TIPS TO KEEP YOU HAPPY, HEALTHY & FEELING YOUR BEST
 
Catalog                                                                     May 2010
 
Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.  When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.  ~B.K.S. Iyengar
 
NAMASTE AND WELCOME TO THE WAY UP FREE HEALTH NEWSLETTER TO WHICH YOU HAVE SUBSCRIBED
Over the years much has been written about the dangers of high cholesterol leading to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and other health conditions.  The role triglycerides play in these conditions has been overlooked.  
 
Triglycerides make up about 95% of your body's fat and are the chemical form in which most body fats exist. The fat produced from triglycerides is used for energy production,  provides your body's organs with insulation, and is a central component in the structure of cell membranes.  Unused triglycerides are transferred to fat cells for storage.  When energy is needed, hormones can cause the release of the stored fats.  When the body's production of triglycerides gets too high the blood triglyceride levels will also increase.  This thickens and sludges the blood, decreasing blood flow.   Excess triglycerides increase the risk of stroke, heart attacks, fatty liver, pancreatitis and obesity.
 
Since triglycerides are part of a serum lipid blood test, and lipids are fats circulating in the blood, most people assume  high  fat diets  increase triglycerides.  They are surprised to learn sugars , refined grains, and fruit sugars are the biggest culprits causing elevated triglycerides     
 
High blood sugar levels lead to high triglycerides levels. Sugars and refined grains stimulate insulin production.  Insulin stimulates the liver to produce triglycerides. Triglycerides in the blood are not made from dietary fats but made in the liver from excess sugar which has not been used for energy.  Eating more calories than your body can use for energy contributes to higher triglycerides.
 
This chart shows the average blood sugar measurements of a normal healthy adult:
 
Category

Fasting Value

 

Eating Value

 
Minimum
Maximum
2 hrs after consuming Glucose
Normal
70 mg
100 mg
Under 140 mg
Early Diabetes
101 mg
126 mg
140 mg – 200 mg
Established Diabetes
Over 126 mg
 
Over 200 mg
 
Contributing to high triglycerides are obesity, increased alcohol intake, low activity level, diabetes, pre diabetes with insulin resistance, low thyroid function, liver and kidney disease, and eating more calories than your body uses.
 
Medications which can cause increased blood triglycerides are beta-blockers for high blood pressure, diuretics, some steroids, drugs used to test HIV, the newer classes of antipsychotic drugs, Tamoxifen, retinoids, cyclosporin, birth control pills and estrogens.
 
The chart below outlines national guidelines for triglyceride levels:
 
TRIGLCERIDES LEVEL 

CLASSIFICATION

Less than 150 mg/dL
Normal
150 to 199 mg/dL
Borderline-high
200 to 499 mg/dL
High
500 mg/dL
Very high
 
The major contributor to high triglyceride levels is diet.  And most often, with my patients (who are eating healthfully and trying to take care of themselves) the culprit is fruit juice. The major contributor in those who are less health conscious is alcohol intake, high fructose corn syrup, other sugars, and white flour products.
 
Americans are eating more sugar than ever before according to research conducted by Dr. Richard Johnson a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado.
 
The average person in the 1700’s ate 4 lbs of sugar a year.  Today 25% of us consume over ½ lb of added sugar daily adding up to 180 lbs. per year! This is why 1 in 4 Americans is either pre-diabetic or has type II diabetes.
 
The two main sources of dietary sugar are high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and table sugar. 
 
What surprises many is that consuming high levels of fructose  can absolutely devastate your biochemistry and physiology. We are not evolved to handle high levels of sugar and especially high levels of fructose. Fructose is metabolized differently than glucose in a way that creates more fat, higher triglycerides, more non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and more obesity.  High fructose corn syrup literally packs your organs in fat.
 
 For most of human history individuals consumed an average of 15 grams of fructose daily, mostly in the form of whole fruits and vegetables. 
 
 The commercial production of fructose began in 1969.  High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was developed and since it was less expensive  it was used as the sweetener for more than 50 % of our processed foods.  It is added to soft drinks, most processed drinks, baked goods, breads, crackers, peanut butter, mayonnaise,  sauces, ketchup, salad dressings, candies, jams, jellies, breakfast cereals, and almost all processed foods of any kind. Other high fructose sources are honey, fruit juice and table sugar (which is half glucose and half fructose).
 
 Statistics are hard to find, but the current average daily fructose consumption info ranges from 38-80 grams.  Adolescents and children are in the higher intake ranges when calculated as a percent of total diet.
  
Why is excess fructose such a culprit, even worse than glucose?  Because the 2 are metabolized differently.  Glucose is used by and metabolized in all body cells.  It is an energy provider for your brain, muscles, and all body organs.  Fructose is not a direct source of energy for your muscles and brain although many producers claim it is.
 
In discussing the dangers of fructose, the caveat is the word "excess".  Rapid or excess entry of fructose in your body (such as with a large sweetened soft drink)  leads to fatty acid synthesis in the liver, increased body fat, and increased blood fat.  No doubt this high fructose is implicated in our obesity epidemic.  
 
Glucose is your body's primary fuel source because it is the easiest type of fuel to break down and convert into energy. Your brain consumes more energy than any other organ and runs most efficiently on the energy produced by glucose. The amino acid, glutamine, is a back up brain fuel. 
 
Fructose is not so easily converted to energy. It goes through different and more complicated metabolic processes in the liver.  You can see details on the difference in glucose and fructose metabolism if you like such details.
 
To learn how much fructose you and family members are eating, go to see the foods highest in fructose and groups of high fructose foods. You will be surprised when you check these links.  BE SURE TO KEEP  YOUR DAILY FRUCTOSE INTAKE NO HIGHER THAN 50 GRAMS AND PREFERABLY HALF THAT MUCH.
 
Ideally you would get all your fructose from fruits and vegetables, but that is extremely difficult in todays world.  It is better to cut back your fructose consumption by eliminating the junk fructose and then eating it as natural fruits. Fruits contain antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, fiber and other healthy ingredients.  Even though fruits are beneficial, you should still be careful with your consumption, as your intake can still easily be too high.  So please, carefully add your fruits based on the table below.
 
FRUIT
SERVING SIZE
GRAMS OF FRUCTOSE
Limes
1 medium
0
Lemons
1 medium
0.6
Cranberries
1 cup
0.7
Passion fruit
1 medium
0.9
Prune
1 medium
1.2
Apricot
1 medium
1.3
Guava
2 medium
2.2
Date (Deglet Noor style)
1 medium
2.6
Cantaloupe
1/8 of med. melon
2.8
Raspberries
1 cup
3.0
Clementine
1 medium
3.4
Kiwifruit
1 medium
3.4
Blackberries
1 cup
3.5
Star fruit
1 medium
3.6
Cherries, sweet
10
3.8
Strawberries
1 cup
3.8
Cherries, sour
1 cup
4.0
Pineapple
1 slice
(3.5" x .75")
4.0
Grapefruit, pink or red
1/2 medium
4.3
 Boysenberries
1 cup
4.6
Tangerine/mandarin orange
1 medium
4.8
Nectarine
1 medium
5.4
Peach
1 medium
5.9
Orange (navel)
1 medium
6.1
Papaya
1/2 medium
6.3
Honeydew
1/8 of med. melon
6.7
Banana
1 medium
7.1
Blueberries
1 cup
7.4
Date (Medjool)
1 medium
7.7
Apple (composite)
1 medium
9.5
Persimmon
1 medium
10.6
Watermelon
1/16 med. melon
11.3
Pear
1 medium
11.8
Raisins
1/4 cup
12.3
Grapes, seedless (green or red)
1 cup
12.4
Mango
1/2 medium
16.2
Apricots, dried
1 cup
16.4
Figs, dried
1 cup
23.0
 
 
Triglyceride levels can be monitored, and should be kept as low as possible to insure good health.
 
NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS TO HELP MAINTAIN HEALTHY TRIGLYCERIDE LEVELS
 
The American Heart Association has recommended 2-4 grams daily of omega-3-fatty acids, such as fish oil to help stabilize triglycerides.  There is a prescription medication for the treatment of high triglycerides, called Lovaza.  It is an omega 3 acid ethly ester.  Lovaza is much more expensive than the over the counter fish oil.
 For detailed tables showing more content of fructose in different foods see Dr. Johnson”s book The Sugar Fix.
 
 Please see Dr. Slagle’s newsletter on natural & artificial sweeteners, for more information.

In this Issue:

MORE ABOUT VITAMIN D
If you are wondering if you are deficient, statistics show you probably are.  Approximately 40-50% of Americans have less than the optimal level of vitamin D in their bodies.
 
Don't be a part of the vitamin D deficiency epidemic! Get your vitamin D(25 hydroxy) blood test at least once every year. If your physician will not request this test, you can call my office to schedule a phone appointment with me or order the test yourself from Life Extension.
 
 We have known for years that high cholesterol can be deadly. But do you know Vitamin D deficiency can be a greater risk to your health and longevity than high cholesterol. Also vitamin D deficiency is more common than high cholesterol.
 
Two recent studies elucidate the risks of low vitamin D.
 
Study 1:
 Involved 13,331 adults over the age of 20, following them for an average of 8.7 years. Researchers found a 26% increase in all causes of mortality among those with the lowest vitamin D blood level (<17.8 ng/ml).
 
Study 2:
Involved 3,299 Austrian subjects and showed a dramatic increase in the risk of heart disease in those in the lowest quarter of vitamin D levels. These subjects suffered a nearly three times greater risk for death due to heart failure and a five times greater risk for sudden cardiac death.
 
 The researchers in the first study concluded that the elderly, females, non-whites, diabetics, smokers, and those who are overweight have shown a greater risk of deficiency.
 
A vitamin D deficiency puts you at a much higher risk of death from all causes than even the risk from high cholesterol levels.
 
Another study showed high blood pressure develops at three times the rate in women who are vitamin D deficient before menopause.
 
 The normal blood range for Vitamin D at most laboratories is 32.0-100.0 ng/ml.  Those who have studied and researched vitamin D suggest the  optimal blood level is over 50 & preferably around 70-80.
 
 Tests for vitamin D need to be incorporated in all medical checkups to at least an equal extent as cholesterol levels are checked. 
 
Vitamin D deficiency is much easier to correct than high cholesterol. All you have to do is take a vitamin D supplement. The dosage varies depending upon how low the initial levels are.  With treatment, vitamin D status is slow to improve and may sometimes require surprisingly high doses to increase the blood levels. If vitamin D is low and supplementation is begun, it is best to recheck in 3 months to make sure the levels are increasing.  Once an ideal level is attained, then a yearly check is sufficient.  Treatment dosage recommended is usually 5000-10,000 units daily.  General supplementation doses are 1000-2000 units daily.  Since vitamin D is stored in the body, it is possible to develop a toxicity, though I have not seen this.  If you are taking higher doses of vitamin D, you need to be sure to monitor with blood tests.
 
 
 Natural foods high in vitamin D are:
  • Cod liver oil (1 tablespoon) 1,360 International Units (IU) – 40   IU is equal to 1 microgram
  • Salmon (cooked - 3 ounces) 794 IU
  • Mackerel (cooked - 3 ounces) 388 IU
  • Tuna fish (canned in water - drained - 3 ounces) 154 IU
  • Egg (1 whole) 25 IU
  • Cheese (swiss - 1 ounce) 6 IU
 
 Read more at:  Find Foods High in Vitamin D
 


SUPER VEGGIES
Most vegetables offer many nutritional benefits such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants; some pack more punch per bite.
 
Here are 3 super veggies:
 
Broccoli:
Packed with vitamin C and beta-carotene, it also protects against breast cancer. Lightly steam to get the most benefits from the phytonutrients.
 
Spinach:
 Superhero vegetable spinach contains carotenoids Vitamin E & C for protection against heart disease, cancer, stroke, and blindness related to aging. A healthy dose of calcium and potassium make it an important table food for children, those with high blood pressure, and anyone with sore muscles.
 
Garlic:
The sulfur compounds that give garlic its pungent flavor are linked to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower blood pressure. It also boosts the immune system and reduces your chance of many digestive cancers.
 


ABOUT DR. SLAGLE
Priscilla Slagle, M.D. is in the private practice of Nutritional and Functional Medicine & Psychiatry in Palm Springs, California.
 
Dr. Slagle has incorporated vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, natural hormones & other natural substances into her practice since 1975, being one of the pioneers in the Alternative Medicine Field.
 
"The Way Up From Down" presents her natural "precursor" methods for lifting low moods & relieving the negative effects of stress.