Is sugar a sweet old friend that is secretly plotting your demise?

“This Addictive Commonly Used Food Feeds Cancer Cells, Triggers Weight Gain, and Promotes Premature Aging”Dr. Mercola

    One of the primary sources of calories for Americans is sugar—specifically high fructose corn syrup in soda and processed foods. Because of advances in food processing technology in the 1970s, fructose derived from corn has become very cheap and is widely used in the majority of processed foods for increased sales.

    Sugar takes a devastating toll on your health. In fact, excessive sugar consumption may be the largest factor underlying obesity and chronic disease in America

    Your body metabolizes fructose much differently than glucose; the entire burden of metabolizing fructose falls on your liver, where excess fructose is quickly converted into fat, which explains the weight gain and abdominal obesity experienced by so many Westerners

    Fructose is the primary cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver and elevates uric acid, which raises your blood pressure, stresses your kidneys, and leads to the chronic, low-level inflammation that is at the core of most chronic diseases; metabolically speaking, fructose is alcohol “without the buzz”

    It would be wise for most people to limit your daily fructose consumption to less than 25 grams per day; a table showing the fructose content of many foods is provided, especially if you show signs of insulin resistance such as being overweight, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes

25 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

Sure sugar tastes good, when you are used to eating the Standard American Diet, high in processed foods. But once you start eating the sour-tasting fermented foods on the Body Ecology program, you lose your cravings for sugar...and you are on your way to natural energy and greater health!

Here some of the dangers of consuming sugar:

    Feeds candida

    Promotes wrinkling and aging skin2

    Makes your blood acidic3

    Can lead to osteoporosis.4

    Rots your teeth5

    Raises your blood sugar level6

    Contributes to obesity7

    Is addictive (almost as much as drugs) 8

    Can create the urge to binge9

    Provides 'empty calories' with no nutritional value10

    Contributes to diabetes11

    Robs your body of minerals.12

    Robs you of energy13

    Contributes to heart problems14

    Can cause cancer15

    Contributes to ulcers16

    Can cause gallstones17

    Contributes to adrenal fatigue

    Can suppress your immune system18

    Raises the level of neurotransmitters called serotonin19

    Weakens eyesight

    Sugar can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).

    Can cause aging

    Can contribute to eczema

    Can cause arthritis

    For 40 years, the priority of the sugar industry has been to cast doubt on studies suggesting sugar can make you ill and obese. Meanwhile, according to some estimates the US health system spends about $150 billion a year on sugar-related diseases

    To protect business, the industry has bought scientists and hired powerful lobbyists to ensure sugar would not be subject to legislative restriction

    Since 1970, obesity rates in the United States have more than doubled and diabetes has tripled. In order to make any appreciable dent in the current trend, severe sugar and fructose restriction is an absolute must.
Resource: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx
Group Material  for healthy Living  Group @ The Circle presented By L.P.SterlingBHP for awareness to sugar intake and its effects of health.

Processed Food Effects Mental as Well as Physical Health.

Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, research suggests.

What is more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found.

Data on diet among 3,500 middle-aged civil servants was compared with depression five years later, the British Journal of Psychiatry reported.

The team said the study was the first to look at the UK diet and depression.

hey split the participants into two types of diet - those who ate a diet largely based on whole foods, which includes lots of fruit, vegetables and fish, and those who ate a mainly processed food diet, such as sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products.

After accounting for factors such as gender, age, education, physical activity, smoking habits and chronic diseases, they found a significant difference in future depression risk with the different diets.

Those who ate the most whole foods had a 26% lower risk of future depression than those who at the least whole foods.

By contrast people with a diet high in processed food had a 58% higher risk of depression than those who ate very few processed foods.

Source to read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8334353.stm

Question: What Are Processed Foods?

Answer: Processed foods have been altered from their natural state, either for safety reasons or for convenience. The methods used for processing foods include canning, freezing, refrigeration, dehydration and aseptic processing.
Recovery Skills class @ The Circle, Tuesday,1/22/2013,L.P.Sterling BHP

10 Strategies to Strengthen Your Immune System

Bolster your immune system naturally with these easy tips!

Infections are as inevitable. A number of factors affect immune system health. Some you can’t control, Some  you can.During flu season it is especially important to make  sure you can contribute to your overall health  Fortunately, there are ways you can strengthen your immune system.

1: Eat Like Peter Rabbit. Malnutrition impairs immune function. French fries, soft drinks and bourbon don’t build strong white blood cells either. No, it’s those virtuous, self-righteous diets high in fruits, vegetables and nuts that promote immune health, presumably because they’re rich in nutrients the immune system requires. Adequate protein intake is also important; the source can be plant or animal.

2: Stress Less. When you’re stressed, your adrenal glands churn out epinephrine (aka, adrenaline) and cortisol. While acute stress pumps up the immune system, grinding long-term duress taxes it. For instance, psychological stress raises the risk for the common cold and other viruses. Less often, chronic stress can promote a hyper-reactive immune system and aggravate conditions such as allergies, asthma and autoimmune disease.

3: Move Your Body. Moderate exercise discharges tension and stress and enhances immune function. In a 2006 study, researchers took 115 obese, sedentary, postmenopausal women and assigned half of them to stretching exercises once a week and the other half to at least 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week. At the end of the year-long study, the stretchers had three times the rate of colds as the moderate-exercise group.

4: Sleep Soundly. Sleep is a time when growth-promoting and reparative hormones knit up the raveled sleeve of daily life. Sleep deprivation activates the stress response, depresses immune function and elevates inflammatory chemicals (which cause you to feel ill).

Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of the common cold.

5: Socialize More. People with richer social lives enjoy better health and longevity than loners do. You may think that the more people you interact with, the more chances you have for picking something up. Not so. Again, researchers blew cold viruses up people’s noses and sent them into the world. Compared with the lone wolves, the social butterflies were less susceptible to developing common colds, and, if they did get sick, they had fewer symptoms for a shorter period of time.

7: Shun Tobacco Smoke. Tobacco smoke triggers inflammation, increases respiratory mucus, and inhibits the hairlike projections inside your nose (cilia) from clearing that mucus. Children and adults exposed to tobacco smoke are more at risk for respiratory infections, including colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis and middle ear infections.

8: Consume Friendly Bacteria. Beneficial microorganisms colonize our intestinal, lower urinary and upper respiratory tracts. They outcompete bad “bugs” and enhance immune function. You can consume such bacteria in the form of live-cultured products such as yogurt, sauerkraut and kimchi. Probiotic supplements, available at natural food stores, may reduce the risk of antibiotic-induced diarrhea, viral diarrhea, vaginitis and respiratory infections.

9:Get some sun. Vitamin D plays a number of roles in promoting normal immune function. Vitamin D deficiency correlates with asthma, cancer, several autoimmune diseases (e.g., multiple sclerosis), and susceptibility to infection (including viral respiratory infections). One study linked deficiency to a greater likelihood of carrying MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in the nose.

10:Choose Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Wisely. Studies link deficiencies of zinc, selenium, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, D and E to reduced immune function. But scientists have yet to pinpoint exact levels of these nutrients for optimal immune function, much less whether dietary supplementation really helps the average, well-fed American. For instance, research on vitamin C for prevention and treatment of the common cold has been inconclusive. Some micronutrients, notably vitamin A, can be toxic in overdose. Excessive levels of zinc paradoxically suppress immune function. A varied, plant-based diet and a good multivitamin supplement should meet your needs.

·      Get a flu shot

·      Eat fresh fruit

·      Wash your hands.

Material  presented  to Healthy Living  Skills Group.

by L.P Sterling BHP

Resource:

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/strengthen-immune-system-z10m0vau.aspx?page=3#ixzz2IBf7adEQ

Creating Healthy Habits...One at a Time.

Create a Healthy Habit....

Ever have a bad habit you wanted to change but just couldn’t seem to get rid of it? Do things like eating poorly, smoking and lack of exercise immediately come to mind? What really stops us from changing habits? There are a number of challenges that anyone looking to replace their habits will face, here are 3 R’s to keep in mind to make your habit change easy and effective.

Recognition



The first step inevitably in any change process is to become aware of the situation. You cannot change what you aren’t aware of. If you want to change your habit you must first recognize that it is one that needs changing. I suggest you write down your bad habit, describe how it’s affecting your life, and also what you want to do about it.



Replacement



The next step in changing a habit is to replace it. Many mistake this step and try to simply remove their bad habit. The result is they return to their bad habit and this time it’s even worse. Habits cannot be removed they must be replaced. Instead of just trying to quit smoking “cold turkey” try replacing the habit with healthy breathing, yoga, long-walks etc..

Repetition



The secret to successfully changing your habits is by repeating steps 1 & 2. Experts say the average time it takes for something to become a habit is between 21 and 30 days. If you really want your new program, exercise, diet or behaviour to become a habit then keep repeating the action until it becomes automatic.



Now is the time to decide if you want to keep this habit or change it. If you decide to change your habit, keep the 3 R’s of habit changing in mind.



What is the last  habit you successfully changed?

 Make this week Count....Start with one small change .Small Changes bring Big differences.
Group on implementing new  healthy habits presented on  Monday 1/14/2013 to Recovery Skills Group,
 by L. Sterling BHP
Resource:http://www.hopetocope.com/blog/post/The-3-Rs-of-Habit-Change.aspx

Smoke Out

 

 

DO you smoke?

That’s no joke!

Get smart ... check that heart.

No to need to feel Miserable….Get that physical!

Smoking Out the Truth: Tobacco Use & Behavioral Health

Based on an Interview with Catherine Saucedo, Deputy Director, Smoking Cessation Leadership Center

People with mental and substance use disorders are twice as likely to smoke as the general population, and they smoke 44.3% of all cigarettes in the U.S, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Half of all smokers will die as a result of smoking — including those with mental and substance use disorders.
When it comes to tobacco cessation (i.e., quitting, reduction in use) efforts at community behavioral healthcare organizations, there are many myths shrouding the path to a smoke-free service population. And despite proven, cost effective, and accessible methods, there is a general sense of hopelessness among healthcare professionals that they cannot help clients quit. This is particularly problematic for community programs that aim to address an individual’s whole health through the integration of primary care and behavioral health.
To smoke out the truth, CIHS reached out to the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at the University of California, San Francisco, which administered SAMHSA-funded State Leadership Academies for Wellness and Smoking Cessation and the 100 Pioneers for Smoking Cessation Campaign. Some of the facts may surprise you.

• People with behavioral health conditions want to quit — and they can. Their interest is equal to that of the general population (70%).
• Tobacco cessation is a high priority. Smoking is the biggest killer of people with behavioral health problems.
• Smoking bans (e.g., smoke-free campuses) have no negative effect on behavioral health symptoms or management. It can even improve mental health and can increase sobriety among people addicted to alcohol.
• It is better to quit all addictions, including tobacco, up front — not put off tobacco for later. Science substantiates that by doing so alcohol and other drug addiction outcomes improve by an average of 25%.
• Banning smoking will not affect your revenue. While some clients may threaten to leave if you ban smoking, many will welcome and commend you for it. While it is unlikely clients will leave, if they do, a number will choose your agency because you’re smoke-free.
• There is no reason to feel hopeless in the face of tobacco cessation for those your serve. Learn what you can do.

Editor’s Note: One of CIHS’ charges is to support innovative community providers participating in the PBHCI program to implement tobacco cessation efforts and to demonstrate the success of their efforts. Two-thirds of these grantees are in various stages of implementing tobacco cessation programs. The other third monitor and track patients’ carbon monoxide levels.

---

Quick Tips: Six Ways to Foster Quitters

The 100 Pioneers for Smoking Cessation Campaign, an initiative jointly funded by SAMHSA and the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center, led efforts in behavioral health to discover tobacco cessation approaches that work and to share these strategies with other healthcare providers. The Leadership Center shared a few.

1. Embrace quitters. Your agency will be most successful if you work with people who want to quit, of which 70% say they do. Those that wish to quit are more likely to engage in your efforts. Educate and provide cessation tools to your clients, staff, and communities on the benefits of living a smoke-free life — it’s the first step.
2. Create simple, creative break alternatives. Instead of sanctioning “smoke breaks” for only the segment of your clients who smoke, create a break environment for all. For example, create a serenity garden where smokers and non-smokers alike each tend to a potted plan, or organize 10-minute yoga sessions or walks.
3. Adjust your mission. Most integrated healthcare providers have a mission to promote healthy lifestyles among clients. Adding tobacco cessation as one of the ways you mean to achieve this mission is an important guidepost.
4. Create or revise your agency’s smoking policy. After choosing to go smoke-free, write a policy that recognizes that while some clients and staff may smoke, they cannot do so in or near your agency.
5. Pull in all stakeholders. From the beginning, engage clients and staff who smoke, those who do not smoke, clinicians, and others in developing a new smoking policy and adopting and implementing cessation efforts. This will assuage much of the push back you’ll face.

The State Leadership Academies for Wellness and Smoking Cessation in Behavioral Health pioneers maintain a listserv with a steady dialogue on smoking cessation among people with mental illnesses and addictions. Visit the pioneers’ website to join. To join the national primary and behavioral healthcare integration conversation, join the CIHS listserv.

20 Healthy Zero-Calorie Foods

These eats may be ridiculously low in calories, but they’re loaded with nutrients that can help speed up weight loss and boost your immunity

Cucumbers

If you’re tired of fending off hunger by guzzling glass after glass of H2O, snack on cucumber slices instead. “Eating foods that are high in water can help you feel full at least temporarily by taking up a lot of space in your stomach,” notes Reinagel. Cucumbers also pack vitamins K and C, potassium, and a compound called silica, which helps to build and maintain connective tissue, like muscle, tendons, ligaments, and bone.

Citrus Fruit

Don’t wait until cold season to fill up on oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit–they may help whittle your middle. People with higher vitamin C levels have lower waist-to-hip ratios than those whose bodies contain less of the antioxidant, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. What’s more, University of Arizona researchers found that those with higher levels of vitamin C oxidized 25 percent more fat during treadmill sessions than those with lower levels of the vitamin.

Celery

Celery delivers serious crunch for next to no calories—each medium stalk has about 6—but it’s not shy on nutrients. One cup has a third of your recommended daily intake of vitamin K, along with vitamin A, fiber, folate, and potassium. Celery also contains compounds called phthalides, which can relax muscle tissue in artery walls and increase blood flow, thereby helping to lower blood pressure.

Apples

An apple a day keeps your weight at bay! Just make sure to eat the skin. The peel contains most of the fruit’s metabolism-boosting fiber, as

Kelp

Don’t be squeamish about eating your sea vegetables. Kelp is loaded with vitamin K, which helps keep bones strong, along with a natural fiber called alginate, which may help block fat absorption, according to research from Newcastle University in the UK. For only 6 calories per 4-ounce serving, try mixing Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles into salads, soups, and stir-fries.well as ursolic acid, a compound that may prevent the pounds from piling on, according to a new study from University of Iowa.

Asparagus

A half-cup of cooked asparagus will set you back only 20 calories. Plus, you’ll get hefty doses of vitamins K and A, and B vitamins such as folic acid. Since B vitamins play a role in breaking down sugars and starches, eating asparagus may help regulate blood sugar and fend off type 2 diabete

Apricots

Brimming with beta-carotene, apricots can help fight cancer and heart disease as well as protect your eyesight. Eating three or more daily servings of fruit rich in vitamins A, C, and E and carotenoids like beta-carotene may lower your risk of macular degeneration, the dominant cause of age-related vision loss. When participants in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology ate this much fruit they were 36 percent less likely to suffer from the disease compared to those who consumed 1.5 servings or less of fruit daily.s.

Watermelon

This summertime fruit is loaded with arginine, an amino acid that may aid weight loss. Researchers found that obese mice that were fed arginine supplements burned more fat and gained more lean muscle than those that did not receive them, according to a Journal of Nutrition study.

Tomatoes

The lycopene in tomatoes can protect against prostate cancer and help keep skin looking young by eliminating free radicals that build up when you’re exposed to ultraviolet rays. Tip: Cooking tomatoes spikes levels of lycopene and makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients, according to a Cornell University study.

Broccoli

Broccoli may be the nation’s most hated upon veggie, but it doesn’t deserve that reputation. One cup raw contains as much fiber and vitamin C as an orange.

Cauliflower

Counting your carbs? Try boiling, mashing, and seasoning cauliflower to get a mashed potato substitute that tastes almost like the real thing. A half-cup of boiled cauliflower contains only 14 calories, but nearly half your daily recommended intake of vitamin C. (Search: How much vitamin C do I need?)

Strawberries

One cup of the summertime staple packs more than 100 percent of our daily recommended intake of vitamin C. Strawberries are also one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits you can eat. Compounds called polyphenols may protect your body from the type of cell and tissue damage that’s linked to heart disease and certain cancers.

Leafy Greens

Whatever variety you pick, you can’t go wrong with piling a plate with salad greens. At 4 calories per cup, watercress is loaded with vitamins A, C and K, and a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating 3 ounces of the peppery green daily increases levels of the cancer-fighting antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene. Spinach (7 calories per cup) is brimming with vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and selenium and contains a hormone that allows muscle tissue to repair itself faster, according to research from Rutgers University.

Red Chili Peppers

Add a little spice to your cooking and slim down while you’re at it. Capsaicin, the compound that gives red chili peppers its kick, has been shown to help your body burn more calories. Plus, research shows that we tend to eat smaller portions of spicy foods because of the heat.

 Mushrooms

Whether you sauté them or eat them raw, mushrooms are an often-overlooked superfood. Dutch researchers found that when you digest mushrooms, your body produces cancer-fighting, immunity-boosting metabolites.

Red Bell Pepper

Any way you slice it, red bell peppers are a great source of nutrients. A medium sized one delivers 250 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin C, 75 percent of your daily vitamin A needs, and 10 percent of your fiber goals. Chop them up and pair with hummus for a healthy snack.

Summer Squash

Whether you love zucchini, butternut, or acorn, all squashes are chockfull of vitamins and belly-filling fiber. But summer squash has one advantage: you can eat more of it without gaining weight. In fact, you can have two times more summer squash than winter squash for the same number of calories.

Turnip

The turnip sometimes takes a backseat to more popular root vegetables, like carrots and potatoes, but its nutritional benefits shouldn’t be overlooked. The root contains cancer-fighting glucosinolates and is a good source of fiber, calcium, and potassium.

Be Heard!