Four Easy Ways to Cut Back on Added Sugar

These days sugar is everywhere. Its difficult to find any processed food that doesn't add sugar. And it is the added sugar that you really have to watch out for. The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to no more than 36g for men and 25g for women. But the average American (that means for everyone who consumes less, someone else is consuming more) now gets 77g per day.

The new nutrition labeling requires added sugar to be listed separately from total sugar, but it has not yet been universally adopted. In the meanwhile, here are four very simple things you can do to start cutting back on added sugar.

1. Do Breakfast "Old Style"

Instead of reaching for the latest sugary cereal - and the ones touting their protein and fiber are as bad as the kid stuff - go old school. Eat the cereals you had as a child. Original Cheerios, Wheaties, Shredded Wheat and Corn Flakes are all either low in added sugar or missing it altogether. Toss on some banana slices or berries to add sweetness and a lot of nutrition.

Prefer a hot cereal? Avoid the "instant" varieties, they are loaded with sugar and salt. Just make it from scratch. Oatmeal takes at most 10 minutes (use the rolled oats for a faster meal, the steel cut take much longer) or can even be made overnight in a slow cooker. Oat bran is even quicker. Add a little cinnamon for zing.

2. Hydrate Healthfully

Sodas and "fruit" juices are among the biggest sources of added sugar in people's diet. There are about 13 teaspoonfuls of sugar in a 12 oz can of soda, and fruit juices are a repellent mix of sugar, preservatives and artificial colors with a few drops of actual fruit juice added for legal cover. Just stop buying them.

If you simply MUST sweeten your coffee or tea, use a natural sweetener like stevia. Replace that soda with sparkling water. If you prefer a bit of flavor you can add a dash of juice like lemon or orange squeezed from actual fruit. Or you can infuse stillwater by letting different fruits and herbs soak in it in the fridge for a few hours. And as a last resort, if you simply cannot ditch the soda, buy it in the smaller 7-ounce cans.

3. Glance at the nutrition label.

Added sugar can be sneaky. It is often hidden within other ingredients that sound "natural" and "healthy". Pretty much anything ending in -ose is added sugar. Corn syrup (high fructose especially), cane juice, rice syrup and molasses are all another way to say sugar. Compare products and choose the ones with the least sugar added. Ignore everything on the package except the nutrition label. The rest is all marketing lies.

4. Trick Yourself.

Cinnamon, vanilla or almond flavoring, nutmeg and mint herbs and seasonings are a great substitute for sugar. Leave some fruit out where you can see it and snack on that. At first it might not be that satisfying but give your taste a few weeks to adapt and you will soon find fruit as sweetly satisfying as sugary garbage.

One More Claim You Can Ignore

Between the TV ads, online click bait and USnail its a wonder people still worry about Alzheimer's and dementia any more. Seems like there are dozens of supplements out there now that "support" your brain health an "reduce" your risk of dementia.

It is understandable that people are concerned. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's right now, and by 2050 that number is expected to nearly triple to over 14 million. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the US today, killing more people than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One in 3 seniors dies with some form of dementia. And this is a particularly ugly disease, literally stealing away your identity, memories and quality of life.

So its not surprising that where there is such concern, scams thrive.

It is unusual to get a clear, blanket statement from any nutritional study, but a study of 1,019 people by Dr Donovan Maust, MD, a geriatric psychiatrist at the University of Michigan and published in JAMA Neurology is just that. "Supplements do not reduce dementia risk."

What does help?

Staying socially active and engaging in mentally challenging activities such as playing chess, taking classes, learning a language  or reading about unfamiliar topics.

There is some more good news here. Many of the same things that improve your health overall also can lower your risk of developing dementia: regular exercise, a healthy diet, limiting your alcohol consumption and not smoking. But you can ignore the pill with the proprietary blend that supports brain health and lowers your dementia risk. It doesn't.

Flab Marches On.... at What Cost?

Despite a weight loss industry that that took in $189.8 Billion in 2018, Americans continue to get fatter and fatter every year. It is a harsh word, but it is a serious problem. Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in a recent article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, forecast that if current (2018) trends continue fully one half of the population of the US will be obese by 2030. Not overweight, obese. They they predict that 25% of Americans will be morbidly obese. That compares with 40% obesity and 18% morbid obesity in 2019.

As we debate how we as a society are going to manage runaway healthcare costs, it is time to introduce into the debate reality that many of the drivers of major chronic illness in our country are largely, if not completely, under our individual control. Mostly that we eat too much and much of what we do eat is garbage.

Losing weight is not super easy, but neither is it impossibly difficult. I say this from personal experience. It takes determination, support, knowledge and persistence. And sooner or later people are going to start asking why people who are determined, find the support they need to succeed, educate themselves and persevere are required to pay the endlessly rising sickcare costs of those who choose not to. Its a good question, and not one we can ignore forever.

Healthy Nighttime Noshes

Admit it. We all have those moments when it is nearly time to hit the sheets, but we're craving a snack before we do. Rather than reaching for ice cream or chocolate chip cookies, here are four tasty and healthy alternatives from dietician and nutritionist Janet Bond Brill. Guilt free late night enjoyment under 200 calories.

Chocolate covered banana.

Chocolate is not bad for you. Milk chocolate maybe, but there are actually numerous health benefits to consuming dark chocolate on a regular basis, provided it is only in moderation and individuals don't find themselves eating multiple dark chocolate bars every day. Combine it with the potassium-rich banana and you have a healthy treat. Slice up the banana, melt some dark chocolate  baking chips in the microwave, drizzle the chocolate over the banana and top with a spoonful of fat-free whipped topping.


Pumpkin pie Greek yogurt.

Plain Greek yogurt is an outstanding, low-fat source of protein and calcium. Pairing it with a little pumpkin puree (available canned) adds yet more protein and a generous dose of antioxidants. And what could be easier than just stirring the two together?


Bell peppers with a spicy dip.

Bell peppers are a near calorie free source of vitamins and fiber. They aren't bad just eaten by themselves. But pair some pepper slices with a zesty hummus, salsa or honey mustard (yes just mix honey and mustard) and you have a filling and tasty snack.


Cinnamon apple chips.

If its chips you are craving try thinly slicing up an apple (just leave the skin on) and coating them with cinnamon and a healthy sugar substitute like stevia. Heat a low oven (225 degrees is good), spread the apple slices out on a baking sheet covered with a sheet of baking parchment and bake for 45 minutes, flipping once about halfway through. Sweet, crunchy and high in fiber.

CBD vs Opiods

Medical marijuana has been used for years now as a treatment for chronic pain, among other things. More recently, CBD has been getting a lot of attention as the active ingredient responsible for most of marijuana's medically interesting properties. CBD (cannabidiol) is distinct from THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the substance the produces marijuana's characteristic "high". CBD is also commonly extracted from hemp, which has very low concentrations of THC.

The exact mechanism by which CBD acts as an analgesic (pain reliever) is not well understood and is the subject of much research. But it is known to be a very powerful anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is at the root of many conditions responsible for producing pain. Examples would be arthritis, lupus and the swelling caused by surgery or injury.

Opiod drugs work on specific pain receptors in the brain and cause the release of dopamine, which creates a powerful state of euphoric well-being. Unfortunately, dopamine is implicated in nearly all addictions. So far as is known, CBD does not stimulate the release of dopamine. It also does not produce the sensations of dizziness or sleepiness that opioids often do.

Of course not everyone has the same experience and your mileage may differ. If you need help dealing with a painful condition, especially a chronic one, confer with your doctor to create a custom pain management plan for you. And don't overlook ibuprofen, acetaminophen or motrin as additional alternatives.

Chill, man. Chill.

Normal body temperature is 98.6 deg Fahrenheit, right?

The 98.6 standard was set in the late 1800s based on observations of many patients by attending physicians. So it is an average observation, not a clinically established standard. We actually have no idea what average human body temperatures were prior to about 1860. But we do know this, it has been slowly decreasing.

Based on over half a million observations through 2017, average body temperature for a healthy person is now 97.9 deg F.

Dr. Julie Parsonette at Standford University Medical School offers several possible explanations for the slow decline. Chronic inflammation has decreased over the last 200 years, while general overall heath has improved. Better indoor heating and cooling systems make it easier for the body to maintain and regulate its internal temperature.

Body temperature depends on weight, gender, age and time of day. What defines a fever may need to be reassessed, especially for old guys like me, who tend to run a bit cooler than our younger brethren. See? Old is cool!

Generic vs Brand Name - Is There a Difference?

I've always been a big fan of generic drugs. They have the exact same active ingredients as brand name drugs and are normally much less expensive. Of the six billion prescriptions written in the US every year (that's 18 for every man woman and child in the country), 90% are filled with generic drugs. The FDA assures us that they are as safe and effective as their brand name doppelgangers. And for most people, most of the time, for most generics, they are. Mostly.

There are four issues that you may want to consider when opting for a generic.

1. Generic drug manufacturers often have less stringent quality control processes. Generics are often much cheaper, of course, but that means much thinner profit margins for the manufacturer. Leaving them less money to spend on frills like quality control. The FDA does inspect these manufacturers now and then, and mostly they meet the GMP standard. Mostly.

2. Instant vs timed-release formulations. Forty years ago nearly all prescription drugs were "instant release", their active ingredient was released immediately into the bloodstream. By the mid-1980s, pharmaceutical companies began to market "time-release" formulations that released the active ingredient over long periods of time. This allowed people to take just one dose per day instead of needing to take more every few hours. The FDA process for approving generic drugs is based on a "maximal concentration" standard. That is, the highest concentration produced by a single dose. This will be exactly the same or better for a generic compared to its brand name equivalent. But the hour by hours level of a generic drug in the blood may be very different, potentially reducing its effectiveness and increasing side effects.

3. Foreign manufacturing. About 80% of the active ingredients used in generic drugs are now made in foreign countries, including India, China, Thailand, Mexico, Turkey and Brazil. Many generic pills are manufactured abroad in their entirety. The FDA is severely limited in its ability to oversee these manufacturers. In the US, the FDA can simply show up at your door unannounced and inspect your facilities. Abroad, the FDA must schedule their visits in advance, giving manufacturers days or even weeks to prepare. Some of the issues this has lead to include low levels of the active ingredient, contamination and falsification of test reports. Again, most foreign manufacturers are honest and reliable. Most.

4. Transportation. Within the US, the FDA sets stringent requirements for the conditions under which a drug may be shipped. Storage, temperature, packaging and so on. It does not have this authority outside of the US. So a not uncommon scenario might be an active ingredient is made in China, shipped to India to be formulated into pills, then sent to Houston by container ship, trucked to a wholesaler in Phoenix  and finally distributed to pharmacies. No one can really say how this might affect the drug when you finally take it. Mostly you will be fine. Mostly.

If you are going to use generic drugs, and your insurance company will be pressuring you to do just that, there is little you can do to protect yourself from these issues. There are not really any particular categories of generic drugs that are safer or riskier than others. If you are taking a generic drug, make sure to monitor your lab results to ensure that it is having the desired effect. Consider buying the brand name drug from a Canadian pharmacy. This is likely to be somewhat more expensive, but it is perfectly legal. Be aware of whether or not your symptoms are responding as expected. Get the name of the manufacturer of your specific drug from your pharmacist. If you have any problems, try to get the same drug from a different manufacturer.

In the US, generics are indeed much cheaper than brand name drugs, and mostly they are safe and effective. Mostly. But there is no such thing as a free lunch.