Dangers of HFCS ? High Fructose Corn Syrup (página 2)

Beta cells in the pancreas create insulin in
response to sugar obtained from food. When beta cells start to
function less effectively, they produce less insulin, leading
ultimately to diabetes. The USC
team found that about 40 percent of the sweets consumed by the
children in this study came from sugary drinks such as soda or
sweetened juices. (See: Fat Land by G. Critser).

If you compare the population of
non-diabetics to diabetics, the average life span is 10 years
less. There are many complications that occur with diabetes. They
include coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease,
blindness, kidney disease and loss of sensation in the hands and
feet.

Older people may have something to worry about also. The
leading theory about the cause of Alzheimer's
disease implicates insulin. Insulin concentrations in the brain
drop significantly in early Alzheimer's and continue to fall as
the disease worsens, suggesting that Alzheimer's disease may be
Type 3 diabetes. Researchers found that insulin is not just
produced in the pancreas, but also in the brain.
If you wish to prevent diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, the
prudent thing to do is to read the label of food items and
beverages before you buy them at the store. If you see High
Fructose Corn Syrup – Don't Buy It!

If you see sugars don’t use it!
One tip is to try an ethnic grocery store – such as an Asian or
Latino food store, if you have trouble finding HFCS free foods
that you like. The American food industry doesn't give two
"hoots" about your health.
According to Dr. Mark Hyman, "Immediate action is needed to
address this problem on a societal level. The time for blaming
the victim, for putting the entire responsibility of the obesity
epidemic on a gluttonous population is over. The science is
clear, and we have the means to save lives and millions in health
care dollars."
Question of the decade: Why doesn't the FDA approve stevia as a
sweetener? Stevia accounts for over 40% of the sweetener market
in Japan and is commonly used in South America. Only 24 percent
of Japanese aged 15 and older is believed to be overweight,
compared to over 65 percent of adults in the United
States.

According to Dr. William Dietz of the CDC (Center for
Disease Control), in the
February 2007 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics,
"Consumption of excess calories can produce weight gain. The high
fructose content of sugar-sweetened beverages may promote hepatic
lipogenesis, and the reduced insulinogenic response may decrease
the inhibitory effects of these sugar-sweetened beverages on food
intake. In addition, significant weight gain may occur when
carbohydrates are consumed as liquids rather than as
solids."

Soft drinking teens pile on pounds and obesity — and
so do adults — best not to kid ourselves!

This is a real picture of a
diabetic child…

According to a study released March 6, 2007, the number
of overweight children is on the rise worldwide and by the end of
the decade the number of overweight children will have caused a
strain on our health system as they age. It is estimated that
just under half of the children in North and South America will
be overweight by 2010, up from about 28%. In Europe, about 38% of
the children will be overweight, compared to 25% currently.
Researchers did analyze reports from 1980 to 2005 as well as
World Health Organization data. They found data for trends over
time covering school-age populations in 25 countries and
preschool-age children in 42 countries.
In the drinks study, a team at Boston's Children's Hospital
monitored the weight of 103 teenagers, putting half of them on
unsweetened or artificially-sweetened drinks and letting the
other half continue to consume sugary drinks. They concluded that
a single 330ml can a day of sweetened drinks could lead teens to
put on 1 pound every three or four weeks.
Diabetes Risk Factors

• Are you overweight?
• Do you drink soft drinks or juices with High Fructose
  Corn Syrup everyday?
• Do you have high cholesterol?
• Do you spend too much time online or watching TV and
  don't exercise enough?
• Do you have relatives with diabetes?
• Do you have heart disease?
• Do you smoke?
• Are you over 55?
• Are you over 45 and have high blood
  pressure?
• Are you over 35 and is Asian, Black, Latino or Native
  American?

As a footnote, a recent Italian study suggests Aspartame
(NutraSweet) causes cancer in rats at
levels currently approved for humans.

The Dangers of Corn Oil

A study at the San Francisco VA Medical Center
demonstrates that omega-6 fatty acids such as the fat found in
corn oil promote the growth of prostate tumor cells in the
laboratory.

But, if you are a female and read on, we have bad news
for you too…
Working with human prostate cancer cells in tissue culture,
researchers identified for the first time a direct chain of
causation: When introduced into prostate tumor cells in culture,
omega-6 fatty acid causes the production of cPLA2, which then
causes the production of the enzyme COX2. In turn, COX2
stimulates the release of PGE2, a hormone-like molecule that
promotes cell growth.
What's important about this is that omega-6 fatty acids are found
in corn oil and most of the oils used in bakery goods, which
means that if you're eating a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids,
it's possible that you're turning on this cancer cascade, which
has been shown to be a common denominator in the growth of
prostate, colorectal, and some breast cancers.
The study points out that 60 years ago in the United States, the
dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, a beneficial fatty acid, was
1 to 2. Today, the ratio is 25 to 1. Over that same 60 years, the
incidence of prostate cancer in the U.S. has increased
steadily.
This is one more reason it is important to pay attention to the
fats that you are eating. Substitute olive oil whenever possible,
and take omega 3 fish capsules daily.
Corn on the cob is delicious and nutritious, so is canned and
frozen corn, just don't let yourself be corn holed by the food
and beverage industries.
If you would like to eat as Nature says try the ECHA Plan. This is not
a commercial diet and is intended for people whose interests
center in living long and, most of all, healthy and active
lives.

References

Furnished by request.

Félix E. F. Larocca MD