Important Points:

• Soaps
• Triclosan
• Inflammation
• Colitis

Is the Triclosan used in products safe?

Triclosan, a common antimicrobial often used in making soaps, toothpaste, hand sanitizers, body washes and kitchenware, has been found to aggravate risk factors for gut inflammation and promote the development of colon cancer through the process of altering the gut microbiota according to a study in the journal, Science Translational Medicine. In their lab test, it was demonstrated that mice showed low-grade inflammation when given triclosan. After three weeks, the inflammation had developed into full-blown inflammatory bowel disease. After feeding the mice with the same amount of triclosan found in human blood concentration, the mice developed a condition called colitis, a colonic inflammation leading to bleeding, diarrhea, pain, and abdominal spasms. Besides this, triclosan was also shown to negatively affect the immune system of the mice.

Yet despite these effects, triclosan remains a widely used ingredient in cosmetics and sanitation. In fact, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, over 2,000 consumer products contain triclosan and about 75 percent of users whose urine was sampled showed the presence of the ingredient.

Studies like these are strong rationales on why there is now a global movement to ban triclosan from body use and to switch to safer antimicrobials free from harmful effects.

A common antimicrobial additive increases colonic inflammation and colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis in mice

http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/10/443/eaan4116

Urinary Concentrations of Triclosan in the U.S. Population: 2003–2004

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2265044/

Important Points:

• Inflammation
• Tumor
• Cancer risk
• Immune reaction

Inflammation and Cancer

Our body’s immune system forms a defensive shield that would impress any fighting force. One of its most powerful weapons is inflammation, a carefully orchestrated maneuver designed to eliminate enemies such as bacteria, injured cells, and chemical irritants. We probably wouldn’t survive beyond infancy without it.

But inflammation has a split personality – besides the beneficial elimination, it can wreak havoc for those unfortunate enough to experience it. We now know that inflammation’s dark side is a powerful force in cancer development where it aids and abets tumor growth to spread it around the body.

• The History of Inflammation and Cancer

Experts have long suspected inflammation may play some role in cancer’s development, but researchers have only recently pinpointed chronic inflammation as a primary risk factor for cancer and other serious health conditions. In 1863, German scientist and physician Rudolf Virchow was the first to make the connection when observing that cancer often develops at sites of chronic inflammation. Because chronic inflammation causes few, if any, outward symptoms and because inflammation also benefits us at times, it’s taken quite a long time to see the relationship between inflammation and cancer.

Inflammation is a normal physiological response that causes injured tissue to heal. An inflammatory process starts when chemicals are released by the damaged tissue, and in response, white blood cells aid other cells to divide and grow in rebuilding tissue and repairing the injury. Once the wound is healed, the inflammatory process ends.

In chronic inflammation, the inflammatory process may begin even if there is no injury, and it does not end when it should. Why the inflammation continues is not always known. Chronic inflammation may be caused by infections that don’t go away, abnormal immune reactions to normal tissues, or conditions such as obesity. Over time, chronic inflammation can cause DNA damage and lead to cancer. For example, people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, have an increased risk of colon cancer.

• How Inflammation Can Lead to Cancer

When a tiny tumor starts growing from a few rogue cells, it can scavenge enough oxygen and nutrients from its surroundings. As it grows bigger, it’s demand starts to outstrip the supply, and cancer cells suffer. In their struggle to survive, they accumulate more and more genetic faults and release chemical signals that lure immune cells called macrophages and granulocytes to infiltrate the tumor.

Once inside the tumor’s inner sanctum, these cells secrete molecules called cytokines that kick-start the growth of blood vessels (angiogenesis) to ferry in much needed oxygen and nutrients. Other cytokines encourage growth of a sort of cellular ‘pillow’ called the stroma against which the tumor rests. Meanwhile, other inflammatory cells spritz the tumor with free radical molecules that further damage their DNA. Inflammation might also fire the starting gun for metastasis by producing chemicals that help tumor cells nibble through the molecules tethering them to their surroundings.

Taking all this together, it’s clear that fledgling tumors hijack inflammation and use it to accelerate the progression towards full-blown cancer.

• Potential Causes of This Inflammation

The reason inflammation becomes chronic isn’t always apparent. It may be caused by infections that don’t go away, abnormal immune reactions to normal tissues, or certain conditions like obesity. Over time, chronic inflammation may damage DNA, leading to conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and cancer. “Anything that causes inflammation will cause the DNA of a cell to replicate faster,” says Brad Mons, DO, Head and Neck Surgeon at our hospital in Tulsa. “The more your cells replicate, the higher chance you have of cancers developing.”

Sometimes, cancer-causing chronic inflammation stems from a disease characterized by inflammation; colitis, pancreatitis, and hepatitis, are linked to a greater risk of colon, pancreatic, and liver cancers, respectively. In these diseases, immune cells create highly reactive molecules containing oxygen and nitrogen that can damage DNA.

Chronic inflammation also may result from a chronic infection; H. pylori is often linked to stomach cancer, and hepatitis B and hepatitis C are often linked to liver cancer. HIV increases the risk of other viruses and very rare cancers, including Kaposi sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and invasive cervical cancer.

In other cases, environmental factors are the culprits. Asbestos exposure increases the risk for mesothelioma. In fact, many environmental carcinogens and risk factors are associated with some form of chronic inflammation.

• How to Reduce Your Risk

Today, researchers are exploring whether oxygen sensors in the body can be manipulated to reduce chronic inflammation. One study found that tricking immune cells into believing they’re lacking oxygen makes them retreat from the site of inflammation to conserve energy. Researchers are now studying whether medications could be developed to turn on certain proteins that, when activated, inhibit the body’s inflammatory response.

Evidence is also building that aspirin may help prevent chronic inflammation; the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug works by reducing the production of prostaglandins, chemicals that promote inflammation, pain, and fever. In a 2016 report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers who studied aspirin use in 135,000 patients concluded “long-term aspirin use was associated with a modest but significantly reduced risk for overall cancer, especially gastrointestinal tract tumors. Regular aspirin use may prevent a substantial proportion of colorectal cancers too.

• Using Diet to Combat Inflammation

• Add more plant foods to your diet: Plant foods are the only foods that contain anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, and they are high in the antioxidants and fiber your body needs to reduce your cancer risk.
• Limit processed foods: Choosing whole, fresh foods and doing your own prep maximizes nutrients and phytonutrients which keep us healthy in many ways, while reducing inflammation.
• Balance fatty acids: Eating the right dietary fats is important for reducing inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids can help protect your body from chronic inflammation, but omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation.
• Limit red meat: Eating too much red meat, like pork, beef, lamb, deer and buffalo, can increase your cancer risk, so try to limit red meat to 18 oz. or less a week.
• Eat more fermented foods: Fermented foods, also known as probiotics, can help reduce inflammation; to get the most health perks, eat at least one small serving of a fermented food each day.

Foods that help reduce your cancer risk also help reduce chronic inflammation and vice-versa. So, following these guidelines will ultimately reduce your risk of a variety of chronic diseases and improve your quality of life.

The bottom line

Better known to most of us by its brand name aspirin, acetylsalicyclic acid has been used for over a century to quell inflammation, and there’s now a body of evidence highlighting its potential in cancer prevention. While there’s still a ways to go to work out who should take aspirin, how much, and for how long, it’s becoming clear that blocking inflammation will play a big role in cancer prevention and treatment in the future.

References:

1. NCBI (2010): Inflammation and cancer. Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803035/

• National Cancer Institute (2015): Chronic Inflammation. Retrieved from

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/chronic-inflammation

• Cancer Centre (2018): Inflammation linked to cancer, but lifestyle changes may help. Retrieved from

https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2018/08/inflammation-linked-to-cancer-but-lifestyle-changes-may-help

• Cancer Research UK (2018): Feeling the heat – the link between inflammation and cancer. Retrieved from

https://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2013/02/01/feeling-the-heat-the-link-between-inflammation-and-cancer/

• MDAnderson Cancer centre (2014): Inflammation and cancer: Why your diet is important Retrieved from

https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/inflamation-cancer-diet.h14-1589046.html

Important Points:

• Gastro Intestinal tract (GI)
• Inflammation
• Gut flora
• Gut bacteria
• Microbiome
• Balance

What can you eat to improve your gut flora and reduce inflammation?

Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms — both friendly and unfriendly. Maintaining the right balance of bacteria in your gut is believed to improve digestion, reduce inflammation, decrease anxiety, and even improve brain function and mood. A healthy balance of gut bacteria is also said to boost metabolism, eliminate cravings, and help you shed unwanted weight. We will look at ways in which you can achieve this by the food you eat.

What functions happen in the gut?

Digestion: Carbohydrates the body is otherwise unable to process are fermented in the large intestine,where our friendly bacteria reside. Through this process they reduce gut inflammation, stimulate and improve metabolic function, and produce essential nutrients such as vitamin K.

Brain Health: Our gut prompts the production of several neurotransmitters, including serotonin; remarkably, 95% of serotonin is actually produced in our gut! Serotonin affects every part of your body and is viewed as a natural mood stabilizer regulating anxiety, happiness and mood. It is said that the way to a man’s heart is through the stomach. Is this why?

 Immunity: Approximately 70% of our immune system is situated in the gut. The beneficial flora our immune system is able to differentiate between friend and adversary and rebalance the immune system when it gets off-kilter.

How can we improve our gut health?

Proactive ways to improve our gut health:

• Proper digestion: When we eat, we need to make sure that proper digestion takes place. The key to proper digestion is making sure we absorb all our food. How can we optimize our absorption? We can start by turning off the T.V., putting aside all our work, and sitting down at the table, so that all our energy can be focused on eating and digestion. Food is meant to be enjoyed, so chew and taste it!
• Re-establish gut bacteria: Probiotics and fermented food, such as sauerkraut, kimchi and miso are the key to reestablishing the good bacteria in your gut. Eating plenty of whole plant foods, packed with fiber is another critical part of nourishing a healthy microbiota. Warning! Gluten-free foods and even a lot of salads can actually be low in fiber. To support the growth of good bacteria, probiotics aim to consume certain prebiotics, such as: almonds, bananas, garlic and onion, which will help to feed those friendly bacteria in your gut.
• Take an anti-Inflammatory diet: Aim for fresh food or one-ingredient foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, lean meat or dairy and minimize processed foods. Omega 3 is a beneficial anti-inflammatory nutrient, so try incorporating salmon, walnuts, chia seeds or flax seeds into your diet. To spice up soups, stews, or stir fries, add turmeric as it is another amazing anti-inflammatory food.

What should you eat to boost your Gut Health?

Foods that boost your microbiome:

• Eat more prebiotics

Scientists have identified a few species among the many trillions of microbes that live in your intestines playing a crucial role in gut health and maintaining a balanced immune system. Your dietary intake is vital to allowing these species to flourish and to preventing imbalances that can lead to disease. Prebiotics provide a good food source for certain populations of healthy gut bacteria, such as bifidobacteria, which, in turn, prevent intestinal inflammation. Studies have shown that prebiotics can be particularly beneficial for obese people, as they reduce insulin and cholesterol levels, while lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Prebiotics can be bought as supplements or taken in naturally by eating asparagus, leeks, bananas, garlic and Jerusalem artichoke.

• Focus on fiber and wholegrains

Western diets tend to be rich in fat and sugar with most of our food coming from only Twelve plant and five animal species. However, following a diet rich in high-fiber foods such as apples, artichokes, blueberries, chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans can limit the growth of harmful bacteria and stimulate Bifidobacterium, lactobacilli and another healthy species called Bacteroidetes.

• Take fermented products

Fermented foods such as kimchi, kefir, kombucha, natural yoghurts and fermented soya bean milk have been shown to promote the abundance of healthy gut bacteria and reduce the levels of enterobacteriaceae, a family of bacteria linked to a number of chronic diseases. Natural yoghurt enriched with bifidobacteria has also been found to alleviate lactose intolerance in children and adults, while yoghurts enhanced with lactobacilli have had some beneficial results in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Avoid flavored yoghurts, which tend to contain high levels of sugar.

• Ensure you take some polyphenols

Polyphenols are plant compounds that are mainly digested by gut bacteria and are associated with a variety of benefits including a reduction in blood pressure, cholesterol and oxidative stress. They are found in almonds, blueberries and broccoli as well as in green tea, cocoa and red wine. The types of polyphenols found in cocoa are linked to changes in the microbiome that reduce inflammation and triglyceride levels.

• Avoid artificial sweeteners at all costs

Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are commonly used in food as replacements for sugar. Aspartame specifically has been found to alter gut bacteria in human and animal studies, and these changes appear to result in elevated blood sugar levels and increased susceptibility to metabolic disease.

• Breastfeed your baby

Our microbiome is continually developing during our first two years of life. A number of studies have shown that babies who are breastfed for six months develop a much healthier gut compared with those who are fed with formula. Children who have been breastfed are also less prone to allergies, obesity, leukemia and diabetes; this is thought to be linked to the microbiome.

• Go vegetarian

Several studies have suggested that vegetarian diets may be good for the microbiome, with findings indicating that a largely plant-based diet decreases the levels of disease-causing bacteria such as E coli and Enterobacteriaceae. This may be particularly beneficial for obese people with type 2 diabetes or hypertension. One small study found that obese people who switched to a vegetarian diet had reduced levels of potentially harmful bacteria as well as lower levels of cholesterol and inflammation after one month.

• How to ensure your gut flora flourishes

The gastrointestinal tract is important to human health. In recent years, scientists have discovered that the GI system has an even bigger, more complex job than previously appreciated. It has been linked to numerous aspects of health that do not necessarily involve digestion, from immunity to emotional stress to chronic illnesses, including cancer and Type 2 diabetes.

There are trillions of bacteria found in the GI tract, which not only help us process food but also help our bodies maintain homeostasis and overall well-being. Experts say the key may lie in the microbiome—the makeup of bacteria and other microorganisms in the stomach and intestines or informally, the gut.

Research on the microbiome is still in its infancy. But studies have already found that certain environments, foods, and behaviors can influence gut health for better or worse. Fermented food sources—like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi—that have other nutritional benefits as well, should be considered in the front lines of influencing gut flora.

Finally, there are the cutting-edge ways in which doctors are beginning to manipulate the gut microbiome directly through Fecal transplants which introduce donor stool material containing healthy bacteria into the intestinal tract of a recipient, have been used to treat IBD as well as C. difficile, a dangerous infection that causes recurrent diarrhea. Researchers are also studying how bacteria-killing viruses can target strains of E. coli associated with Crohn’s disease. It is most beneficial to stick to natural food sources as much possible because a lot is still unknown about the microbiome and the effects of altering it.

References

1. Healthline (2019): The Microbiome Diet: Can It Restore Your Gut Health? Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/microbiome-diet

• Time (2019): Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Gut Health. Retrieved from

https://time.com/5556071/gut-health-diet/

• Food Yourself (2018): Gut Flora and How to Improve your Gut Health. Retrieved from

https://www.foodyourself.com/blog/2018/12/4/gut-flora-and-how-to-improve-your-gut-health

• NCBI (2013): Strict vegetarian diet improves the risk factors associated with metabolic diseases by modulating gut microbiota and reducing intestinal inflammation. Retrieved from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24115628

• The Guardian (2018): Seven ways to boost your gut health. Retrieved fromhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/sep/10/seven-ways-to-boost-your-gut-health

Wheat is the key ingredient in the American diet. Unfortunately, after being milled, it is seldom utilized in its whole form with its components intact. The wheat we consume is in the form of bread, pies, cakes, cookies, biscuits, spaghetti, cream of wheat, cereals, and other forms that have been treated, heated, fractioned, and fragmented. Is consuming refined grains harmful? In this article, we expound on this.

1. What are refined grains?

Almost every nutrition expert agrees that refined carbs should be limited. However, they are still the main source of dietary carbs in many countries.

What Are Refined Carbs?

Refined carbs are also known as simple carbs or processed carbs.

There are two main types:

• Sugars: Refined and processed sugars, such as sucrose (table sugar), high fructose corn syrup, and agave syrup.
• Refined grains: These are grains that have had the fibrous and nutritious parts removed. The biggest source is white flour made from refined wheat.

Refined carbs have been stripped of almost all fiber, vitamins, and minerals. For this reason, they can be considered “empty” calories. They lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels.

They are also digested quickly and have a high glycemic index. This means they lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels after meals. Eating foods high on the glycemic index has been linked to overeating and increased risk of many diseases.

Sadly, sugars and refined grains are a very large part of the total carbohydrate intake in many countries. The main dietary sources of refined carbs are white flour, white bread, white rice, pastries, sodas, snacks, pasta, sweets, breakfast cereals, and added sugars. They are also added to all sorts of processed foods. Refined Grains Are Much Lower in Fiber and Micronutrients

How do grains get refined?

Whole grains consist of three main parts;

• Bran: The hard outer layer containing fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Germ: The nutrient-rich core containing carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant compounds.
• Endosperm: The middle layer contains mostly carbs and small amounts of protein.

The bran and germ are the most nutritious parts of whole grains. They contain high amounts of many nutrients, such as fiber, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and selenium.

During the refining process, the bran and germ are removed, along with all the nutrients they contain. This leaves almost no fiber, vitamins, or minerals in the refined grains. The only thing left is rapidly digested starch with small amounts of protein. Whole grains are very high in dietary fiber.

That being said, some producers enrich their products with synthetic vitamins to make up for some of the loss in nutrients. Whether or not synthetic vitamins are as good as natural vitamins has long been debated. However, most people will agree that getting your nutrients from whole foods is always the best choice.

Diets high in refined carbs also tend to be low in fiber. Low-fiber diets have been linked with an increased risk of diseases like heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and various digestive problems.

2. The Effect of refined grains on your health

Abdominal Fat – Consuming mainly refined grains may increase your visceral adipose tissue, a type of fat found around your organs that may eventually lead to diabetes and heart disease; according to a study carried out, participants who consumed at least three servings of whole grains per day had approximately 10 percent less VAT than people who consumed only refined grains.

Overeating and Increase the Risk of Obesity- A large portion of the population is overweight or obese. Eating too many refined carbs may be one of the main culprits. Because they are low in fiber and digested quickly, eating refined carbs can cause major swings in blood sugar levels. This can contribute to overeating. This is because foods high on the glycemic index promote short-term fullness, lasting about one hour. On the other hand, foods that are low on the glycemic index promote a sustained feeling of fullness, which lasts about two to three hours.

Heart Health-Consuming refined grains instead of whole grains may result in atherosclerosis, or thickening of the arteries, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Another study found the bran component of whole grains, which is no longer present in refined grains, maybe the most protective against heart disease, as study participants who consumed the most added bran had the lowest risk for heart disease.

Diabetes-People who consume fewer whole grains and more refined grains have a higher risk for diabetes. Studies show that high consumption of refined carbs is linked with insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels. These are some of the main symptoms of type 2 diabetes. This may be in part due to the lower fiber, magnesium, and vitamin E content of refined-grain foods, as these nutrients are decreased when whole grains are refined.

Mortality-While fiber from whole grains may be protective against early mortality, the same is not true with fiber from refined grains. The fiber in refined grains comes from the endosperm of the grain, which doesn’t contain many nutrients, while the fiber in whole grains also includes fiber from the bran and germ of the grain, which have a higher nutrient content. The beneficial effects of whole grains may be due to more than the fiber contained in these grains.

3. Why are refined grain products harmful?

Refined grains and their food products are substandard foods for several reasons:

• They are excessively starchy and high in gluten.
• They are practically devoid of natural fiber.
• There can be up to approximately 25 different chemicals that are added to refined grains and bread products.
• Grains are fumigated.
• Bleaching chemicals are used.
• Artificial colorings and flavorings are used.
• They are nutritionally imbalanced.
• Because refined grain products are nutritionally imbalanced, they are responsible for contributing to several degenerative diseases. Calcium leaching from the bones and teeth occurs because of the altered phosphorous-calcium balance in these products. Sugar and refined grain products are primarily responsible for tooth decay in this country, as well as being the major cause of brittle bones in the elderly.

4. What are some Healthy Gluten-Free Whole Grain Alternatives?

• Amaranth
• Buckwheat
• Corn
• Millet
• Oats
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Wild Rice

5. To take, or not to take, refined grains?

In the US, the familiar white flour, which is the result of the modern refining process, is 72% extraction. This means that it has lost 28% of the bulk of the wheat, including half or more of many of the crucial nutrients. It would be prudent to cut down on refined flour products and instead opt for whole grains.

Eating a lot of refined carbs can have many negative health effects. However, not all carbs are bad. Some carbohydrate-rich, whole foods are extremely healthy. These are great sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and various beneficial plant compounds. Some healthy carb-rich foods include vegetables, fruit, legumes, root vegetables, and whole grains, such as oats and barley. Unless you are following a carb-restricted diet, there is absolutely NO reason to avoid these foods just because they contain carbs.

References

1. Healthline (2017): Refined Carbs Are Bad For You. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-refined-carbs-are-bad#section1

2. SF Gate (2018): The Health Side Effects of Refined Grains. Retrieved from https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-side-effects-refined-grains-3064.html

3. NCBI (2019): Perspective: Refined Grains and Health: Genuine Risk, or Guilt by Association? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520038/

4. Food Matters (2011): Why Refined Grains Are Harmful + 8 Gluten-Free Whole Grain Alternatives. Retrieved from https://www.foodmatters.com/article/why-refined-grains-are-harmful

5. Sott (2019): Why Refined Grains Are Harmful. Retrieved from https://www.sott.net/article/226260-Why-Refined-Grains-Are-Harmful

Chances are you already know that eating too much sugar isn’t good for you. Yet you’re probably still overdoing it. Sugary drinks, candy, baked goods, and sweetened dairy are the main sources of added sugar. Added sugars can be hard to spot on nutrition labels since they can be listed under a number of names, such as corn syrup, agave nectar, palm sugar, cane juice, or sucrose.No matter the name, sugar is sugar, and it can negatively affect your body in many ways. Here’s a closer look at how sugar can affect your health negatively.

What effect of sugar makes it harmful?

The amount of sugar a person should consume varies, depending on their sex and age. Sugar appears in our food in many forms, including sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Sweet as it is, it sometimes has a negative impact on our health. Let’s have a look at some of these:

1. Can Cause Weight Gain- Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits. Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar.
2. Can drain your energy -Because your glucose levels spike and plummet, the unstable blood sugar can leave you experiencing mood swings, fatigue, and headaches. It also contributes to cravings, which begins the cycle of false hunger. By contrast, those who avoid sugar report having fewer cravings while feeling more emotionally balanced and energized.
3. Sugar affects cognition in children.-Let’s not forget about our little ones! When New York City public schools reduced the amount of sugar in their lunches and breakfasts, their academic ranking increased by 15.7% (previously, the greatest improvement ever is seen had been 1.7%).11 The study also eliminated artificial colors, synthetic flavoring, and two preservatives, showing the importance of natural ingredients for children.
4. Increases Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes- There is a clear link between excessive sugar consumption and diabetes risk. Obesity, which is often caused by consuming too much sugar, is considered the strongest risk factor for diabetes.Additionally, prolonged high-sugar consumption drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance causes blood sugar levels to rise and strongly increases your risk of diabetes.
5. Your immune function can be affected by sugar.-As if being sick wasn’t bad enough, studies have shown that sugar can interfere with the way your body fights disease. Bacteria and yeast feed on sugar, so excess glucose in the body causes these organisms to build up and cause infections.
6. A high-sugar diet can lead to chromium deficiency.-Chromium, a trace mineral that helps regulate blood sugar in the body. While it can be found in meats, seafood, and plant foods, 90% of Americans still don’t get enough chromium because of refining searches.6 Other carbohydrates can also rob foods of their chromium supplies, so limiting your carbs is your best bet for increasing those mineral levels.
7. Sugar accelerates aging.-While you probably know that sugars can affect your body composition, they can also mess with your skin by contributing to wrinkles and sagging. After sugar hits your bloodstream, it attaches to proteins. The mix of these proteins with sugar causes the skin to lose elasticity and leads to premature aging.
8. Sugar causes tooth decay.-With all the other life-threatening effects of sugar, we sometimes forget the most basic cosmetic damage it does. When it sits on your teeth, sugar causes decay more efficiently than any other food.8 It’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day to stop sugars from fueling plaque and bacteria.
9. Sugar can cause gum disease, which can lead to heart disease.-Increasing evidence shows that chronic infections, like those that result from dental problems, play a role in the development of heart disease. It is believed that a connection stems from the body’s inflammatory response to infection. Luckily, this works both ways. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will decrease your risk of common illnesses, which reduces the chance that they’ll become a more serious condition later on.
10. Sugar takes the place of important nutrients.- According to USDA data, people who consume the most sugar have the lowest intakes of essential nutrients––especially vitamins A, C, B-12, and calcium. This is because the body needs these vitamins to process the sugar which results in the body using up its reserves and therefore “negative calories” and loss of vitamins occur.The trade-off is especially dangerous for children and teens, because they simultaneously consume the most sugar and need the most nutrients.
11. May Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease.-High-sugar diets have been associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including heart disease, the number one cause of death worldwide. Evidence suggests that high-sugar diets can lead to obesity, inflammation and high triglyceride, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels — all risk factors for heart disease.Additionally, consuming too much sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened drinks, has been linked to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by fatty, artery-clogging deposits.
12. Can cause Acne. Foods with a high glycemic index, such as processed sweets, raise your blood sugar more rapidly than foods with a lower glycemic index. Sugary foods quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, causing increased androgen secretion, oil production, and inflammation, all of which play a role in acne development.
13. May Increase Your Risk of Cancer.-Eating excessive amounts of sugar may increase your risk of developing certain cancers.First, a diet rich in sugary foods and beverages can lead to obesity, which significantly raises your risk of cancer.Furthermore, diets high in sugar increase inflammation in your body and may cause insulin resistance, both of which increase cancer risk
14. Can Accelerate the Skin Aging Process.-Wrinkles are a natural sign of aging. They appear eventually, regardless of your health. However, poor food choices can worsen wrinkles and speed the skin aging process.
15. Increase kidney disease risk.-Having consistently high blood sugar levels can cause damage to the delicate blood vessels in your kidneys. This can lead to an increased risk of kidney disease.
16.  Increase the risk of developing gout. Gout is an inflammatory condition characterized by pain in the joints. Added sugars raise uric acid levels in the blood, increasing the risk of developing or worsening gout.
17. Accelerate cognitive decline: High-sugar diets can lead to impaired memory and have been linked to an increased risk of dementia.

How can you reduce your sugar intake?

Because excessive added sugar has many negative health effects and consuming small amounts now and then is perfectly healthy, you should try to cut back on sugar whenever possible. Simply focusing on eating whole, unprocessed foods automatically decreases the amount of sugar in your diet has huge gains.

Tips on how to reduce your intake of added sugars:

• Swap sodas, energy drinks, juices and sweetened teas for water or unsweetened seltzer.
• Drink your coffee black or use Stevia for a zero-calorie, natural sweetener.
• Sweeten plain yogurt with fresh or frozen berries instead of buying flavored, sugar-loaded yogurt.
• Consume whole fruits instead of sugar-sweetened fruit smoothies.
• Replace candy with a homemade trail mix of fruit, nuts and a few dark chocolate chips.
• Use olive oil and vinegar in place of sweet salad dressings like honey mustard.
• Choose marinades, nut butter, ketchup and marinara sauce with zero added sugars.
• Look for cereals, granolas and granola bars with under 4 grams of sugar per serving.
• Swap your morning cereal for a bowl of rolled oats topped with nut butter and fresh berries, or an omelet made with fresh greens.
• Instead of jelly, slice fresh bananas onto your peanut butter sandwich.
• Use natural nut butter in place of sweet spreads like Nutella.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages that are sweetened with soda, juice, honey, sugar or agave.
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, focusing on fresh, whole ingredients.
• Eating fruit can help ensure a person gets enough fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However many fruits are high in natural sugars and may not be suitable for those looking to lower their sugar intake. Some low-sugar fruits include strawberries, peaches, blackberries, lemons, limes, honeydew melon, oranges, and grapefruit.

Should we stop taking sugar?

Sugar is not unhealthful in itself. However, having excess sugar in the diet can cause a range of conditions, including heart disease, weight gain, and diabetes. To be aware of added sugars in food products, it is important to read labels carefully. Also, eliminating sugar from the diet can help prevent weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and other problems. For these reasons, added sugar should be kept to a minimum whenever possible, which is easy when you follow a healthy diet based on whole foods.

If you need to cut added sugar from your diet, try some of the small changes listed above. You will slowly realize that you don’t need as much sugar as you once did.

References

Healthline(2018):11 Reasons Why Too Much Sugar Is Bad for You. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar#section2
Atkins (2019): 10 Reasons Why Sugar Is Bad for Your Health, Retrieved from https://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/library/articles/10-ways-sugar-harms-your-health
WebMD: How Does Too Much Sugar Affect Your Body? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/how-sugar-affects-your-body
Medical News Today (2019): 5 reasons why sugar is bad for you. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324854.php

In the quest to understand the causes and early symptoms of diabetes and other chronic diseases, metabolic inflammation often comes up. What is it, and what is its role in the early onset of these diseases? This article delves into the definition of the term, its presentation, and likely effects.

1. What is metabolic syndrome?

The occurrence of metabolic syndrome has been on the rise in both developed and developing countries. It can be described as a group of disorders including glucose intolerance, central obesity, hypertension and lipid malfunctions present in various forms, depending upon the combination of the different components of the syndrome. Metabolic syndrome has been generally accepted to increase the risk for the development of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer.

2. What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants, and is a protective response involving immune cells, blood vessels, and molecular mediators. Immune signaling molecules called cytokines orchestrate inflammatory response when the harmful stimuli are detected. The inflammatory responses caused by both pathogens and wounding can cause damage to cells and tissue which in turn can induce further inflammatory responses.

The primary duty of inflammation is to isolate or rapidly destroy the underlying source of the disturbance, remove damaged tissue and then restore tissue homeostasis. Excessive inflammation can have adverse effects, resulting in collateral damage and disease.

3. Inflammation and metabolic syndrome

Metabolism can be described as the whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism. Without a doubt, the relationship between inflammation and metabolism is complex. Several explanations have been proposed to explain the origin of the metabolic syndrome. Some consider an initial insulin-resistant state progressing to the other components, while others view obesity as the main initiator of the syndrome.

More recently, the chronic low-grade inflammatory condition that often accompanies the metabolic syndrome has been implicated as a major factor both at the beginning of the metabolic syndrome and its associated pathophysiological consequences.

The inflammatory state that accompanies the metabolic syndrome does not completely fit into the classical definition of acute or chronic inflammation as it is not accompanied by infection; there is no massive tissue injury and the dimension of the inflammatory activation is also not large. It is therefore often called ‘low grade’ chronic inflammation or ‘meta-inflammation’, meaning metabolically-triggered inflammation or even ‘para-inflammation’ an intermediate state between basal and inflammatory states. Whatever the term used, the inflammatory process that characterizes the metabolic syndrome has its own unique features but its causes are far from being fully understood.

4. Inflammation and its outcomes

Despite it being an essential response to infection and tissue injury, inflammation has also been associated with several pathological processes. Excessive acute inflammation causes tissue damage and non-resolving inflammation leads to chronic tissue malfunction, suggesting a delicate balance between the rapid and effective response to distresses in tissue homeostasis and the collateral damage on tissue function.

As a cluster, obesity, raised fasting plasma glucose, high cholesterol and hypertension comprise the metabolic syndrome. We will have an in-depth discussion on some of these conditions in relation to metabolic inflammation:

            4.1 Obesity

Obesity is characterized by a low-grade chronic state of inflammation in which the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP are increased. It is a state in which there is an over-accumulation of subcutaneous and/or abdominal adipose tissue.

This adipose tissue is no longer considered inert and mainly devoted to storing energy; it is emerging as an active tissue in the regulation of physiological and pathological processes, including immunity and inflammation. Adipose tissue is also implicated in the development of chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus or cardiovascular disease.

Obesity can, therefore, be caused by inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Diet or dietary patterns as well as play critical roles in obesity and other pathophysiological conditions. It is therefore recommended for one to have a healthy diet and other nutrients that are generally considered to be beneficial.

              4.2 Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes Type 2 is a disease of insulin resistance, where people produce too much insulin and their receptors don’t work. They become insulin resistant and the inflammation arises from excessive insulin.

It has been known for a while that there are higher levels of inflammation in the bodies of individuals with type 2 diabetes. The levels of certain inflammatory chemicals called cytokines are much higher in people with type 2 diabetes than in people who do not have diabetes.

The development of Type 2 diabetes is to a large extent driven by obesity and inactivity. Excess body fat, especially in the abdomen, leads to continuous (chronic), low levels of abnormal inflammation that alters insulin’s action and production. Chronic levels of free fatty acids and glucose as a result of insulin resistance induce further inflammation, which results in increased cell death and impaired insulin secretion. This, in turn, prompts the progression from obesity and insulin resistance to full-blown Type 2 Diabetes.

As type 2 diabetes starts to develop, the body becomes less sensitive to insulin and the resulting insulin resistance also leads to inflammation. A vicious cycle can result, with more inflammation causing more insulin resistance and vice versa. Blood sugar levels creep higher and higher, eventually resulting in hyperglycemia and other more serious effects of T2DM.

               4.3 Atherosclerosis

Heart disease is currently one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality facing humanity. Such a paradigm shift in disease patterns over the last century has been facilitated by the alarming global incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Lately, there is an increasing focus on inflammation as one of the key factors in the pathophysiology of these disorders.

Early metabolic abnormalities that include weight gain, insulin resistance, and prehypertension and irregular blood lipid levels seem to have a complex relationship with diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Obesity increases the chances of diabetes, high blood pressure, pro-thrombotic state, and abnormal lipid presence. While inflammation and insulin resistance have direct antagonistic effects on the cardiac muscle, these metabolic irregularities as a whole lead to cardiovascular problems; warranting a multifaceted therapeutic and precautionary method of approach for the ‘Cardiovascular Metabolic Syndrome’ holistically.

              4.4  Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is the predominant cause of liver disease. Its prevalence reaches 30% of the population and up to 75–100% in people with obesity. Different degrees of severity characterize this disease. A great majority of patients do not display any symptoms. However, nearly 20% eventually progress to develop chronic hepatic inflammation which can lead to early hypertension, cirrhosis, cancer of the liver, and increased mortality.

NAFLD is linked to overweight or obesity, Insulin resistance ( in which your cells don’t take up sugar in response to the hormone insulin), high blood sugar (hyperglycemia, indicating prediabetes or type 2 diabetes) and high levels of fats, particularly triglycerides, in the blood.

Although this is one of the most prevalent metabolic anomalies in humans, what triggers the inflammation has remained elusive.

5. What then can be done?

The appearance of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, non- alcoholic liver diseases, and gout seems to be fairly recent. Taking into account the generally late onset of these diseases in the life of an affected individual, the causes and effects of the inflammation-induced metabolic disease need to be looked at in-depth considering increased life expectancy and the Western lifestyle.

Understanding inflammation as a critical component of metabolic syndrome can shed some light on what metabolic inflammation is and how it very likely plays a significant role in the onset of these chronic diseases. In turn, care can be taken to prevent or arrest metabolic inflammation before it causes serious harm.

References

1.   NCBI ( 2007): Cardiovascular metabolic syndrome – an interplay of, obesity, inflammation, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Retrieved from. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17391148

2.   Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science (2015): Inflammation and Metabolic Syndrome- An Overview. Retrieved from http://www.foodandnutritionjournal.org/volume3number3/inflammation-and-metabolic-syndrome-an-overview/

3.    NCBI (2011): Inflammation and the Metabolic Syndrome. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3210244/

4.    NCBI (2013): Obesity, Inflammation, and Diet. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3819692/

5.    WebMD: Diabetes and Inflammation. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes-guide/inflammation-and-diabetes#1

6.   Wikipedia: Inflammation. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflammation

Redness, hotness, swelling, and pain are the key signs of inflammation. Inflammation is not entirely a bad thing as it alerts us to the presence of an injury or infection. However, inflammation becomes harmful when it is chronic. Chronic inflammation may last for weeks, months, or even years. Recent evidence suggests that the underlying cause of many chronic diseases is linked to chronic inflammation. An approach that focuses on preventing chronic inflammation may be the best remedy for dealing with the associated chronic diseases. This article sheds light on how diet can be used to prevent chronic inflammation.

What Is Inflammation?

Inflammation is a defense mechanism that the body employs in order to protect itself from infection, illness, or injury. When inflammation occurs, the body increases the production of white blood cells, immune cells, and substances called cytokines that help fight infection. Acute infection is usually accompanied by pain at the site, redness, hotness, and swelling. Chronic inflammation may not have these accompanying signs. Apart from injury and infection, chronic inflammation may also be caused by diet, high-stress levels, and lifestyle diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Diet-Induced Inflammation

Some foods have been linked to inflammation. When you consume these foods regularly you are likely to develop inflammation-related diseases.

Refined carbohydrates are those foods that have been manufactured from carbohydrates that have been processed. For example, white rice is a refined food while brown rice is not. Other refined foods include white bread, pasta, cakes, and other pastries made from refined flour. Some studies have linked refined carbs with inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity. Processed and packaged foods are also likely to contain trans fats that have been linked to inflammation and destruction of endothelial cells that line the arteries in the heart. Trans fats are partially hydrogenated fats that are used in the preparation of most processed foods such as pizzas, cookies, and cakes. Processed meat such as bacon and sausages also contain unhealthy fats that may trigger chronic inflammation.

Numerous studies have linked chronic inflammation to an unhealthy diet. If you want to reduce inflammation, eat fewer inflammatory foods and more anti-inflammatory foods. This means adopting a fiber-rich and nutrient-dense diet with minimal amounts of processed foods. Diets that contain antioxidants can minimize your chances of developing chronic inflammation. Antioxidants fight off free radicals that are created as a natural part of your metabolism but can lead to inflammation when they’re not held in check.

The ideal anti-inflammatory diet should provide enough protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fat in the required proportions. Also, make sure that these nutrients are derived from natural wholesome foods that are not processed. The Mediterranean diet is one kind of diet that has been shown to reduce inflammatory markers.

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet originates from the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Its mainstay is on healthy fats, and it is centered on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, and olive oil. Mediterranean diets limit dairy products as well as the intake of red meat. It also omits refined and processed foods in favor of whole grains. When it comes to alcohol, the Mediterranean diet allows the intake of red wine in moderation. A low carbohydrate diet also reduces inflammation, particularly for people who are obese or have metabolic syndrome.

Vegetarian Diet

People adopt a vegetarian diet for varied reasons such as ethical, animal rights, environmental, health or personal reasons. Research has shown that vegetarian diets are linked to reduced inflammation and reduced cardiovascular risk. Vegetarian diets are basically diets that exclude meat, poultry, and fish.

The health risks of inflammatory foods

Most foods that have been linked to type 2 diabetes are also associated with inflammation. These foods are also likely to cause weight gain and obesity. It appears that ingredients in these foods have an independent role to play in the development of inflammation.

It is no surprise that most chronic diseases are now being linked to inflammation.

On the contrary, foods and beverages that reduce inflammation have been linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Foods such as blueberries, apples, and leafy greens are high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols. These compounds have cardioprotective effects as well as anti-cancer effects. Whole nuts have also been linked to reduced markers of inflammation as well as a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

By altering what you eat you could reduce your chances of chronic inflammation. To wrap this up, here are foods to eat and foods to avoid.

Foods to Avoid

You should avoid or minimize foods linked to inflammation. They include:

• Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice,
• Sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas
• Sweetened baked treats such as cakes, cookies
• Processed snacks such as chips and pretzels
• Processed meat such as bacon and sausages
• Excessive alcohol intake

Foods to Eat

Create a diet plan that has more of these foods:

• Whole grains
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Natural juices
• healthy fats that are unsaturated
• Red wine
• Dark chocolate
• Fatty fish that is rich in omega oils such as salmon, herring, and anchovies
• Nuts
• Peppers

References

1.   NCBI (2012): Comparison with ancestral diets suggests dense acellular carbohydrates promote an inflammatory microbiota, and maybe the primary dietary cause of leptin resistance and obesity. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22826636

2.   NCBI (2014): The effects of the Mediterranean diet on biomarkers of vascular wall inflammation and plaque vulnerability in subjects with high risk for cardiovascular disease. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24925270

3.   NCBI (2013): Very low carbohydrate diet significantly alters the serum metabolic profiles in obese subjects. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24224694

4.   NCBI (2004): Effects of a long-term vegetarian diet on biomarkers of antioxidant status and cardiovascular disease risk. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15474873

We are living in a diabetes pandemic.

But diabetes isn’t just about blood sugar, it’s systemic inflammation, incessant cravings-driven eating.

It’s obesity.

And it’s impacting our nation in ways most are completely unaware of.

From our children’s exposure to the U.S. dietary regulations in our public schools and the rise in ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) to behavioral issues in the prison system where most inmates emerge severely diabetic.

We are generating a massive problem of staggering social dysfunction most clearly evident in our nation’s urban areas. As a nation, we are failing.

And our Forget To Eat™ Podcast guest, Dr. Gurpreet Padda is right in the middle of it. Based in St. Louis, MO, Dr. Padda and his Padda Institute are highly regarded as one of the best pain centers in St. Louis.

Watch: Rats, Food, Prisons… Reversing The Diabetes Pandemic

Interview Transcription: Rats, Food, Prisons… Reversing The Diabetes Pandemic
B. McDermott: Welcome listeners. This is Barbara McDermott with SHIFT Formula and it’s my great privilege to share with you today our guest, Dr. Gurpreet Padda, an interventional pain physician.

Dr. Padda, what makes you so interested in the metabolic field when your focus is on pain intervention?

Dr. G. Padda: I practice in the urban core, in St Louis city. What I found in the patients that I was practicing on, I could treat their pain directly, I could get to them and I could treat the one particular joint that was bad or the disc, but they would have a recurrence.

And they would keep recycling over and over and over again.

And so I tried to figure out why it is that they came to me in the first place, which was usually they had a traumatic event.

But why was it that their pain was maintained and then why was it that they would recycle? Why was it that they were coming back?

And so the initial thing is, you look at the patient and think, “Well, goodness, they’re really overweight”.

Because that’s what you see.

And then when you start measuring the metrics and you start looking at everything associated with them. You start spreading out from just the simple tests and you look at things like hemoglobin A1C, you look at insulin levels, you look at GGT for liver function, you look at homocysteine levels and transference, and you start getting a bigger picture of what’s going on.

You realize that the patients are severely metabolically inflamed.

The Metabolic Inflammation Un-Cover

Dr. G. Padda: I also have a background in addiction and that combination with my background in pain and this discovery, not discovery, but un-cover for me of metabolic inflammation basically brought me to a common nexus.

You know, here I am dealing with severely obese patients, patients with severe addictions and patients with severe chronic inflammation and pain.

They’re the same patients. It’s the same common nexus.

And so, that’s how I ended up in this field. I’m dealing with patients that are extremely sick, or they’ve become disabled because they can’t function.

The Cause of Metabolic Inflammation

And what’s causing that metabolic inflammation, it’s our food supply.

We have an epidemic of obesity. We have an epidemic of addiction. We have an epidemic of chronic inflammatory conditions.

It’s all interrelated and pain is the common final pathway. It’s the scream that the body has, something is wrong. And that’s how they end up at me.

B. McDermott: The individuals in our SHIFT Community become much more powerfully aware of glucose-heavy foods.

It’s the carbohydrate category, and certainly the processed versions, that are our highest glucose heavy foods.

So, many in our community, just by down-shifting the amount of glucose, I call it going from glucose stacking to glucose tracking, they reduce glucose overburden and naturally their insulin levels follow.

And insulin levels start to drop as well. And the relief from pain comes very quickly when we understand the pathway. It’s really powerful.

Now, you mentioned obesity earlier. Is it an epidemic or is it pandemic?

Talk a little bit about that.

The Diabetes Pandemic

Dr.G. Padda: I use the word epidemic because that’s the one that everybody understands.

And I look at it this way. If I told you that there was a disease coming and it was going to affect 75% of the world’s population and 90% of the people that got this disease, we’re going to end up becoming pre-diabetic or diabetic and 30% of those, were going to end up with the end-stage renal disease.

And just in the U. S. this disease was going to cost us $1.3 trillion a year.

You’d be worried, right?

Well, this disease is here. It is called pre-diabetes, diabetes, and obesity.

This disease is right in front of us. One out of every five children has this.

So that’s why I call it an epidemic.

But it’s more than that. It’s a pandemic.

The Animals That Are Eating Our Foods Are Getting The Same Diseases

Dr. G. Padda: You know that it’s usually an environmental cause and we call it a pandemic because the animals that eat the same food that we eat get the same diseases.

The monkeys get the same disease, the dogs get the same disease.

The cats get the same disease, the rats get the same disease.

Anything that eats the food that we eat gets this.

There was a beautiful study that was just done recently and it was done in New York City. And what they did was they looked at obese rats because we’ve never had obese rats until recently. But now we’ve got these lumbering giant rats that have severe diabetes who are cognitively impaired because they’ve gotten diabetes and insulin resistance in their brain.

So they are wandering around the cities in New York.

Normally rats are terrified of daylight and they scurry along the edges of things. Once you make a rat cognitively impaired, it just wanders in the middle of the street because it has lost its fear.

The rat is cognitively impaired.

This is very similar to what we have with Alzheimer’s and cognitive impairment as we have type three diabetes of the brain in humans.

So this is the pandemic that we face and that pandemic’s, the central crux is our food supply.

I Love How SHIFT Addresses The Heart Of The Insulin Resistance Problem

You know, I love what you teach. Your concept of SHIFT.

And the reason why I love it is that it goes to the heart of the problem. The heart of the problem is insulin resistance.

And what happens when you shift your food supply, when you shift and change how you’re eating is that you have more hours that you’re not eating than you are eating.

And what that’s doing is it’s shifting the amount of stored glycogen that’s in your liver.

How We Become Insulin Resistant

Your liver has a glycogen carrying capacity of 500 grams. Your bloodstream has a glucose carrying capacity of about five to 10, maybe 15 grams, but not more than that.

And if you’re eating 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, it only takes you one teaspoon to overwhelm your blood capacity.

The other 21 teaspoons go to your liver.

And if you never depleted the glycogen reserve in your liver in the first place, it overflows. You become insulin resistant.

You accumulate fat and you become pre-diabetic and then eventually diabetic.

So we need to have periods of time greater that we don’t eat. So we can deplete our glycogen reserves in our liver so that we can function.

And that’s one of the biggest problems that I find. We have constant foraging of sugar and we never deplete the glycogen reserve that we have in our liver. And so we’re always at that full status. a

You have to deplete that glycogen reserve.

The Cravings Challenge

B. McDermott: And I guess the challenge we have for depleting our liver’s glycogen supply is the cravings.

Cravings are what many can’t rise above. You know the chemistry driven desire to continue eating is virtually impossible to overcome. It’s so powerful. Talk about addiction, right?

Can you expand on why food and in particular glucose and fructose-rich food addiction is a real and valid challenge for individuals?

How Food Addiction Happens

Dr. G.Padda: Yeah. So I think there are a couple of elements of addiction that we should discuss.

Our food supply is tainted.

And it’s tainted in such a way that our large food manufacturers are manipulating the amount of fructose.

High fructose corn syrup is supposed to be 55% fructose, 45% glucose. That’s what high fructose corn syrup is.

But the food industry is manipulating the food supply so that it’s 60% fructose instead of 55% fructose.

You’re probably wondering why they’re spending the extra money to increase the amount of fructose. Because normally these companies want to save money.

So why are they doing this?

Fructose Activates More Dopamine

Because glucose does not activate as much dopamine release as does fructose.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WEIGHT LOSS SABOTEUR – DOPAMINE

Fructose kicks in the nucleus accumbens and dumps a bunch of dopamine.

So you end up with a tremendous surge of dopamine that makes you want to eat again and eat again and eat again.

So that’s issue one. Our food supply is tainted in such a way that the processed foods are hyper-addictive and that’s going to be a significant challenge.

How Loneliness And Lack Of Community Work Against Us

The second factor is that we have an epidemic of loneliness.

So researchers did an interesting rat study. We do rat studies all the time… and we just happen to be the rats in some cases.

But in this particular rat study, they put the rats in a cage and offered them water, or cocaine plus water.

Well, each rat was alone. They found the water and drank that. It was okay.

But, when they found the cocaine-water they couldn’t stop drinking it.

They drank it to the point where they were unconscious.

They didn’t eat food. And eventually they died.

And so the natural conclusion from that was if you give an addictive substance to a rat, it’s going to consume that addictive substance to the point where it dies.

And so that was the initial conclusion.

Keep in mind, those rats could also be considered humans.

You give an addictive substance to a human, they’re going to eat it to the point where they die.

And on that basis, when we had people coming back from Vietnam, we knew that about 60% to 70% of them had been using heroin or some form of amphetamine or some form of opiate that was highly addicted.

We assumed that when these people came back from Vietnam, we would have zombies on the streets.

But that’s not what happened. Only 5% came back having an addiction.

What happened to the rest? Why weren’t they addicted?

Because in Vietnam they were addicted, but in the U.S. they weren’t addicted.

So they repeated the rat study. They gave the rats water or they gave the rats cocaine plus water.

But this time what they did was they put them in an enhanced environment. They were given the opportunity to play with other rats, to have sex with other rats, to have a maze and run around.

Low and behold, none of those rats died because they weren’t lonely.

They weren’t isolated.

They had other rats to play with.

The Power Of Community In Weight Loss Management

And so when I deal with weight loss management, my main thing is to generate a community for my people.

Whether that’s me interacting with their church groups and interacting in a way that allows them to communicate with each other and to co-share, we have to eliminate loneliness to treat addiction.

That’s how my addiction side becomes more and more relevant for me, it’s that we have to realize that a big part of addiction is loneliness. It’s not just the substance and it’s not just your genetics, it’s your interaction with society.

And we would think that we have all this cool tech that we have Facebook and we have Twitter, but that’s actually creating more loneliness because there’s not a true human interaction.

B. McDermott: Absolutely. You know that chemistry of ‘love’, right? How emotionally we experience the same neurotransmitters or feelings whether triggered by gossip, a chocolate chip cookie, or love.

There are emotional similarities between the three. Gossip meaning a good thing, being socially connected, in community, you know, it’s really powerful when you can whittle it all down.

What an excellent study to help us see it all so much more clearly.

You and I spoke a bit before this podcast about your work with the prison system. Do you want to segue into that?

How The 1980 Dietary Guidelines Change Paved The Way To Insulin Resistance, Obesity & Diabetes

Dr. G. Padda: Yeah. So I grew up, I actually grew up in India.

I moved to the U.S. when I was probably about eight or nine and I became integrated into the U.S. school system. So I was here in the early mid-seventies.

The dietary guidelines kicked in and were being discussed in 1977 and they were implemented in 1980.

The dietary guidelines from the U.S. specifically stipulated that we should eliminate saturated healthy fats and replace them with vegetable oil. And as we did that, they also recommended that artificial sweeteners were a good thing and that we should start using those.

And when we started to demonize fat, especially the good fat and replaced those fats with vegetable oil, we also started to increase the number of carbohydrates.

So it’s interesting, you know, here I was a little kid and I’m in India, we’re thin as a rail because we don’t have enough food and we use regular saturated fat.

And yet as I saw immigrants that were here in the U.S., and I was in the St. Louis City public school system, as we saw this transition. People started to get fatter.

And we really see the takeoff of obesity from 1977 to 1980 and there’s a direct vertical climb from there up and you can see it on every obesity epidemic chart that you can find.

The Obesity Connection To Jails & Schools

So we see this epidemic of obesity.

Why is this relevant to criminals? Why is this relevant to jails? Why is this relevant to schools? J

ails and schools are an amazing ‘rat cage’ because the dietary guidelines control the food that those kids get.

And a lot of times in the urban core, that may be the only meal of the day that the kid gets.

So the kids getting a specific meal formulated by U.S. dietary guidelines, that meal’s dietary guideline stipulates how much carbohydrate and how much vegetable oil they get.

What we found was that the rates of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), started to climb and by the mid-eighties, we had a serious issue.

ADD rates were going up and in school, behavior issues for kids were going up and their exposure to criminality was going up and they were getting kicked out of school.

These kids were ending up in prison systems.

And the food is even more controlled in the prison system.

So now we have a prison system that’s feeding these kids turned criminals the very same diet that contributed to their incarceration in the first place.

And what happens is that these people end up becoming disenfranchised because when they get out, they can’t vote anymore and their specific community suffers because they lose the population that votes.

It suffers because they’ve lost the economic force that would have been productive. And we sideline these people and we disable them and then we have to pay for them.

So, as a society, what we’re doing is we’re creating our own mess.

We’re incarcerating people because of the food that we give them because it increases their likelihood of ADD and oppositional disorders.

And at the end of it, we end up basically criminalizing everything for them and they can never function.

So we end up caught. It ends up costing us as a society because of the food that we subsidize, that we pay for, to give to these people which becomes our large, large volume ‘rat study’.

So that’s how I got involved.

I’ve been working with groups like Exoneration Nation, which is people who have been released from prison and almost all of them come out with severe metabolic dysfunction.

Almost all of them are exposed to vegetable oil, high amounts of grain and high amounts of sugar.

And they’re all coming out of prison pre-diabetic or diabetic, or insulin resistant. And when you have that confluence, you increase the risk of solid tumors, you increase the risk of cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and all of those other expenses, and it’s going to create a tragedy for us.

So I’ve been trying to work at the school system level and at the prison level to change those controlled environments to help people.

B. McDermott: Oh. On a very personal level, I can share this.

We have a dear friend who was incarcerated, just for a few years. This man came out of prison so severely diabetic he could barely walk.

Since SHIFTing, he’s reversed that.

And as a past school teacher, I can’t tell you how many times I have seen children disciplined for a behavioral outburst after the parents and the faculty gave the children ridiculous amounts of sugar in the form of some kind of reward system.

We reward our children with the very kinds of foods that are going to promote their inability to control their behavior and cause emotional outbursts.

What’s Really Inside ‘Nutrition’ Bars?

Dr. G. Padda: Yeah. If you’ve ever been to a nutrition conference, which I’ve been to, the biggest sponsors of nutrition at these nutrition conferences are typically the big food companies.

These big food companies are basically selling quote ‘healthy bars’ and they’re basically Snickers bars.

And I don’t want to belittle Snickers. I’m not trying to, but, they’re basically candy bars.

They have some protein in them, but they’re basically processed high-glycemic index, processed sugar.

And even when it’s quote fiber, it still has a ton of other compounds in it. Some of the whitening agents cause tremendous leaky gut like titanium dioxide, which is basically what causes something to be white.

So, when we process these foods and we get farther and farther away from how they were really intended, that processing destroys our metabolism.

It destroys our gut bacteria. It changes the absorption of short-chain fatty acids. And it changes the absorption of carbohydrates.

The Calorie Paradox & The Cereal Breakfast

So, it leads to what the calorie paradox is.

You know, a calorie of this is not equal to a calorie of that. It depends on what happens with that calorie and the information contained within it.

B. McDermott: Yeah, it’s so complicated. And yet when someone like you puts it out there in such simple terms it’s so much easier to understand.

But the application of food rules can be so tricky because my gosh, we’re inundated with so much misinformation. We’re bombarded with food marketing and messages, social cues, and so much more.

Dr. G. Padda: It’s like the message of cereal.

How often have we heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day?

It’s not the best meal of the day for anyone except for the cereal company.

Because if you eat a cereal breakfast, two hours later, you’re going to be hungry. And then you’re gonna eat in two hours. And then you’ll eat in two hours after that, and then you’re going to eat in two hours after that, etc.

And if you spend your entire day eating every two hours, you never deplete your glycogen.

Watch: How Important Is Breakfast?

How We Become Insulin Resistant

If you never deplete your glycogen, you became insulin resistant in 28 days. Later, you’re going to have a serious problem.

I’m surprised that we don’t have more diabetes.

I think that humans are very hard to kill. And I’m really surprised that not everybody’s diabetic because they should be based upon the way that we have feedings that are like goals to hit.

Thank God we have a complex adaptive system that allows the progeny to proceed.

But there are some serious issues with our food supply.

An Epidemic Of Impotence & Falling Birth Rates

We don’t have an epidemic of impotence just for nothing.

It’s another area that I find where people don’t realize that the vegetable oil antagonizes nitric oxide synthesis and nitrates. Nitric oxide synthesis is necessary to get an erection. So that’s one of the reasons, it’s not the only reason, but it’s one of the reasons why our birth rates are falling.

It’s also the epigenetic effect of some of our sugars that we’re eating. We’re predisposing our kids to become diabetic. We’re doing that in the womb and we’re doing that a generation back.

So, what we’re dealing with is a massive thing. I would put this at a climate level. We’ve got a climate issue, but the dietary issue is a climate issue because it’s so pervasive.

B. McDermott: You hit the nail on the head for me, for the next generation.

Again, as a school teacher, as a parent, I see our children and our children’s children having to bear the burden of being raised in this environment. The least we can do is shed some light on it and make some changes in our own lives. Be an example, and get that ripple out effect going.

I’d love to see SHIFT getting into the school system. If our young people understood what it was all about. Place the power of knowledge in their hands. They’d say, “I can handle this.”

You know, any of us can SHIFT the way we eat if we just understand how it all works.

Dr. G. Padda: I agree with you.

It’s a fundamental misunderstanding, but it’s not amongst the lay public.

What 75% of Physicians Don’t Know About Cholesterol

I have to tell you about a study done by Credit Swiss, which is an insurance company.

There’s nobody smarter than an insurance company because they’re insuring when you die so that they don’t have to pay you. And they’re trying to figure it out because you’re paying them and they want to figure out how not to pay you.

So they’re trying to figure out if you’re going to die early or if you’re going to die late.

And they do all kinds of calculations and studies where they figured out how much do physicians know and what do physicians think?

And the vast majority of physicians continue to suppose that the saturated fat that you eat is the cholesterol in your bloodstream.

They have missed the point that the cholesterol in your bloodstream is not the saturated fat that you ate.

Just because you have cholesterol in your blood and it’s sitting as an atheroma on your coronary artery, that may not be the fact that you ate. That may be the second response from inflammation and that maybe the recovery molecule.

That may be the marker of injury and it may not be the cause of injury.

What Causes High Cholesterol?

Glucose is a cause.

Glucose and vegetable oil and things that make leaky gut. Those are the causes and we need to take a step back.

We need to also recognize the incentive that a physician and others have that drives this.

Watch: Lower Cholesterol Naturally

The Economics Of ‘Sick’

Because if I was playing a game and I was strategizing, I’d ask myself, “How do I make the most amount of money?” “Well, I’d want the sickest patients.”

“Okay, how do I get the sickest patients?” “

Well, I delay my treatment to the point where they’re sick and they’re dependent upon me.”

So what that means to me is if I’m treating pre-diabetic patients, I don’t want to treat them at hemoglobin between 5.1 or 5.7, I’m going to wait until 6.5 when they’re on insulin.

And then they have to come in and I can possibly do an amputation or I can do X, Y, Z.

So institutions will wait until the hemoglobin A1C is sufficiently high enough to start some of the more expensive drugs and treatment.

So you know, I am a cynic.

I have a background in economics as well. And so I look at things as game theory.

If I’m completely cynical, what would I do as a drug company, even though I was given insulin for a dollar and I was told to give it or provide it freely?

The answer is, I’m going to modify this free insulin a little bit so that I, as a drug company can charge for it. And that’s exactly what happened.

Get Your Free Insulin For Only $1,200 a Month

In 1923, Frederick Banting and John Macleod of Canada received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of insulin.

It was given by the Nobel laureates to the insulin companies who were to forever provide it for free.

But these companies changed insulin slightly so that they could charge $1,200 a month via a subscription program that you have to pay for for the rest of your life. That’s not cool, but that’s the model.

And so you know, you have to look at people’s drivers.

What Drives The Profits of Food Companies?

With big food companies, their driver is to sell as much food as they can at the lowest possible cost, at the highest frequency.

So they have to figure it out and they have to apply the technologies that they have.

When we got rid of smoking. When we finally said, “Hey, smoking is bad for you”, the big smoking companies moved over to the big food companies to figure out how to increase the likelihood of consumption.

And we’re going to see a similar thing with the marijuana industry. You’re going to see a large shift of the companies from alcohol and cigarettes and food infiltrating the marijuana industry to figure out how to make a previously non-addictive plant become hyper-addictive.

So we’re going to see a shift that will happen in the next five or 10 years.

You have to figure out what people’s motivations are.

B. McDermott: Well, Dr. Padda, you made my day. You shared so many insightful and thought-provoking stories that really helped me visualize some powerful, but abstract concepts.

You know, I tend to be a bit naive.

That last story about the insulin, good grief. My daughter is insulin-dependent. The hardship is not only physical and emotional but financial, too.

One of my greatest victories is helping people get off insulin.

What a wonderful thing to not need to take insulin any longer. Powerful!

Thank you again, Dr. Padda, for taking the time to share your expertise.

I’d seen on your website something that spoke to me. You use the term ‘citizen scientist’.

You’re the kind of doctor who steps over the line and reaches down and lifts the rest of us up. You give us the awareness by simplifying the concepts that open our eyes and makes us take a second look at things.

You know, when our loved ones are suffering, when people in our lives, or ourselves, are struggling we need to understand that the bigger powers really aren’t working for us.

I used to think my daughter was in good hands with all of her high paid experts. That she was truly supported by them. She wasn’t.

We must take matters into our own hands. We are ultimately responsible for ourselves. It takes rolling up our sleeves, digging in and taking a hard look at things.

Dr. G. Padda: And to be clear, my point is not to be a conspiracy person.

I don’t want to leave you guys there. But the motivations have to be perfectly clear for everyone to understand and to make the best decisions.

My hope is that people get the education that they need to take care of themselves.

B. McDermott: Absolutely. And we are not of the platform that medications are wrong or bad. Goodness, no.

A body needs insulin to stay alive.

But when we’re seduced or misled into believing it’s the answer.

Being told to just keep using it. That the only solution is to keep doing more. That’s not good.

Dr. G. Padda: Thank you. It was wonderful.

You have a very wonderful voice and you know how to take really complex science and put it into a story complete with the research and anecdotal evidence.

That was great. Thank you so much.

You know, we’re of kin when it comes to time-restricted nutrition.

I strongly urge people, to restrict their feeding cycles. I believe in intermittent fasting strongly. And so, you know, I totally agree with what you guys are doing. That’s why I reached out to you to be a guest on the Forget To Eat™ Podcast.

B. McDermott: Thank you so much for that! Your validation is huge. We live it, continue to live it, continue to see our client’s lives get so much better from it.

Okay. I’m gonna let you go. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday and we’ll be in touch.

Thank you, Dr. Padda!

When enjoying your tasty donut, the last thing on your mind your long-term mental health. However, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that you should be thinking of just that. Most of us know the harm of too much sugar on our physical health. It can cause obesity, wide-spread inflammation, and poor dental health and can lead to diabetes. However, few understand the significant impact of a high sugar diet on our mental health. In this article, we will at how a diet filled with too many sweeteners, such as sugar, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and molasses can have a detrimental impact on mental well-being.

1. Sugar and mental health: A toxic combination?

We all know how diet affects your physical health, but did you know that it can also have lasting effects on your mental health?  Regular consumption of meals high in sugar can affect your brain increasing your risk of developing mental illnesses and mood disorders like depression.

The science of sugar

Sugars are simple, soluble carbohydrates essential for cell and organ functioning. Our bodies have the ability to break complex carbohydrate molecules into simple sugars and as such, it is not necessary to take sugar in its simple form.

What happens to your neurons when you take too much sugar?

Neurons are very sensitive cells and are not well prepared for sugar level spikes. In fact, individuals with diabetes are at risk of neuronal damage. A study by researchers from the Department of Neurobiology at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, performed on diabetic rats showed that high blood glucose, a simple sugar, led to inflammation and neuronal damage and death in the brain.

2. What is the link between sugar consumption and mental health?
   1. Inflammation
   

Inflammation is a natural process that helps the body protect itself from damage and also aids in the healing process. Regular consumption of refined carbohydrates and added sugars triggers inflammatory responses that can cause inflammation in the brain and lead to depression.

2. Stress responses

After consumption of a high sugar meal, one can become hypoglycemic, a condition characterized by very low blood sugar levels. Hypoglycemia occurs when too much insulin is produced following a high sugar meal. Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar. This, in turn, causes the sugar circulating in the body to drop to levels lower than normal. Hypoglycemia can trigger several stress responses including confusion, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

High insulin levels can also cause an imbalance of hormone estrogen and progesterone. A balance of these two hormones is important in keeping us happy and calm.

3. Obesity and depression

High consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugar is associated with excess body weight and obesity. Overweight and obese people are more likely than people with healthy weight to suffer from depression. Obesity can cause poor self-image, low self-esteem and social isolation, all known contributors to depression.

4. High release of dopamine

Due to the powerful impact sugar has on the mesolimbic dopamine system — the brain’s reward system — sweet foods are highly desirable. Just like drugs, sugar can activate this reward system causing the release of dopamine, a chemical that controls the brain’s reward and pleasure center making you crave more sugar because it makes you feel good. Short term surges in dopamine can be pleasurable, but high concentrations can cause depression and attention deficit disorder.

5. Increases the risk of mental illnesses

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is a protein that promotes the survival of nerve cells and cognitive function. Low levels of this factor are associated with psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. A diet rich in fats and refined sugar is associated with a low brain-derived neurotrophic factor increasing the risk of psychiatric disorders and depression.

6. Starving the Brain

When you consume excessive sugar, a lot of insulin is produced to push this sugar into cells for energy production. The resultant dip in blood sugar can alarm the body and the adrenal glands, making them work overtime.  These glands are charged with producing cortisol (which ultimately promotes insulin resistance or the lack of cellular response to insulin) and fight or flight chemicals that can get your heart racing, and rev up anxiety.  This will make you consume more sugar, which will inflict more suffering on your brain and potentially even putting you at risk for Alzheimer’s dementia, down the line.

7. Disrupting Hormones

When cortisol is in demand for its blood-sugar balancing effects, or because of other psychological or bodily stressors, the body “shunts” the production of progesterone to support further cortisol output. This makes evolutionary sense because if we are under stressful circumstances, preserving progesterone, our “pro-gestational” reproductive hormone, becomes secondary. Insulin can also stimulate the production of DHEA and sex hormones including testosterone, which can drive the pathology we see with the polycystic ovarian syndrome. Sugars have also been demonstrated to reduce liver production of sex hormone-binding globulin, freeing up testosterone and estrogen in ways that may promote symptoms of estrogen dominance including premenstrual moodiness and irritability.

3. What effects does sugar have on mental conditions?

• Depression & Schizophrenia: The rapid fluctuation of blood sugar can worsen mood disorders. Research has shown that high sugar can lead to an increased risk of depression and even worse outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. Interestingly, countries with high sugar intake also have correspondingly high rates of depression.
• Anxiety: Although sugar does not increase your risk of anxiety, it can worsen your symptoms and weaken the body’s ability to respond to stress. By minimizing sugar, you can lessen the severity of anxiety symptoms, improve mood and improve the body’s ability to cope with stress.
• Addiction: There’s a growing amount of evidence of sugar’s addictive potential. Drugs and sugar both flood the brain with the “feel-good” chemical dopamine. In studies, rats have been shown to prefer sugar-water over cocaine. And they also display classic signs of addiction, including tolerance and withdrawal when the sugary products are removed.
• Learning & Memory: Sugar can affect how and how much we learn and remember. After 6 weeks of drinking a fructose solution, much like soda, rats “forgot” how to find their way out of a maze. Insulin resistance from a high sugar diet can damage communications between brain cells involved in learning and memory formation.

4. How do we avoid the pitfalls of sugar?

How easy is it to avoid sugar? We are bombarded with advertisements for convenience foods and tasty treats. But even seemingly healthful foods can have high levels of hidden sugars.

Breakfast cereals, sauces (including ketchup and pasta sauce), flavored milk, wholemeal bread, and many products labeled as low fat, such as fruit yogurts are such culprits.

Smoothies and fruit juices for children were in the spotlight last year in an article published in BMJ Open. It was noted that over 40 percent of products surveyed contained at least 19 grams of sugar – a child’s entire maximum daily amount of free sugars. High sugar levels have also been reported in baby and toddler food products.

Always remember to check the nutritional labels. While the list of ingredients might claim no added sugars, the nutrition facts panel will show the number of carbohydrates and sugars in the product.

What is the evidence that cutting down on sugars will have health benefits? Studies have shown that individuals who experience depression benefit from eating a healthful diet.

The next time a low mood threatens to spoil your day, remember where sugar is hidden in plain sight and look to other tasty treats to lift you out of the doldrums.

5. Do we need to limit our sugar?

Our bodies and minds were not designed to take in such immense amounts of sugar that have become the norm in American society. Thanks to ongoing research, we are more and more aware of the intricate link between diet and wellness. It has a significant role to play in both physical and mental health. Grappling with mental illness is difficult enough without having additional obstacles in your way. Make sure sugar isn’t making your situation harder than it needs to be.

Additionally, choosing foods that are low in refined ingredients, such as sugar, but high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals can relieve the symptoms of depression. Scientists think that the power of these foods lies in promoting good brain health.

References:

1. Everhealth (2012): The Impact of Sugar on Mental Health. Retrieved from http://everhealth.net/patient-education/the-impact-of-sugar-on-mental-health

2. Medical News Today (2017): Sugar and mental health: A toxic combination? Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318818.php

3. Kelly Brogan:3 Ways Sugar Is Ruining Your Mental Health. Retrieved from https://kellybroganmd.com/3-ways-sugar-ruining-mental-health/

4. Neuroscience (2017): Sugar is Not So Sweet For Mental Health. Retrieved from https://neurosciencenews.com/sugar-mental-health-7194/

5. Standard Media (2018): The link between sugar and mental illnesses. Retrieved from https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001282656/link-between-sugar-and-mental-illnesses

6. NCBI (2014): Nod-like receptor protein 1 inflammasome mediates neuron injury under high glucose. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24014157

Inflammation is not entirely a bad thing. However, when it happens over extended periods it can trigger diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. A number of foods that we eat have been linked to chronic low-grade inflammation. Being aware of them and eliminating them from your diet can help to improve your health and prevent disease.

Here are 5 foods that can trigger inflammation.

1. Artificial Sugars

There are two main types of artificial sugars: table sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Sugar is 50% glucose and 50% fructose, while high-fructose corn syrup is about 45% glucose and 55% fructose. One of the reasons that artificial sugars are harmful is that they can increase inflammation, which can lead to disease.

In one study, mice fed high-sucrose diets developed breast cancer that spread to their lungs — in part due to the inflammatory response to sugar. In another study, the anti-inflammatory impact of omega-3 fatty acids was impaired in mice fed a high-sugar.

In yet another study, people were given regular soda, diet soda, milk, or water. Of these, only those in the regular soda group had increased levels of uric acid, which causes inflammation and insulin resistance.

While the small amounts of fructose in fruits and vegetables are fine, getting large amounts from added sugars is a bad idea.

Eating a lot of fructose has been linked to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver disease, cancer, and chronic kidney disease. Food high in artificial sugar includes candy, soft drinks, cakes, sweet pastries, and certain cereals.

2. Artificial Trans Fats

Artificial trans fats are made by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats, which are liquid, in order to give them solid. In this state, they have a longer shelf life. Consequently, manufacturers often use trans fats to extend the shelf life of processed foods such as french fries and other fried fast food, margarine and vegetable shortening, packaged cakes and cookies, pastries, and all processed food with “partially hydrogenated” oils as part of the ingredients.

Artificial trans fats have been shown to cause chronic low-grade inflammation. The lower “good” HDL cholesterol levels and may cause damage to endothelial cells lining arteries, which is a risk factor for heart disease.

3. Refined Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the source of energy for our cells. However, refined carbohydrates, which have most of the fiber removed, may cause inflammation. They do this by creating an environment for the growth of inflammatory microbiota. They may also cause leptin resistance and obesity.

Fiber is essential for promoting satiety and improving blood sugar control. Refined carbs have a higher glycemic index (GI) than unrefined carbs. Foods with a high glycemic index elevate blood sugar rapidly.

White bread is an example of refined carbohydrates. In one study, subjects who ate 50 grams of white bread experienced higher blood sugar levels and a spike in inflammatory markers.

Refined carbohydrates are found in white bread, pasta, white rice, carbonated drinks, cakes and all processed food that contains added sugar or white flour.

4. Excessive Alcohol

Moderate consumption of alcohol has been associated with cardiovascular benefits. However excessive consumption is likely to cause inflammation and trigger disease. Heavy drinking can also trigger leaky gut syndrome which is a precursor for inflammation and organ damage. Moderate alcohol consumption should not exceed two standard bottles for men and one standard bottle for women.

5. Processed Meat

Processed meats have added compounds such as advanced glycation end products which are harmful to the body. They have been linked with heart disease, diabetes, stomach cancer, and colon cancer. Common types of processed meat include sausage, bacon, ham, smoked meat, and beef jerky. Advanced glycation products are created by exposing meats to high temperatures during preparation. These products are known to increase oxidant stress and inflammation. Processed meat is also strongly linked to colon and rectal cancer. Processed meat causes inflammation through other mechanisms as well. As a result, it is wise to minimize the consumption of processed meat.

The Bottom Line; Inflammation and disease

Chronic low-grade inflammation is linked to a number of chronic diseases, including cancer, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. These conditions further contribute to inflammation making it a vicious cycle. It is also evident that lifestyle contributes to this kind of toxic inflammation. By altering diet and making a few lifestyle changes one can greatly minimize their chances of getting these diseases. It is not enough to just drop these unhealthy foods but you need o to replace them with healthier alternatives. Here is an article about foods that reduce inflammation (hyperlink to the article on managing inflammation with diet).

What happens if you have already been diagnosed with an inflammation-related disease? Do not panic as hope is not lost. By altering your diet, you can claim your health back. Foods that promote insulin sensitivity can help to reverse diabetes and cure obesity. You can also read our article on how to reverse diabetes with diet.

If you are at high risk for lifestyle-related disease there is no shortcut to health and longevity, you just have to take drastic measures to change your diet and lifestyle. A good place to start is by eliminating these toxic foods from your diet.

References

1.   NCBI (2010): The global diabetes epidemic as a consequence of lifestyle-induced low-grade inflammation. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19890624

2.   NCBI (2015): Differences and similarities in hepatic lipogenesis, gluconeogenesis and oxidative imbalance in mice fed diets rich in fructose or sucrose. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25905791

3.   NCBI (2014): Trans fatty acids: are its cardiovascular risks fully appreciated? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24636816

4.   NCBI (2005): Consumption of trans fatty acids is related to plasma biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15735094

5.   NCBI (2008): High-glycemic index carbohydrate increases nuclear factor-kappaB activation in mononuclear cells of young, lean healthy subjects. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18469238