Scientists Prove Fructose-Diabetes Link

by: Jill Richardson

Wed Dec 16, 2009 at 20:38:22 PM PST

Over 10 weeks, 16 volunteers on a strictly controlled diet, including high levels of fructose, produced new fat cells around their heart, liver and other digestive organs. They also showed signs of food-processing abnormalities linked to diabetes and heart disease. Another group of volunteers on the same diet, but with glucose sugar replacing fructose, did not have these problems.

People in both groups put on a similar amount of weight. However, researchers at the University of California who conducted the trial, said the levels of weight gain among the fructose consumers would be greater over the long term.

Fructose bypasses the digestive process that breaks down other forms of sugar. It arrives intact in the liver where it causes a variety of abnormal reactions, including the disruption of mechanisms that instruct the body whether to burn or store fat.

"This is the first evidence we have that fructose increases diabetes and heart disease independently from causing simple weight gain," said Kimber Stanhope, a molecular biologist who led the study. "We didn't see any of these changes in the people eating glucose."

So I guess I have to quit making fun of people who proudly drink 100% cane sugar soda and act like it's a health food. Just an FYI - fruits are 5%-10% fructose by weight. I'm guessing there's more of it in fruit juice, which is why it's better to eat fruit than to chug lots of fruit juice.

Here's an article about this same topic by Fooducate. Their #1 recommendation is to skip the soda aisle at the store.

health care - lower the cost, and pay for the rest

by: teacherken

Sat Sep 19, 2009 at 06:18:53 AM PDT

Imagine that someone proposed a path to universal health care that would significantly lower the cost and provide the means to pay for the rest of it.  One would think that politicians and the American people would jump at the chance.  And yet. . .  I had a parent who is a geologist speak with my students on energy policy this week, and among the things he reminded them is that there is no free lunch and everything is connected to everything else.

This diary is written as a result of two op eds in today's major newspapers.  Neal Bernard, a nutrition researcher and president of the  Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine offer Neal Barnard: Another Way to Reduce Costs -- Get Healthier, and the Boston Globe's Derrick Jackson argues Soda Tax:  It's the Real Thing

You should read both.  I will explore both and offer some thoughts of my own.

House Passes Resolution to Cure Diabetes

by: Jill Richardson

Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 17:23:51 PM PDT

Beating Type II Diabetes

by: GANJA

Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 11:01:18 AM PST

I can't guarantee to any of you that you can be diet controlled, but that's not the ultimate goal. I don't think that it needs to be, but you must give it your best shot. My advice is probably best suited to those of you who've been recently diagnosed. Personally, I spent nearly 5 years on Glucophage XR before I finally got my shit together. I am not suggesting that getting your shit together is all you need to do to accomplish your goals. That was what i needed. Your mileage may vary.

I'm no expert, and I expect to get as much out of this as you do. I'm not trying to usurp the authority of your physician. What they say definitely has top priority.

Study Finds Increase in Kids on Meds

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 07:00:00 AM PST

Reading through the entire article, you'll find that the reason for the increase in type 2 diabetes meds is NOT a doubling in type 2 diabetes (although no doubt there was probably still an increase). Apparently some doctors are prescribing the meds inappropriately, and others are using them for off-label uses. Also, the article mentions an increase in medication to treat ADD, which makes me really wonder about the safety of giving children food with artificial food dyes known to cause behavioral problems in kids. How many of these kids on drugs would have no problems at all if they stopped eating Skittles and drinking Mountain Dew?

One other point to note, that calls the validity of this study into question, is that the data was taken from commercial insurance companies, so kids who are uninsured or insured via Medicaid were not included. Since we know that the low income population of the U.S. also suffers disproportionately from obesity and (I would assume therefore) diet-related illness, I think we need to include those children in order to get valid numbers.

News of the Day

by: Jill Richardson

Mon Sep 29, 2008 at 08:00:00 AM PDT

Most Campylobacter Due to Livestock: Scientists have proven that 97% of food poisonings from Campylobacter are from cattle and poultry (as opposed to wild animals). Campylobacter causes at least 2-3 million cases of food poisoning in the US each year according to the study (although food poisoning cases are often underestimated because few people report them to local health officials).

Study Finds Increase in Type 2 Diabetes in Kids: Formerly called "adult-onset" diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is now on the rise in kids. A study of North Dakotan kids found that diabetes increased from 0.28% to 0.45% (a 60% increase) between 2003 and 2007. Of those cases of diabetes, the amount estimated to be Type 2 went from 23% to 31%. I'd like to see them try that same study in a low income minority community somewhere. They'd be blown away.

Another E. Coli Outbreak: Illinois and Michigan, Lettuce. People are sick in both states. The lettuce comes from a company in Michigan. How many times does this need to happen before we get the reforms we need?

Progressive food policies

by: Ca-48 Steve Young

Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 10:11:34 AM PDT

A fundamental responsibility of our government is to protect the common good.  We take for granted, clean drinking water, protection of our national parks, and drug safety.  While the government falls short in all these areas, Americans have real expectations of their government.

Why don't our expectations extend to food?  I don't mean food safety (such as preventing the conditions described in "The Jungle" that prompted creation of the FDA), I am talking about government support of bad food.  An example -- government subsidies for "commodity corn."  Commodity Corn is inedible but is the raw material in processed foods.  The corn is turned into a variety of products like High-fructose corn syrup, or fed to livestock in manufacturing line slaughterhouses.  

Add the negative impacts of agribusiness -- pesticide runoff in our water systems, the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and other food sourced diseases, fertilizer contamination of our air, water and food, and the problems come into sharp focus.

I advocate a "Healthy Food Initiative" that will change the paradigm in America.  Imagine creating an infrastructure for a healthy, affordable food system by shifting massive subsidies from the pockets of Agribusiness to a system that rewards America's farmers, ranchers, fisherman, and others who feed us, for growing healthy food while protecting our environment.  We can do this with tax credits for farmers who reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides.  We can promote family farm ownership.  We can invest in community garden areas in urban areas.  These are some possibilities to change our food future.

Imagine a food future where food contributes to America's greatness, rather than just our GNP.  Imagine a food future that promotes healthy life styles and a clean environment.  Imagine a food future where environmental footprints is more important than shelf space foot prints for packaged food.  Imagine a food future where children learn to select foods for their value, not their sugary cartoon images.  It is time to stop imagining.  It is time to make this imagination of a food future a present reality.  It is time to be the change we want to be.  I feel that food is our future -- healthy food is our birthright.  Won't you join me in supporting my "Healthy Food Initiative"?  It is time for a fresh start.  It is time for healthy food.

Steve Young, Democrat for Congress, [Ca-48]
"For a fresh start"

Contribute to the Healthy Food Initiative.