Healthy by Nature radio show this week
We will talk about intelligent and gentler approaches to treating cancer. Gus Kotsanis, MD and I welcome  Dr. Ray Hammon, a Naturopathic Medical Doctor into the studio to talk about an innovative test that analyzes circulating cancer cells and cancer stem cells (they are a reason cancer spreads). Call the live show with questions at 1-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

Comparing apples and pears…shapes that is
News about two research studies appeared in our local paper Feb 4, but oddly the items were in separate sections but no link was made between them. There should have been. (I’d write a letter to the editor but we know how well that has worked out.) I’ll bet you are smarter than the newspaper and can see the relationship between this section and the one below it.

Those of us in the nutrition field have believed for a long time that fat around the waist (giving an apple silhouette) was more harmful than fat that accumulates in the butt and thighs (leading to a pear shape). In fact, a large waistline (over 35″ for women and 40″ for men) has long been listed as a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. Now, a large study has confirmed the fact and shed light on possible reasons. It seems that it is the fat packed in around our internal organs (visceral fat) that causes the most trouble. The kind of fat just under the skin, may not be flattering but it is not as dangerous. Exercise tends to burn visceral fat apparently because the heart, which relies on fat as its primary fuel, sends signals to control what is burned for energy.
 
The Donut shape?
The second article I referred to discussed a study that showed that sugar increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and not just a little. Those in the group that ate the most sugar (25% of calories) were three times as likely to die as those in the group with the lowest sugar consumption (10% of calories). LINK. Surprise, surprise. For once they are not beating up on dietary fat but getting down to the bigger problem, SUGAR, which increases cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and, of course, blood sugar. Guess where fat made from sugar is stored? Around the middle mainly. Sugary soft drinks are likely our worst problem. Two cans a day is enough to put a person in the high risk group. Besides this obvious source of sugar, it is also hidden in virtually everything in the center part of the grocery store.

The study did not look at naturally-occurring sugars, but it is well known that fruit juice plays havoc with blood sugar. That is one reason I love Fruit of the Spirit. It has all the magical nutrients of the most nutritious fruits but with very little sugar.

And don’t forget that starch quickly turns into sugar. So, those ugly (and apparently deadly) bulges oozing out over our jeans are aptly named “muffin tops” because muffins tend to create them. Read more about a low glycemic diet. While you are adjusting your diet to reduce the amounts of sugar and starch, I recommend Gluc-aloe capsules because they cut the glycemic (blood sugar spiking) effect of a meal in half. (During the 90-day clinical trial, participants not only normalized dangerous blood sugar levels, they also lost 12% of their body fat).

 Testosterone note
Last week I gave a link to the supplement I had found that contains the mixture of nutrients Dr. Kyl Smith recommends in his book to naturally boost testosterone back to optimum levels. Unfortunately, the item was so new in Andy’s store that the details about it where not yet posted on the site. Now they are!

 What’s coming up?
 
Natural HealthFest Saturday, March 29 at Plano Centre

Look for our full page ad inside the front cover of my favorite magazine,
Natural Awakenings, N. Texas edition.
 

Last Week Follow-up
LINK to that show in the archives. Kat James, author of The Truth about Beauty, and I talked about health transformations and simple steps that pack a big punch. (Get her book free with this special offer.) James LaValle is a Pharmacist, Naturopath and Certified Clinical Nutritionist. His books include Cracking the Metabolic Code and this new one, Your Blood Never Lies. We discussed what it actually means to “take control of your health”.

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My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book: Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2014 Martie Whittekin, CCN