Realize, high fructose corn syrup is not on the list since it is not added by consumers, but by manufacturers. Avoid this if you can as it can lead to excess weight gain.

Sugar is the most natural sweetener on the market.  1 teaspoon has only 15 calories.  Processed sugar comes from either sugar cane or sugar beet.  It can be used  to help sweeten foods and drinks.  Unbleached sugar is a good option, this is raw sugar  marketed under the name “sugar in the raw”.  When used in  moderation, this is a good option. If one needs to limit sugar intake due to medical reasons, stevia should be considered.

Stevia  (Truvia) is a natural sweetener found many products.   comes from plant leaves from the genus  Stevia rebaudiana.  It is also known as sweet leaf.  Stevia  has  0 calories per serving and can be used in coffee, tea and baking. It does not raise blood sugar so is a great option for those with diabetes or those wanting a more natural option.  Stevia  is available in most stores nationwide.

Sucralose (Splenda) comes in a yellow packet. Sucralose is created when a chlorine molecule is added to sugar (glucose).  When ingested, Sucralose does not get absorbed into the bloodstream, so those with diabetes tend to do well with it  since it will not raise blood sugar.  Sucralose is 600 times sweeter than table sugar.  However, for some, it may cause intestinal upset as it can kill good bacteria in the intestines.

Saccharin is sold in the pink packet and  has been on the market for many years. The label used to state that consumption increased the risk of cancer in humans, but this was removed from the labels in 2000.  In 2010,  the EPA removed this product from  their list of hazardous  products stating  that saccharin is no longer considered a potential hazard to human health.

-Fox news even recommended avoiding aspartame due to the concerns regarding it’s safety-

Aspartame (Nutra-sweet, Equal) is marketed in a blue packet.  This is probably one of the most controversial sweeteners on the market. The FDA states it is safe while others, such as neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock ( Author of Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills) ,  have called for its removal from the market due to safety concerns.  It is 200 times sweeter than sugar.  Some people who consume this sweetener report migraines, memory loss and weight gain as it increases appetite.  It is present in over 6,000 diet and sugar free products, including chewing gum and diet sodas (Read about the dangers of diet coke, pepsi and other sodas).

Consuming foods which nature intended is always the safest way to go.  Minimizing artificial sweeteners is prudent. Consuming more fruits is a great way to get your sugar fix for the day. when needed.

Sunday morning is pancake day. My Vitamix blender makes this family tradition more enjoyable.    While I have published other smoothie recipes, there is a lot one can do with their Vitamix.

(Double  amounts if more pancakes are  needed).

Use:

-2 cups of Krusteaz (or any other)  pancake mix (makes 12-14 pancakes)

-1  1/3 cup of water

-1 tsp of vanilla extract

-3 to 4  tsp of raw sugar ( or 1/2 the amount of stevia. Brown sugar can also be used)

- 1 /2 cup of oatmeal  (consider grinding in blender before adding pancake mix)

- 1 medium sized banana

- 2 tsp of flaxseed (optional- consider grinding in blender first)

Mix in Vitamix  industrial blender for about 30 seconds, pancake batter is ready.

I typically make an entire blender of pancake mix with the above recipe. If too thick, add a bit more water.

To receive free shipping on a  Vitamix 5200 blender, use  discount code:  06-005296 when placing your order.

To order the Vitamix with free shipping + 7 year manufacturer warranty, use the free shipping discount code:

06-005296

&  GET FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ($25US/$35CN) . 
Call 1-800-848-2649 or view their special deals.  Don’t forget to use the free shipping discount coupon code 06-005296 when placing your order.

Here is a  smoothie recipe that I recommend. I am not going to give specific measurements as I don’t measure things out. I simply add a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Be creative.

- a little bit of dry oatmeal

- 6-10 – strawberries

-1 banana

-1 cup or so of  almond milk or soy milk

-1 or 2 scoops of protein powder.

-crushed ice

-one egg

mix in blender for about 30 seconds to 60 seconds.  Enjoy.

To receive free shipping discount code:  06-005296 when placing your order.

There are many good blenders out there. These include: Black and Decker, Blentec, Hamilton Beach, Oster, Cuisinart and VitaMix. After a complete review of warranty, customer reviews, strength and durability, only 1 blender met my expectations- vitamix 5200.  The old adage, you get what you pay for, really applies to blenders, so chose your blender wisely.

After a complete review, I concluded that purchasing a high quality vitamix blender  was the best way to go. The VitaMix   won my vote and I have been satisfied with it from day one. The VitaMix is a 2 HP  blender that has the longest warranty on the market, 7 years.  While you will pay more for this blender than others, it will truly last heavy duty use.

A daily smoothie from Jamba Juice or Smoothie King would cost several thousands of dollars over a few years. In addition, you would likely go through 3 or more blenders. The VitaMix blender solves your problem by providing a smooth drink from whatever ingredients you add.

I also like the Vitamix’s ability to make applesauce, juices in addition to fruit smoothies.

To order the Vitamix with free shipping + 7 year manufacturer warranty, use the free shipping discount code:

06-005296

&  GET FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ($25US/$35CN) . 
Call 1-800-848-2649 or view their special deals.  Don’t forget to use the free shipping code 06-005296.

“Eating what stands on 1 leg (plants) is better than eating that which is on 2 legs (turkey and chickens) which is better than eating thAt which stands on 4 legs (pigs and cows)”.

A Chinese proverb as quoted in Food Rules by Michael Pollan.

Every person who is overweight by even a few pounds (or kg) should have their sugar measured yearly.  Also, if you have a family history of diabetes, you should check your blood sugar yearly.  Both of these place a person at risk for diabetes.

Your doctor will tell you it is either normal or high. Blood pressure is the amount of force your heart muscle needs to exert as it pumps the blood through your arteries (not veins).   A blood pressure reading consists of 2 numbers and is expressed as “120 over 80″ or “120/80″.

The 120 (bigger number) is called your systolic pressure while the  80 (smaller number) is the diastolic pressure. Both numbers are important. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less.

If your blood pressure is >140/90 on two or more occasions, you have high blood pressure and need to see your physician.

High blood pressure increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes, so controlling it is very very important.  Diet, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can all help lower blood pressure. You many also need to be on blood pressure medicine.

—-BELOW IS AN EXCERPT FROM VITAMIN D PRESCRIPTION BY ERIC MADRID MD, available on Amazon.com—-

Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is one of the top three cancers affecting those in developed countries. According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer accounts for 8% of all cancer deaths in men and 9% of all cancer deaths in women in the U.S. Colon cancer will affect 1 in 18 men and 1 in 19 women at some point in their lives. Fortunately, the majority of cases can be prevented. Worldwide, the World Health Organization predicts that colon cancer rates will increase 50% by 2020 and will affect up to 20 million people annually.

Risk factors for developing colon cancer include:

• Colon Polyps
• Poor diet, especially high in red meats
• Overweight
• Obesity
• Racial Groups (African Americans &  Ashkenazi Jews)
• Lack of exercise
• Excess alcohol intake
• Family history
• Type 2 diabetes
• Vitamin D deficiency

Those with higher consumption of fruits and vegetables have a benefit in preventing colon cancer from developing in the first place. A 1996 study reported in JAMA suggested that the trace mineral selenium, a potent antioxidant, and part of the glutathione reductase antioxidant complex, could also be protective against precancerous polyps and colon cancer.

There has been renewed interest in the last few years on the ability of sunshine to prevent colon cancer. Specifically, the sunshine vitamin has anti colon cancer properties, observed back in the 1930s, and later confirmed in the 1980s by Cedric Garland, DrPH (Moores Cancer Center University of California, San Diego), and Frank C. Garland, PhD, FACE (Technical Director, Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), San Diego).
Drs. Cedric and Frank Garlands’ landmark study showed that the risk of colon cancer was associated with solar radiation exposure; many other studies have since confirmed this finding. Drs. Garlands’ 1980 study revealed that in the two states with the most solar radiation, New Mexico and Arizona, white males had cancer rates of 6.7 and 10.1, respectively, per 100,000 people. In the three states with the least solar radiation, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, white males experienced colon cancer rates of 17.3, 11.3, and 15.3, respectively, per 100,000 population. Data collection occurred from 1959 to 1961. The conclusion was that those with more sunshine exposure had less colon cancer when compared to those with less sunshine exposure.

A review of the CDC web site and the statistics for colon and rectal cancer from 2002–2004 shows similar results. The data today is more inclusive, with men and women from all ethnicities. Arizona and New Mexico have total colon and rectal cancer rates of 49.9 and 51.8, respectively, per 100,000 population. On the contrary, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire have rates of 63.0, 57.9, and 59.9, respectively, per 100,000 population…..read more about vitamin D and colon cancer when you purchase Vitamin D Prescription by Dr. Eric Madrid

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Is your family ready for the next pandemic?

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Symptoms of celiac  disease include: chronic diarrhea, muscle cramps,   malabsorption of nutrients, iron deficient anemia, weight loss, excessive gas, fatigue, elevated liver enzymes and  calcium/vitamin  D deficiency. Talk to your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.  Eating a gluten free diet can have many health benefits are seen below in the article from Natural News.

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(NaturalNews) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who eat a gluten-free vegan diet could be better protected against heart attacks and stroke. RA is a major risk factor for these cardiovascular diseases, but a gluten-free vegan diet was shown to lower cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and oxidized LDL (OxLDL), as well as raise the levels of natural antibodies against the damaging compounds in the body that cause symptoms of the chronic inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis, such as phosphorylcholine.

The idea that we can influence our health by changing our eating habits has become a fashionable idea among lifestyle and consumer magazines. There is evidence that dietary changes can bring about health benefits but specific results are not widespread. Now, Johan Frostegard of the Rheumatology Unit at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm and colleagues divided sixty-six RA patients randomly into two groups.

They randomly assigned 38 of the volunteers to eat a gluten-free vegan diet, and the other 28 a well-balanced but non-vegan diet for one year. They analyzed the levels of fatty, lipid molecules in blood samples using routine analytical methods at regular periods. They also measured oxLDL and anti-phosphorylcholine (antiPC) factor at the beginning of the experiment, at 3 months and again at 12 months. The researchers found that the gluten-free vegan diet not only reduced LDL and oxLDL levels and raised antiPC antibodies but lowered the body-mass index (BMI) of the volunteers in that group. Levels of other fatty molecules, including triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) stayed the same. In contrast, none of the indicators differed significantly for the control groups on the conventional healthy diet.

AntiPC antibodies are studied within CVDIMMUNE, a European consortium led by Dr. Frostegard with the hypothesis that such antibodies can protect against cardiovascular disease and can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic factors. Frostegard and colleagues have now shown that diet could be used to improve the long-term health of people with rheumatoid arthritis. They concede that a bigger study group will be needed to discern which particular aspects of the diet help the most…read more here…

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Flu Symptoms and Prevention

Is your family ready for the next pandemic?