High Fructose Corn Syrup......no, it's not just sugar, and here's the science behind it.

High Fructose Corn Syrup......no, it's not just sugar, and here's the science behind it.

Let's first talk sugars. 

Monosaccharides are called simple sugars, and they are the most basic unit of carbohydrates. We know them by names like glucose and fructose. Disaccharides are still considered simple sugars, because they only have two units attached to each other. Polysaccharides are anything more than two units of carbohydrates attached. (Look at the picture below for a visual!)

Normal table sugar is known as sucrose, and it is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose in a 50:50 ratio. This is what we're led to believe high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the same as.

Now let's look at HFCS.

The sugars in high fructose corn syrup are extracted in a process resulting in different ratios of glucose to fructose. Normal table sugar is 50:50 glucose:fructose. The most common form of HFCS is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. It is very close to the same ratio as normal table sugar. 

So what's the fuss?

The difference is in the biochemistry!

In nature, glucose and fructose are bound tightly together to make a table sugar molecule. In HFCS, that bond is missing! 

Since there is no chemical bond between them, the normal processes of digestion are not required and the glucose and fructose are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream. The only place fructose can really be metabolized is in the liver, and when the liver is overwhelmed, it tends to immediately start creating fats like triglycerides and cholesterol. 

Without the bond, the fructose is known as "free fructose." Free fructose consumption has been continuously linked to higher rates of obesity, increased belly fat, higher levels of triglycerides, cardiovascular disease, and overwhelmingly fatty liver disease. Studies not done by the corn industry don't share the same view that HFCS is "just" sugar.

Chronic consumption of HFCS caused several problems like cardiac and endothelial injury of aorta by hyperuricemia and induced oxidative stress and inflammation.

Hum Exp Toxicol. 2016 Feb;35(2):194-204. doi: 10.1177/0960327115579431. Epub 2015 Mar 29.

The impact of high fructose on cardiovascular system: Role of α-lipoic acid.

Consuming beverages containing 10%, 17.5%, or 25% Ereq from HFCS produced dose-dependent increases in circulating lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for CVD and uric acid within 2 weeks.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 Jun;101(6):1144-54. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.100461. Epub 2015 Apr 22.

A dose-response study of consuming high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages on lipid/lipoprotein risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young adults.

When one group of rats was fed sucrose (table sugar) and one group was fed HFCS, the HFCS group was found to have gained significantly more weight even though the rest of the diet remained the same.

“A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain.”

Even though that tiny, missing bond may seem like a small change, it makes a huge difference in how our body metabolizes it. If you're going to be eating sugar, avoid HFCS!

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

This week’s goal…….learn to spot sugar!

This week’s goal…….learn to spot sugar!

This week is all about sugar awareness. As I hope most of you know, sugar in the amounts that most people eat it is terrible for your body, and another week, we will go over some of its effects. Since the 1700s, sugar consumption has been on the rise. In the 1700s, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year. During the 1800s, that amount increased to 18 pounds per year. By the end of the 1900s, people were consuming 90 pounds of sugar per year. How much are we eating now? Today, the average American is eating over 150 pounds of sugar every year! Most people don’t even realize how much they are consuming. So this week’s goal is to begin understanding food labels and recognizing the tricks companies use to make sugar look like a smaller ingredient than what it is.

1. Know the different names of sugar! First, anything ending in –ose is a sugar; glucose, fructose, maltose, galactose, and lactose. Other names sugar goes by include cane juice, dehydrated cane juice, cane juice solids, cane juice crystals, dextrin, maltodextrin, dextran, barley malt, beet sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, caramel, buttered syrup, carob syrup, brown sugar, date sugar, malt syrup, diatase, diatastic malt , fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, dehydrated fruit juice, fruit juice crystals, golden syrup, turbinado, sorghum syrup, ethyl maltol, maple syrup, yellow sugar.

     2. When reading labels, you will notice that ingredients are placed in order from most used to least used. If you start paying attention, you will also notice that most of the time sugar is listed more than once with different names. Sugar is sugar. All of these different names have the same damaging effects on your body. Companies separate them into different names to make it appear that sugar is not as high on the ingredient list as it should be.

     3. Our bodies have a low threshold for sugar, normally about 2 teaspoons of added sugar two to three times a day. Now, one pound equals 96 teaspoons. This means that the average American is eating about 40 teaspoons of sugar per day, which is well over the limit. Looking at food labels, you will see that sugar is labeled in grams, and 4 grams equals one teaspoon. Anything with more than 8 grams of sugar per serving is too much! And you have to make sure you only eat that one serving!

This week, start looking at the labels of the foods you are eating and build an awareness of your sugar intake. Every time you reduce your sugar intake, you are on your way to being a healthier you! 

This week’s goal…….give someone a GOOD hug every day

This week’s goal…….give someone a GOOD hug every day!

The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine has completed over 100 studies on the power of touch. Their findings, as well as many others, support the idea that human touch has significant effects resulting in decreased pain, increased immune activity, and lower levels of depression. While more research and better technology may be needed to truly understand this phenomenon, we can still benefit from the results! Staying in contact, literally, with people is an easy way to boost your health!

Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole

(Delicious, Dairy Free and Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti Squash

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 Pound of ground beef

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 red onion, chopped

1 Teaspoon oregano

1 Teaspoon paprika

½ Teaspoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon thyme

½ Teaspoon turmeric

1 can of diced tomatoes, drained

1 egg, whisped

1 Teaspoon salt

½ Teaspoon pepper

First cook the spaghetti squash:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash in half and scoop out all of the seeds. Place cut side down onto a cookie sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes or until tender. Scrape the insides of the squash out. It should look like spaghetti!

Next, make the casserole:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions. Cook until onions are tender. Add garlic and stir. Then add the ground beef and spices. Once the beef is brown, add the tomatoes and spaghetti squash as well as the salt and pepper. Add egg to the mixture, stir well, and then pour it all into a greased casserole dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden on top.

Enjoy!

What in the world is hydrogenated oil or trans fat? And why don't I want it in my body?

What in the world is hydrogenated oil or trans fat? And why don't I want it in my body?

Food companies began using hydrogenated oils as a way to increase shelf life of foods and save costs.

Hydrogenation is the process of adding hydrogen into an unsaturated oil to make them harder at room temperatures. It was created primarily to be used as a cheaper and less perishable substance than the original oil. Let's take a look at the structure of an unsaturated oil versus a saturated (or hydrogenated) oil.

Notice how the unsaturated state is bent while the saturated state is straight. This simple change in shape is the cause behind a lot of cardiovascular problems. We might be inclined to think that the bent shape would become more stuck in arteries than the nice straight shape of the saturated fatty acid, but look at the next picture below. Which pile will blood be able to flow through more easily?

Unsaturated oils and fats stay more separated whereas saturated oils and fats pack tightly together. Obviously, the tightly stacked pile is going to be harder to get through and cause more problems in our arteries and cardiovascular system. There are some naturally occurring saturated fats in nature, mostly found animal products. However, we want to avoid the unnatural ones when possible. Check the nutrition labels for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated products before buying. 

Now let's talk trans fats.

Trans means that it is bent in the opposite direction. Our bodies have a much harder time processing it than the more common cis configuration. Trans fat can be found in nature, but it is extremely minimal, and again, only in some animal products. Never before have our bodies had such an overload of trans fat as they do today. Fast food french fries are made using about 50% trans fats and many sweets, pastries, and processed foods can use anywhere between 20-60% trans fats. The FDA has placed a ban on partially hydrogenated oils, which is the major source of trans fats, which will continue to take place over the next two years. In the meantime, it is important to do your best to decrease the amount of saturated fats and trans fats you put into your body!

6 Rules To Avoid Eating Trans Fats

yours in health,

dr samantha boldt

Proven Ways To Get Kids To Eat More Vegetables!

Proven Ways To Get Kids To Eat More Vegetables!

Go from this.......

to this! (Well done stock photos, well done.)

1. Set an example

By far the best predictor of a child’s eating behavior is the eating patterns of their parents. If vegetables and healthy foods are relegated to an afterthought in your household, it’s tough to expect your kids to take to them. Kids eat what they know, and they won’t ask for a special meal if they do not know it is an option.

2. Get them involved

Children are more invested in a meal if they help with its preparation. Taking your kids with you to the farmers market or grocery store and letting them pick one or two things to cook for dinner can make them far more excited to eat it later. Better yet, start a garden and teach them how to plant and harvest their own. Letting them clean carrots, snap beans, mix the dressing and set the table gives them a sense of pride and makes them more enthusiastic and cooperative at meal time.

3. Enforce the “one bite rule”

Research consistently shows that children who have initially rejected a food must be exposed to it at least 8-10 times for the food to be accepted. Many parents have had success with the “one bite rule,” requiring the child to try at least one solid mouthful of a rejected food whenever it is served. After enough exposures the food will be more familiar to the child and usually they begin to rate it more favorably.

4. Don’t force them to finish

One bite is different from finishing your plate. One of the biggest misconceptions among parents is that forcing their child to eat a food she doesn’t like will get her to change her behavior. However, fighting and punishments create a negative meal experience, and the child will learn to associate food with the bad feelings. Negative food experiences have the opposite of the desired effect and actually increase picky eating tendencies. Require one bite, but try not to start a fight.

5. Reward good behavior

On the other side of the coin, creating positive food experiences can decrease picky eating tendencies. Research has shown that rewarding a child for trying one bite of a rejected food makes it easier for them to try the food. They are also more likely to rate the food positively in the future. Rewards can be as simple as saying “thank you for trying that” and “good job” to something more substantial like a sticker on a rewards chart or an extra 10 minutes of playtime/tv/video games.

6. Understand their values

Children don’t see the world as adults do, and as a result they have very different values. They could care less about health—most kids think they’re invincible—so telling them a food is healthy is unlikely to get you very far (and can often backfire). On the other hand, most children feel limited by their size and wish to be bigger and stronger. Explaining that broccoli “helps you grow” is therefore more effective than, “it’s healthy” or “because I said so.” For older children, understanding what sport, athlete, or celebrity their interested in can be extremely helpful. Many athletes and celebrities post how they eat on the internet, and you will find that many eat mostly vegetables and meat and cut out the other junk. When your teen understands that their heroes eat this way to be better at their sport, help them think more clearly and do better in school, they will be more inclined to want to change how they eat.

7. Offer diverse food colors

One thing you have working in your favor is that children like colorful foods. You can expose them to more colors by adding more vegetables to their plates. While adults tend to like flavors mingled together, children often prefer them separate. So you may have better luck making separate vegetable dishes instead of a big, mono-color casserole.

8. Use flavors, like garlic and bacon

There’s nothing wrong with adding additional flavors to vegetables to make them more appealing to children. For a picky child, the most important thing is that he gets comfortable and familiar with the rejected food. If that means serving it along with something you know he’ll enjoy, like bacon, that’s fine. I encourage you to use ingredients that are as close to real food (minimally processed without strange chemicals) as possible, but children can handle a few extra calories, especially if it helps them learn to enjoy spinach.

9. Keep at it

Some children will be more difficult than others, and will require more effort and patience. It’s important to realize, however, that the habits they develop at a young age will remain with them long into adulthood. For your sake and theirs, it is worth solving picky eating problems as soon as possible. Continue to set a good example, create fun, positive experiences around food, let them help in the kitchen, enforce the one bite rule and do anything else you can to keep exposing them, in a pleasant way, to the healthy foods they reject. Your persistence will pay off in the future with their continued good health!

yours in health,

dr. samantha boldt

Communication Takes Care for Baby Boomers and Beyond

Communication Takes Care for Baby Boomers and Beyond

Treatment for Hearing Loss, Speech/Language Issues, and Swallowing Disorders Can Contribute to Vastly Improved Quality of Life

The ability to speak, hear, and understand language and the ability to swallow are central to almost every aspect of daily life. Yet, these skills are often taken for granted until someone loses them. For older Americans, communication disorders are among the most common challenges they may face. Unfortunately, these disorders may go untreated for years—or may never be treated. Often, lack of treatment or treatment delays are due to myths about certain disorders (such as “they are just part of the normal aging process”) or outdated perceptions of treatment.  

Types of Communication Disorders

Hearing

Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health conditions, affecting 50 million Americans. It is highly prevalent among adults, often with serious impact on daily life and functioning. In fact, 8.5% of adults aged 55–64 have disabling hearing loss. Nearly 25% of those aged 65–74 and 50% of those who are age 75 and older have disabling hearing loss. Unfortunately, among adults aged 70 and older who have hearing loss and who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than one in three (30%) has ever used them. This is in spite of the fact that hearing loss may affect everything from mental health (anxiety, depression, and feelings of social isolation) to vocational success (including premature departure from the workforce). Treatment advances and today’s hearing aids are more effective and less noticeable than ever.

Speech, Language and Swallowing

Many disorders of voice, speech, language, cognition and swallowing may affect older Americans. Some may be the result of another health condition and some may occur on their own. Difficulties may result from medical conditions such as stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s Disease, MS, ALS, open heart surgery, cancer or as a consequence of aging. Treatment for these disorders is critical to daily functioning and improved quality of life.

The Role of Loved Ones

In the case of older adults, loved ones such as a spouse or adult child are often significantly affected by a family member’s communication or swallowing difficulties. These loved ones are also the people who are in the best position to influence the decision to seek treatment. If you have a concern about a loved one’s speech or hearing, encourage them to seek an evaluation from a certified audiologist or speech-language pathologist. If a course of treatment does follow, loved ones play an important role in providing support—from accompanying the person to treatment visits and helping to provide medical information to being compassionate and understanding throughout the process.

Finding Help

Hearing and balance disorders are treated by Audiologists, and speech/language and swallowing disorders are treated by Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP). People seeking treatment for themselves or loved ones should look for professionals who are certified. These people will have the letters “CCC” following their names when representing themselves professionally (CCC-A for Audiologists and CCC-SLP for Speech-Language Pathologists). The CCCs indicate that the person has met the highest standards of professional excellence in his or her field.  

For more information, contact  Kris Albertson, CCC-SLP at www.flatironshealthandwellness.com