7 DIY Body Scrub Recipes

Get Glowing Skin with Natural, At-Home Body Scrubs

To maintain beautiful, glowing skin it’s absolutely necessary to exfoliate all those icky dead cells blocking the baby soft layer of skin underneath. But boy can the body exfoliators and scrubs in the beauty aisle really put a dent in your shopping budget. Instead, try out a few of our favorite easy and effective DIY body scrub recipes. For a thoughtful and wallet-friendly gift, you can also make an extra mason jar full of your favorite scrub below for your mom or BFF.


Coffee Body Scrub

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Coffee is good for more than just your morning wakeup. This scrub performs double duty by exfoliating while the caffeine in the coffee grounds may even help reduce the appearance of cellulite by plumping up your skin. If you check the labels, caffeine is actually in many of those crazy expensive cellulite creams. This, however, is a much cheaper way to discover if caffeine works as a treatment for you. No promises, but try it out.

Equal parts ground coffee and raw sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp sea salt

Mix the ground coffee with raw sugar and sea salt. Add the olive oil and coconut oil. And voila, coffee body scrub.

(Recipe & photo source: deliciouslyorganized.blogspot.com/2012/07/diy-mornin-coffee-scrub.html)


Rosemary Lavender Salt Scrub

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For a relaxing end to your day, draw yourself a nice warm bath and unwind with this soothing scrub. It'll get you to your happy place in no time.

2 cups salt, kosher
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lavender, culinary grade
3 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy. This scrub can also be applied to the more delicate neck and facial area (other scrubs, in general, though, are too harsh to use on your face or neck).

(Adapted recipe & photo source:  bettycrocker.com/recipes/diy-rosemary-lavender-salt-scrub/ab242ee3-c896-44a2-9a93-2ee4654f8959)


Daniela Ferri’s Go-To Body Scrub

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Licensed Esthetician and acne specialist Daniela Ferri recommend using her easily customizable recipe to reveal your naturally lovely skin.

3/4 cup sugar in the raw
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup vegetable glycerin (check the vitamin section for this)
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 liquid castile soap (or 1/4 cup shampoo)
25 drops of your favorite essential oil (or 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice)

In a bowl, mix ingredients together well. After showering with your usual body wash, apply generously to your body especially concentrating on rough areas like knees and elbows. Rinse off and apply your favorite moisturizing body lotion post-shower.


Sunless Tanner Correcting Scrub

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Have you applied sunless tanner without exfoliating first? Holy oompa loompa! To correct those dreaded dark orange patches, try this sunless-tanner fixer. Two go-to remedies for removing those pesky tangerine streaks are lemon and a great scrub. Lemons contain citric acid, a natural exfoliator, and also contain elements that cause bleaching (sunless tanner included). This recipe combines both sugar scrub and lemons.

5 cups white granulated sugar
2 cups olive oil
2 lemons
3 tbsp honey

Using a wooden spoon, mix the sugar with the olive oil. Slice lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the sugar olive oil mix. Add honey and mix just until combined. After a long soak in a warm bath, apply the scrub to trouble spots. Be careful not to scrub too hard and damage your skin, though! Rinse off. Follow up with a nice moisturizing body lotion.

P.S. Kudos to you for using a safer tanning alternative! We'll take streaks over sun damage any day.

(Recipe source:  neverlandnook.com/honey-lemon-sugar-scrub)


Peppermint Sugar Scrub

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Peppermint is not just for the holidays. Scrubbing down with this recipe will make you feel refreshed and invigorated--not to mention it's delightfully pink.

2 cups white granulated sugar
1/4 cup almond oil or coconut oil
Peppermint essential oil
Raspberry/pomegranate juice or red food coloring

Slowly mix almond or coconut oil into the granulated sugar. If you feel like there doesn't seem to be enough oil, you can add more, but don’t overdo it and let the mixture get too oily. Add a few drops of peppermint oil until it reaches your desired scent. To get the pink color, add a few drops of red food coloring, or for a natural take, you can add drops of raspberry or pomegranate juice. Mix together until color is uniform throughout (don’t worry, it won’t be enough to dye your skin!).

(Recipe & photo source: theidearoom.net/2012/11/peppermint-candy-cane-sugar-scrub)


Vanilla Sugar Scrub

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If you’re sensitive to strongly scented products, this natural, simple sugar scrub is the way to go. The delicate scent of the vanilla extract and almond oil will hardly trigger any sensitive noses or smell-induced migraines.

2 1/2 cups sugar in the raw
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
4-5 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup almond oil

In a bowl, mix together the sugar in the raw and the white granulated sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and almond oil and mix well.

(Recipe & photo source: heygorg.com/2012/04/diy-body-scrub-favor.html)


Create Your Body Scrub
Don’t be afraid to play around with the recipes and create your own signature scrub. Stick to two core ingredients (granulated sugar and olive oil) and add a few drops of your favourite essential oil and you’ve got a scrub as unique as your lovely self.
http://www.chickrx.com/articles/7-diy-body-scrub-recipes

Insulin – King of the Hormones

There is a single important chemical in the body which manages a variety of processes and levels in the blood and the entire body.  This single master control – the king in your hand – is called Insulin, and controlling your Insulin is the key to your health.
When I was 75 pounds heavier, I was not in control of my Insulin levels. I was significantly heavier. I always feeling tired and run down. I was snoring and even stopped breathing at multiple times during the night (a condition called Sleep Apnea). I felt like I needed high calorie, high sugar and caffeinated foods to give me an energy boost at every meal and even between meals. I was not in control of my Insulin, and this was messing with the rest of my bodily functions.

Hormones are chemical messengers produced by certain organs and cells in our body. They are stimulated and secreted in order to maintain a balance of many factors related to metabolism, stress and energy production. This balance is called “Homeostasis”.

Insulin is considered the “master hormone” of the body. It is a chemical messenger which is produced and secreted by cells of the Pancreas (Beta-cells) in response to eating food, but most notably, in response to carbohydrates. Insulin facilitates the movement of all macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) out of the bloodstream and into our cells for use either immediately, or in the future.

When we eat a meal high in carbohydrates (sugar, cereal, pasta, breads, rice), our body responds to the elevated level of sugar in our blood by releasing a wave of Insulin in the bloodstream, telling the cells to remove all this sugar from the blood and take it into the cells for energy production and/or storage. If this happens occasionally in the body, the response will occur properly. When we are eating high carb meals multiple times per day, our blood sugar levels remain chronically high and insulin needs to be produced constantly in order to keep levels within the normal range. When our insulin levels are constantly high, the constant knocking at the door by Insulin annoys our cells.

If a friend rings your doorbell or knocks on your door asking for a favour, you generally have no problem and will help them out. Now imagine that same friend constantly knocking at your door, 3-4 times per day, asking you to help them with this or that. Initially you would get annoyed. Soon, you may not even answer the knock at the door because this friend is asking for too much and is being incredibly annoying, and so you become less friendly and the favour doesn’t get completed.
The same thing happens in our cells when Insulin is constantly knocking at the door, asking for our cells to do them a favour by taking in some sugar from the bloodstream. Our cells eventually stop answering the knock at the door (Insulin Resistance). This can eventually lead to chronically high blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia), which is harmful to our long-term health. The pancreas eventually stops producing insulin because our body stops reacting to it. We have lost our master hormone so our body’s hormone system. Our body reacts by many other hormones going out of balance including Glucagon, Cortisol, Thyroid, Testosterone, Progesterone, Estrogen and Leptin as well as their controlling hormones.

Chronically high blood sugar is a major cause of health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, brain and memory conditions (read the book “Grain Brain”), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and low sex drive.

Overcome these issues by eating meals higher in natural sources of carbohydrate and other micronutrients like dark, leafy green vegetables, carrots, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Your diet should also be higher in good quality protein like free-run eggs, chicken and wild-caught fish as well as good quality fats like avocado, nuts and seeds. Cook in coconut oil, ghee or butter and avoid low quality industrial oils. Feel free to sprinkle your salads with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar as well rather than packaged dressings.

Stack your deck by treating the King of the Hormones well. Keep insulin working correctly and cells responding to that friendly neighbour. If you treat it will, your outlook will improve immensely as health will no longer limit you.

Dr. Navaz Habib


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Is this the End of Diet Soda? Huge Study links Aspartame to Major Problems, Sales Drop...

As concerns about health epidemics plague the nation, demand and sales of diet soda have plunged as consumers try to make better choices. As we reported yesterday, aspartame–the main sweetener for diet soda–is one of the most dangerous ingredients used in our food supply, causing seizures and a host of other health issues.

In a new study done over ten years and sampling 60,000 women, it was shown that women who drink two or more diet drinks a day have much higher cardiovascular disease rates and are more likely to die from the disease.

30 percent more likely to have a heart problems...

In the largest study done of it’s kind, The University of Iowa concluded:

“…[C]ompared to women who never or only rarely consume diet drinks, those who consume two or more a day are 30 percent more likely to have a cardiovascular event [heart attack or stroke] and 50 percent more likely to die from related disease.

‘This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome,’ says Dr. Ankur Vyas… the lead investigator of the study.

…The association persisted even after researchers adjusted the data to account for demographic characteristics and other cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index, smoking, hormone therapy use, physical activity, energy intake, salt intake, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake.

On average, women who consumed two or more diet drinks a day were younger, more likely to be smokers, and had a higher prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and higher body mass index.”

Soda sales slipping...

Thankfully this study comes on the heels of reports of already slipping sales of diet soda, one of the largest aspartame markets.

According to Time Magazine:

“One reason for the decline could be a growing awareness of the obesity epidemic in the US and growing health concerns surrounding sugar-sweetened beverages. According to Reuters, industry experts say the beverage industry is shrinking under the scrutiny. Even diet-branded drinks have suffered a loss of sales with concerns over artificial sweeteners.”

Whatever the reason for the decline, this new study should only add fuel to the movement away from artificial sweeteners. There are plenty of natural sweeteners that people can choose that are much healthier than aspartame. Click here for a practical guide to natural sweeteners.

Another important note is that the overall sales of soda going down also means that less people are being exposed to (mostly GM) high fructose corn syrup which carries a whole host of health risks as well.

Via wesupportorganic.com

http://eatlocalgrown.com/article/12974-is-this-the-end-of-diet-soda.html

This Is What Sugar Does To Your Brain

 By Carolyn Gregoire

We know that too much sugar is bad for our waistlines and our heart health, but now there's mounting evidence that high levels of sugar consumption can also have a negative effect on brain health -- from cognitive function to psychological wellbeing.

While sugar is nothing to be too concerned about in small quantities, most of us are simply eating too much of it. The sweet stuff -- which also goes by names like glucose, fructose, honey and corn syrup -- is found in 74 percent of packaged foods in our supermarkets. And while the Word Health Organization recommends that only 5 percent of daily caloric intake come from sugar, the typical American diet is comprised of 13 percent calories from sugar.

“Many Americans eat about five times the amount of sugar they should consume,”Natasa Janicic-Kahric, an associate professor of medicine at Georgetown University Hospital, told The Washington Post.

It's easy to see how we can get hooked on sugar. However, we should be aware of the risks that a high-sugar diet poses for brain function and mental well-being.

Here's what you need to know about how overconsumption of sugar could wreak havoc on your brain.

It creates a vicious cycle of intense cravings.

When a person consumes sugar, just like any food, it activates the tongue's taste receptors. Then, signals are sent to the brain, lighting up reward pathways and causing a surge of feel-good hormones, like dopamine, to be released. Sugar "hijacks the brain’s reward pathway," neuroscientist Jordan Gaines Lewis explained. And while stimulating the brain's reward system with a piece of chocolate now and then is pleasurable and probably harmless, when the reward system is activated too much and too frequently, we start to run into problems.

"Over-activating this reward system kickstarts a series of unfortunate events -- loss of control, craving, and increased tolerance to sugar," neuroscientist Nicole Avena explained in a TED-Ed video.

In fact, research has shown that the brains of obese children actually light up differently when they taste sugar, reflecting an elevated "food reward" response. This suggests that their brain circuitry may predispose these children to a lifetime of intense sugar cravings.

It impairs memory and learning skills.

A 2012 study on rats, conducted by researchers at UCLA, found that a diet high in fructose (that's just another word for sugar) hinders learning and memory by literally slowing down the brain. The researchers found that rats who over-consumed fructose had damaged synaptic activity in the brain, meaning that communication among brain cells was impaired.

Heavy sugar intake caused the rats to develop a resistance to insulin -- a hormone that controls blood sugar levels and also regulates the function of brain cells. Insulin strengthens the synaptic connections between brain cells, helping them to communicate better and thereby form stronger memories. So when insulin levels in the brain are lowered as the result of excess sugar consumption, cognition can be impaired.

"Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain," Dr. Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, the study's lead author, said in a statement. "Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new."

It may cause or contribute to depression and anxiety.

If you've ever experienced a sugar crash, then you know that sudden peaks and drops in blood sugar levels can cause you to experience symptoms like irritability, mood swings, brain fog and fatigue. That's because eating a sugar-laden donut or drinking a soda causes blood sugar levels to spike upon consumption and then plummet. When your blood sugar inevitably dips back down (hence the "crash"), you may find yourself feeling anxious, moody or depressed.

Sugar-rich and carb-laden foods can also mess with the neurotransmitters that help keep our moods stable. Consuming sugar stimulates the release of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin. Constantly over-activating these serotonin pathways can deplete our limited supplies of the neurotransmitter, which can contribute to symptoms of depression, according to Dr. Datis Kharrazian, functional medicine expert and author of Why Isn't My Brain Working?.

Chronically high blood sugar levels have also been linked to inflammation in the brain. And as some research has suggested, neuroinflammation may be one possible cause of depression.

Teenagers may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of sugar on mood. A recent study on adolescent mice, conducted by researchers at Emory University School of Medicine, found a diet high in sugar to contribute to depression and anxiety-like behavior.

Research has also found that people who eat a standard American diet that's high in processed foods -- which typically contain high amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt -- are at an increased risk for developing depression, compared to those who eat a whole foods diet that's lower in sugar.

It's a risk factor for age-related cognitive decline and dementia.

A growing body of research suggests that a sugar-heavy diet could increase risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. A 2013 study found that insulin resistance and blood glucose levels -- which are hallmarks of diabetes -- are linked with a greater risk for developing neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's. The research “offers more evidence that the brain is a target organ for damage by high blood sugar,”endocrinologist Dr. Medha Munshi told the New York Times.

Some researchers, in fact, have even referred to Alzheimer's as "Type 3 Diabetes" -- which suggests that diet may have some role in an individual's risk for developing the disease.

The 7 Deadly Truths Of Sugar

by Gina Trimarchi-Martin

Ahhh, sugar and sugary sweets. They just taste so good. But as most of us know, it is not always worth the indulgence. (OK, maybe sometimes it is. Chocolate anyone)? But seriously, the complications of sugar can simply wreak havoc on your well-being. Read below to find out more.

These are Called Seven Deadly Truths of Sugar:

1. By nature, sugar is duplicitous.

Let’s first define sugar. Typically when we talk about “sugar,” we are referring to table sugar, primarily derived from sugarcane or beets. Table sugar is also called sucrose. Sucrose is made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Glucose and fructose are important to differentiate because the two get processed very differently in the body, which as you’ll find out, has seriously different ramifications on our health.

2. Fructose = Fat.

Glucose is the sugar that gets processed in our guts during digestion and can ultimately be used by every cell in our body. Fructose, the sister carbohydrate in sucrose, bypasses the gut completely and goes straight to our livers. Some of it gets stored as glycogen, but some of it also gets turned into triglycerides, which is a fancy term for fat. Yes, fructose = fat. This wouldn’t be a big deal, but food these days is loaded with sugars—including fructose, which in its purest form, happens to be 70% sweeter than table sugar, making it more addictive.
3. Sugar is addictive.

Sugar alters our biochemical pathways in our brain and we end up needing a greater doses of sugar. That’s why out of the 600,000 food products in America today, 80% are laced with some form of sugar, and more specifically fructose, because it’s cheap and keeps us addicted.

4. Fructose is a chronic liver toxin.

Eating too much food with fructose is now correlated to a number of chronic diseases. This includes, slower metabolism, higher cholesterol, heart disease, fatty-liver disease or cirrhosis, hypertension, obesity, hepatic insulin resistance and even gout due to the overproduction of uric acid in the body. Fructose also can cause leptin resistance, which is the hormone that tells your body whether you are hungry or full. If you break that switch, then chances are you’re going to be on a one way road to fat town.
5. Stripping fiber from food leads to increased sugar to our system.
Normally plants with fructose are equipped with fiber. Fiber, something we’re not consuming enough of, acts as a safeguard. It not only fills us up and slows digestion, but it also helps slow down the absorption of fructose into our bodies. However, nowadays with juicing and smoothie crazes (which destroy fiber), the stripping of fiber from foods (think white rice, puffed wheat and white bread), and the breeding of fruits for more sweetness and longer shelf life) we’re ruining our chances for healthier bodies.

6. “Natural” sugar is misleading.

Fructose may be naturally occurring, meaning that it is present in whole fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds — but that doesn’t mean that it’s good for you. (Just ask Socrates who was sentenced to death by drinking hemlock.) When we futilely discuss about which sugar is better than another, we rarely ever look at fructose levels. Here’s a short list of nine “natural” sweeteners to give you an idea of what percentage of fructose is commonly found in each; variations in levels are often due to different brands and how sugar is processed:
Agave nectar = 56-97%
High fructose corn syrup = 42-90%
Tapioca syrup = 55%
Table sugar / cane sugar / beet sugar = 50%
Honey = 38-50%
Coconut sugar = 38-48.5%
Yacon syrup = 35%
Maple syrup = 30%-45%
Molasses = 23%

7. Just because sugar has a low glycemic index (GI), it doesn’t mean it’s good for you.
The GI is misleading for a couple reasons. The scale was created to see how high your blood glucose rises after ingesting 50 grams of carbs of a specific food. Firstly, fifty grams of carbs is quite a lot. A common example I see thrown around is carrots. They are high on the GI, but to get 50 grams of carbs from carrots, you have to eat 1.3 lb! You have to look at glycemic load, which tells you how much food you need to eat to obtain those 50 grams of carbohydrates. But as you have just found out, sugar is oftentimes more than just glucose. In most cases, it also consists of fructose. So GI and glycemic load aren’t useful tools for measuring fructose levels in the body. That’s why calories of sugar, to a certain extent, don’t matter. All sugars weren’t created equally; they are metabolized very differently in the body, each having their own ramifications if eaten too liberally.
I have always had a sweet tooth, and love sugar in almost anything. It has been a hard habit to break. Knowledge is power, so knowing the above truths about sugar does make it easier for me to avoid it – most of the time. I stick to dark chocolate (85%) when I need my chocolate fix and use maple syrup and coconut sugar when I bake for my kids.

Source: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17122/the-7-deadly-truths-of-sugar.html
Featured Image: http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/020/2/a/sugar_lips_fruit_by_rosshi-d5s3foq.jpg

5 Myths About Food and your Skin

BY RENEE LOUX

The foods we eat can have a major impact on how we look—and I’m not just talking about how well we fit into our skinny jeans. For a dewy, gorgeous complexion, you’re going to want to watch your intake of certain munchies. But here’s the good news: Not all foods known for wreaking havoc on  your skin actually deserve their bad reputations. And some foods that have stellar health points aren’t always the best for your face. Here, the truth about foods and your skin—and how to keep that gorgeous, glowy look for good. 

MYTH: Chocolate leads to zits and acne
FACT: Not necessarily true. Pure chocolate contains a bevy of skin-beautifying antioxidants and feel-good compounds. However, chocolate that’s loaded with sugar and dairy can trigger a skin freakout.
Takeaway: Indulge in dark chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa and less sugar to treat your skin and body right. And less is more – enjoy a bite or two, not boatload.

MYTH: Fatty foods = ruddy, blotchy skin
FACT: We all know that not all fats are created equal, and it’s especially true when it comes to keeping skin clear and radiant. Nuts and seeds, olive oil and avocado are loaded with skin-beneficial oils and antioxidants like Vitamin E. That heaping plate of fries? Not so much. While saturated fat has been known to make skin angry, experts say that fat is less of a troublemaker for skin than processed foods (especially processed carbs) and sugars.
Takeaway: Opt for plant-based oils in their fresh form, and forgo saturated fat and the processed and fried stuff.

MYTH:  Dairy ALWAYS does a body good
FACT: Milk and dairy are a great source of calcium, protein and Vitamin D, right? Yes, but dairy may also be a doozie for your skin. Some skincare experts say that components in milk that are related to testosterone hormones can cause oil glands to go into overdrive, setting the stage for skin upset.
Takeaway: If you’re having trouble with your complexion, try switching to non-dairy options like almond milk, hemp milk and soy milk as a nutrient-rich alternative to dairy. Or try goat and sheep dairy cheeses instead of cow dairy, which some say has less of an effect on skin.

MYTH: Caffeine leads to breakouts
FACT: The claim that caffeine causes acne and breakouts may have more bark than bite. Some experts say it doesn’t directly cause acne, but may aggravate existing conditions. But caffeine has its benefits too. Many caffeine-laden drinks, like coffee and black and green tea, are also loaded with antioxidants that can help defend skin from damage, particularly from the sun.
Takeaway: Drink caffeine in moderation to avoid messing with your beauty sleep (hello, undereye circles), and be sure to drink plenty of water to counteract the dehydrating effects of caffeinated drinks.

MYTH: Natural sweeteners aren’t as bad as refined sugars for the skin
FACT: Sugar is sugar (for the most part). And sugar has inflammatory effects, especially for the skin. Anything that spurs a blood sugar spike causes inflammation and accelerated aging. While some natural sweeteners don’t meddle with blood sugar status quo as much as straight up sugar, the fact is that most things that taste sweet are pretty high on the glycemic index and trigger skin-damaging effects.
Takeaway: Keep sugar (in any form) to a minimum. Opt for natural sweeteners like agave and honey, which are sweeter than sugar so you need less to satisfy your taste buds; or maple syrup, which is loaded with minerals and anti-inflammatory compounds to counter it’s sugary impacts.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/food-and-your-skin?cm_sp=Hotlist-_-Beauty-_-5MythsAboutFoodandyourSkin

From Detox To Elimination Diets, Skipping Sugar May Be The Best Bet

Allison Aubrey


Oh, sugar! If this time of year has you rethinking your diet, there is one surefire change you can make to improve health: Cut back on sugar.
Farrukh/Flickr

When it comes to detox diets, we totally get the appeal.

Who's not drawn to the idea of flushing all the toxins out of our bodies — a sort of spring cleaning of our insides?

And yes, several years back, I even remember trying — if only for a day — the trendy cayenne-pepper liquid cleanse (as seen in this Mindy Kaling clip from The Office) as part of a cleansing/detox diet.

But it turns out, as we've reported, the whole idea that you need to go on a special, draconian diet to detox your body really has no scientific backing.

We spoke to Dr. Ranit Mishori, a faculty member in family medicine at Georgetown University Medical School who has reviewed the literature on colon cleanses. She told us that lots of her patients are asking about detox and cleansing diets, especially at this time of year. Her advice: Steer clear.

The way she explains it, our bodies have an excellent built-in system for getting rid of toxins. Our kidneys and livers, for instance, both play an important role in helping to filter out potentially harmful compounds.

The 7-Day Color Diet: An attempt to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables, this diet requires followers to eat foods of just a single color each day. It ends with a day in which you "eat the rainbow," so to speak. Here's Gonot's cheeky take on orange day.

"The human body has evolved over many years, and it has a very sophisticated [filtering] system through the liver, through the kidneys," Mishori told us.

Experts say specialized diets won't help rid the body of toxins any more than what the liver and kidneys already do every day.

Can A Diet Clean Out Toxins In The Body?
"The liver has all kinds of different enzymes that break down the chemicals considered to be harmful, potentially, and then it excretes [them]. It does it very, very efficiently," she says. "It does it 24 hours a day. And there are no supplements or super foods that can boost the liver and kidneys to do it better than they already do."

Of course, this doesn't mean that healthful eating isn't important. But the point is, you don't need to live on liquids and cayenne — or any other crazy fad diets out there. Most of us would be better off making more straightforward changes to our diets that are known to be beneficial.

So what kind of simple, good-for-you changes should you consider? Mishori offered her top three tips: "Cutting on sugar is always a good idea. Cutting on processed foods is always a good idea. Being better hydrated is always a good idea," she told us.

Diets don't need to be all-or-nothing. When it comes to sugar, the idea is to reduce consumption and be more mindful.

Currently, as we've reported, the typical American consumes about 22 teaspoons a day of sugar, which is about three times more than what's recommended. And the evidence is piling up that this is doing all kinds of damage to our bodies.

For instance, a recent paper in BMJ Open Heart described how consuming too much sugar can raise the risk of high blood pressure.

And, as we've reported, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that Americans who consumed the most sugar — about a quarter of their daily calories — were twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who limited their sugar intake to 7 percent of their total calories. Or, as I previously broke it down:

"To translate that into a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, the big sugar eaters were consuming 500 calories a day from sugar — that's 31 teaspoons. Those who tamed their sweet tooth the most, by contrast, were taking in about 160 calories a day from sugar — or about 10 teaspoons per day.
"The American Heart Association advises that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily. This is about 100 calories. And men, no more than 9 teaspoons, or about 150 calories from sugar. (This does not include foods such as fruits and vegetables that naturally contain sugar.)"
So the bottom line is, if you want to make one change this year, cutting back on added sugar is probably a good choice.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/01/19/377780329/from-detox-to-elimination-diets-skipping-sugar-may-be-the-best-bet

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY THE HOUR AFTER DRINKING A COKE?

Andrew Lockey

10 MINUTES
10 teaspoons of SUGAR hit your system. This is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake, and the only reason you don’t VOMIT as a result of the overwhelming sweetness is because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

20 MINUTES
Your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into FAT.

40 MINUTES
Caffeine absorption is complete; your pupils dilate, your blood pressure RISES, and your liver dumps MORE sugar into your bloodstream.

45 MINUTES
Your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain – a physically identical response to that of HEROIN by the way.

60 MINUTES
You’ll start to have a sugar crash. Enjoy.

AND HERE ARE SOME OTHER SHOCKING FACTS FOR YOU . . .

ONE SODA PER DAY INCREASES YOUR RISK OF DIABETES BY 85%!

SUGAR IS ACTUALLY MORE ADDICTIVE THAN COCAINE!

JUST ONE EXTRA CAN OF SODA PER DAY CAN ADD AS MUCH AS 15 POUNDS TO YOUR WEIGHT OVER THE COURSE OF A SINGLE YEAR! (NOT HOW TO LOOK BETTER NAKED!)

IF YOU ARE STILL DRINKING SODA, STOPPING THE HABIT IS AN EASY WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH.
WATER IS A MUCH BETTER CHOICE, OR IF YOU MUST DRINK A CARBONATED BEVERAGE, TRY SPARKLING MINERAL WATER WITH A SQUIRT OF LIME OR LEMON JUICE.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT YOUR KIDS SHOULD EVER DRINK SODA. NONE, NADA, ZIP, ZERO.
NO EXCUSES. DON’T BE IRRESPONSIBLE!

THE ELIMINATION OF SOFT DRINKS IS A COMPLETE NO-BRAINER!

SO CUT THE SODA AND LOOK BETTER NAKED!

*taken from various sources including writings by Dr. Mercola
http://lookbetternakedblog.com/2014/10/04/what-happens-to-your-body-the-hour-after-drinking-a-coke/

3 ‘Healthy’ Sweeteners That Actually Are Bad For You

Written by: Susan Patterson

We are a country infatuated with sugar. From the time we are young, food manufacturers inundate us with multi-million dollar advertising campaigns targeted to get us to consume more and more sugar-laden foods. Sugar is cheap, and sugar sells.

But sugar contributes to a plethora of life-threatening conditions such as hypertension, depression, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. Consuming an excess of sugar may cause mood swings, hormone problems, gallstones, asthma, accelerated aging, suppressed immune system functioning, acne and even arthritis.

Even if you are not overweight, consuming excess sugar increases your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Most of the sugar consumed today is in the form of high fructose corn syrup found in soft drinks and other processed and fast foods.

The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, with the average child consuming even more – 32 teaspoons. Over the last 10 years, overall sugar consumption in the US has escalated a whopping 23 percent.

The American Heart Association says women should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day, men 9.

OK, so you are ready to give up sugar, once and for all, right? No more soda, no more sweet tea, no more candy. But what do you do when you crave something sweet but don’t want to go back to sugar or foods loaded with high fructose corn syrup?

Perhaps try a “healthy” alternative? Unfortunately, these alternatives can actually end up being equally unhealthy — if not more unhealthy — than sugar itself.

Here are three sugar substitutes that are marketed as healthy, but in fact are not:

1. Truvia. This product is actually manufactured by Coca-Cola and is touted as being natural. The main ingredient in this concoction is called rebiana, a highly refined type of stevia. In addition, this sugar substitute contains erythritol, which doubles as an insecticide.

In one study, researchers found that fruit flies that ate Truvia died within a week compared to their normal 39-51 day lifespan.

More research is necessary to determine if Truvia is only selectively poisonous to insects and is safe for humans. Still, it is important to understand that this product is not natural, but rather is highly processed and synthetic. Unfortunately, many of the studies claiming Truvia to be safe have been conducted by the company, Cargill, which manufactures it along with Coca-Cola.

2. Agave nectar. You may have heard that agave nectar, the amber-colored liquid that is adored by the gluten-free crowd and suitable for vegan diets, is a suitable natural replacement for sugar. If so, you heard wrong. The problem is that manufacturers have taken an entirely natural and beautiful plant — the blue agave — and processed and refined its syrup to create a super sweet sugar alternative that masquerades as natural. In reality, the syrup is almost entirely refined fructose, which makes its glycemic level low, but it has the same impact on the body as high fructose corn syrup.

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When you consume fructose in its natural form in fruits such as apples, it can be healthy. But when it is commercially concentrated, it comes without fiber, antioxidants or vitamins — and at a great metabolic price. Consumption of synthetic fructose causes such things as metabolic syndrome, liver and kidney disease, lowered immune system, heart disease and accelerated aging.

While a little agave nectar certainly won’t kill you, it is wrong to assume it is good for you or even a safe alternative to table sugar. The reality is that it is equally as bad for you as is high fructose corn syrup.

3. Sucralose. More commonly referred to by its brand name, Splenda, this synthetic sugar substitute — which is 600 time sweeter than sugar — also goes by other names such as SucraPlus, Candys, Nevella and Cukren. It was first discovered by researchers in 1976 who were trying to find ways to use sucrose as a chemical intermediate in non-traditional areas. It has absolutely no nutritional value.

The American Council on Exercise says consuming too much sucrose can lead to mood swings brought about by a sharp elevation in blood sugar followed by a dramatic “crash. This may be followed by irritability and fatigue. In addition, because sucrose is digested so rapidly, it shoots glucose into the blood faster than it can be burned, which results in excess glucose being stored as fat. Sucrose may also trigger food cravings and cause you to overeat.

Sucrose also promotes the growth of bacteria on teeth which can lead to accelerated tooth decay and can result in poor insulin sensitivity, which is a precursor for type 2 diabetes.

Splenda recently was downgraded from “safe” to “caution” by the Center for Public Interest. This change in rating followed an Italian study which showed a link between an increased risk of leukemia in lab animals and consumption of Splenda.

Safe alternatives

If you are ready to give up sugar but not your sweet desires, try some of these safe and deliciousalternatives:

New Book Reveals How To Survive Diabetes During A Disaster.

Organic coconut crystals

A great natural way to sweeten beverages and other foods is by using organic coconut crystals. These super sweet golden nuggets come from the sap of the coconut flower and are delicious. Not only do they taste good, but they also contain a load of minerals and B vitamins, making them a wonderful and nutritious alternative to refined sugar.

Organic whole leaf stevia

Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) hails from South America, and its leaves are about 40 times sweeter than sugar. Look for whole, organic stevia leaves and simply crush them and add them to your favorite dish or beverage.

(Want more info? Read 11 All-Natural Sweeteners You Can Grow In Your Backyard.)

Raw local honey

Raw local honey is loaded with nutrients and is another great natural sweetening option. It contains vitamin C, as well as B vitamins and a host of minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. It has antiviral, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and supports healthy digestive flora. Check for local honey at your farmer’s market or local health shops.

No matter what you do, just be sure that you do your research on the type of sugar substitute you are using. Look for products that are 100 percent real and organic. And don’t take the manufacturer’s word for it.

http://www.offthegridnews.com/2014/11/07/3-healthy-sweeteners-that-actually-are-bad-for-you/

Is your child addicted to sugar?

Nearly half of mothers believe their children are addicted to sugar - but most are unaware quite how much they're really consuming

Most mothers questioned were unaware of the high sugar content of everyday foods such as yoghurts and juice Photo: Alamy

Nearly half of mothers (46 per cent) believe their children may be addicted to sugar, according to a new poll conducted by Bupa.

Yet many of them were unaware of the true scale of the problem, with the majority uninformed about the high sugar content of everyday foods such as yoghurts and juice.

Even though 43 per cent of the 2,000 mothers questioned claimed to know how much sugar was in the food their children eat, when asked how much was contained in everyday lunchbox items, most had no real idea.

While 88 per cent of children have at least one yoghurt a day, 93 per cent of the mothers questioned weren't aware that a typical fat-free yoghurt contains five teaspoons of sugar

The research found that 77 per cent of children consumed at least one glass of fruit juice each day - but 94 per cent of mothers didn't know that the average amount of sugar in a typical glass of apple juice is 6.5 teaspoons.

Some 93 per cent of mothers had no idea that a typical glass of apple juice contains 6.5 teaspoons of sugar

According to Mumsnet editor Sarah Crowne, sugar consumption is a continual source of anxiety among parents: "There's a great deal of discussion on Mumsnet about how to feed your kids well - from coping with fussy toddlers to tips for cajoling refusenik teens into managing a sensible breakfast before school.

"Excessive sugar consumption is a perennial concern amongst our users - particularly with 'hidden' sugar popping up in everyday products such as pasta sauce and bread, not to mention the large quantities in some of the most popular children's yoghurts and fruit snacks.

"In an ideal world, obviously, we'd all shun jars and packets and cook perfectly-balanced meals from scratch every day - but the fact is that time and money constraints often make this impossible.

"As with most aspects of child-rearing, parents simply do their best: to be clued-up about nutrition, avoid the obvious sugar-laden pitfalls and try to strike a healthy balance when feeding their kids."

Yet, in spite of these concerns and efforts, 40 per cent of parents questioned in the new poll said they gave their children sweets, fizzy drinks or chocolate at least once a day.

Nearly 25 per cent surveyed said they placed sugary treats in their child’s lunchbox, with the top culprits being cakes, chocolate, crisps and fruit juice. Nearly a third of mothers believed that, as they gave their children healthy food, too much sugar wasn't an issue.

Nicole Mowbray, author of Sweet Nothing, an account of giving up sugar, says: 'While these figures are shocking, they're not surprising."

"Even though parents try their best, sugar lurks in so many of the foods we give our children, from the addition of fruit juice to savoury baby foods to make it more palatable, to the high quantities of sugar lurking in everyday sauces such as tomato ketchup, or this new idea that honey is in some way healthier, when it isn't.

"That's before you've even considered the amount of sugar given to youngsters in the form of 'treats'. Parents should use their pressure power to force manufacturers to start reducing the amount of sugars they add to food and drinks aimed at children.'

Too much sugar in a child’s diet can cause permanent damage to health, including increased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. as well as severe damage to dental health.

Andrew Wallis, of Cornwall Council, said earlier in the year that tooth decay among children had reached epidemic proportions. In fact, the research was commissioned by Bupa to mark the launch of its Tooth Fairy campaign - parents can create a personalised video for their children at toothfairy.bupa.co.uk.

Bupa's Clinical Director of Dentistry, Dr Steve Preddy commented: “With 26,000 primary school children admitted to hospital for tooth decay in the past year, there is a need now more than ever, for parents to be paying attention to their child’s sugar consumption.

"The recent announcement from NICE has caused much debate amongst health and teaching authorities, however the most important thing to remember is tooth decay is preventable.

Parents need to be regularly looking at the nutritional information of food products; it is often what are thought of as healthy foods or unexpected ones."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11183503/Is-your-child-addicted-to-sugar.html

Research Reveals How Sugar CAUSES Cancer

By Sayer Ji

The average American consumes their body weight annually in this cancer-causing substance, and yet hospitals freely feed it to their cancer patients, oblivious to the harm it does.

Hospitals feed cancer patients sugar and high carbohydrate diets for a reason: they are abysmally ignorant of the role of nutrition in health and disease -- hence their burgeoning growth and packed rooms.

Even though the science itself shows – at least since the mid-20's with Otto Warburg's cancer hypothesis -- that tumors prefer to utilize sugar fermentation to produce energy rather than the much more efficient oxygen-based phosphorylation* – hospitals have actually invited corporations like McDonald's to move into their facilities  to 'enhance' their patient's gustatory experience, presumably to provide comfort and take the edge off of the painful surgery, radiation and chemo treatments erroneously proffered to them as the only reasonable 'standard of care.'

But the times are changing, with new research requiring these medical institutions to reform their dietary strategies, at least if they wish to claim that their interventions are in fact 'evidence-based' ...

New Study Reveals Sugar Doesn't Just Feed But Causes Cancer

A groundbreaking new study, uncovered by one of our volunteer researchers at Greenmedinfo – Jonathan Middleton – is the first of its kind to identify sugar, not only as  fuel source for an already existing cancer, but as a primary driver in oncogenesis – i.e. the initiation of cancerous characteristics (phenotype) within previously healthy cells.

Published in the Journal of Cliinical Investigation and titled, Increased sugar uptake promotes oncogenesis via EPAC/RAP1 and O-GlcNAc pathways, researchers addressed a common perception (or misperception) in the cancer research community regarding sugar's relationship to cancer: namely, "increased glycolysis [sugar based metabolis] is frequently viewed as a consequence of oncogenic events that drive malignant cell growth and survival."

Contrary to this conventional view, the new study "provide[s] evidence that increased glycolytic activation itself can be an oncogenic event..."  That is to say, the activation of sugar-based metabolism in a cell – driven by both the presence of increased quantities of glucose and the increase glucose receptors on the cell membrane surface (i.e. "overexpression of a glucose transporter") – drives cancer initiation.

Moreover, the study found that "Conversely, forced reduction of glucose uptake by breast cancer cells led to phenotypic reversion." In other words, interfering with sugar availability and uptake to the cell causes the cancer cell to REVERSE towards its pre-cancer structure-function (phenotype).

What Are The Implications of This Research to the Diet?

What this new research indicates is that sugar – of which Americans consume an astounding 160 lbs annually (imagine: 31 five-pound bags for each of us!) – is one of the primary causes of metabolic cell changes in the body consistent with the initiation and promotion of cancer. And, the research indicates that removing it from the diet, and depriving the cells of it, could REVERSE cancer

Hidden Sugar, Crouching Cancer

It has been estimated by the USDA that the average American consumes 200 lbs of grain products annually. Why is this relevant to the question of sugar in the diet? Because refined carbohydrate products – e.g. crackers, bread, pasta, cereal – are actually 'hidden' forms of sugar. In fact, puffed rice causes your blood to become sweeter (and presumably feeds more cancer cells sugar) than white sugar, as it is higher on the glycemic index. Adding the two figures together – annual per capita consumption of sugar and grain-based products – we get a jaw dropping 360 lbs of sugar (both overt (table sugar/high fructose corn syrup) and covert (grain carbs) annually – all of which may contribute to promoting the ideal metabolic situation of cancer cells: aerobic glycolysis.

This is one reason why the ketogenic diet – that is, a fat- and protein-focused diet devoid of carbohydrate, both in simple (sugar) and complex (grain product) form – has been found so useful in the most aggressive of cancers: including brain cancer. Once you 'pull the rug out' from under the sugar/carb-craving cancer cells, they are forced to either undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) or re-differentiate back into non-cancerous phenotypes.

If It's So Bad For Us, Why Do We Eat So Much?

One of the primary reasons why we eat sugar and carbohydrate rich diets is because they are addictive. Within minutes of consuming sugar/carbs our body goes through a neuroendocrine roller coaster. Your brain can not survive very long without glucose, the fundamental energy unit of the cell, and will 'freak out' if deprived of a steady stream of this 'nutrient' within only 2-3 minutes. The endocrine system, on the other hand, perceives the danger of high sugar – namely, glycation associated damage to protein and lipid structures within the cells of our body; think: blood caramelizing, getting sticky, and gumming up the finely tuned works – and will release hormones such as insulin, adrenaline and cortisol, in order to try to get the elevated sugar in the blood and tissues under control. Insulin forces the sugar into storage within the cell, both as glycogen and as fat, but often does its job too well, causing available glucose levels in the brain to be depleted – setting off a vicious cycle of 'emergency signals' telling the body to release more cortisol and adrenaline to increase the levels of glucose in the blood. This, of course, will result in additional insulin production and release, causing the same cycle to be repeated over and over again.

This seemingly endless vicious cycle is responsible for the insatiable cravings a high carb/sugar diet generates – not to mention the fructose-based hedonic effects generated in the brain that modulate both opioid and dopamine receptors in the nervous system (not unlike alcohol), and the pharmacologically active peptides in many gluten-containing grains, which also drive addictive behaviors and an almost psychotic fixation on getting carbs at each meal.

No wonder we have an epidemic of cancer in a world where the Westernized diet prevails. Certainly, we do not mean to indicate that a sugar/carb-rich diet is the only cause of cancer. There are many other factors that contribute to cancer initiation and promotion, such as:

• Chemical exposure
• Radiation exposure
• Chronic stress that suppresses the immune system
• Vaccines containing hidden retroviruses and cancer causing viruses
• Natural infection with bacteria and viruses that are cancer causing
• Lack of sleep
• Insufficient nutrients (lack of methyl donors such as B12, folate, and B6 will prevent the body from 'turning off' (methylating) cancer-promoting genes

Even though cancer is a complex, multi-factorial phenomena, with variables we can not always control, one thing we can do is control what goes into our mouth. Sugar, for instance, does not belong there if we truly want to prevent and/or treat cancer.  And don't forget, carbohydrates that don't taste sweet on the front end – bread, crackers, cereal – certainly convert to sugar in the body within minutes post-consumption.

In a nutshell, if you are concerned about cancer, have cancer, or would like to prevent recurrence, removing sugar and excess carbohydrates is a must. Not only is it common sense, but it is now validated by experimental research.

 *Note: Cancer cells prefer to ferment sugar as a form of energy even when there is sufficient oxygen available to the cells to do so; hence Warburg's description of cancer metabolism as 'aerobic glycolysis' or the so-called 'Warburg effect'.

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/research-reveals-how-sugar-causes-cancer