"I'm going gluten free! Everyone else is...." But why???

Gluten Enteropathy, Gluten Sensitivity, Gluten Intolerance…. What is YOUR problem with bread? 

A conversation between two friends:

“I just got a diagnosis from my doctor.  I have Celiac disease and HAVE to avoid gluten…it actually damages my small intestine.”

“I’m going gluten free, too.”

“You have gluten enteropathy, too?  Are you sure?  It’s not THAT common….”

“I think I have a gluten problem… I’m not sure but I don’t feel great when I eat bread.  I feel better when I don’t do grains.  They make me feel bloated, tired, head-achy, dizzy, and gassy.”

“Oh…When I eat gluten, I have really bad diarrhea, get very bloated, have stomach cramps, and I’ve become anemic.    I had a blood test and a biopsy to confirm and I definitely have the disease.”

“I don’t have a “disease”…I just feel better when I don’t eat bread, crackers, cereal, pasta.

 

It seems as if everyone is avoiding gluten these days….and spending a LOT of money on gluten replacements made of corn, rice, potatoes, amaranth, quinoa…..what is going on? 

Sixty million gluten-free products are consumed in the U.S. each day.  But the question remains as to how many of these products are consumed out of necessity

There is a condition that requires the avoidance of gluten.  It is called Celiac Disease, gluten enteropathy, or Celiac sprue.  For years, I saw a patient or two a month (maximum) to learn a gluten- free diet for diagnosed Celiac disease.  Now, every other patient I work with tells me they can’t have gluten.  What gives?

Celiac disease is a chronic disease of the digestive tract that interferes with the digestion and absorption of gliadin, a component of gluten.

Gluten is a protein commonly found in wheat, oats, rye, and barley. When people with Celiac disease ingest gliadin, the villi in their small intestine become damaged by an immunologically mediated inflammatory response.  As a result of this damage to villi of the small intestine (finger-like projections that aid in the absorption of valuable nutrients)  there is maldigestion and malabsorption. People with uncontrolled Celiac disease can be malnourished and experience persistent diarrhea .  A small number of  people have only subtle symptoms .

Celiac sprue has a strong hereditary component. The prevalence of the condition in first-degree relatives is approximately 10%.The frequency of celiac sprue in the United States is relatively low, estimates suggest that approximately 1% of the population is affected

The blood test for celiac disease is very sensitive, he says, but a person needs to be eating gluten for the test to detect antibodies that indicate celiac disease.  There is also a biopsy that can be done to confirm the diagnosis of gluten enteropathy.

To get a valid diagnosis, the test must be done before gluten is eliminated from the diet.  If you truly have Celiac disease and eliminate gluten from your diet, the antibodies in the blood slowly decrease and become normal in about 6 months.  So, if you are tested for Celiac after being gluten free for a period of time, you may test negative even though you truly have the disease.  As soon as gluten is re-introduced, antibodies and inflammation will return.

So, if only 1% of the population has Celiac disease, what’s with all this gluten-free media blitz?

There are some people who are sensitive to gluten.  When you test them, they test negative for Celiac sprue because they don’t have the condition.  But…they may have symptoms when they eat wheat, oats, rye, or barley including fatigue, headaches,  bloating, gas, some diarrhea, irritability, dizziness.  They feel better when they avoid gluten.  Eating gluten does not damage their small intesting and will not cause  malnutrition , osteoporosis, or anemia. 

Though Celiac disease can be diagnosed through a blood test and an intestinal biopsy that shows damage to the villi, there’s no reliable test for gluten sensitivity. The intestine is not damaged from gluten and it appears normal on biopsy.  There is no immune response causing inflammation, so it is not present in sensitivity issues.

Rather, for gluten sensitivity, “the diagnosis rests on history. 

If you think you react badly to gluten, see a doctor for Celiac testing before you start any gluten-free diet. One has to first rule out and investigate Celiac disease.  Since 10% of people diagnosed with real gluten enteropathy have a first degree relative with the disease, it’s important to know if you have it.  Also, with gluten enteropathy, having a little bread  here or there causes actual damage to the intestine.  So, remaining without gluten is imperative.

Be careful when choosing from the growing number of gluten-free products on the market shelves, They’re typically higher in carbohydratesand  lower in fiber, higher in fat than regular bread products. .You might be better off baking your own bread with corn meal, quinoa, amaranth, or quinoa

Another thought….are you gluten intolerant or are you uncontrolled Metabolism B.  Is it gluten that causes your fatigue, headaches, bloating, dizziness…or is a response your body has to high carbohydrates; including bread, crackers, pasta, cereal, fruit, milk, yogurt, rice, legumes?

If you have uncontrolled Met B and you go gluten free…..you may feel “better” as you are using less pasta, crackers, cereal, breads….but might feel your “best” on a program that helps regulate insulin. 

If you believe you do not have Celiac disease, feel better (but not great) without gluten…you may want to consider reading the informative website: www.themetabolismmiracle.com.  If your problem is an insulin/carb problem, gluten free will only get you part way to feeling great!

http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/celiac-disease-or-gluten-sensitivity-a-quick-primer/gluten/

 

 

A Multivitamin A Day Can Help Keep Cancer at Bay? Care to Share This Information???

Research Study Results that DID NOT make Headlines! Middle Aged Men taking one multivitamin a day can reduce their risk of cancer by 8%!!!

http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/multivitamin-use-among-middle-aged-older-men-results-in-modest-reduction-in-cancer/cancer-2/

The article's title: "Multivitamin Use Among Middle-Aged Men Results in Modest Reduction in Cancer"

The title of these study results is very minimized and a bit misleading. It specifically mentions that middle aged men may see a modest reduction in cancers with multivitamin use.

Minimized and Misleading? In my opinion, yes. I would think that this information should be a headline story on the every news broadcast and in make headlines in newspapers. An 8% reduction in cancer risk equates to 8 out of 100 “middle aged men” decrease their risk of cancer by something as inexpensive and easy as taking a multivitamin once a day.

If this was a new medication it would be plastered all over the media. If it were a costly recommendation that would make billions of dollars for investors...shouted from the rooftop. I saw this study in one post. With no hoopla...with no affirmation.

The only reason there is a limitation on reduction in risk of cancer to middle aged men is because they were chosen as the study participants. It follows that a muli-vitamin/day could and would decrease cancer risk for men, women, and even children. And if a younger than middle-aged person began taking multi-vitamins daily, could they reduce their chances of developing cancer by an even greater percentage?

This much is true: It is close to impossible for people to get all the vitamins/minerals their body requires on a daily basis. Some vitamins, water soluble vitamins like all the B vitamins, Vitamin C must be ingested in required amounts DAILY for the body to function optimally. This is not happening in most dietary intakes in the US in the 21st century.

As a registered dietitian, I should be able to provide the inside scoop for a high quality nutritionally balanced intake that meets the needs of the body in 2012. But the truth is...our food supply is tainted. Our crops and livestock, and feed are contaminated with pesticides, hormones, chemicals, sprays. "Fresh" produce sits in trucks and is days/weeks old before you purchase it in your store as “fresh.”In the 21st century, many Americans are not even preparing many of their meals at home. A run to the bagel shop for a bagel and coffee for breakfast (if we have breakfast), a drive through for a fast food lunch, a stop for Chinese take out or pizza for dinner can be devoide of fruit, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fat, vitamins, minerals...

Our daily dietary intake is not balanced in protein, carbohydrate, and healthy fat, vegetables, vitamins, minerals. And even if we intentionally try to eat healthily, our natural food supply is lower than ever in nature. Our processing methods destroy vitamins and add preservatives, fat, sugar, sodium.

The human body is like a Lamborghini, the finest high tech machine ever made….and it requires high quality nourishment to run correctly. Without the right “gas" our body experiences inflammation, oxidative stress, nutrition deprivation, free radical production, hormone imbalance….all of which can pull the trigger on cancer. Vitamins can be soldiers that help protect the body from insult, injury, disease, and provide immunity and resistance.

One multi vitamin/day. The solution to prevent cancer? Far from it. Something we can easily do to help insure that our body has the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and in the process decrease cancer risk? YES.

Think of your multi-vitamin/day as an insurance policy. Don't leave home without it. Take it on a full stomach. Take it every day. One vitamin, multiple benefits....maybe even cancer prevention!

The weight loss drug Orlistat (Xenical or Alli) never enabled significant weight loss and always caused nasty side effects. But, once again, the dieter is blamed for weight loss failure…this time blamed for “thinking” the drug will not work.

 

The weight loss drug is Orlistat.  You may know it as Xenical or Alli. It has been available by prescription since 1999 and over the counter since 2007.  A dieter is to take the medication at meals that contain fat.  The drug blocks the absorption of fat and allows it to pass undigested through the intestines.  The fat, grease, oil passes through the intestines…and out your back end….Side effects include steatorrhea (oily loose stools), excessive gas/flatulence, fecal incontinence, as well as frequent and urgent bowel movements.  Yep.  The average weight loss taking Alli is 3-5 pounds/YEAR.

Weight loss is supposed to occur from not absorbing the fat calories and from behavioral modification.  Embarrassing stool “leaks” and major gas should teach a dieter to eat less fat…or else.

With that said, I’m embarrassed to report Dr. Hollywood and Dr. Ogden’s (University of Surrey) research presented in Liverpool this week.

The doctors interviewed 10 women who gained weight while taking the drug Orlistat for 18 months.  Although the women attributed their failure to lose weight to the mechanics of the drug and talked about other weight loss methods that did not work for them, the doctors had a very interesting “take” on their comments. 

Dr. Hollywood interpreted their weight gain as a “self fulfilling belief” that they would not lose weight. and went on to say that “unless we get the psychology right and change people’s beliefs about themselves, their eating and the way the drug works, this medication is often going to produce disappointing results.

So…the dieter is blamed for not losing weight while taking Orlistat…and in fact gaining weight.  It’s not the failure of the medication, it’s consumer failure. 

Truth be known, the reason people don't lose appreciable weight while taking Orlistat is that the drug DOES work...it does cause malabsorption of ingested fat.  Yes, the drug does what it is supposed to do, and dietary fat intake will cause nasty anal leakage of fat as well as gas and oily stools.  The modus operandi of the drug is two fold...malabsorb fat and cause behavioral modification.  In an effort to stop the embarrassment of leaking fat...people are supposed to eat less fat.  They should eat less fat and the fat they do consume should be malabsorbed.  Messy...but it should work for weight loss, right?  WRONG. 

Here’s where the doctors Hollywood and Ogden got it wrong….

The problem with Alli or Xenical is that they target fat intake.  The reality is that for over 60% of the population, weight issues are not caused by fat intake...they are caused by excess carbohydrate intake.  Over 60% of the population has the genes for metabolic syndrome with its characteristic over-release of the fat- gain hormone insulin in response to eating carbohydrate foods.

If the millions of people with insulin imbalance (I call this Metabolism B) dutifully pop their Orlistat...and avoid obvious high fat foods to avoid nasty anal fat leakage and gas, they will still consume carbohydrates.  Even healthy carbohydrates like whole grain breads, fresh fruit, legumes, fat free yogurt and milk cause blood sugar to rise and insulin to release.  Over 60% of the population becomes "fat" from over-processing carbohydrate due to an imbalance of the hormone insulin.

The medicine Orlistat can’t help this situation... this medicine will never solve the underlying  problem. 

We need to recognize "Metabolism B"(aka  metabolic syndrome).  Spread the word that most overweight people have insulin imbalance.   They WILL lose weight, keep it off, have energy, cut medication needs for blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and maintain excellent health following a lifestyle that matches their metabolic needs.

The lifestyle program written expressly for the millions with insulin imbalance (Metabolism B) is in The Metabolism Miracle.  Read more at www.themetabolismmiracle.com.

 

http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/those-unpleasant-orlistat-side-effects-are-not-the-drugs-fault-they-are-your-fault/health-care-ethics/

 

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“Startling” Findings Reported in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

Taking Vitamin D supplements May Not Improve Heart Health

To which I reply…  “No kidding.”

For over 30 years, I have worked closely with patients who have metabolic syndrome.  Metabolic Syndrome is a compilation of illnesses that occur in a “package”… including some or all of the following: midline adiposity, hypertension, elevated cholesterol (LDL), low HDL cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, elevated blood sugar.  At the root of metabolic syndrome is an imbalance of the fat gain hormone; insulin.

 For fifteen of those thirty years, I meticulously collected lab data on over 6000 patients whom I worked with regarding medical nutrition.  It has been many years since I realized the direct relationship between uncontrolled metabolic syndrome and low levels of Vitamin D.  Just as there is a causal relationship between insulin imbalance and metabolic syndrome, there is a direct relationship between uncontrolled metabolic syndrome (insulin imbalance) and Vitamin D deficiency.

 I also found the following to be true: Merely supplementing with Vitamin D to artificially “normalize” Vitamin D levels does nothing to improve heart health or improve CVD risk factors because…the underlying cause of the syndrome, insulin imbalance, is not corrected with Vitamin D. 

It’s like taking a statin, an antihypertensive medication and an oral hypoglycemic agent to artificially “normalize”cholesterol, hypertension, and blood sugar and thinking the medication will fix the underlying problem.Unfortunately, this is not the case.Stop the medication and cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar rebound right back to elevated levels.The medications are not cures, they are Band-Aids.

Unless a person gets to the root of the underlying health problem and cuts out the “root”…the weed will continue to proliferate.  And so it goes with insulin imbalance and high cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, midline fat, and now….low Vitamin D.

I am sure of the following:  When patients control their metabolic syndrome…...not by band-aiding their cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc. with medications but through lifestyle changes that enable  them to normalize their labwork from within….their Vitamin D levels automatically rise ...without supplementation.

I've deduced that normalizing Vitamin D levels "artificially"...through Vitamin D supplementation...does nothing to improve metabolic syndrome.  So, supplements of Vitamin D are not going to improve CVD risk factors.  The real truth is: Normalizing insulin and thereby normalizing metabolic syndrome will normalize Vitamin D levels as well as improve cholesterol, midline adiposity, blood pressure, blood glucose and triglycerides.

It only makes sense.  Why would supplementing with Vitamin D help heart health and reduce CVD risk factors when the underlying and progressive metabolic syndrome remains intact?

 I may not have a research study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism but I have worked in the laboratory of the “real world” for over 30 years with thousands of real people who have real diseases and need real answers.  Let’s be straight with them. 

Believe me when I tell you, most people don’t know what end is up with the flip flopping on issues that comes from major statements and pronouncements that come from medical associations  and research studies that are retracted a very short time later….

It’s time to get back to the basics of wellness and disease prevention and treat from within instead of adding Band-Aids on the outside.

 THE ARTICLE:  http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/vitamin-d-may-not-improve-heart-health-after-all/vitamin-d/comment-page-1/#comment-55327

 

September 1, 2012….Taking Vitamin D supplements May Not Improve Heart Health. No Kidding.

Stunning findings revealed in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

"Taking Vitamin D supplements May Not Improve Heart Health"

To which I say...."No Kidding".

 

 

For over 30 years, I have worked with patients with metabolic syndrome. For the past 15 of those thirty years, I have collected data on over 6000 patients.  I have found the following to be true with my patients who present with metabolic syndrome, pre diabetes, or type 2 diabetes.  Merely supplementing with Vitamin D to artificially “normalize” Vitamin D levels does nothing to improve heart health or improve CVD risk factors because…the underlying cause of the syndrome, insulin imbalance, is not corrected with Vitamin D.

Most of my patients with uncontrolled metabolic syndrome; having at least 4 of the following: elevated LDL cholesterol, low HDL, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, glucose intolerance, midline adiposity  had Vitamin D less than 40mg/dL.  I learned early on that there was a causative effect between uncontrolled metabolic syndrome and low Vitamin D.

For years now, I have seen the connection between uncontrolled metabolic syndrome, pre diabetes, type 2 diabetes and low levels of Vitamin D.  I am also sure of the following:  When these patients manage to control their metabolic syndrome…...not by band-aiding their cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc. with medications but through lifestyle change that enable  them to normalize their labwork….their Vitamin D levels automatically rise ...without supplementation.

I've deduced that normalizing Vitamin D levels "artificially"...through Vitamin D supplementation...does nothing to improve metabolic syndrome.  So, supplements of Vitamin D are not going to improve CVD risk factors.  But...normalizing insulin and thereby normalizing metabolic abnormalities that cause aberrations in lab results will normalize Vitamin D levels as well as improve cholesterol, midline adiposity, blood pressure, blood glucose and triglycerides.

It only makes sense.  Why would supplementing with Vitamin D help heart health and reduce CVD risk factors when the underlying and progressive metabolic syndrome remains intact?

The article : http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/vitamin-d-may-not-improve-heart-health-after-all/vitamin-d/comment-page-1/#comment-55327

The Biggest Natural Disaster in US History is Upon Us. Save Yourself and Your Loved Ones.

Enough with the costly research studies that provide shocking headlines such as this one:  “2 out of 3 very obese kids already have Heart Disease Risk Factors.”

Study after study confirms that the majority of Americans (from our children through our elders) have become the fattest, sickest people in the history of time.  We “require” the most prescription medications as our health care costs have skyrocketed into the trillions of dollars/year.  We are fueling trillion dollar businesses…with our declining health and ultimately paying with our lives.


We don’t need more studies to point this out.  We get it.

What we need is for our government, medical associations,  universities, medical community,  and our children’s schools….to educate the population and focus attention on a health issue that over 60% of Americans have…along with the diet and activity program that can start solving our weight and weight related health epidemics….starting TODAY.


This is a fact:  The majority of those who become overweight, obese,  those who go on to a diagnosis of pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes, who have nutrition-related cardiovascular disease ….all these people…have a quiet underlying metabolic problem that most are not aware of.

They don’t realize that the diet recommendations that are agreed upon by the government, medical associations, schools, food manufacturers to promote weight loss, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and prevent diabetes is the very diet prescription that PROMOTES WEIGHT GAIN, OBESITY, AND DIABETES.


The name of this underlying metabolic condition is “metabolic syndrome.”  It has also been called Syndrome X.  I call it “Metabolism B.”  Why Met B?  To make it simple.  It’s that easy to distinguish if a person has what has been known as normal metabolism (Met A) or is suffering from lack of knowledge regarding another “type” of metabolism (Met B).  It’s that simple.  Really, it is.

A person has Met A or Met B.  About 40% of people have Met A.  About 60% of people have the genetic predisposition to Met B. Met B is progressive.  And Met B is the type of metabolism that, if uncontrolled, leads to overweight, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension, and some cancers  (including breast cancer).

Uncontrolled Met B is fueling the epidemics of obesity and diabetes, has cranked up the US’s dependence on pharmaceuticals/prescriptions, and is leading our country into staggering medical debt.


There is a solution for the millions of people with metabolic syndrome.  The solution does not require medication.  It requires 3 things:  Knowledge of the problem, factual information about how to control  the problem, and making good lifestyle choices while leading a “liveable” lifestyle that matches this metabolism.

Metabolic syndrome (Met B)  is genetic and progressive. A child is born with the genes for metabolic syndrome, and then the "stressors" of life...inactivity, stress, and  high carb intake push the button and the child progresses to have midline fat deposits, overweight/obesity, high cholesterol , hypertension, and even type 2 diabetes as a child. His/her parents are most likely living with the same metabolic disturbance.


Unfortunately, the medical community (in the 1960's) decided to treat metabolic syndrome with a low calorie, low fat, low cholesterol diet.  I’m not even going to ponder why this avenue was chosen, but I do know that we were "told" by the medical establishment that our cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar were the result of excess calories, excess saturated fat, excess cholesterol,  and inactivity.

Food companies went into high gear concocting low calorie, low fat everything: low fat mayonnaise, ice cream, salad dressings,  sugar free candy, cookies, cakes, low calorie frozen foods,  fat free potato chips.  A  food pyramid was designed to focus on low calorie, low fat carbohydrate foods like grains, fruit, non fat milk, juice, cereal, yogurt, breads, legumes…. (all carbohydrate foods at the base of that pyramid).

After the the high profile promotion of the low calorie, low fat, low cholesterol diet as the way to prevent overweight, heart disease, and diabetes…. the epidemics of obesity and diabetes took off!


Truth be known, this low fat, low calorie diet is about 50-55% carbohydrate (sometimes more).   For the millions with Met B, this style diet is a recipe for disaster.  Why?  The root underlying metabolic flaw for those with the genes for metabolic syndrome is INSULIN IMBALANCE and a  diet of  low fat, low calorie carbohydrate foods  flips the switch on metabolic syndrome’s root problem….insulin over-release, insulin imbalance, and insulin resistance.

Think about it….the low fat, low cholesterol, low calorie diet is really a HIGH CARB DIET.  The majority of people who will struggle with weight and weight related health issues cannot tolerate a high carbohydrate diet.  It will force them to over release the fat gain hormone insulin release making them fatter on their body and in their blood.  The longer they remain on a low fat, high carb diet, the fatter and sicker they will get.  In other words, the harder they try “to lose weight and get healthy”…the sicker they become….the more medication they will require…the more doctors visits (specialists, too) will be needed!


There is a ready and available solution to this disaster.  Obesity and weight (insulin)related health issues triggered by obesity is our greatest “natural disaster.”  It is very easy to determine if a person has Metabolism A (they can maintain health and wellness on the traditional low fat, low cholesterol, low calorie diet) or Metabolism B (they can attain and maintain health and wellness on a program designed for their special metabolic needs).  The answer is found in routine labwork.  It’s not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of fact if you have Met A or Met B.

For the 60% of the population suffering from overweight, obesity, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, diabetes, the solution is available today


I have spent over 15 years researching, developing, designing, and writing  and releasing the health and wellness program that will turn around the epidemics of obesity and diabetes.  I personally worked with over 6000 patients and have the data to prove that its success.  The program has been available to the public since April, 2009.  It has been reviewed by Harvard’s Nutrition Committee and the New England Journal of Medicine.  It is now followed around the world and is licensed in 7 languages.  It works.

I am saddened that the AMA, ADA, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is not strongly recommending the core lifestyle program behind The Metabolism Miracle and now The Diabetes Miracle.  They know that it works.


 If research money for finding the answer to the obesity/diabetes epidemics  should go anywhere, it should go into a large scale study that will prove that this program is the answer we’ve been looking for so that we can provide this information to the US and the world.

For those who  don’t want to wait for the government, medical institutions, universities, etc.  to decide to share this information (it will significantly reduce the need for medications and health care dollars)….you can start improving your health today.

The results will be objective…. In black and white.  The program will predict the target range of fat pounds lost every 8 weeks, the inches lost that will match the fat pounds lost.  You will see major marked improvement in your blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides,  and vitamin D. Your energy will skyrocket.  Your medication requirements will dramatically decrease.   All this will become evident within 8 weeks…and the program keeps on working.

When you reach your desired weight, are on as little medication as possible, have normal lab work, and love the way you look and feel, there is a maintenance “way of life” that keeps you there.


The cost?  The cost of a paperback book…under 11 dollars… The Metabolism Miracle by Diane Kress, RD CDE  (also on Kindle or in hardcover)    http://www.amazon.com/The-Metabolism-Miracle-Control-Permanently/dp/0738213861/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Need support?  For 20 cents/day there is a support site where I personally answer your questions , there are videos, recipes, tips, Forums, 24/7 chat with other Met B’s, and the best support you have ever seen for a lifestyle.  Miracle-Ville.com  is the place where those following the Metabolism Miracle lifestyle can meet for support, information, and one on one help.  20 cents/day.    www.miracle-ville.com.


We can do this on our own.  We don’t have to wait to be spoon fed the information twenty five years from now when the government and medical associations agree that the Metabolism Miracle is the answer. By that time, hundreds of millions more will die and suffer from the ramifications of uncontrolled metabolic syndrome.

Let’s make history now.

American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association take a BABY Step linking sugar to heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. At this rate, these deadly epidemics won't be stopped until the next century!

Click here to read the article

I am happy to see focus by the AHA and ADA on the sugar content of foods (specifically the content of sugar in soft drinks)...but they are focusing on only one small area of the macronutrient that is the primary cause of the obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic today.  A high carbohydrate diet not only triggers weight gain in over 60% of the population, but also causes increased blood sugar, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, midline adiposity, visceral fat stores, fatty liver,  depression, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, breast/colon/skin/prostate cancer, and more. 

Stop the focus on calories, already.  The health problems that plague the majority of Americans are not related to calorie intake as much as they are related to the SOURCE of those calories.  And it’s not only sugar!  All carbohydrate foods change directly into blood sugar.  As blood sugar rises, it triggers the release of the fat gain hormone, insulin.  Millions of people who have the genetic propensity for over-release of insulin (over 60% of those who struggle with weight) gain weight and get fat on their body and in their blood from excess insulin response to ALL carbohydrate foods!  Sugar is just ONE source of carbohydrate.  At this rate, it will take the AHA and ADA until the next century to get to the “heart” of the matter…..the diet protocol that is already available in The Metabolism Miracle and The Diabetes Miracle.

Yes, sugar sweetened beverages are 100% carbohydrate.  A 12 ounce regular soda contains about 45 grams of net carbohydrate grams.  But, 12 ounces of orange juice, 12 ounces of grapefruit juice, a hard roll, a regular sandwich wrap,  the crust of a slice of pizza, about 1 cup of cooked pasta,  about 1 cup of rice, or  a restaurant sized baked  potato also contain 45 grams of carbohydrate.  If eliminating soda due to its carb content will decrease the epidemics of obesity and diabetes, we will have to eliminate other foods like soda that break 100% into blood sugar.

So....when we focus our attention squarely on added sugars....we are pigeon-holing the problem.  Yes, it is a step in the right direction....but why not let the cat out of the bag and get it over with?  Tell the American public the whole truth.  The traditional diet that has been promoted and prescribed for over 60 years for overweight, diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol issues; the low calorie, low fat, low cholesterol diet DOES NOT WORK for the majority of dieters.  And, worse yet, this style of diet is ramping up the epidemics exponentially.

Research missed the mark back in the 1950's and 1960's.  The assumption was that our expanding waists, increasing blood lipids, blood pressure, and blood sugar were due to the fat in our diet.  The researchers and medical associations chose the wrong path almost 60 years ago.  The result?  Epidemics of overweight/obesity/diabetes.   It is now time to admit the error and clean up the mess.  The truth is...the comorbidities of metabolic syndrome are due to excess carbohydrate intake (all types of carbohydrates) PLUS our inactive lifestyle.  


I'm sure it will not be easy for the major medical associations to admit that they advised hundreds of millions of people incorrectly....that the diet protocol recommended for weight and diabetes was just not right and it needs to be changed ASAP. How about this?  Just tell the public that research has proven that the low fat, low calorie diet is appropriate for about 40% of overweight people, but will not work for the majority of those suffering from weight and weight related health issues.  


Medicine and science are dynamic fields and new information and research points us in the right direction to update and change our theories and guidelines accordingly.  Just say it was the latest research that lead you to the right diet prescription...but say something.  People are dying for lack of accurate information.

If you are interested in learning more about this topic and gaining control of your weight, health, and well-being....www.themetabolismmiracle.com.  The lifestyle program that can and will the epidemics of obesity, metabolic heart disease, and type 2 diabetes already exists.  It is available today in The Metabolism Miracle or for those with pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes, The Diabetes Miracle.  ***Guaranteed to be the programs the ADA and AHA promote by the turn of the next century.

Take good care of yourself. 

Another Dr. Oz “Magic Pill”….Green Coffee Bean Extract

Another Dr. Oz Show topic makes “The Whistle Blog.”   What is he promoting now?  Well, not surprisingly, another dietary supplement.  This time the “miracle pill” and “magic pill”  (he used these two adjectives to describe the supplement)  is GREEN COFFEE EXTRACT.  Let’s talk reality about this “amazing discovery.”


Green coffee beans are coffee beans before they are roasted. Once roasted, they turn the characteristic brown color of coffee.  Green coffee beans are a very good source of chlorogenic acid.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is one of the most abundant polyphenols and antioxidants in the human diet.  Major food sources include coffee, blueberries, grapes, apples, sunflower seeds, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, Chinese parsley, eggplant.

Although it is present in many commonly consumed foods, it is considered a poorly absorbed dietary polyphenol.

On Dr. Oz’s program promoting green coffee bean extract, he spoke of the “staggering study” that showed proof of CGA’s miracle weight loss ability.

The “Staggering Study”:

****The study was funded by Applied Food Sciences, which makes the green coffee antioxidant supplement.

The findings were presented at “The American Chemical Society” in San Diego?????

Number of participants in the “staggering study?”   16

Length of the study? 12 weeks

Did  the study represent adults of all ages?  The participants were 22-46 years of age

Location of the study? Although the study is presented as being conducted by the University of Scranton, the study was actually conducted in India.  The study was led by Joe Vinson, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pa.

Quote from Joe Vinson, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, “We don’t think it’s the caffeine in it.”

What was the weight status of study participants….”they were obese.”  “They did not change their diet during the course of the study...  average 2400 calories/day. They WERE physically active burning over 400 calories/day with exercise”.*  

***Please note that 2400 calories/day with a 400 calorie exercise burn is not a typical intake for an obese adult. A 2400 calorie dietary intake with 400 calories of exercise burn is typically a weight loss diet for an obese adult.”

Another Vinson quote: Vinson can’t say for sure why the coffee bean extract seems to help weight loss.  He suspects “one explanation is the unroasted beans’ chlorogenic acid.”

The Whistle Conclusion:

There does not appear to be any strong evidence that taking green coffee bean extract.   Dr. Oz’s guest recommends 800mg twice a day (nice income for Applied Food Sciences, the company who funded this study).  I’ve read that caution should be used in consuming green coffee bean extracts as they may contain high levels of caffeine as well.

I’ve also read some information about a 2006 study in which green coffee bean extract in a very low dose (140 mg) administered to hypertensive subjects resulted in a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, without any observed side effects.  Dr. Oz’s guest presenter recommended 1600mg/day.

When the dust settles and all is said and done, green coffee extract may be a great antioxidant like the antioxidants in many other fruits and vegetables.  Does there appear to be any reason to start using it regularly at this point?  No.  Was this a staggering study?  No.  Is green coffee extract a “miracle pill” or “magic pill” (Dr. Oz quotes).  No 

Raisins three times a day will lower blood sugar? Twisted study recommendations can actually promote type 2 diabetes!

At the ADA's 2012 scientific sessions, the "Raisin Board" presented study results they claimed showed that eating raisins 3 times/day could actually lower post prandial blood glucose...Hand picked study participants guaranteed that result....

CLICK HERE to read the published article

If the information I provide in this post continues to be withheld from the American public, millions of people's short and long term health, well-being, and lives will continue to be at stake.

The fact that this research study -claiming that purposely choosing raisins for the positive effect they have on lowering postprandial blood glucose rather than other snack foods...and suggesting that raisins be consumed 3 times/day ...is a misrepresentation of research findings as well as a disgrace. Why?

RAISINS ARE A CONCENTRATED SOURCE OF SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATE. A ONE OUNCE INDIVIDUAL SIZE BOX OF RAISINS CONTAINS 22 GRAMS OF CARB, 20 GRAMS OF WHICH ARE SIMPLE SUGAR. THAT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 5 PACKS OF SUGAR!

Please read on to understand what this means...and then write to the ADA and ask for The Metabolism Miracle and information about Metabolism B be made available to the public….now.

Over 110 million Americans have pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Millions more have metabolic syndrome (a compilation of medical maladies based in insulin imbalance including hypertension, hyperlipidemia (LDL and triglycerides), midline adiposity and increased visceral fat deposits, and blood glucose aberrations. If metabolic syndrome is left uncontrolled, it progressively leads to pre diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

I have coined the term “Metabolism B” (or Met B) to describe the genetic predisposition to excess insulin release and eventual insulin resistance in people on the path to metabolic syndrome. When I see a patient with fasting blood glucose between 90-99mg/dL inclusive, I tell them they have “Met B”. Metabolism B is the precursor to metabolic syndromeà pre diabetesà type 2 diabetes. If a person’s fasting glucose is over 89mg/dL, they are on the road to or have already begun metabolic syndrome. Just take a look at their progressively increasing blood pressure, belly fat, LDL, triglycerides, and blood glucose.

What is the underlying metabolic flaw in those with Met B? Their pancreas releases EXCESS INSULIN RELEASE in response to a rise in blood sugar from both carbohydrate foods and the liver’s release of glycogen.

If a person with Met B consumes a high concentration of carbohydrate, their pancreas over –releases insulin. Excess insulin causes blood sugar to DECREASE. An ironic twist for those in the beginning stages of uncontrolled Met B is that they often have LOW hemoglobin A1C levels because their excess insulin is causing them to have LOWER than normal average blood sugar.

If you repeatedly present a person with Met B high concentrations of concentrated carb, their pancreas will eventually fatigue from over-work. This is when Met B progresses to pre diabetes. If the assault on the pancreas from excess carb continues, pre diabetes progresses to irreversible type 2 diabetes.

That the ADA does not recognize this information is neglectful and the over 100 million Americans with pre diabetes and type 2 diabetes should hold the ADA liable for withholding scientifically proven and medically indicated information that can save people’s health and lives.

Please note that this study was purposely set up to include people with Met B! Everyone had fasting glucose between 90-100mg/dL. This way, when their blood glucose was tested post prandially, the majority would have a lower reading than if you gave them an alternate snack. High amount of simple sugar = high amount of insulin = lower blood sugar. So, it appears that the raisins are magically doing wonderful things to blood sugar when in fact they are provoking excess insulin ….a fat gain hormone.

I will not rest until this information is common knowledge from coast to coast. The program designed to stop the progression of Metabolism B to pre diabetes to type 2 diabetes is in The Metabolism Miracle (for the millions with Met B or pre diabetes) and The Diabetes Miracle (for those with pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Read more about Met B at :
www.themetabolismmiracle.com or www.thediabetesmiracle.com.

Knowledge is power and I will never stop advocating for those with Met B, pre diabetes, type 2 diabetes. I’m not only a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and author of the only books written to control this epidemic…I am also a person with diabetes.

Study Results: Erectile Dysfunction Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency.

http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/ed-linked-to-vitamin-d/vitamin-deficiency/vitamin-d/

Yes, there IS a link between ED and Vitamin D deficiency….but the underlying cause of both conditions is most likely rooted in a hormonal imbalance.  Balance this hormone, and improve ED and Vitamin D!


You can read about the study at the link I provided….but let’s put this situation in chronological order so it will make sense to you.  Having erectile dysfunction is devastating to many men and their partners,  finding out they are also deficient in Vitamin D, probably not so much.  But it is so important that men with ED understand what is most likely happening behind the scenes in their bodies that has resulted in their ED, low Vitamin D, hypertension, high cholesterol, belly fat, and blood sugar impairment.  All these conditions, and more, are related to the imbalance of one hormone.  Balance that hormone, and overall health improves…quickly.


The treatment for this cause of ED/Vitamin D deficiency is not in popping Viagra or a vitamin D supplement.  These pills “medicate” the problem…Viagra may enable an erection and vitamin D supplements will improve Vitamin D status…but neither TREATS the underlying cause of the problem. 


The imbalanced hormone in millions of men who struggle with weight is the fat gain hormone INSULIN.  When insulin levels are out of balance,  blood sugar roller- coasters and gradually damages blood vessels and nerve endings.   Insulin and vacillating blood sugar not only leads to ED and Vitamin D deficiency but also contributes to hypertension, high cholesterol, belly fat, and impaired blood sugar.  Problems with memory, focus, concentration, libido, irritability are also perpetuated.  So much depends on normal insulin and normal blood sugar.  

Normal insulin release and resultant normal blood sugar 24/7  is what protects Vitamin D levels, vascular health, and proper “firing” of nerve endings.  Taking an extra Vitamin D supplement is needed if you are deficient in Vitamin D, but the reason your Vitamin D was low in the first place as well as the underlying reason for your ED can be in  your metabolism….and there is an excellent chance if you are a man with ED, you have uncontrolled Metabolism B….also known as metabolic syndrome….


This is the way it is:

Insulin imbalance is at the root of  Met B /metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome (with its progressive increases in belly fat/visceral fat, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and blood sugar) is genetic and its progression is linked to stressors like physical inactivity, a high carbohydrate diet, stress (emotional/physical), illness/surgery, certain blood sugar altering medications (like prednisone, cortisone, certain anti-depressants, certain beta blockers). 


Over 55% of men who struggle with weight have the genetic predisposition to metabolic syndrome…they are riding on the Metabolism B train. If proper diet and lifestyle changes are not made, in time, millions WILL end up with hypertension, midline adiposity, ED, overweight/obesity, hyperlipidemia, pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes and low levels of Vitamin D.


As metabolic syndrome causes inflammation, nerve irritation, and vascular damage…it is no surprise that men with low levels of vitamin D are prone to ED and vice versa. 


There you have it


The medication bill in the US for this insulin related metabolic mess is in the trillions…medications for ED,  blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, diabetes, depression, GERD, PCOS, osteopenia, osteoporosis, cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, pancreas, ovarian, and skin, ADD/ADHD, and Alzheimer’s disease are all medications necessary as long as metabolic syndrome and insulin imbalance/resistance is not contained.


Ironically, there is a very inexpensive solution to this problem and it has existed for all to use since April, 2009. The research/development/trials/data collection/fine tuning had preceded the publication of the program by 13 years and to date data has been collected on over 6000 patients. It is now licensed for publication in 7 languages and has a world-wide following. The Metabolism Miracle became a New York Times Bestseller and was the #1 diet book in the UK in 2010. Haven’t heard of it? Not surprising as our medical community is very tight lipped about this scientifically based and medically sound lifestyle program.


Despite The Metabolism Miracle and The Diabetes Miracle’s tremendous objective success in long term weight loss, decreases in body fat, decreases and/or elimination of medications, improved health- based on labwork, decreased inflammation, improved nerve functioning, weight loss, fat loss, and improved quality of life based on subjective data collection….The AMA, ADA, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics have not yet studied this program. Harvard’s Nutrition Committee and the New England Journal of Medicine asked for book copies, but failed to comment.


It’s time to do a large scale research study comparing the core program in The Metabolism Miracle/The Diabetes Miracle to any other diet/lifestyle program. When the results are released, (and the results will prove that this program is the missing link to ending the obesity/diabetes epidemics), it will change the way obesity, diabetes, and weight related health issues are treated.


If you are a male with ED, a woman whose partner has ED, or a person who identifies with the other health conditions tied to uncontrolled Metabolism B,  get familiar with The Metabolism Miracle.  It can change your life.  http://www.themetabolismmiracle.com/