February 14, 2010
Institute For Medical Wellness Healthy Living Report
The Verdict on Artificial Sweeteners
Institute For Medical Wellness Healthy Living Report
The Verdict on Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar became very popular with the song lyric, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."
But spoonfuls of sugar also goes down to your abdomen, hips and thighs.
From previous newsletters, you may remember that all carbohydrates get converted to glucose, or sugar. Insulin then acts to store the excess sugar in our cells, by converting them into triglycerides and then fat.
I'll say it again.
It is excess carbohydrates and insulin that causes fatty weight gain.
So when I tell my patient's this, they respond with:
"O.K. That means no sugar. Can I use Sweet-N-Low, Splenda or Equal? You see Doc, I have a sweet tooth, and I need my sweets!!"
Boy do I hate being the bad guy!
But for now, I need to play the Good Doc, even if it means telling you that both sugar and artificial sweeteners are not good for your bottom line, your hip line, or your waist line!!
You see, our brains are interesting organs. It seems they only need to sense a sweet taste, to increase the release of insulin, even if the sweet taste is artificial.
So eating or drinking anything with a sweet flavor, regardless of whether the sweet is natural or artificial causes the insulin-->fat deposition-->weight gain, and usually an increase in the production of cholesterol, especially the more harmful small LDL cholesterol.
So the pattern is now:
Carbohydrates or sweet tastes --> increased insulin--> increased fat deposition --> increased weight gain--> increased bad cholesterol --> increased risk of heart and vascular disease.
Sounds promising? NOT !!!!
The next question or statement is usually: "Well fruit must be O.K. I mean, fruit is natural, and I have always been told that fruit is good for me."
My answer.
Yes and No!
First- Yes.
There are many vitamins and minerals in fruit.
Second- No!
Unfortunately, for those of us who do not tolerate excess carbohydrates, too much fruit gives us the apple body shape, with abundant weight gain around our middles. There are some tricks to prevent weight gain, but it entails keeping an accurate account of your food intake. That is why the food diaries in our Healthy Weight Program are so important. Individuals in this program use the diaries to find the weak parts of their diets, and learn how to change or alter these choices and poor food seeking behaviors.
But let me get back on the topic of the newsletter.
I am not a fan of any artificial sweetener!!!
But spoonfuls of sugar also goes down to your abdomen, hips and thighs.
From previous newsletters, you may remember that all carbohydrates get converted to glucose, or sugar. Insulin then acts to store the excess sugar in our cells, by converting them into triglycerides and then fat.
I'll say it again.
It is excess carbohydrates and insulin that causes fatty weight gain.
So when I tell my patient's this, they respond with:
"O.K. That means no sugar. Can I use Sweet-N-Low, Splenda or Equal? You see Doc, I have a sweet tooth, and I need my sweets!!"
Boy do I hate being the bad guy!
But for now, I need to play the Good Doc, even if it means telling you that both sugar and artificial sweeteners are not good for your bottom line, your hip line, or your waist line!!
You see, our brains are interesting organs. It seems they only need to sense a sweet taste, to increase the release of insulin, even if the sweet taste is artificial.
So eating or drinking anything with a sweet flavor, regardless of whether the sweet is natural or artificial causes the insulin-->fat deposition-->weight gain, and usually an increase in the production of cholesterol, especially the more harmful small LDL cholesterol.
So the pattern is now:
Carbohydrates or sweet tastes --> increased insulin--> increased fat deposition --> increased weight gain--> increased bad cholesterol --> increased risk of heart and vascular disease.
Sounds promising? NOT !!!!
The next question or statement is usually: "Well fruit must be O.K. I mean, fruit is natural, and I have always been told that fruit is good for me."
My answer.
Yes and No!
First- Yes.
There are many vitamins and minerals in fruit.
Second- No!
Unfortunately, for those of us who do not tolerate excess carbohydrates, too much fruit gives us the apple body shape, with abundant weight gain around our middles. There are some tricks to prevent weight gain, but it entails keeping an accurate account of your food intake. That is why the food diaries in our Healthy Weight Program are so important. Individuals in this program use the diaries to find the weak parts of their diets, and learn how to change or alter these choices and poor food seeking behaviors.
But let me get back on the topic of the newsletter.
I am not a fan of any artificial sweetener!!!
No pink packet!! No Blue packet!! No yellow packet!!
Sugar?? No way!!
The verdict on artificial sweeteners is guilty. They are guilty of causing the same metabolic changes that sugar causes, including, obesity, high cholesterol, and increased risk of diseases caused by increases in insulin.
But we can change the outcome. By changing your diet, either on your own, or through our Healthy Weight Program, you can get your sugar and sweet cravings under control, lower your insulin levels, and start on your way to better health!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link section- where you find more info and articles to guide you to better health.
In the past, I have also complained about so-called experts giving out advice, when the logic and facts do not back up their advice.
Sugar?? No way!!
The verdict on artificial sweeteners is guilty. They are guilty of causing the same metabolic changes that sugar causes, including, obesity, high cholesterol, and increased risk of diseases caused by increases in insulin.
But we can change the outcome. By changing your diet, either on your own, or through our Healthy Weight Program, you can get your sugar and sweet cravings under control, lower your insulin levels, and start on your way to better health!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Link section- where you find more info and articles to guide you to better health.
In the past, I have also complained about so-called experts giving out advice, when the logic and facts do not back up their advice.
Here is a link to an article on diet, diabetes and the diet war.
And here is another link about all calories not being equal, and discusses the carbohydrate-protein-insulin response in weight management.
There is a website called Sweet Poison , great name, isn't it?, with more information on the potential dangers artificial sweeteners.
And saving the best for last, please go here for last years Valentine's Day newsletter.
To Good Health!
Steven Horvitz, D.O,
Board Certified Family Practice
Founder of The Institute For Medical Wellness
128 Borton Landing Road, Suite Two
Moorestown, NJ 08057
Phone 856-231-0590
Fax 856-294-0311
www.drhorvitz.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to thank everyone for their confidence in my professional abilities and referrals of new patient's to the practice as well as to the Wellness Plans. If you are presently in the Traditional Wellness Plan, and refer a new patient to this plan, you will receive 1 month added on to your plan for the first referral, and two months added on for every other new patient you refer. Just my way of saying Thank You for your confidence!!
It is always nice to get good feedback. Good feedback tells me that I am definitely moving in the right direction! So please check out our patient testimonials.
And here is another link about all calories not being equal, and discusses the carbohydrate-protein-insulin response in weight management.
There is a website called Sweet Poison , great name, isn't it?, with more information on the potential dangers artificial sweeteners.
And saving the best for last, please go here for last years Valentine's Day newsletter.
To Good Health!
Steven Horvitz, D.O,
Board Certified Family Practice
Founder of The Institute For Medical Wellness
128 Borton Landing Road, Suite Two
Moorestown, NJ 08057
Phone 856-231-0590
Fax 856-294-0311
www.drhorvitz.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to thank everyone for their confidence in my professional abilities and referrals of new patient's to the practice as well as to the Wellness Plans. If you are presently in the Traditional Wellness Plan, and refer a new patient to this plan, you will receive 1 month added on to your plan for the first referral, and two months added on for every other new patient you refer. Just my way of saying Thank You for your confidence!!
It is always nice to get good feedback. Good feedback tells me that I am definitely moving in the right direction! So please check out our patient testimonials.
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