5 Trends You Will See Intensify in 2015

© Prevent Disease

Prevent Disease | Dec 31, 2014 | Marco Torres and Michael Forrester

We are creatures of habit and when things go wrong we play the blame game, whether it be directed to ourselves or others. The coming year will be shaped by an increased sense of personal responsibility and rising numbers of people divided on critical issues related to our food supply, our water, our medicine, our health and the planet itself.

All nations on Earth are now living in the times of change and accelerated chaos. Nothing is the same any more. The past few years alone have been a thorn in the side of Mr and Mrs. Consistency. In fact, the only thing that has been consistent is change. As each year passes, we see a greater contrast in shorter period of time.

Those who want change are putting their neck out and standing up for what they believe in. Others are satisfied with following the blind. Some claim the difference is being awakened while others suggest it's just our time for a major shift to shake what we believe to be normal.

The greatest divisions to separate our species are unfolding at this very moment and the trends that have defined the landscapes of societal values, political will and moral education are being challenged at unprecedented levels. Here are 5 trends that will intensify next year.

1) People Eating For Health Rather Than Fads

More people will begin eating for their health and not necessarily choosing a dietary strategy based on a moral decision. That means diet fads will eventually become obsolete as people become ultra informed on making decisions that best suit their metabolic type. The future of nutrition will be based on eating to "fuel" our body's cells and our engines of metabolism. As more people migrate to the foods that align with their own body, rather than a perceived ideal of what we "should" eat, we will see a growing contingency of healthy eaters who select foods based on the best possible choices for individualized nutrition. This means there will be two types of people moving forward: those who cannot move past their own ideology; and those that will. For those that will, it will mean a lesser extent of arguments, debates and anger directed towards specific dietary choices, regardless of whether somebody chooses vegan, raw, vegetarian, paleo, Mediterranean, junk food, etc. It won't matter as much as it used to. More people will be concerned about the purity of our food and water supply, the banning of GMOs, agricultural practices and so many other issues that will bind groups together towards a common goal. For those who cannot move past their dietary ideologies and accept those of others, they will detach from this growing contingency and unfortunately be left in the minority.


2) People Standing Against Toxins In Our Food

Growing numbers are also now uniformly rejecting toxic additives in our food supply. As the evidence continues to mount against artificial flavors/colors, enriched wheat, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, canola oil, aspartame and the abundance of other harmful preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, the public perception of food production is changing. We are on the precipice of discovering what our toxic food industry has done to our bodies and our environment. What used to be acceptable is no longer acceptable and people are speaking up. There is a heightened awareness and a sense of caution on the minds of most grocery shoppers. The length of time spent reading ingredient labels in between aisles has increased exponentially in the last decade. There will be growing interest in whole foods, fermented foods, non-gmo verification, superfoods, clean and affordable filtered water, sustainable food supplies among many other trends.


3) People Standing Against Toxins In Our Water Supply

The next two years will see more communities remove dangerous chemicals such as fluoride from their water supplies. Since 2010, 168 communities have rejected fluoride and those numbers will only continue to grow. More Americans will become informed on the fact that fluoride is one of the few openly admitted toxins by the US government, known to be harmful to our health, yet absolutely no action is being taken to restrict its use on a federal level. The evidence that fluoridation is more harmful than beneficial is now overwhelming and policy makers who avoid thoroughly reviewing recent data and banning the toxin will risk a huge backlash from the public as supporters for non-fluoridated communities rise.


4) People Standing Against Toxins In Medicine

Perhaps the most evident in this area will be among vaccines. There are simply no safe vaccines and there is no possibility at this time of making vaccines safer because manufacturers are unwilling to remove the toxins they claim are necessary within vaccine formulations. People are now listening more than ever and the message is spreading like wild fire. The evidence being highlighted is that the historical significance and effectiveness of vaccines is nothing more than repeated myths absent of any real-life data. Unless you don't have an opinion at all on vaccines, you likely fall into one of the five phases of awareness and awakening and the coming year will shift more people from being on the fence, to coming to terms with all the risks that outweigh the benefits. There are now millions of educated and informed groups of people that will stop at nothing to expose the dangers of vaccinations. Their numbers are growing by the day and as government and medical officials hold on to the vaccination fairy tale that it does no harm, the separation between those who continue to propagate this myth and those against it will only intensify in 2015. Among health care, there is also mass interest in alternative and complementary health methods which is now a multi billion dollar industry, especially as the skepticism of medical patients increases regarding conventional medicine, their methods and symptomatic short-term thinking which many believe has caused western nations great disservice regarding human health.


5) Personal Responsibility For Our Health

We can no longer hide from the disease epidemics nor face the consequences of sustaining a chronically ill population with ever-increasing health care costs. Fear has driven millions of people to submit to medical practitioners who can only provide symptomatic relief and inevitably prolong illness. This is changing and as we begin to honor the many great Physicians for their good will, we will also see the limitations of medical practice and its ability to heal.

We will soon stop blaming others for our personal failures regarding our state of health. We will begin taking a greater sense of responsibility in what we eat and how we move our bodies. We will pursue physical activity to a greater extent this year for enjoyment and health rather than fitness or weight loss. Constant, consistent physical movement throughout our daily lives is the single most important thing we can do to be physically healthier and smarter, regardless of age. It's time for an new era in movement. Movement towards physical and mental health. As we align with physical activities that allow us to express our movement patterns, more people will benefit from increased cardiovascular and muscular health. Nutrition as well as our choice of health practitioners will also take on new experimentation in 2015 as we become more comfortable with giving our bodies personalized nutrients and care at the highest levels with experts that can provide guidance on how we can heal ourselves.

Mounting Evidence Exposes Dangers of Energy Drinks

© Prevent Disease

Prevent Disease | Dec 22, 2014 | Natasha Longo

Two research papers, each published separately, suggest that concerns over levels of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks, and their effects on young people who drink them, are mounting.

Energy drinks are beverages that claim to "make you more alert and give you energy." Most have ingredients like caffeine, sugar, taurine, vitamins and herbs. They can be found anywhere you buy beverages beside the pop, juices and sports drinks.

The amount of caffeine in energy drinks is more than what is recommended for children. Most government public health agencies say that children under 12 years of age should have less than 85 mg of caffeine per day depending on their age. This means that one energy drink can easily put children over their caffeine limits.

Energy Drinks have previously been found to cause irreversible damage to tooth enamel and detrimentally affect the contraction of the heart. A study published in the issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth--specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.

The FDA says they are powerless to change formulation of energy drinks. "We have no guidance or regulations that govern the formulation of energy drinks," said FDA spokeswoman Susan Cruzan. The agency does not have the authority to do that.Cruzan said. "Under current law, the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that its products are safe and such products do not require FDA premarket review or approval."

"There's a tremendous amount of caffeine in these drinks," Jeanna Marraffa, a clinical toxicologist at the Upstate New York Poison Center told USA TODAY. "I would say: know what's in these products, have a sense of how much you're consuming and realize they are not safe. Certainly you can have toxic effects from them."

Patrice Radden, a spokeswoman for Red Bull, said the company is confident in the safety of its products and does not see the need for warning labels.

All energy drinks including Nos, Red Bull, Rockstar, Monster, Full Throttle and several others all contain many toxic sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup.

3 Times Higher Caffeine

Noting that caffeine levels in energy drinks are up to three times higher than in other caffeinated drinks including coffee or cola, Dorner said known side-effects included a rapid heart rate, palpitations, a rise in blood pressure "and in the most severe cases, seizures or sudden death".

Manufactured by the chemical industry, synthetic caffeine is big business in many drinks that contain the drug.

NATURAL CAFFEINE: Natural, real caffeine comes from various plant species. Caffeine content within these plants will vary throughout the year depending on weather, soil conditions, time of year harvested, etc. So caffeine content is impossible and impractical to determine for labeling on products like coffee or tea. They have constantly changing amounts. Naturally caffeinated products will not have caffeine as an ingredient or measurement on the label.

SYNTHETIC CAFFEINE: The first sign the caffeine in your drink is synthetic is it is listed on the label & has an exact measurement. This is the cheapest & most common added caffeine source. The processes & compounds may vary between chemical companies, but they are all disturbing.

FORTIFIED CAFFEINE: Still usually synthetic, caffeine can be obtained from the coffee decaffeination industry, although it is substantially pricier & rarely used. This will also note caffeine on the label with a measurement. Caffeine supplies from this industry use methylene chloride, formaldehyde or ethyl acetone for it's removal. There is no such thing as removing the caffeine with just water.

Two Studies Expose Dangers

The first study - a study of 10-35 year olds Danes' intake of energy drinks conducted by the National Food Institute of Denmark - shows that when children aged 10-14 consume energy drinks, one in five consumes too much caffeine.

Indeed, when their caffeine intake from other sources such as cola and chocolate is included, every second child, and more than one in three adolescents aged 15-17 consume too much caffeine, said the report.
The Danish report also found that 42% of energy drink consumers have experienced adverse effects such as insomnia, restlessness and heart palpitations.

"It is worrying that so many have experienced adverse effects from drinking energy drinks," said Jeppe Matthiessen, senior adviser from the National Food Institute.

The report also suggests that 10-14 year olds have 'limited knowledge' of the ingredients in energy drinks, the side effects of drinking them and the recommendation that children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should not consume energy drinks.

"It seems as if there has been a change in the perception of the types of drinks that people consider normal to drink," said Matthiessen. "Among younger consumers energy drinks now have the same status as soft drinks had previously."

"Both the use of and attitudes towards energy drinks give us reason to be concerned that the intake will increase in the coming years and we therefore suggest that more information will be made available about energy drinks aimed at children and adolescents as well as their parents."

Sugar and caffeine?

A second study, published in the Journal of Caffeine Research, adds to the debate on caffeine and energy drinks by evaluating whether the effects of caffeine differ with or without sugar.

The results the research show that the physiological responses to caffeine with and without sugar 'varied widely' between individuals.

Elaine Rush and her colleagues from Aukland University measured the heart rate and carbon dioxide production (as a measure of respiration) of individuals for 30 minutes before and after they consumed a defined quantity of sugar, caffeine, or sugar and caffeine.

The team said that the wide range of responses may be due to the effects of caffeine phenotype, physical activity level, habitual intake and metabolic responses, including markers of de novo lipogenesis -- adding that further research is needed.

Natasha Longo has a master's degree in nutrition and is a certified fitness and nutritional counselor. She has consulted on public health policy and procurement in Canada, Australia, Spain, Ireland, England and Germany.

High Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Kidney Stones: 5 Facts to Know

© Wake-UpWorld.com

Wake-Up World | Sep 30, 2014 | Dr. Edward F. Group

High-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS for short, is a man-made sweetener commonly used in processed foods. It’s included in many foods that one would least suspect, like bread, crackers, pasta sauces, and even pickles. Groups like the Corn Refiner’s Association and companies dependent on High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) continue to market it as a safe, almost “natural” product. The truth is becoming increasingly clear, however, with studies showing the immense health issues that arise from its long-term consumption. Considering that the the majority of people today consume a diet primarily based on processed foods, it’s somewhat challenging for most people to eat it in moderation.

HFCS and Kidney Stones: What’s the Connection?

Recent research points to the fact that increases in kidney stone occurrences in men, women, and even children appear linked to regular consumption of HFCS. Research indicates HFCS encourages formation of two of the four kidney stone types, both of which are highly avoidable. Here are 5 facts you need to know to protect yourself and your loved ones against HFCS-induced kidney stone formation.

1. Eating Fructose Increases the Risk of Kidney Stones

Don’t be fooled by industry-fueled marketing campaigns — fructose consumption increases the risk of kidney stone formation. The National Kidney Foundation website states “eating too much fructose correlates with increasing the risk of developing a kidney stone.”[1] What’s more, a study evaluating data of over 200,000 people determined those who consumed the most refined fructose had a much greater chance of developing kidney stones. [2] Only the refined fructose showed the correlation, with the non-fructose carbohydrates showing no relation to kidney stones.

2. Drinking Soda Dramatically Increases Kidney Stone Formation

Keeping hydrated is an important part of avoiding kidney stones. Drinking soda to hydrate only does more damage. Sugar-sweetened sodas contain refined fructose from HFCS to make them sweet. A study from Harvard found those who regularly drank soda had a 33% greater risk of kidney stones.[3] Another study found drinking cola encouraged the formation of calcium oxalate (one type of kidney stone).[4] The study authors recommended avoiding colas as a way to reduce kidney stone risk.

3. Fructose Can Metabolize Into Oxalate

Some individuals are naturally predisposed to oxalate stones and will convert fructose into oxalate at a faster rate. This increases the amount of oxalate in the blood which can mix with calcium in the kidneys.

4. Increases Risk of Uric Acid Stones

Manufactured fructose increases the amount of uric acid excreted in urine; natural fructose from fruit does not.[5] High levels of uric acid, or hyperuricemia, encourages kidney stone formation and gout. Researchers have specifically noted elevated levels of uric acid caused by HFCS have been directly linked to metabolic syndrome, a condition identified by obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and renal failure.[6][7] Make sure to avoid fruit juices and sodas containing HFCS, corn syrup, and other artificial sweeteners to possibly reduce risk.

5. Children as Young as 3 Are Developing Kidney Stones

As unbelievable as this sounds, it’s completely true. More and more young children, and I mean under the age of 5, are developing kidney stones. Despite the increasing number of children suffering from this condition, researchers only acknowledge the modern diet of highly-processed foods as the main contributing factor. [8] However, parents and doctors both report that when HFCS is removed from the diet, the incidence of kidney stones goes away.

A Modern Problem?

Predicting the likelihood of developing kidney stones used to be simple. If someone in your family had kidney stones, you were thought to be very likely to develop them as well. But that’s changed. Traditional thought also holds men will more likely develop kidney stones; but, increasing numbers of women and children experience the pain and suffering of this terrible condition.

Reduce HFCS exposure

To prevent kidney stones, the common idea is to drink plenty of water, to avoid calcium supplements, and to decrease intake of salt, protein, and oxalate-rich foods. Of course, some of the healthiest foods around such as spinach, dark chocolate, sweet potatoes, and nuts all contain oxalates. My recommendation is to eliminate HFCS, corn syrup, and other manufactured chemical additives first. The Corn Refiners Association may not want you to hear it, but the science supports it.

Have you had kidney stones? Did eliminating HFCS from your diet help? We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and comments with us below.

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

Article References:

1. National Kidney Foundation. Kidney Stones. NKF. Fact Sheet.
2. Taylor EN1, Curhan GC. Fructose consumption and the risk of kidney stones. Kidney Int. 2008 Jan;73(2):207-12.
3. Ferraro PM1, Taylor EN, Gambaro G, Curhan GC. Soda and other beverages and the risk of kidney stones. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013 Aug;8(8):1389-95. doi: 10.2215/CJN.11661112.
4. Rodgers A. Effect of cola consumption on urinary biochemical and physicochemical risk factors associated with calcium oxalate urolithiasis. Urol Res. 1999;27(1):77-81.
5. Angelopoulos TJ1, Lowndes J, Zukley L, Melanson KJ, Nguyen V, Huffman A, Rippe JM. The effect of high-fructose corn syrup consumption on triglycerides and uric acid. J Nutr. 2009 Jun;139(6):1242S-1245S. doi: 10.3945/jn.108.098194.
6. Cirillo P1, Sato W, Reungjui S, Heinig M, Gersch M, Sautin Y, Nakagawa T, Johnson RJ. Uric acid, the metabolic syndrome, and renal disease. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 Dec;17(12 Suppl 3):S165-8.
7. Bantle JP. Dietary fructose and metabolic syndrome and diabetes. J Nutr. 2009 Jun;139(6):1263S-1268S. doi: 10.3945/jn.108.098020.
8. Tasian GE1, Copelovitch L2. Evaluation and Medical Management of Kidney Stones in Childre. J Urol. 2014 Jun 21. pii: S0022-5347(14)03821-X. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2014.04.1080.