From Science Daily

Millie;  This article say, “Dieters should focus on limiting the amount of fructose they eat instead of cutting out starchy foods such as bread, rice and potatoes,  report the researchers, who propose using new dietary guidelines based on fructose to gauge how healthy foods are”.

ARE THEY CRAZY??     This is awful advice!  They should cut out fructose INSTEAD of bread, pastas and potatoes. surely they mean IN ADDITION TO. 

ScienceDaily (Dec. 14, 2007) — Here’s one tip for how to eat at the holidays: Don’t take your cues from Santa. The sugary cookies and fat-laden fruitcakes the mythical North Pole resident eats are a no-no. But you don’t have to go no-carb to stay fit at the holidays, either, University of Florida researchers say.

In fact, many dieters may actually be cutting out the wrong foods altogether, according to findings from a UF paper published recently in the European Journal of Nutrition. Dieters should focus on limiting the amount of fructose they eat instead of cutting out starchy foods such as bread, rice and potatoes, report the researchers, who propose using new dietary guidelines based on fructose to gauge how healthy foods are.

"There’s a fair amount of evidence that starch-based foods don’t cause weight gain like sugar-based foods and don’t cause the metabolic syndrome like sugar-based foods," said Dr. Richard Johnson, the senior author of the report, which reviewed several recent studies on fructose and obesity. "Potatoes, pasta, rice may be relatively safe compared to table sugar. A fructose index may be a better way to assess the risk of carbohydrates related to obesity."

They are dead wrong here, those foods ARE converted to sugar almost immediately and then to fats. Part of the reason is that Americans LIVE ON CARBS!  Start looking in people grocery carts. Over 50% will tell you they do low fat and don’t eat red meat. What’s in thier carts? Bread, cereal, granola, granola bars, nuts, chips, cookies, sodas, energy drinks, baked goods, sports drinks..all mostly carbs.  Son they eat low fat, low protein and high carb…and they are overweight, obese even…68% of them. 

Many diets — including the low-carb variety — are based on the glycemic index, which measures how foods affect blood glucose levels. Because starches convert to glucose in the body, these diets tend to limit foods such as rice and potatoes.

While table sugar is composed of both glucose and fructose, fructose seems to be the more dangerous part of the equation, UF researchers say. Eating too much fructose causes uric acid levels to spike, which can block the ability of insulin to regulate how body cells use and store sugar and other nutrients for energy, leading to obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, said Johnson, the division chief of nephrology and the J. Robert Cade professor of nephrology in the UF College of Medicine. UF researchers first detailed the role of uric acid on insulin resistance and obesity in a 2005 study in rats.

"Certainly we don’t think fructose is the only cause of the obesity epidemic," Johnson said. "Too many calories, too much junk food and too much high-fat food are also part of the problem. But we think that fructose may have the unique ability to induce insulin resistance and features of the metabolic syndrome that other foods don’t do so easily."

About 33 percent of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Studies at other institutions have shown that following a low-glycemic diet can reduce the risk for diabetes and heart disease, but the effect could occur because these dieters often are unintentionally limiting fructose as well by cutting out table sugar, Johnson said.

"Processed foods have a lot of sugar," Johnson said. "Probably the biggest source (of fructose) is soft drinks."

Johnson also noted that, in relation to obesity, the type of fructose found in foods doesn’t seem to matter. For example, the fructose in an apple is as problematic as the high-fructose corn syrup in soda. The apple is much more nutritious and contains far less sugar, but eating multiple apples in one sitting could send the body over the fructose edge.

In another UF paper, published in October in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Johnson and his collaborators tracked the rise of obesity and diseases such as diabetes with the rise in sugar consumption. The rates of hypertension, diabetes and childhood obesity have risen steadily over the years.

"One of the things we have learned is this whole epidemic brought on by Western diet and culture tracks back to the 1800s," he said. "Nowadays, fructose and high-fructose corn syrup are in everything."

Aside from soft drinks, fructose can be found in pastries, ketchup, fruits, table sugar and jellies and in many processed foods, including the sugar substitute high fructose corn syrup.

UF researchers plan to test a low-fructose diet in patients soon, Johnson said.

I can tell you how a low fructose diet works; beautifully!  My clients, and myself, follow a low glycemic, high fat and protein diet.  Just as man has for thousands of years.  50% fat (75% of that organic saturated fats, coconut oil, butter, beef broths), 30% protein (eggs, organic free range chickens, grass fed meat) and 20% carbs (green leafy vegetables, onions, mushrooms, peppers,) one serving of fruit a day…and you are at your 2000 calorie a day perfect diet. It gives you all the nutrients you need, in abundance.  Perfect weight control, healthy immune system, high steady energy…it rocks!

Kathleen Melanson, an associate professor of nutrition and food sciences at the University of Rhode Island, said establishing a fructose index for foods could "be an appropriate approach," depending on how foods are classified. It makes sense to limit foods prepared with high fructose corn syrup and table sugar, which often contain empty calories, but fruits are an important part of a person’s diet, she added.

It makes sense to limit foods prepared with high fructose corn syrup? LIMIT high fructose corn syrup?? How about not use it at all? How about stop putting it in OUR food??

"One concern I have always had with the glycemic index is the potential to pigeonhole foods as good or bad," she said.  This isn’t about judging character of foods, some foods are good, some are bad…but the right foods, in the right proportions…are crucial.

From Science Daily

ScienceDaily (Nov. 11, 2009) — A diet high in fructose increases the risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension), according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, California. The findings suggest that cutting back on processed foods and beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may help prevent hypertension.

Over the last 200 years, the rate of fructose intake has directly paralleled the increasing rate of obesity, which has increased sharply in the last 20 years since the introduction of HFCS. Today, Americans consume 30% more fructose than 20 years ago and up to four times more than 100 years ago, when obesity rates were less than 5%. While this increase mirrors the dramatic rise in the prevalence of hypertension, studies have been inconsistent in linking excess fructose in the diet to hypertension.

Diana Jalal, MD (University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center), and her colleagues studied the issue in a large representative population of US adults. They examined 4,528 adults 18 years of age or older with no prior history of hypertension. Fructose intake was calculated based on a dietary questionnaire, and foods such as fruit juices, soft drinks, bakery products, and candy were included. Dr. Jalal’s team found that people who ate or drank more than 74 grams per day of fructose (2.5 sugary soft drinks per day) increased their risk of developing hypertension. Specifically, a diet of more than 74 grams per day of fructose led to a 28%, 36%, and 87% higher risk for blood pressure levels of 135/85, 140/90, and 160/100 mmHg, respectively. (A normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80 mmHg.)

"These results indicate that high fructose intake in the form of added sugars is significantly and independently associated with higher blood pressure levels in the US adult population with no previous history of hypertension," the authors concluded. Additional studies are needed to see if low fructose diets can normalize blood pressure and prevent the development of hypertension.

Study co-authors include Richard Johnson, MD, Gerard Smits, PhD, and Michel Chonchol, MD (University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center). Dr. Richard Johnson reports a conflict of interest as the author of "The Sugar Fix." The authors report no other financial disclosures.

The study abstract, "Increased Fructose Intake is Independently Associated with Elevated Blood Pressure. Findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2006)," (TH-FC037) was presented as part of a Free Communications Session during the American Society of Nephrology’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition on Oct. 29 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

Adapted from materials provided by American Society of Nephrology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

From Re-Nest

In our dream life, we’re the kind of person who can be showered, dressed and ready in 15 minutes. Our lifelong enslavement to the blow dryer prevented that dream from coming true. Recently, however, we’ve (pardon the pun) cut the cord on that relationship and it made us wonder if there were other ways we could rethink our grooming habits to make them more eco-friendly…

• Cut out the blow dryer: Rethink your hair style so that air drying’s an option. We splurged on a pricey hair procedure called the Brazilian Blowout. What we paid out in cash we’ve more than made up for in time and energy saved (no more 45 minute blow outs to tax our patience and the power grid).
• Shorten your showers: Do you really need to take a half hour hot shower? Use a timer, take a Navy shower or install a pause button so you can turn off the water while you soap up or lather your hair. You might also consider showering less often, especially in the winter when the water will rinse off the natural oils that keep your skin and hair from drying out.
• Hair removal: Pamper yourself with a real shave; use a real razor and tub soap instead of foam and eliminate the need for disposable razors, have your legs waxed or wax them yourself. I use a old fashioned safety razor, blades have cost me about .75 a year!
• It’s that time: Yes, even the most intimate grooming rituals can been greened.
• Nails: Instead of polish, try having your nails buffed to a high sheen. It’s healthier for you and for the environment.
• Toothpaste: Try a natural toothpaste like Tom’s or go the simplest route and try baking soda.
• Change your grooming products: Instead of chemically laden products, try organic ones, including organic makeup; instead of pricey creams and masques, look into products you can make from the ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry. Look at the ingredients in your shampoo and conditioner.

Here’s a link to my articles on Going Green with cosmetics and beauty care products, and my recommendations.

Also, here is my recipe for skin cleanser; it’s all natural, no chemicals, doesn’t strip your skin of essential oils and leaves it moist (honey is a humectant, it draws moisture to your skin.) The baking soda is both a fruit acid and an exfolient.

Millie’s Skin Cleanser

3 cup water
2 cups baking soda
1/2 teaspoon almond oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
1 ½ cup honey
1 Tbsp. Dr. Bonners Almond liquid soap
1/2 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
1 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder
1 teaspoon Salicylic acid
3 Tablespoons Xantham gum

On low heat, combing all ingredients except honey. Remove from heat and let cool. Add honey. Apply to the skin like a soap and rinse off with tepid water.

[image: Helga's Lobster Stew's Flickr with a Creative Commons License]

Oh, Happy Day!!!

ScienceDaily (Nov. 12, 2009) — The "chocolate cure" for emotional stress is getting new support from a clinical trial published online in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research. It found that eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling highly stressed. Everyone’s favorite treat also partially corrected other stress-related biochemical imbalances.

Sunil Kochhar and colleagues note growing scientific evidence that antioxidants and other beneficial substances in dark chocolate may reduce risk factors for heart disease and other physical conditions. Studies also suggest that chocolate may ease emotional stress. Until now, however, there was little evidence from research in humans on exactly how chocolate might have those stress-busting effects.

In the study, scientists identified reductions in stress hormones and other stress-related biochemical changes in volunteers who rated themselves as highly stressed and ate dark chocolate for two weeks. "The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 grams [1.4 ounces] during a period of 2 weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of healthy human volunteers," the scientists say.

Just because you don’t have a backyard garden doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy fresh greens. Put together a hydroponic system in a sunny spot based on the designs of WindowFarms.org, and you’ll have fresh greens all year long.

WindowFarms is an initiative devoted to turning urban windows into useful micro-farming space. They’ve put together a detailed PDF to help budding window farmers get started, including charts to help you select and build the right number of hydroponic pods, what kind of pumps to use, and how to link your pods together.

The guide also covers how to make a nutrient solution and what kinds of plants are suitable for window-based hydroponic systems—herbs, cherry tomatoes, peppers, okra, and strawberries do well in hydroponic setups. A nice touch is the large vendor list at the end of the PDF that includes the name of the items, links to find them online or at least see an example of them, and sources in your local environment for each component.

DIY Window Farm [via Re-Nest]

From LifeHacker

Thanksgiving’s just around the corner, which means many of us will try our hand at cooking a turkey in hopes we don’t dry it out. It only takes a little know-how in combination with some science to produce the juiciest results possible.

For those new to brining, the basic idea behind the process is that by soaking a meat that is low in fat (turkey, pork, chicken) in a mixture of salt and water, you’re increasing your meat’s ability to retain its moisture. Over at food weblog Serious Eats, they’ve put together the ultimate guide to brining your turkey to score the best and juiciest results for your Thanksgiving feast. The post does side-by-side testing of turkey breasts soaked in brine, regular water, and one not treated at all. As expected, the brined turkey loses the least of its weight when cooked and turns out juiciest.

If you’re a science nerd like us, you’ll appreciate the Alton Brown approach to brining this post takes, and your table is sure to benefit from it. If you swear by brining, let’s hear your best tips in the comments.

The Food Lab: Turkey Brining Basics [Serious Eats]

This week in NY Times

By NICOLETTE HAHN NIMAN

Bolinas, Calif.

IS eating a hamburger the global warming equivalent of driving a Hummer? This week an article in The Times of London carried a headline that blared: “Give Up Meat to Save the Planet.” Former Vice President Al Gore, who has made climate change his signature issue, has even been assailed for omnivorous eating by animal rights activists.

It’s true that food production is an important contributor to climate change. And the claim that meat (especially beef) is closely linked to global warming has received some credible backing, including by the United Nations and University of Chicago. Both institutions have issued reports that have been widely summarized as condemning meat-eating.

But that’s an overly simplistic conclusion to draw from the research. To a rancher like me, who raises cattle, goats and turkeys the traditional way (on grass), the studies show only that the prevailing methods of producing meat — that is, crowding animals together in factory farms, storing their waste in giant lagoons and cutting down forests to grow crops to feed them — cause substantial greenhouse gases. It could be, in fact, that a conscientious meat eater may have a more environmentally friendly diet than your average vegetarian.

So what is the real story of meat’s connection to global warming? Answering the question requires examining the individual greenhouse gases involved: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides.

Carbon dioxide makes up the majority of agriculture-related greenhouse emissions. In American farming, most carbon dioxide emissions come from fuel burned to operate vehicles and equipment. World agricultural carbon emissions, on the other hand, result primarily from the clearing of woods for crop growing and livestock grazing. During the 1990s, tropical deforestation in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Sudan and other developing countries caused 15 percent to 35 percent of annual global fossil fuel emissions.

Much Brazilian deforestation is connected to soybean cultivation. As much as 70 percent of areas newly cleared for agriculture in Mato Grosso State in Brazil is being used to grow soybeans. Over half of Brazil’s soy harvest is controlled by a handful of international agribusiness companies, which ship it all over the world for animal feed and food products, causing emissions in the process.

Meat and dairy eaters need not be part of this. Many smaller, traditional farms and ranches in the United States have scant connection to carbon dioxide emissions because they keep their animals outdoors on pasture and make little use of machinery. Moreover, those farmers generally use less soy than industrial operations do, and those who do often grow their own, so there are no emissions from long-distance transport and zero chance their farms contributed to deforestation in the developing world.

In contrast to traditional farms, industrial livestock and poultry facilities keep animals in buildings with mechanized systems for feeding, lighting, sewage flushing, ventilation, heating and cooling, all of which generate emissions. These factory farms are also soy guzzlers and acquire much of their feed overseas. You can reduce your contribution to carbon dioxide emissions by avoiding industrially produced meat and dairy products.

Unfortunately for vegetarians who rely on it for protein, avoiding soy from deforested croplands may be more difficult: as the Organic Consumers Association notes, Brazilian soy is common (and unlabeled) in tofu and soymilk sold in American supermarkets.

Methane is agriculture’s second-largest greenhouse gas. Wetland rice fields alone account for as much 29 percent of the world’s human-generated methane. In animal farming, much of the methane comes from lagoons of liquefied manure at industrial facilities, which are as nauseating as they sound.

This isn’t a problem at traditional farms. “Before the 1970s, methane emissions from manure were minimal because the majority of livestock farms in the U.S. were small operations where animals deposited manure in pastures and corrals,” the Environmental Protection Agency says. The E.P.A. found that with the rapid rise of factory farms, liquefied manure systems became the norm and methane emissions skyrocketed. You can reduce your methane emissions by seeking out meat from animals raised outdoors on traditional farms.

CRITICS of meat-eating often point out that cattle are prime culprits in methane production. Fortunately, the cause of these methane emissions is understood, and their production can be reduced.

Much of the problem arises when livestock eat poor quality forages, throwing their digestive systems out of balance. Livestock nutrition experts have demonstrated that by making minor improvements in animal diets (like providing nutrient-laden salt licks) they can cut enteric methane by half. Other practices, like adding certain proteins to ruminant diets, can reduce methane production per unit of milk or meat by a factor of six, according to research at Australia’s University of New England. Enteric methane emissions can also be substantially reduced when cattle are regularly rotated onto fresh pastures, researchers at University of Louisiana have confirmed.

Finally, livestock farming plays a role in nitrous oxide emissions, which make up around 5 percent of this country’s total greenhouse gases. More than three-quarters of farming’s nitrous oxide emissions result from manmade fertilizers. Thus, you can reduce nitrous oxide emissions by buying meat and dairy products from animals that were not fed fertilized crops — in other words, from animals raised on grass or raised organically.

In contrast to factory farming, well-managed, non-industrialized animal farming minimizes greenhouse gases and can even benefit the environment. For example, properly timed cattle grazing can increase vegetation by as much as 45 percent, North Dakota State University researchers have found. And grazing by large herbivores (including cattle) is essential for well-functioning prairie ecosystems, research at Kansas State University has determined.

Additionally, several recent studies show that pasture and grassland areas used for livestock reduce global warming by acting as carbon sinks. Converting croplands to pasture, which reduces erosion, effectively sequesters significant amounts of carbon. One analysis published in the journal Global Change Biology showed a 19 percent increase in soil carbon after land changed from cropland to pasture. What’s more, animal grazing reduces the need for the fertilizers and fuel used by farm machinery in crop cultivation, things that aggravate climate change.

Livestock grazing has other noteworthy environmental benefits as well. Compared to cropland, perennial pastures used for grazing can decrease soil erosion by 80 percent and markedly improve water quality, Minnesota’s Land Stewardship Project research has found. Even the United Nations report acknowledges, “There is growing evidence that both cattle ranching and pastoralism can have positive impacts on biodiversity.”

As the contrast between the environmental impact of traditional farming and industrial farming shows, efforts to minimize greenhouse gases need to be much more sophisticated than just making blanket condemnations of certain foods. Farming methods vary tremendously, leading to widely variable global warming contributions for every food we eat. Recent research in Sweden shows that, depending on how and where a food is produced, its carbon dioxide emissions vary by a factor of 10.

And it should also be noted that farmers bear only a portion of the blame for greenhouse gas emissions in the food system. Only about one-fifth of the food system’s energy use is farm-related, according to University of Wisconsin research. And the Soil Association in Britain estimates that only half of food’s total greenhouse impact has any connection to farms. The rest comes from processing, transportation, storage, retailing and food preparation. The seemingly innocent potato chip, for instance, turns out to be a dreadfully climate-hostile food. Foods that are minimally processed, in season and locally grown, like those available at farmers’ markets and backyard gardens, are generally the most climate-friendly.

Rampant waste at the processing, retail and household stages compounds the problem. About half of the food produced in the United States is thrown away, according to University of Arizona research. Thus, a consumer could measurably reduce personal global warming impact simply by more judicious grocery purchasing and use.

None of us, whether we are vegan or omnivore, can entirely avoid foods that play a role in global warming. Singling out meat is misleading and unhelpful, especially since few people are likely to entirely abandon animal-based foods. Mr. Gore, for one, apparently has no intention of going vegan. The 90 percent of Americans who eat meat and dairy are likely to respond the same way.

Still, there are numerous reasonable ways to reduce our individual contributions to climate change through our food choices. Because it takes more resources to produce meat and dairy than, say, fresh locally grown carrots, it’s sensible to cut back on consumption of animal-based foods. More important, all eaters can lower their global warming contribution by following these simple rules: avoid processed foods and those from industrialized farms; reduce food waste; and buy local and in season.

Nicolette Hahn Niman, a lawyer and livestock rancher, is the author of “Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms.”

Following is the recipe for Sprouted Flat Bread…I have tried several times to figure it out had some friends who were baker’s played around with sprouts…all we accomplished was was charred sprouts.,   I like making everything from scratch, so it is better quality and cheaper. Give this a try…

Use only fresh, organic ingredients. Don’t skimp on this. Purchase organic, whole wheat berries and soak 3 cups (not flour) in water for at least 8 hours. It’s best to do this over night. Soak them in a large stainless steel or ceramic bowl. In the morning, drain and discard the soak water. Rinse the soaked berries a couple of times again and drain well. Spread the berries out as best you can in the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and let it sit in a warm place. The berries will soon start to sprout. If they don’t, throw them away and locate another source. Down here in Louisiana (especially in the summer), the berries sprout in about 10 hours. During the winter it usually takes about 24 hours. It might take 48 hours in Canada, I don’t know. But you have to watch the wheat and you have to rinse it with clean water a couple of times a day. And as soon as it is ready you have to bake it right then. If you don’t catch it at the right time you will soon discover what living food is. Instead of sprouted wheat, you’ll have baby grass and it won’t make sweet, tasty bread. When the sprouts are ready, you will see the tiny root poking out of the seed. As soon as it is about 1/16" or 1/8" long, it is ready for the next step.

When the wheat sprouts are ready, rinse them one more time with clean water and drain. Place them in a Cuisinart food processor. (You need a strong food processor like the Cuisinart. It has a strong motor and you need that because you want the dough to "chase itself around". Process the berries well. Scrape the sides of the food processor if you have to, but blend the mixture well until it forms a sticky dough ball. If you want to make a sweeter bread, add 1/4 cup of raw honey and 1 teaspoon of Celtic salt. This is optional of course, but you may want to try it with these additions the first time, especially for kids. Traditionally, Essene Flat Bread contained only sprouted wheat and nothing else. During the sprouting process, the starch is converted into simple sugars which makes a sweet tasting dough. This kind of bread metabolizes slowly and helps you feel satisfied on less; it also improves digestion and elimination. This is quite an improvement over refined flours which produce complex carbohydrates that can elevate blood sugar levels. 

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Now spread the dough out onto a non-stick baking pan, such as T-FAL or some similar type of pan. Get a good non-stick (11" x 17" x 1") pan. That is the size of the ‘Wilton’ brand non-stick pan we use that we got from Wal-Mart. The three cups of sprouted wheat dough fits perfectly in this size pan, spread to 1/4 inch thickness.  Don’t use aluminum. It will stick terribly and you’d have to use oil, and there is nothing worse for your health than heated oils.
Spread the dough to about 1/4 inches thick and bake it for no longer than 35 minutes at 325 degrees. When you place the pan in the preheated oven you may want to steam the oven with a little water and then shut the oven door right away. Don’t keep peeking at it, but do turn the pan at least once during the process to help the bread bake evenly.

Allow it to cool and set for several minutes before scoring the bread into 2"x2" squares. Remove the squares from the pan and store them in a plastic bag. Do not refrigerate! That will only make it stale really quickly.  It can, however, be frozen.  Best of luck with this and let us know how it goes.

From http://www.earthstar.newlibertyvillage.com/essenebread.htm

October 6, 2009 · Print This Article

Could you go nine years without spending a penny? It sounds pretty much impossible – how would you feed yourself, keep yourself safe from the elements? What about clothing and medicine?

Daniel Suelo consciously removed himself from the consumer lifestyle nearly a decade ago and hasn’t looked back. He lives in a cave in Utah and fishes, forages, dumpster dives and sometimes hunts for his food – and writes all about it on his website and blog from a nearby public library.

From MatadorChange, via Treehugger:

While in Ecuador on a Peace Corps mission, he witnessed a rural community acquire increased monetary wealth through farming and shift their traditional lifestyle towards a diet of unhealthy, processed food and a newfound addiction to television.

The experience led Suelo on a spiritual quest that realized itself in India, where he was particularly moved by the Sadhus, wandering monks who renounce all money and possessions. He made the conscious decision to return home, quit his job, and carve out a life without money.

As he put it, “I simply got tired of being unreal. Money is one of those intriguing things that seem real and functional because two or more people believe it is real and functional.”

Essentially an extreme freegan, Suelo receives no government assistance and does not panhandle. He lives off the excess of American society, though the kindness of strangers helps a lot when he needs a ride, and he does use taxpayer-supported public libraries.

As Treehugger points out, Suelo probably has the lowest carbon footprint of any blogger in the world. Read more about his lifestyle and how he makes it work at MatadorChange and Suelo’s own website, Living Without Money.

A few days ago I had a young man ask me about the carb count in the food I was servings to him, but something in the way he said it made me quickly glance up…he looked frightened.  Something didn’t compute…he was about 6’ 2”, in perfect physical shape, young, about 24 or so. I asked’ “You have a blood sugar problem”?

He replied, “ I was just released  from Mayo this morning, I was taken to the hospital when I passed out, they said I have diabetes.  I asked him what they had told him to eat and how to manage it. As he told me the answer I started getting madder and madder.  “They told me”, he said, “ To eat the same foods I am eating now but to eat half the amount!”   I was incredulous. He said, his face becoming animated, “But I’m sooo hungry”!    When asked what he had for breakfast that morning at the hospital, he told me he had had half of an English Muffin with margarine, half a bowl of oatmeal with 2% milk, and a fruit cup! 

As I explained to him how excess carbs and the wrong fats, and lack of fats had gotten him to where he was today…it dawned on him..they were creating a patient for life.  I told him my experiences when doctors had told me they were not interested in teaching people top get well to the degree that I did, that they didn’t have time and that they would lose out on income.

So I went on with the conversation, explaining about organic meat, grass fed beef, coconut oil…and why…he just grinned, “I can eat, I don’t have to try to be hungry the rest of my life!” 

I obtained a flyer from the company Sanofi Aventis, clearly a company who makes pharmaceuticals..although it never mentions that on the flyer,  The accompanying flyer was an advertisement for Insulin.

Here’s the Diet they recommended for a diabetic;

Breakfast; white egg omelet with low fat cheese, spinach, onions, a slice of whole wheat toast, 1 teaspoon light margarine spread, 2/3 cup light yogurt, half a grapefruit and coffee with artificial sweetener.

The Nutrition breakdown;

229 calories- woefully inadequate, he should be getting a third of his calories for the day!

30% of his calories were from fat-  too low.

23% of calories were from protein-  too low.

And 47% of his calories were from CARBOHYDRATES!  No wonder they recommend this diet along with the insulin…he’s gonna need it!   Plus he has gotten 17% of needed calcium, 7% of needed iron…this isn’t looking good for his health. He took in 41 mg. of Vitamin C, kinda scary. And he took in 438 IU. of Vitamin A..you need 50,000 a DAY!   And it is easily gotten through diet alone.

Next; Lunch; 2 slices rye bread, 2 ounces turkey, 2 slices tomato, low fat cheese, light mayonnaise, small apple and a diet beverage!   I swear, it really says that!

Lunch was 367 calories- kinda puny..and who eats 2 ounces of meat on a sandwich? 

19% was from fat-  way too low.

23% was from protein-  are you seeing a pattern here…since these too numbers are always too low…guess what that does to the carb percentages?  You guessed it!

Carbs were 58% of this persons intake.  Eeeekkk!   No way to handle diabetes, and a good way to develop more diabetics. 

He did get 59 mg of Vitamin C, big whoop.  And 2638 IU of Vitamin A, far short still of that 50,000.  He took in 14% of needed calcium, and along with the inadequate Vitamin C…no or low absorption of calcium…which he’s not getting enough of anyway.

So lets look at the whole day,. Dinner was 3 OUNCES of broiled salmon with 2 teaspoons canola oil, a whole wheat dinner roll. mixed greens with olive oil, 2/3 cup brown rice and a packet of sugar free chocolate pudding. 

This poor man had 1200 calories. I’d starve to death.  29% was from fat, too low for good health and most of high fats were monounsaturated fats, those fats that make cholesterol stick together in the arteries, leads to heart disease, have no nutrition in them, are rancid and unsafe to ever heat at all.

18% of his calories were from protein, too low.  And carbs were at 53%.  They should be between 15 and 20% for healthy individuals, which is also ideal for diabetics…doesn’t THAT make sense?

But let’s take a look at the nutrition; the vitamins and minerals he got this day;

122 mg of Vitamin C for the whole day!  Dismal.

4271 IU of Vitamin A, we need 50,000 to 75,000 from our diet each day.

He took in 54% of needed calcium…(he’ll need Boniva, Lipitor and then Viagra…)

He took in 51% of needed Iron.

And the FDA, the American Heart Association, the Diabetic Association will tell you this is good nutrition.

It’s a joke, and it pisses me off. They lie to sell drugs, keep the doctors offices and hospitals full. It’s time we all got mad and gave feedback about the way you have been duped into thinking that these illnesses “just happen”…they are preventable!

but not with the FDA approved “diet”.