Milk thistle feeds the liver. So why is that important for you to know?

In an increasingly toxic world, we place growing burdens on the body’s detoxification system, the hub of which is the liver. Millions of compounds are detoxified within each liver cell, or hepatocyte. Inevitably, this wear and tear compromises liver cells and surrounding connective tissue. Hepatotoxicity is fast becoming a major health issue. In fact, many practitioners believe poor liver function caused by toxin accumulation or by liver-function decline may contribute to other seemingly unrelated illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, migraine headaches and premenstrual syndrome, and may manifest symptoms of its own. As a result, milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is widely prescribed by herbalists throughout Europe and the Americas for liver protection.

Milk thistle, also known as St. Mary’s thistle and lady’s thistle, is native to Asia Minor, North Africa, southern Europe and southern Russia. It has been naturalized to central Europe, North and South America, and South Australia. The herb has dark-green prickly leaves mottled or streaked with white veins, blooms from June to September and can grow to six feet tall. Its medicinal properties are found in the small, hard fruits, sometimes called seeds but known technically as achenes, that appear after the plant flowers.

Read the rest of this story here

Nutrition Science News
Understanding Herbs
“Milk Thistle’s Liver-Protective Properties”
By Lise N. Alschuler, N.D.

Milk thistle is contained in VitaLiv 

• Sleepy in the middle of the day
• Feeling like dozing off in the middle of work
• Feeling lazy
• Not feeling as good as you think you should

What causes low energy in people?
There are many factors that can cause low energy, ranging from having a chronic illness to a cold to a lowered immune system. But very commonly, the problem is rooted in nutrition. Even if you take vitamin pills, there’s a missing link in nutrition. Vitamins and minerals in foods need other food factors in order to be effective. So if you’re taking vitamin pills, you’re still missing the food factors.

With this in mind, you should be eating nutrient-dense foods as well as taking specific whole food supplements. Why? Because the cofactors (helper nutrients) within nature’s foods are essential to creating energy in the mitochondria (energy producing powerhouses) of the cell. Unless you feed your body these nutrients, then you won’t have much energy.

And another thing.. There are many “foods” (they’re really not food, but that’s what they’re called) that make you tired, including sugar, bad oils, bad fats, artificial ingredients and carbohydrate foods. These deplete your body while at the same time you’re not taking in the nutrients you need to promote energy creation.

Try taking

BFood Complex
Fish Oils
CellPower

– for six weeks and see the difference. There are other things you can do as well to help, like going on our Alkaline Diet.

Read more on chronic fatigue, click here.

Secret Healing Power of Whole Foods

by Vic Shayne, PhD

It’s no secret that most people have one sort of illness or symptom or another. That’s a sad fact of our modern era. But did you know that the secret to health, healing and prevention lies hidden, like a treasure, in Nature’s foods? It’s true. Scientists have discovered hundreds of substances in natural, whole foods that actually have the ability to heal the human body. These are substances that ARE NOT FOUND in any vitamin or multivitamin or protein shake supplement!
They are ONLY found in whole foods and NutriPlex Formulas whole food supplements.

What is YOUR particular health problem?
Is it diabetes, a skin rash, digestive problems, constipation, heart problems, back aches, headaches, PMS, asthma or some other illness? Regardless, you should know that the key to recovering your health and happiness begins with the food you eat — nature’s fuel for the body. Foods, that are contained in our whole food supplements, unlike vitamin pills, have the ability to feed your internal organs and provide the raw materials for health.

That’s because only foods contain an interwoven “complex” of naturally balanced nutrients and helper-nutrients. Compare NutriPlex Formulas whole food supplements with a vitamin pill and you’ll discover all kinds of ingredients in the whole food that exist for a VERY GOOD REASON and act in complete harmony with your body. Vitamins, minerals and amino acids are not enough. Your body demands the various, delicately balanced nutrients within whole foods and whole food supplements, including pigments, carotenoids, terpenes, flavonoids, co-vitamins, enzymes, coumarins, fiber and much much more.

If you have any sort of disease or symptom, your body is demanding that you feed yourself real, whole, natural and complex nutrients. If you want to know the details, read Man Cannot Live on Vitamins Alone by Vic Shayne, PhD.
Available from out Online Store.

by Vic Shayne, PhD

The notion of “detoxification” was all but unheard of fifty years ago, with the exception of detoxification for drug and alcohol abusers. But the new form of detoxification has to do with the attempt to rid one’s body of toxins that have built up, have been stored, as the result of entering the body’s cells from environmental food/dietary sources.

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule*
DetoxFormula: 2-3 tablets per day
SuperGreens PhytoFood: 8 tablets per day or 1 teasp
ImmuneSupport: 8 tablets per day

Dietary Help
Eat cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, radishes, and Brussels’sprouts.

How toxins get into our bodies
We live in a highly polluted world. Our oceans, streams, soil, air and foods are all contaminated with toxins (poisons). Most of these hazardous toxins would be avoidable if not for the fact that industry is trading our health for their profits. For more on this, read Evil Genius in the Garden of Eden. Pollution represents perhaps the biggest health risk ever known to mankind, pushing the cancer rate to one out of every two people. The rise in cancer parallels the rise in the use and production of toxic chemicals in our world. Our oceans and rivers have become toxic dumping grounds for industry, and politicians have allowed this dumping as they pander to industry.

But no matter what your political or economic status, you need clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and clean soil. This is a biological fact, not a political stance.

Toxins build up inside our bodies. The pollute us through:
• the air we breathe
• the water we drink
• the water we bathe in
• the water we swim in
• the water we get our seafood from
• the soil we grow our foods in
• the soil we walk on
• automobile and vehicle exhaust
• personal care products from perfumes to lotions
• artificial ingredients in food from MSG to PCBs
• fluoride and chlorine
• drugs both legal and “recreational”
• pesticides and artificial fertilizers
• hormones (steroids) in our beef and poultry
• vapors from plastics, paints, varnishes, nail polish and more
• heavy metals such as mercury and lead

Pollution represents perhaps the biggest health risk ever known to mankind, pushing the cancer rate to one out of every two people. The rise in cancer parallels the rise in the use and production of toxic chemicals in our world. Our oceans and rivers have become toxic dumping grounds for industry, and politicians have allowed this dumping as they pander to industry.

To detoxify, the first thing to do is stop eating foods containing ALL artificial ingredients. Read labels carefully to avoid anything with a chemical name. Broccoli should contain nothing more than broccoli.Next, a detox program means eating certain foods and herbs that remove toxins from the body. How is this done? Well, this is a matter of chemistry. Certain foods and herbs contain ingredients that change the very molecular nature of certain toxins; they change the toxins from fat soluble molecules to water soluble molecules. When this is done, these toxins will no longer be stored in fat cells and will enter into the bloodstream to be washed out through the kidneys and urination. Specifically, cruciferous vegetables (mentioned above) have the capacity to achieve this.

In addition, there are certain foods that have the ability to attach themselves to heavy metals and remove them from the body. Cilantro is but one example; cilantro removes mercury from the body.

Next, you can stop using any product that is toxic. Start with your lotions, toothpaste, ointments, mouthwash, hair dyes, hair spray and so forth. Be careful of getting toxins on your hands while cleaning, working on the lawn, using gasoline or mineral spirits or paints, bleach, etc.

Part of your detox program may include fasting, an alkaline diet and/or enemas. According to scientific research, the less toxic you make your diet and lifestyle, the more good health you’ll enjoy.

* Adjunctive Nutritional Schedules are not meant to treat or cure disease, but rather to offer the body a variety of food nutrients that can be used for health support.

There are scores of energy drinks and energy powders on the market today. But, sadly, most of these are filled with chemicals, from synthetic (artificial) ingredients to isolated vitamins. Although any nutritional doctor understands that real, good, healthful energy comes from real foods, too many people are fooled by marketing and product hype that leads them to drink concoctions that are just no good for their bodies. As a result, the energy drink you are taking today may lead to health problems tomorrow.

The ideal energy drink contains real, whole, natural foods. There are several types of foods that are scientifically known to create energy in the mitochondria (energy manufacturing centers) of the cells. Such foods do not act like artificial stimulants (sugars) or chemicals that push your body with too much force (such as caffeine). Instead, nature’s energy-suppliers are more gentle, but do not give you the jitters, hypoglycemia (crashing blood sugar), diabetes, stress on the pancreas or internal organs, or irritability when they begin to wear off.

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule*

• CellPower powder; 1 teasp per day
• BFood Complex powder: 1 teasp per day
• FlaxSeed Oil: 1 teasp per day
• SuperGreens PhytoFood: 1 teasp per day
• Coconut Butter: 1 tablespoon per day
• With chronic fatigue, add
• AdrenaPlex: 4 capsules per day

There are many recipes you can use for the above food supplements, including your own creations or the ones provided for you in this newsletter. You can mix all powders together or divide them up and drink them at different times during the day. Regardless, the idea is that you will be consuming real foods that create real energy without artificial stimulation.

Among the leading cellular energy producers are (included in the Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule above): vitamin B complex containing foods such as rice bran, yeast, and barley; and foods such as astragalus, alfalfa, kelp, quinoa, sunflower seed, gingko leaf, spirulina, almonds, dates and liver (contained in CellPower).

Cellular Energy is Needed For:
• Digestion
• Athletic perfomance
• Physical & emotional exertion
• Function of all internal organs
• Glands
• Nerve conduction
• Immune system function
• Emotional and mental functions and capacities
• Cellular growth, reproduction, protection and mobility
• Brain function
• Cellular metabolism
• Cardiovascular, respiratory and circulatory health
• Muscle strength and capacity
• Wound healing
• Stress mechanisms and adrenals
• Hormonal health

To increase your energy, it is wise to limit your simple carbohydrate consumption. Sure, simple carbohydrates may cause temporary, short term energy spikes, but eventually they make you crash and may lead to weight gain, hypgoglycemia and even chronic fatigue. Caffeine may cause short term energy, but it will also drain your body of calcium and vitamin B complex. Instead, the best energy comes from the foods listed above as well as from good sources of fats (coconut oil is among the best).

* Adjunctive Nutritional Schedules are not meant to treat or cure disease, but rather to offer the body a variety of food nutrients that can be used for health support.

by Vic Shayne, PhDNutrition, depression and emotional health go hand-in-hand. There is a very close relationship between nutrition from foods and neurological (electrical) impulses that help the brain function. So, without the right nutrition, your brain cannot offer you clear thoughts, emotional stability and other functions necessary for health and happiness. This means that with any kind of mental stress, emotional upset or attempts at problem solving, your mind will not have enough electrical support to serve you.

As a result of inadequate (not enough) nutrients from foods, here are common mental and emotional problems according to scientific research:
• Depression
• Irritability
• Inability to focus
• Difficulty solving problems
• Morbid thoughts (thoughts of dying)
• Lack of a will to live
• Apathy (not caring)
• Attention deficiency

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule*
BFood Complex tablets, 8 per day
FlaxSeed Oil: 1 teasp a day (can be put on salads if preferable)
SuperGreens PhytoFood: 1T powder per day

For females over age 12, add
FemPlex, 4 tablets per day

For males over age 30, add
MaleSupport, 2 tablets per day

Additional support:
Wheat Germ Oil, 2 capsules a day

There are many more symptoms due to a lack of proper nutrients, but these are among the top problems. The nutrition that the mind and emotions need the most are:
• Vitamin B Complex (not the isolated B vitamins, but from FOOD)
See BFood Complex
• Calcium
See CalMag Balance
• Phytonutrients (a variety of plant-based nutrients)
See SuperGreens PhytoFood
• Vitamin E Complex
(Wheat Germ Oil)

Facts About Depression

• Approximately 18.8 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, have a depressive disorder.
• Nearly twice as many women (12.0 percent) as men (6.6 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder each year. These figures translate to 12.4 million women and 6.4 million men in the U.S.
• Depressive disorders may be appearing earlier in life in people born in recent decades compared to the past.
• Depressive disorders often co-occur with anxiety disorders and substance abuse.
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and established market economies worldwide.
• Major depressive disorder affects approximately 9.9 million American adults, or about 5.0 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.
• Nearly twice as many women (6.5 percent) as men (3.3 percent) suffer from major depressive disorder each year. These figures translate to 6.7 million women and 3.2 million men.
• While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health (2004, http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/numbers.cfm)

Depression has long been deferred to the field of Psychology for treatment, yet recent scientific findings indicate that insufficient nutritional (i.e., biochemical) support may be at the root of this debilitating problem. Depression and other emotional problems present a definite nutritional deficiency profile that needs to be addressed with dietary changes in addition to other health and lifestyle factors; e.g., in conjunction with psychological treatment.

Leading the list of needed nutrients is the vitamin B complex. Research has suggested a link between depression and low blood levels of the B vitamin folate, and a new study from the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts strengthens the association. Investigators looked at folate concentrations in about 3,000 people. and found deficiencies correlated with mental/emotional problems. (Health & Nutrition Letter, B Vitamin May Help Ease Depression August 2003).

“B vitamins are known to participate in brain chemistry and physiology. Vitamins B 12 and folic acid are required as coenzymes in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and the catecholamines (adrenaline, norepinephrine). They are also required for the production of S-adenosylme-thionine, which has antidepressant properties. Vitamin B 12 deficiency may also result in de-insulation of nerve fibers (demyelination), which produces a constellation of neurological symptoms. Vitamin B 6 is a cofactor in the production of other brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), including dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, GABA, and taurine…Taken together, the body of evidence continues to support the contention that B vitamin nutritional status is crucial to the development and preservation of mental capacities throughout one’s lifetime.

“The sad reality is that many…members of society have poor dietary intake and nutritional status of various B vitamins (vitamin B 6, folic acid, etc.). By all counts, it appears that health practitioners should encourage patients to pay attention to foods that are rich sources of these, and to continue to emphasize the multitude of benefits available from the daily use of a well-formulated multiple vitamin and mineral supplement.” (B Vitamins May Hold Key to Better Memory, Cognitive Function in Seniors, James Meschino,DC,MS, http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/20/22/11.html)

Unfortunately, most people try isolated vitamin B complex supplements with little or no improvement. This is because such vitamin pills are lacking the synergists found in vitamin B-containing whole foods. The patient is best to use non-sterilized whole food formula products that include a variety of vitamin B-containing foods that have not been infused with isolated vitamins or altered by heating or other unnatural means. Vitamin B complex feeds the nervous system and brain.

As with every health condition, there may be one or more causes; and so emotional problems may also be instigated by a deficiency of the vitamin B complex, neurotransmission, brain chemical imbalances, or due to hormonal dysfunction, which may result in the need for gender-specific foods and herbs known to support endocrine function. Other causes may be purely psychological in origin.

* Adjunctive Nutritional Schedules are not meant to treat or cure disease, but rather to offer the body a variety of food nutrients that can be used for health support.

The liver has been described as the most overworked organ. This is debatable, but certainly the liver is one of the most versatile, multi-tasking organs we have. It is responsible for so many functions that, when not working optimally, leads to all kinds of health problems ranging from hepatitis to indigestion.

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule
VitaLiv: 4 to 6 tablets a day
DigestPlex: 1 tablet with each meal
CodLiver Oil: 2 capsules a day
BFood Complex Powder; 1 teasp per day
SuperGreens PhytoFood Powder: 1 teasp. Per day

With more severe liver problems, add
Milk Thistle (from your local health food store)
DetoxFormula: 2 tablets a day
ImmuneSupport: 4 tablets a day

Good juices include fresh, raw and organic:
Beets, parsley, dandelion, radishes, broccoli, kale, spinach and carrot juice
Apple juice

All green vegetable foods benefit the liver, as does carrots, beef and chicken liver, dandelion greens, parsley, and apples.

Possible signs of liver problems:
• yellow eyes
• yellow skin
• pain in the right quadrant (around the ribs)
• yellow, pain stools
• “hypochondriac” complaints
• chronic exhaustion
• digestive problems

Or, you can be developing liver problems with realizing it by:
• drinking too much alcohol
• using drugs (legal or illegal)
• exposure to toxins (household, environmental)
• eating non-organic foods
• vitamin and mineral deficiency
• malnutrition
• overweigh condition
• injury to the liver

“A brief survey of mild liver dysfunction symptoms sounds like a description of “normal” modern life. These might include chronic fatigue and feeling tired after meals. Depression, mood instability, and irrational anger and temper flare-ups may be liver related. PMS symptoms, including breast soreness and sensitivity, depression, hypoglycemia and irritability, may be liver related. Morton Biskind, M.D., published several articles in endocrinology journals in the early 1940′s linking PMS to a B-vitamin and protein deficient liver’s difficulty in de-activating estrogen. Nausea, dietary fat intolerance, foul smelling gas, swollen belly, loss of appetite, constipation and diarrhea are some of the digestive toxic-liver symptoms. Aching joints and muscles, sore feet, psoriasis, and slow wound healing are common dysfunction symptoms. Headaches (especially behind the eyes,) insomnia, difficulty awakening, poor memory, and difficulty concentrating are possible brain liver symptoms.” (www.hepatitis.org.uk)

“What’s important to realize, alcohol is not the only cause of fatty liver. Obesity or some people with diabetes can also accumulate fat in the liver. So alcohol is probably the major cause, but not the only cause.” (Howard Worman, MD, New York Presbyterian Hospital, 2005, abcnews.com)

What Does the Liver Do?
The liver is one of the most active organs, producing important cholesterol, filtering toxins from the blood stream (purifying blood), producing bile to break down fats, storing sugars, metabolozing vitamins and minerals and proteins, regulation of hormones, stores various nutrients, especially A, D, B12 and iron, for release as needed, converts lactic acid from a toxic waste to an important storage fuel, removes some fat-soluble toxins from the body by first dissolving them in bile salts, then dumping the bile and toxin mixture into the intestine for eventual excretion. The liver activates B vitamins into their biologically active coenzyme forms, and creates Glucose Tolerance Factor (GFT) (See GTF Complex) from chromium, niacin and possibly glutathione. GFT is needed for the hormone insulin to properly regulate blood-sugar levels. The liver also regulates body functions which affect emotional and mental activities.

Foods that Hurt
Common foods can lead to liver problems, including excess coffee, any food that contains pesticide residues (non organic foods), junk foods, artifical fats such as margarine, transfats, refined sugars, French fries, fried chicken, doughnuts, chips.

Foods that Heal
Dark green leafy vegetables support liver health as well as parsley, tumeric, radish and licorice (not the candy variety), kale, garlic, beets, carrots, dandelion greens, organic beef, fish and cow’s liver. One of the best herbs for liver health is milk thistle (See VitaLiv). The scientific name for milk thistle is Silybum marianum. It is a member of the aster or daisy family and has been used by ancient physicians and herbalists to treat a range of liver and gallbladder diseases and to protect the liver against a variety of poisons. “Evidence exists that milk thistle may be hepatoprotective through a number of mechanisms: antioxidant activity, toxin blockade at the membrane level, enhanced protein synthesis, antifibriotic activity, and possible anti-inflammatory or immunomodulating effects.” (National Institutes of Health)

Supportive sources:

1. Howard Worman, MD, New York Presbyterian Hospital, 2005, abcnews.com
2. Duke University Health Center, 2005
3. www.hepatitis.org.uk
4. National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Evidence Report/Technology Assessment: Number 21, “Milk Thistle: Effects on Liver Disease and Cirrhosis and Clinical Adverse Effects”

Many physicians have referred to it as hypochondria or idiopathic disease (meaning that it has no known cause), but now more and more doctors are recognizing the reality of chronic fatigue as a valid medical complaint. Just as the name implies, this means that people suffering from chronic fatigue always feel tired or exhausted. Of course most of us know what it’s like to be very tired or worn out, but chronic fatigue takes this to a new level; instead of being tired occasionally, the sufferer feels worn out all of the time. When this happens, all of life comes to a grinding halt, because without energy you can’t get things done, and without energy, the body begins to break down in many ways.

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule
(long-term schedule)

• BFood Complex: 12 tablets a day, or 1T of the powder
• CellPower: 6 tablets a day, or 1teasp of the powder
• CalMag Balance: 6 tablets a day
• Fish Oils: 6 capsules a day
• AdrenaPlex: 6 capsules
• SuperGreens PhytoFood: 6 capsules or 1 teasp powder

If this schedule is too much, you may begin with the first three items then add to the schedule over time. It is also possible to take the powder versions of these foods and blend them in a smoothie, taking half the dosage in the morning and the other half in late afternoon.

Why the exhaustion? Well, as Dr. Bernard Jensen (author, Vibrant Health from Your Kitchen) used to say, it takes time to build a disease. In other words, health problems like chronic fatigue do not come on suddenly. There are many factors that can rob you of energy, including another illness, low iron, low mineral intake, liver problems, digestive problems, excessive work without proper rest, overweight conditions, excessive stress (emotional and physical), and improper/insufficient nutrition. In all causes, nutrition remains at the top of the list of importance, because if you don’t feed your body the correct foods, it won’t have the building blocks for health. Nerves, muscles, the mind, the brain, the internal organs, the glands and the cells all need good nutrition to function optimally. If they don’t have this, then they will be lacking in energy, which leads to chronic fatigue.

Symptoms
There are many foods that build energy, and topping the list are the foods that contain vitamin B complex (See BFood Complex). Note that we say that the foods are important to eat rather than the vitamin pills. Many cases of chronic fatigue have failed to respond to vitamin pills, yet have responded to the foods that contain the vitamins, among other nutrients that only nature’s foods can offer. When there is a deficiency of vitamin B complex, as is very common in cases of exhaustion, some symptoms include:
• fatigue, tiredness
• inability to think clearly
• problems focusing
• sleepiness
• insomnia
• anxiety
• feelings of dread/ something terrible is going to happen
• inability to cope with stress
• intolerance for noise
• moodiness
• heart palpitations
• fear of the unknown

When exhaustion becomes chronic, the adrenal glands may be adversely affected, leading to adrenal fatigue. The adrenal system is the backup energy program for the body, and it needs vitamin C foods such as citrus, cherries and other fruits and vegetables. (See AdrenalPlex)

Minerals are also important in creating energy and maintaining the health, including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, sodium and selenium. (See SuperGreens PhytoFood) And essential fatty acids are needed by the body for nerve transmission, brain function and immune response. (See FishOils) Further, there are many foods that create energy in the mitochondria (energy factories) of the cells, including alfalfa, ginseng root, quinoa, fig, spirulina, and others. (See EnergyFood)

The biggest mistake made by people with chronic fatigue is to take herbs or drugs that artificially stimulate energy. But this causes not only side effects, but since such actions do not solve the nutrition deficiency underlying the problem, new health problems are created and the condition is made worse. The wisest course of action is to take whole food supplements, change your diet for the better, get plenty of rest, enroll in a stress-reduction course or therapy, and seek psychological counseling to ease you through the recovery process.

But whatever you do, DO NOT SWITCH to artificial or fake sugars or sugar substitutes. These are poisonous and may cause cancer, headaches, severe reactions and other health problems that are a lot worse than the ones you get from real sugar. The best source for information on the evils of sugar is this book: Lick the Sugar Habit by Nancy, Ph.D. Appleton.

Adjunctive Nutritional Schedule
For sugar eaters:
GTF Complex: 4 tablets per day
GreenNutrients: 6 tablets per day
CalMag Balance: 6 tablets per day
BFood Complex: 6 tablets per day

Dr. Nancy Appleton (cited above) lists 146 ways that sugar damages and affects your health. Here are but a few, but if you want the whole list, buy her book or go to her website: www.nancyappleton.com)
Here are the top 25 on her list:

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body.
3. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
5. Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases).
6. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function, the more sugar you eat the more elasticity and function you loose.
7. Sugar reduces high density lipoproteins.
8. Sugar leads to chromium deficiency.
9. Sugar leads to cancer of the ovaries.
10. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose.
11. Sugar causes copper deficiency.
12. Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
13. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
14. Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
15. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
16. Sugar can produce an acidic digestive tract.
17. Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children.
18. Sugar malabsorption is frequent in patients with functional bowel disease.
19. Sugar can cause premature aging.
20. Sugar can lead to Alcoholism.
21. Sugar can cause tooth decay.
22. Sugar contributes to Obesity
23. High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
24. Sugar can cause changes frequently found in person with gastric or duodenal Ulcers.
25. Sugar can cause Arthritis.

An important bit of information to remember is that sugar goes by many names, including carbohydrates, which is why carbohydrates are curbed in good Weight Loss programs. Other names for refined sugar include: sorbitol, mannitol, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose, maltose, sugar in the raw, powdered and table sugar. The best substitutes for refined sugar are organic unrefined honey and organic unrefined maple syrup, in moderation, of course, but these also are definitely sugars and do affect blood sugar and the pancreas.

Here is an excellent article about Sugar from the Price-Pottenger Foundation, writteen by: George E. Meinig, DDS, FACD
“The sugar you eat is sucrose, a disaccharide C-12H-220-11. The sugar in your blood is a monosaccharide C-6H-120-6. Sorry to get so technical, but I hope in seeing the chemical formula you will recognize that a difference exists.
“At any one time the glucose level in your blood stream should be 90 mg. per 100 ml . This means the total amount in your blood is about 5 grams or about one to three teaspoonfuls.
“Now, when you eat a candy bar containing eight teaspoonfuls of sugar, or pie at 10, or ice cream at eight, you send in a high charge of eight to 20 spoons of sugar into a system that is geared to maintain itself with only one to three teaspoonfuls, a chaotic problem is encountered. This overload must be dealt with first by your pancreas and its hormone insulin. Then, when the insulin gets too high, the adrenal gland must manufacture and distribute into the bloodstream its insulin-governing hormones. Normal, natural food is not so highly concentrated and, more importantly, contains essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes which help the stomach to utilize what you have eaten. This in turn helps each cell to obtain its proper nutrients.
“The continual overcharging of one’s glands with sugar has a depressing influence on your metabolism. That is, instead of speeding it up, it actually slows it down, resulting among other things, in a lower than normal blood sugar.
“The slowdown foods are sugar, refined breads and packaged cereals, pie, cookies, pastry, ice cream, candies, coffee, tea, alcohol and soft drinks.

“If you really want a pickup, use the speedup foods instead, for they stimulate metabolism. Meat, fish, seafood, poultry, fresh fruits,and vegetables, cheeses, eggs, butter, seeds, nuts, etc., all invigorate and vitalize the system. The actual time of absorption and development of energy from these foods is but a little more than with sugar itself. Besides, an important fringe benefit of the good speed-up foods is better handling of stress and one’s vigor is sustained over longer periods of time. ( Source: 1999 PPNF, Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation; price-pottenger.org)