There has been a great deal of recent research exposing the harm of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup in our daily diets.

A diet high in sugar causes inflammation and accelerated aging.

It appears now that not all sugar is created equal, and in fact, fructose is much more harmful than previously thought.

The three natural, common types of sugar in the human diet are glucose, sucrose, and fructose.

Glucose is the sugar broken down from carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, and potatoes.

Sucrose is refined cane sugar, or common table sugar.

Fructose is a component of sucrose along with glucose.

Fructose is found in many foods.

Today, however, we as a society now consume large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup, largely from processed foods and sodas due to its low cost and high relative sweetness.

The latest research shows that high amounts of fructose not only wreaks havoc on your metabolism, but also on cancer cells.

A study from UCLA showed that pancreatic cancer cells used fructose and glucose in different ways, concluding that the cancer cells better use fructose to multiply.

Pancreatic tumor cells seem to prefer the fructose over glucose, eating it up to divide and proliferate.

These findings show that cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation.

Fructose essentially acts like fertilizer for cancer cells in the body. The results of this study obviously have dietary implication for those fighting cancer and in preventive medicine that would be all of us.

By cutting back or eliminating your intake of fructose--be it from fruit (especially fruit juices), sodas, or processed foods--you may be able to slow cancer cell growth.

Limiting the total amount of sugar in your diet also helps to improve your immune system, as sugar suppresses it.

This study also sends shock-waves through the corn industry as well as certain food and soda producers, as these industries have disagreed with negative health claims of high-fructose corn syrup, and claimed that all sugars are metabolized similarly by the body.

Hopefully, more government action will be taken to halt the use of high-fructose corn syrup in so many common products.

I also encourage you to limit the amount of refined sugars in your diet as cancer cells thrive on all refined sugar.

Reducing sugar intake will also help to maintain a healthy weight, reducing your risk for many serious lifestyle based diseases and conditions.

A low calorie, nutrient dense Anti-Inflammatory approach to nutrition is a key part of an Age Management Medicine Program.

Silent, chronic inflammation is the basis of all chronic disease.

The choices that you make on a daily basis regarding the foods and drinks that you use as fuel, really do make a difference.

This is one of the reasons that I like incorporating fresh, organic vegetable juice as part of an anti-inflammatory diet.

I highly recommend the following book:

Juicing, Fasting, and Detoxing for Life: Unleash the Healing Power of Fresh Juices and Cleansing Diets [Paperback]

Cherie Calbom MS (Author), John Calbom MA (Author)Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Wellness Central; 1 edition (July 30, 2008)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0446581372

ISBN-13: 978-0446581370

Juicing fresh, ORGANIC VEGETABLES provides concentrated nutrition that is found in virtually no other source: vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.

By juicing, you'll feel better, more energized, and improve your immune system.

More than a simple collection of recipes, this book guides readers toward a lifestyle that promotes alkaline balance by juicing, eating well, and cleansing the body and soul.

While most juicing books focus too much on fruit juice (which disrupts the body's pH balance with too much fructose-natural sugar), this book primarily focuses on juices, smoothies and soups made from vegetables.

It also also offers a guide to the food richest in nutrients from Vitamin A to zinc and includes various cleanses to benefit the colon, liver, gall bladder, and kidney and more.

Beyond the body, the Caboms explain the heavy toll emotional, mental, and spiritual unrest can take on the body (and sometimes even encourage disease) and share unique, effective methods for cleansing the body of such toxicity.

A simple recipe for a tasty ORGANIC VEGETABLE JUICE:

3-4 organic carrots, scrubbed well, tops removed and ends trimmed

2-3 organic broccoli florets

2 organic celery stalks

1/2 a small organic beet, scrubbed well

1/2 lemon, peeled

Cut produce to fit your juicer's feed tube.

Juice ingredients and stir. Pour into a glass and drink right away. Serves 1

This organic vegetable drink is rich in magnesium which is necessary for over 400 functions in the body.

Magnesium decreases stress and melts away tension.

Organic Vegetables can also be added to your diet through delicious and easy to make soups.

Minty Green Delight Soup

1 organic Avocado that has been peeled, seeded and cut in quarter

1 cup organic raw spinach

1/2 organic English cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks

1/2 cup of organic coconut milk

Juice of one organic lime

2-3 tablespoons of raw, organic almonds

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the almonds, in a blender and blend well until smooth.

I highly recommend the Vita-Mix Blender but any blender will do.

Blend until smooth.

Sprinkle ground almonds on top, as desired.

Serves 2.