

Story at-a-glance

• In the US, nearly one in five deaths is associated with obesity, and eight obesity-related diseases account for 75 percent of all healthcare costs
• Obesity will likely claim the lead spot as the principal cause of 10 different types of cancer within the next decade, surpassing smoking as a principal cause
• Contrary to previous assumptions, new research reveals bisphenol-A (BPA) is metabolized into a biologically active metabolite that promotes obesity

By Dr. Mercola

More than 2.1 billion people, or close to 30 percent of the global population, are overweight or obese, and obesity is responsible for about five percent of all deaths each year, worldwide.1 In the US, nearly one in five deaths is now associated with obesity.

That obesity factors into your mortality risk isn't so surprising when you consider just how many chronic and serious disease it's associated with.

In the US, just eight obesity-related diseases account for 75 percent of all healthcare costs! Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), dementia, and cancer are among them, but there are many others as well.

When you consider that two hallmarks of obesity are insulin/leptin resistance and chronic inflammation, you can begin to recognize that excess weight is fertile ground for a wide array of other ailments—many of which can cut your life significantly short.

The Links Between Obesity, Insulin Resistance, and Other Chronic Diseases

Previous research has shown that fat tissue secretes an inflammatory factor called CXCL5 that is linked to insulin resistance2 and participates in the development of type 2 diabetes.3

When you're insulin resistant, your cells have become seriously impaired in their ability to respond to the insulin your body makes. At the heart of this problem is a diet too high in sugar (especially processed fructose).

While you can be insulin resistant and lean, obesity places far greater stress on your cells, which makes insulin resistance more probable. Insulin resistance is at the core of nearly every chronic degenerative disease and is typically what needs to be addressed first to turn around any disease.

Research4 shows that chronic overeating places stress on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)—the membranous network found inside the mitochondria of your cells. And when the ER receives more nutrients than it can process, it signals the cell to dampen the sensitivity of the insulin receptors on the surface of the cell.

Thus continuously eating more than your body really needs promotes insulin resistance by the mere fact that your cells are stressed by the work placed on them by the excess nutrients. This also helps explain why intermittent fasting(as well as other forms of calorie restriction) is so effective for reversing insulin resistance and increasing longevity.

Once your insulin resistance worsens, the concentration of glucose in your blood begins to rise, and elevated glucose contributes to the development ofdiabetes.

According to a recent meta-review,5 the preponderance of research clearly shows that once you reach 18 percent of your daily calories from added sugar, there's a two-fold increase in metabolic harm that promotes prediabetes and diabetes.

It's important to realize that type 2 diabetes is not caused by lack of insulin, which is why taking insulin is one of the worst things a diabetic can do. You have plenty of it.

Your cells have simply lost their sensitivity to it because there's too much, and/or in the case of chronic overeating, your cells shut down the insulin receptors to "catch a break," as it were, because they're overloaded. As noted in one 2007 paper6 discussing the mechanisms of obesity-associated insulin resistance:

"In the past decade, a large number of endocrine, inflammatory, neural, and cell-intrinsic pathways have been shown to be dysregulated in obesity.

Although it is possible that one of these factors plays a dominant role, many of these factors are interdependent, and it is likely that their dynamic interplay underlies the pathophysiology of insulin resistance."

In essence, obesity is a marker for other chronic diseases, but it's really theinsulin resistance that typically (but not always) accompanies obesity that drives all of these other pathologies.

For example, research7 has shown that insulin resistance strongly predicts the risk of cardiovascular disease over a five-year period.

A follow-up study8 published in 2001, using the same cohort, discovered that insulin resistance also predicts a number of other age-related diseases, including hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and all-cause mortality risk.

Interestingly, over the course of this six-year long study, NONE of the middle-aged participants in the least insulin-resistant group developed disease or died, compared to 36 percent of those in the most insulin-resistant group. According to the authors:

"The fact that an age-related clinical event developed in approximately 1 out of 3 healthy individuals in the upper tertile of insulin resistance at baseline, followed for an average of 6 years, whereas no clinical events were observed in the most insulin-sensitive tertile, should serve as a strong stimulus to further efforts to define the role of insulin resistance in the genesis of age-related diseases."

Obesity Will Soon Overtake Smoking as Lead Cause of Cancer

For decades, smoking was one of the leading causes of cancer, but that's about to change.

Obesity will likely claim the lead spot as the principal cause of 10 different types of cancer within the next decade, according to cancer specialists who discussed the trend at this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in Chicago.

"They said spiraling rates of obesity meant that cancer – once seen as a disease of old age – was now increasingly being diagnosed up to two decades earlier than in the past. Their figures suggest one in five cancer deaths in Britain is caused by excess weight," The Telegraph9 reports.

The links between obesity and cancer are quite clear, and excess weight can increase your risk of cancer rather significantly. For example, obese women increase their risk of womb cancer by 600 percent.

Your risk for breast, prostate, colon, and all the other gynecological cancers is also elevated, primarily due to the hormone imbalances associated with obesity, which tend to fuel tumor growth.

Researchers have also found a correlation between obesity and increased risk for cancer relapse.10 Overweight survivors of prostate cancer treatment were found to have a three percent higher rate of relapse compared to their slimmer counterparts. They also had seven percent higher odds of the cancer spreading.

Exercise Should Be Prescribed as Part of Cancer Treatment, Experts Say

Fortunately, researchers are also starting to recognize the power of lifestyle changes over drug prescriptions (although there's still plenty of research looking at pharmaceutical solutions, such as a compound that blocks the the sugar and nutrient pipeline in immune cells.11) As noted in the featured article:12

"Separately, experts yesterday said exercise was such a 'potent' force against cancer that it should be prescribed as part of disease treatment. Researchers said women with breast cancer could reduce mortality by up to 50 percent with half an hour's moderate exercise, five times a week, compared with those who are inactive.

The results were based on a study of mice... Studies in men with prostate cancer also suggested vigorous exercise was linked to reduction of between 40 and 50 percent in mortality. 'Exercise creates a hostile environment for cancer cells,' the researchers said."

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Add to the Obesity Epidemic

Excess dietary sugar and lack of exercise are not the only factors influencing your weight. Research shows environmental and dietary toxins also play a role—and perhaps a significant one. As recently reported by Scientific American:13

"A new study14 suggests the long-held industry assumption that bisphenol-A breaks down safely in the human body is incorrect. Instead, researchers say, the body transforms the ubiquitous chemical additive into a compound that might spur obesity.

The study is the first to find that people's bodies metabolize bisphenol-A (BPA) — a chemical found in most people and used in polycarbonate plastic, food cans and paper receipts — into something that impacts our cells and may make us fat."

When you're exposed to BPA, it takes about six hours for your liver to metabolize approximately half of the concentration. Up to 90 percent of what your liver metabolizes is eventually excreted, but the fact that it's metabolized and excreted doesn't mean it's harmless. By treating mouse and human cells with the BPA metabolite, called BPA-Glucuronide, the researchers showed the cells had a "significant increase in lipid accumulation," which is an indication that the cells are turning into fat cells.

What this means is that the BPA metabolite is not inactive, as was previously assumed. It's actually quite biologically active, so we cannot make blanket statements (assumptions, really) saying that since it's a metabolite, it's inactive and therefore has no health effects. As noted by one of the study's authors: "Hopefully this [study] stops us from making assumptions about endocrine disrupting chemicals in general."

Heart Disease—Another Major Killer Closely Associated with Obesity

Excessive sugar consumption and obesity is also closely associated with heart- and cardiovascular disease. One recent Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study15 concluded that "most US adults consume more added sugar than is recommended for a healthy diet," and that there's "a significant relationship between added sugar consumption and increased risk for cardiovascular disease mortality."

The 15-year long study, which included data for 31,000 Americans, found that those who consumed 25 percent or more of their daily calories as sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who got less than 10 percent of their calories from sugar.

On the whole, the odds of dying from heart disease rose in tandem with the percentage of added sugar in the diet regardless of the age, sex, physical activity level, and body-mass index. A 2014 study16 came to very similar results.

Here, those who consumed the most sugar — about 25 percent of their daily calories — were twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who limited their sugar intake to seven percent of their total calories.

Other recent research17 found that young adults who drank beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) increased their risk factors for heart disease within just two weeks.

Research presented during the 2013 American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism Scientific Sessions suggested sugary beverages are to blame for about 183,000 deaths worldwide each year, including 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 heart disease deaths, and 6,000 cancer deaths.

In the US alone, an estimated 25,000 annual deaths are attributed to the consumption of sweetened beverages like soda.

Part of the problem is that HFCS found in soda and other sweetened drinks actually causes more severe metabolic dysfunction because it's more readily metabolized into fat than any other sugar. The fact that refined fructose is far more harmful to your health than other sugars was recently highlighted in a meta-review published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.18

Of the different sugars available, refined fructose is probably the absolute worst, as it's broken down very much like alcohol, damaging your liver and causing mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction in the same way as ethanol and other toxins.

The Links Between Fructose, Uric Acid, Kidney Disease, and Cardiovascular Disease

Kidney disease is another health problem associated with excessive fructose consumption,19 and kidney disease in turn may elevate your risk for cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, according to Dr. Richard Johnson, your uric acid level can help identify your susceptibility to fructose damage; it essentially acts as a marker for fructose toxicity. According to the latest research in this area, the safest range of uric acid is between 3 and 5.5 milligrams per deciliter, but there appears to be a steady relationship between uric acid levels, blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk, even down to the range of 3-4 mg/dl. Many obese individuals tend to have significantly elevated uric acid levels, some as high as 10 mg/dl.

The way you would use this information is quite simple. If your uric acid is elevated above 4 mg/dl for men and 3.5 mg/dl for women, you need to eliminate as much fructose from your diet as possible until your uric acid level has normalized, in order to avoid the toxic effects of fructose, which includes insulin resistance. That said, elevated uric acid20 also appears to be predictive of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as evidenced by studies in which renal disease is induced in rats by raising their uric acid levels. And as noted in a 2013 paper:21

"Gout was considered a cause of CKD in the mid-nineteenth century, and, prior to the availability of therapies to lower the uric acid level, the development of end-stage renal disease was common in gouty patients... In addition, many subjects with gout also had coexistent conditions such as hypertension and vascular disease, leading some experts to suggest that the renal injury in gout was secondary to these latter conditions rather than to uric acid per se...

Renewed interest in uric acid as a cause of CKD occurred when it was realized that invalid assumptions had been made in the arguments to dismiss uric acid as a risk factor for CKD. The greatest assumption was that the mechanism by which uric acid would cause kidney disease would be via the precipitation as crystals in the kidney, similar to the way it causes gout. However, when laboratory animals with CKD were made hyperuricemic, the renal disease progressed rapidly despite an absence of crystals in the kidney."

Last but not least, a recent analysis22 of 24 studies suggests that your kidney health may actually be a more potent indicator of your cardiovascular disease risk than blood pressure and cholesterol. Compared to those with healthy kidneys, those with kidney disease were twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease. So in summary, avoiding elevated uric acid (another effect of which is painful gout), kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease again boils down to controlling your refined sugar/processed fructose consumption.

Coke and Pepsi Need to Acknowledge Soda's Impact on Diabetes Rates

You're probably aware of Coca-Cola and Pepsi's obesity-prevention campaigns, offering advice on how to maintain your weight while still indulging in their assortment of beverages. Their recommendations usually focus on exercising more and opting for zero- or low-calorie beverages sweetened with artificial sweeteners instead of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)—scientific data showing they promote obesity and metabolic dysfunction to the same or greater degree than HFCS be damned...

Many consumers react positively to such campaigns. However, you never see these companies addressing the issue of diabetes—which their products are a principal promoter of—and when researchers tested out consumers' reactions to anti-diabetes messages, the attitudes were far less favorable, which is probably why Coke and Pepsi refuse to address it. As reported by PR Newser23 a couple of years ago:

"When the ad was changed to send an anti-diabetes message... participants' attitudes toward the brand became 37 percent more negative. That's a huge shift in reaction. 'People are not willing to punish the brand for obesity, which seems like a lifestyle problem. But diabetes is considered a disease, and many consumers see the parent brand as contributing to it,' said Kurt Carlson, a Georgetown marketing professor who oversaw the study."

The fact that Coke and Pepsi are willfully ignoring the issue doesn't make it any less relevant, and truly, if we want to see real changes within the industry, we need to press them on this issue, and force them to acknowledge their role in the diabetes epidemic. Eventually, I wouldn't be surprised if the soda industry ends up facing class-action lawsuits similar to those filed against the tobacco industry, as sodas and other sweetened beverages are now well linked to the obesity and diabetes epidemic.

Coca-Cola also admits to targeting teens (and has previously targeted children through in-school advertising and product placement). In an effort to quiet critics, Coke has made attempts to rebrand itself with a new, healthier image. Alas, their new "Coke Life," a low-calorie, low-sugar stevia-sweetened soda served in a green can24 is just another green-washed soda, on par with filtered cigarettes... Filter or not, it's still harmful and certainly should not be advertised to kids as a way to make their day more "fun" or "enjoyable." There's nothing enjoyable about diabetes.

The Good News: Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Cancer Are All Preventable

Nearly one in five US deaths is associated with obesity, and one in every three deaths is attributed to cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and stroke. According to a 2013 report25 from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the 800,000 cardiovascular disease deaths occurring in the US each year, a quarter of them —or about 200,000—could be prevented through simple lifestyle changes.

Personally, I believe the rate of prevention could be far higher than that—especially if great attention was paid to sugar/fructose consumption and elimination of insulin resistance.

According to statistics found in the Credit Suisse Research Institute's 2013 study26 Sugar Consumption at a Crossroads, up to 40 percent of US healthcare expenditures are for diseases directly related to the overconsumption of sugar. We actually spend more than a trillion dollars each year fighting the damaging health effects of sugar!

To protect your health, please consider restricting your fructose consumption to 25 grams per day or less. If you're overweight or have a disease such as cancer, diabetes, or heart disease (or are at high risk for them) then you're probably better off further reducing your fructose intake to 15 grams per day or less (and this includes all sources—HFCS, sugar, honey, agave, fruit, fruit juice, maple syrup, etc.)

Doing this will help you normalize your insulin- and leptin levels, thereby reducing your risk of not only diabetes and heart disease, but also a long list of other chronic health problems.

Key to success when cutting out added sugar is to replace the lost calories (energy) with high quality healthy fat, which includes avocados; butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk; raw dairy; organic pastured egg yolks; coconuts andcoconut oil; unheated organic nut oils; raw nuts and seeds; and grass-fed and finished meats.

Obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer—all of these issues tend to be feared by most people. But the solution—the most effective prevention—is within your own control. Reverse the amount of sugar to healthy fats in your diet (less sugar/non-vegetable carbs, more fat), and you'll see your risk factors start fading away.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2099/12/31/cancer-insulin-resistance-heart-disease.aspx

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