Health Gallery Nutrition Center

Box 283, Gold Beach, Or 97444
1-541-247-7077

drhealth@getwel.com * drhealth's getwel.com Home Page http://www.getwel.com

Sugar Intake leads To Premature Aging!

Refined carbohydrate diets based on breads, cereals, cookies and soft drinks are now recognized as a major cause of disease and premature death. With the regular consumption of these foods, the body consistently exceeds its upper limit of normal blood glucose (60 to 140 mg) until it reaches a critical threshold called hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). The consequences of uncontrolled hyperglycemia, or also known as glucotoxicity, can be deadly for humans as well as most animal species.

The most obvious effects are evident in the elderly type II diabetic, whose chronic high levels of blood sugar break down many delicate tissues, including those of the eyes, kidneys, nerves and cardiovascular system.

A 20-year follow-up of three major European studies identified high blood sugar as a major risk factor for death due to ALL CAUSES! The European Whitehall study, Paris Prospective Study and Helsinki Policeman Study, which combined involved over 17,000 middle-aged, nondiabetic working men, found that those who had elevated glucose levels - but were not (yet) diabetic - had a "significantly higher risk of ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY."

Beware of AGEs - Advanced Glycosylation End Products!

One of the significant ways in which elevated blood sugar accelerates aging may be through the formation of toxic substances called ADVANCED GLYCOSYLATION END PRODUCTS (AGEs). In the mid-1970s biologist Anthony Cerami discovered that chronically high blood glucose is the major trigger in a chemical process that produces AGEs, which are implicated in normal and advanced aging, and age-enhanced diseases such as type II diabetes, atherosclerosis, kidney disease and Alzheimer's disease.

AGEs form at accelerated rates whenever blood-sugar levels are high. This is most evident in the type II diabetics, who, in their chronic state of hyperglycemia, produce far more AGEs than healthy people do. Recent studies also show that sunlight exposure can further accelerate AGEs-related damage. And it doesn't take years to see the damage. A recent study of diabetics found that eating a diet high in AGEs for six weeks increased blood levels of inflammatory compounds linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetic complications by 28 percent and raised harmful LDL cholesterol by 32 percent.

Cross-Linking and AGEs normally increases with age, eventually resulting damage to collagen and brain cells. Sometimes referred to as a caramelization or browning reaction, this particular type of cross-linking involves a chemical reaction between sugar and protein molecules that inflicts serious damage to cell membranes and collagen fibers, eventually leading to stiffening of connective tissue and loss of memory. This type of cross-linking can be slowed through blood-sugar and insulin control.

Supplements and Diet Can Restore Memory And Slow Down Age-Related Decline!

Following a high-protein, high-fat, low-cabohydrate diet is the first step in keeping a sharp mind. Some of the Vita-nutrients that play an important role in revitalizing brain function are: Ginkgo biloba, Phyophatidyl Serene (PS), L-Carnitine, DHA, SAMe, DMAE, Pregnenolone, and B vitamin complex.

Glycaton and Cooking... Backyard barbecue could burn you - and not just by the sun. Grilling produces cancer-causing heterocyclic amines (HCAs), but many people are not aware that foods cooked at high temperatures are loaded with harmful chemicals called advanced glycation end products (AGEs)! As mentioned before, AGEs form when proteins react with sugars during cooking, and the higher the temperature and the longer the cooking time, the greater the number of AGEs.

Prevent AGE-related damage by preparing foods by steaming, boiling, poaching, and lightly sauteing rather than broiling, microwaving, and deep frying. Taking antioxidants like Vitamin E, C, alpha-lapoic acid, CoQ10, etc. can also be helpful. Did You Know...

* To reduce bruising, ice the affected area and take 200-400 mg of bromelain, an enzyme from pineapple, three times a day on an empty stomach.

* Impaired blood sugar metabolism is associated with memory impairment, even in people without overt diabetes.

* Biotin, 300 mcg a day for three months, has been shown to strengthen fingernails. (Biotin is a member of the B complex so be sure to take a B complex when taking any one of the B vitamins).

* When nonstick cooking pans are heated to high temperatures (especially when empty), they emit airborne toxins that can cause flu-like symptoms.

Thought For The Day... You create your thoughts, your thoughts create your intentions and your intentions create your reality! Our lives are what our thoughts create! So be careful of what and how you think!