 Greetings!
I learned my lesson years ago about planting too large of a garden. The last few years I've limited my tomato plants to one cherry variety and one slicing variety. Who would have thought two little plants could produce so many tomatoes? Those two plants are producing like crazy. I'm bringing the surplus to the store to give away. Feel free to come by a snag a couple.
The movie theater on California Avenue is completed. It looks great. 85,000 square feet and their air conditioning works great. Saw Harry Potter on Sunday. They have a very friendly group of people working there. Work continues on the Mill Creek project on 17th Street just east of Q Street. Lots of construction going on, but the roads are open.
John & Ranae
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High Fructose Corn Syrup - Good or Bad?
We
have all heard recently how high fructose corn syrup is a bad thing. I must admit I never took such news very
seriously...until recently when I heard a podcast from The Stuff You Should Know.
After all, I know fructose is one of many sugar molecules, is sweeter
than table sugar (sucrose), is found in fruit, and has the same calories as
sugar or honey. How bad could it be?
Here's
a little history. High fructose corn
syrup (HFCS) didn't exist before 1957.
Plain old corn syrup is very rich in glucose. Glucose is used by the body as an energy
source. In 1957 researchers discovered
that if they added a few enzymes during the processing of corn syrup they could
convert the glucose to fructose. It was
an expensive process back then and while valuable, it was ignored. Food processors would love to use fructose
because fructose is more soluble in water than glucose (so it is easier to mix)
and it is sweeter than glucose too (so they could use less). Table sugar is sucrose; a molecule formed by
combining fructose and glucose and generally comes from sugar cane. There is 10% more fructose in HFCS than table
sugar. That certainly doesn't sound like
much of a difference.
In
the 1970's the process of converting corn syrup to HFCS became much more cost
effective and efficient. A couple of
government policies, mainly the Farm Bill, give money to corn producers to grow
corn. We have an over-abundance of corn
in this country. The government also
placed a quota on sugar imports creating an artificial shortage of sugar. (Last year the US price of sugar was around
55 cents compared to the world price of 18 cents. For comparison HFCS costs about 25 cents)
Over
the past couple of decades many have observed that the incidence of Type II
diabetes has increased. This observation
is related to the increase use of HFCS. In
1970 more than 83% of all sweeteners were consumed as sucrose (table sugar). By 1997 consumption of sucrose dropped to 43%
and 57% of all sweetener consumption was HFCS.
Some recent studies are suggesting we have not topped out on the
incidence of Type II diabetes. One
recent study of 1400 middle school students revealed that nearly one third of
their caloric intake was added sugars (other than natural sugars). In 2005 another study demonstrated that
Americans consumed 42 pounds HFCS per person!
Between 1994 and 2004 new diagnosis of type II diabetes increased by 23%.
What's
the problem with HFCS? Our bodies don't
use fructose like our bodies use glucose.
We can metabolize glucose very easily in a number of areas in the body and
generate energy. The liver is the only
organ that can metabolize fructose. And,
it can only process and store so much fructose.
The rest gets converted to triglycerides or essentially fats. There
are more troubling facts about fructose.
It seems the extra sweetness of fructose (and even artificial sweetners)
make us crave more sugar. There are chemicals
in the stomach called ghrelin and leptin.
Ghrelin and leptin transmit a signal to the brain that we've eaten
enough and it's time to shut of the hunger mechanism. Interestingly, we don't produce ghrelin and
leptin when we ingest fructose, so we don't get the signal to stop eating which
is why it's so difficult to stop eating those Chip Ahoy cookies.
All
this new information has changed my opinion of high fructose corn syrup. Not that I used that much to begin with, but
now I'm even more careful about reading labels.
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Snippets
Hyaluronic
Acid
Few
animals stress their joints more than thoroughbred racehorses. Owners and trainers spend a lot of time and
money looking for ways to protect their bones and joints. Clinical tests involving horses and Hyaluronic
acid, a relatively new supplement, have demonstrated that Hyaluronic acid
concentration in synovial fluid goes up and joint discomfort goes down with
supplementation.
Similar
results are being repeated in a recent pilot clinical trial involving men and
women who had been experiencing joint discomfort. Hyaluronic acid is a large polysaccharide
belonging to a family of biological compounds called "glycosaminoglycans". The body uses these complex, versatile molecules
to add strength and lubrication to joints and other body parts. Hyaluronic can help other joint nutrients,
such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, be more effective in dealing with
arthritis and joint pain. Lubrication is
a key factor in a smooth, healthy joint.
Hyaluronic acid is a major component of synovial fluid and therefore
helps maintain a healthier, more lubricated joint.
Are
YOU taking your multiple vitamin?
According
to the Linus Pauling Institute
90%
of Americans don't meet the Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) for vitamin E
50%
don't meet the DRI for magnesium
40%
don't meet the DRI for vitamin A
30%
don't meet the DRI for vitamin C
Resveratol
One
of the hottest new supplements in the news is called Resveratol. You may have heard about on Oprah with Dr.
Oz. Found in the skin of red grapes and
berries, Resveratol is believed to have a similar effect on cells as
calorie-restriction. It activates
proteins which fend off oxidative stress and repair DNA. A 2008 study by the National Institute of
Aging found that mice fed Resveratol showed "a marked reduction in signs of aging", including improved heart
health, and bone density, as well as fewer cataracts. Few human studies exist, and because Resveratol
is rapidly metabolized and flushed out of the body, finding an effective form
has proved tricky. Look for "trans-resveratrol"
the most-studied and best-absorbed form available to date. Resveratol may mimic estrogen, so women with
a history of breast ofr ovarian cancers should avoid Resveratol supplements.
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