Healthy Decisions Online®

Health Myth Two: Fake Sugars are Healthy

by:Jenifer Shapiro

NutraSweet, or Aspartame as it is also called, is the fake sugar found in over 5000 'sugar free' and 'diet' products in the U.S. My personal belief is that the side effects of this sweetener are dangerous, based on personal experiences such as headaches and vision impairment and situations with clients, but that is not everyone's belief. There has been such a controversy over NutraSweet in the past twenty years that I've decided to focus on both sides this month.

I know that the FDA and various corporations say they are safe. I also know that there are organizations out there lobbying to get it off the market, especially for children's products. I trust you will decide for yourself what works for you.

I believe in options, so here are links to both sides for your perusal and for you to make informed decisions on your own steps in health.




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Resources:
Ode Magazine
Nutri Medical
Nutra Poison
Aspartame
Holistic Med

Article Source:Jenifer Shapiro

Common Health Myths Debunked

by:Alyssa Pry...The Eagle Online

We often make things a lot harder for ourselves when we give in to health and fitness myths. I read an article about a woman who did crunches hanging upside down because she believed it would make her body stretch and look longer and leaner. I'm sure all she got from that exercise was a headache and a red face. Similarly, I used to eat ice cream standing up because I heard that when you eat standing, you burn more calories. While I couldn't find any data to back up that one, I did decode some of the most popular health and fitness myths with the help of MSN's Health and Fitness Web site and some experiences of my own.

1. Feeling sore after exercise means you lost weight.
Actually, soreness is basically fatigue in your muscles. When you have a tough workout and have done numerous reps of an exercise, the burn you feel is the blood getting squeezed with your muscles. It doesn't reduce the amount of fat around the muscles. To do that, one must combine regular exercise with healthy eating.

2. Not eating after exercising will help you lose more weight.
While it's not advised to eat a huge meal right after you exercise, you need to refuel with a 200-calorie snack about 30 minutes after you work out and a full-size meal about two hours after. When you don't eat, your body conserves food as fat, which is harder to burn off.

3. Once you find a fitness routine you like, you should do it all the time.
Variety is the spice of life, and changing your workout routine every six to eight weeks will help you to avoid a fitness plateau if you're trying to lose weight. Your body will conform to the routine and will no longer be challenged. Mixing it up makes your workouts more interesting and will give you better results.

4. Being a vegetarian means you'll be thin.
Vegetarians don't just eat salads all the time. While some of the vegetarians I know became vegetarians because they wanted to lose weight, they found it was actually harder to maintain their weight. You need the protein found in meat to help stabilize your metabolism and give you energy to exercise. Also, foods like chicken and turkey often have fewer calories than some vegetarian dishes. Whether you are a carnivore or a herbivore, it all comes down to balance and moderation.

5. You'll be happier once you lose 5 pounds.
Once you start that attitude, it's very difficult to stop it. After losing 5 pounds, you want to lose five more, and then you'd be happy if you lost five more after that - it becomes a mess. Also, thinking that way just sets you up for disappointment. What if you don't lose 5 pounds? Is your life over? Be confident in your size now. Feel good about yourself, eat healthy and work out because it makes you feel good, not because you want to live up to someone else's standards.


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Is avoiding sugary foods the best way of controlling diabetes?

by:Anonymous

What we know about diabetes and food has changed considerably. Its the seventh leading cause of death in Australia, and occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or the insulin does'nt work properly to help the body use glucose, resulting in a build-up of glucose in the blood.

There are two main types:
1.Type 1 diabetes, which mainly starts in childhood and is not caused by diet or lifestyle
2.Type 2 diabetes, which usually occurs in adults and is made worse by an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise

People with diabetes used to be advised not to eat sugar or sweet fruit or vegetables that contain large amounts of starch and sugar, based on the assumption that if you cut sugar out of your diet, your blood sugar levels will drop. But its more complex than that.

Some foods are digested and release glucose into the blood stream faster than others. Foods that are digested quickly and provide a rapid rise in blood glucose have a high glycaemic index (GI). Foods with a low GI, such as wholegrain bread, some cereals such as porridge, pasta, fruit like apples and oranges, and starchy vegetables such as sweet potato and corn raise the blood sugar level slowly, helping with glucose control.

According to nutrition experts, the best advice for someone with diabetes is to base your diet on a variety of foods that are:

A.Low in fat, especially saturated fat.
B.High in fibre
C.Have a low GI

Sugars not a no-no; some sugar can help you stick to a healthy eating plan. But the key is to limit sugary foods with a high GI or a low nutritional value, such as lollies and soft drink.


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