Pico de Orizaba

Pico de Orizaba
Taken from Huatusco, Veracruz, the closest town to Margarita's family's ranch.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Amor mia, ¿que es que tenemos que hacer?

Perseguimos la que es más lejana, menos conocida, menos accesible... más enterrada en la memoria... menos probable... Perseguimos la fama cuando tambien somos menos conocida... y cuando, por un milagro o por causualidad encontramos la fama, perseguimos una vida aislada, escondiendonos en un bosque arriba de un cerro en media de una sierra; nuestro cerro no reconocible desde lejos y todavia menos reconocible más cercana llega las forraneas... Lo menos probable que lograrias conocerla sufficientamente para saber quien verdaderamente es, sientas añoranza decirla, "te amo", "te quiero"... Y si, un día te dice, "te amo cariño..." ¿derritará tú corazón? ¿quemaria tús ojos hasta regarse con lagrimas? ¿y después? Ahora que ganaste su supuesta amor amarrandote a su corazón perseguirás la libertad, buscando las corta cadenas más fuertes para librarte del carcel y cadena en que metiste tan energicamente... Y ahora, me dices, "Pero, no estabas hablando de ti mismo carnal, cabron, amiguito, cariño, amor..." Si, estoy hablando de ti mismo porque tal vez somos lo mismo, intercambiable. Perseguimos la más lejana que sentimos aldentro de nosotros en el minuto de sentir que sentimos; añoranza de no ser nosotros... Ahora perseguimos los lazos que nos conectan profundamente; un tipo de comunidad, igualdad en valor como reflejado en los ojos de las otras personas aldentro de nuestra comunidad... Y cuando encontramos bien emersados en ésta utopia comunal, perseguimos la idea de individualismo, autonomia y aislamos del resto... hasta nos da una cachetada pesada y sonante con un eco repetida por nuestras habitaciónes vacias, las vibraciones que entraron cortante a nuestros oidos y cubrieron nuestras mentes ahora transformaron en un tipo de melaza espesa, pardusca y amarga que deslizo por nuestras narizes y bocas y ojos y ahora cubre nuestra piel depresivamente y renazca la añoranza de comunidad y oidos que persiguen nuestras voces y ojos que persiguen nuestros movimientos... Y tú preguntas "¿de que se trata cabron?" "¿Estás enamorado?" "¿Que quieres decirnos?"

Enamorado...? De verdad sabes de que se trata el concepto? ¿Estoy escribiendo fantasias o de fantasias... ilusiones... equivocaciones... tropezones... malentendidos...?

Hace 14 años me "enamoré" con una hada bailando más en sus fantasias que en el escenario... Bailando en las calles de Nueva York, en el malecon precioso de la playa del Coney Island and Brighton Beach Brooklyn... Para ella, bailar significaba volar... Para mi, bailar significaba volar tambien y volamos juntos... Yo Fred Astaire, ella Ginger Rogers...

¿No sabias que más fuerte el sueño o fantasia de uno, más pesada son las realidades tambien? Más grande la necesidad de volar, más grande el trauma de que quieres escapar...

Volé muy bien con ella. Pero, sabia que a ella nunca podria alcanzar... y nunca verdaderamente hariamos una vida juntos... Tal vez sentia pesadisima ella la misma verdad y me buscaba con su corazón raramente abierta y sangrando a otros.. Tal vez la engañe y logre amarrala, atramparla como el pajarito en la mano del joven cazador en la cuenta de Moravia, "La perseguida"... Pero, volando alrededor de la mesa de emergencias adonde estaba yo postrado desnudo naglas hacia el cielo, me inspiró salvar mi vida... con su voz tintineando como el cantar de una colibrí comunicando a sus crios hambrientos que viene el desayuno, me comunicó la razón seguir luchando en contra de la pesadez de la vida y luchar contra un destino difícil... Su canción de colibrí fue un encantamiento tejido para desbaratar solo el minuto claro que logro su efecto permanente; yo viviré fuerte y exitoso, volando hacia trabajos mucho más importantes que bailar con ella en el malecón de las playas de Nueva York... y con el corazón llorando que no pudieron llorar mis ojos, porque mis ojos vieron mejor la verdad, menos ciegos a fantasias de amores temporales y ilusorios, la empuje seguir con sus fantasias que no verdaderamente fueron mis deseos... Pero, tiene que existir un lugar profundo en cada persona quien quiere hace bien de verdad que lucha para sobre vivir, sobre salir, y iluminarse y el espacio en que se encontre, y aunque sucumbimos al negativismo y fatalismo y tal vez a tendencias suicidicas, es esta parte muy profundo que busque la verdadera razón y, tal vez, una luz que proviene de una otra alma y encontramos la forma de renacer...

Y no fue por ella... Pero, sí, me inspiró... Y no, ella y yo, juntos permanentes... Muchas ilusiones que mantenemos los humanos... Hasta tiempo y amor y éxito y status pueden ser ilusiones convenientes... La empuje muy lejos de mi vida... Tuvimos un destino juntos... Nos habia puesto juntos por un momento... Para un trabajo muy importante, momentario... que me ayudo construir la mejor parte de mi vida... Yo continué conmigo mismo, nunca renegando la importancia de ella en mi vida pasada. Pero, amor es una ilusión y el acto de "enamorarse" el ímpetu, la chispa necesaria para ayudarnos llegar "aya"...

¿Aya? ¿Adonde?

Pues, piensalo bien... ¿que es el trabajo más importante que buscaste en tú vida? Ser mamá, empresaria rica, ingeniero reconocido, doctor recibiendo todo el prestigio prometido, curandera de verdad, maestro guia de niños ayudandoles navegar las piedrotas escondidas en la bruma de la bahia de la adolescencia... una colibrí bailarina volando más veloz y más sensual y más enérgica hacia la fama y afuera de las tinieblas y fantasmas de sus memorias...?

Tal vez no llegamos sin profundas conexiónes espirituales con nuestros almas gemelas momentarios... Tal vez no sabemos ni un poquitito adonde vamos de verdad, ni con quien... Tal vez no sabemos que exito verdadero requiere ayuda de más que una persona consciente, considerada y no tan egoista... quien hace las cosa por un impulso profundo no mental de una necesidad de hacer las cosas verdaderamente bien... y nos va, nos vamos... ¡Adios!

No es tan mal.

Tal vez tenemos un trabajo hacer juntos por mucho tiempo. Tal vez por muchas vidas. Tal vez es ésto trabajo que ayudaria bastantes vidas... Tal vez la gente ayudada no sabe que estamos ayudandola. Tal vez nos odia. Tal vez maneja un sistema mental fuertísima de invidia que, la verdad, es autodestructivo...

Amor... y verdad... ¿que es que tenemos que hacer?

Saturday, May 24, 2014

The Omega Balance: Getting Smart about Inflammation - Health & Science - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

First we focussed upon the issue of simple carbs in the diet and their affect upon Metabolic Disorders and Heart Disease verses normal fat diets and saturated fat on human health. Then we focussed on Gluten and Wheat products and their relationship with inflamation, digestive disorders, malabsorption and auto-immune diseases... As if that wasn't enough, now we encounter that the movement against saturated fat in the diet that promoted the use of liquid vegetable cooking oils and particially hydrogenated vegetable oils otherwise known as Trans Fats (Vegetable Lard: Crisco, Margarine, "I Can't Believe it's not Butter!") etc that created an incredible worldwide buying-kitchen cultural and dietary change, was horribly misleading. Remember the movement against McDonalds and other fastfood chains to remove lard from their fryers and replace it with vegetable oil? Remember when "they" told you that Coconut Oil was the most dangerous non-animal oil on the planet?

What's happening? What will happen with our buying styles, kitchen pantries, cooking styles, eating styles, eating out styles? Probably nothing, since certainly most people will ignore their health and health concerns and discomfort etc until it is too late. But, truthfully; With all of this information, what must a person do in order to truly live healthfully and comfortably? How much time must a person dedicate to researching diet and marketplace influence and related health consequences for being able to understand truly what is going on, especially within their body?

Let's say you are an intelligent, concerned and conscientious person who worries about your diet and health. Yesterday you were convinced that Butter and Bacon and not so lean beef etc caused heart attacks. Today, you learn that saturated fats have been declared innocent of homicide by arteriosclerosis. Will you comfortably increase your animal fat intake? Or will you continue worrying about that future heart attack brought upon by your newfound dietary disprotection? I remember when Canola Oil was considered the second healthiest cooking oil after Olive Oil. Here in Mexico I started buying it instead of the traditional vegetable oils. Some of the Canola Oils sold here have a heart printed on their labels and some even include "High in Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9"... All Mexican baked goods are prepared with Vegetable Lard, not so much because of health claims, but because vegetable lard is much less expensive than butter, especially after 2006 when the cost of Butter went up 300%, one of the wonderful reasons I left the baking industry (FYI: the only recipe of mine that used vegetable oil was my carrot cake. 99% of what I baked was prepared with butter and whole milk cream...) After the price of butter rose, so did the price of vegetable oils (doubling in the same period of time).

So, what can you do? You must remove all simple carbs, alcohol, vegetable oils (not including Olive Oil or Coconut Oil) in order to protect your health, which means that you must drastically change your diet and reconsider your "traditions" and your cravings... which also may mean that you must change your circle of friends, especially since now you've become a wet towel, a raining on their parade... a true bore... although you will feel much better, spend much less money on energy drinks, suppliments, anti-depressants, anti-inflamatories, doctors appointments and greatly decrease your risk of chronic illness, auto-immune diseases, diabetes, heart disease and cancer...
The Omega Balance: Getting Smart about Inflammation - Health & Science - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Monday, May 19, 2014

A letter about Nopales (Prickly Pear Cactus Paddles) and a possible cure for Ulcerative Colitis and other forms of Chronic Inflamation and Prevention or Control of Diabetes; along with apples and pro-biotics.

Hi Emily. I was wondering if you have a whole foods supermarket in Nashville like the Organic Supermarket that was in Amherst Mass when I was in college and opened up in NYC in the late 90s (I don't remember its name.) The reason I ask is because it seems that I've stumbled across something for inflamation and ulcers, that tranquilizes the digestive tract: Prickly Pear "Nopal" Cactus Paddles... You would dice them and cook them well in any stew or blend them with fruit in your Nutri Bullet. I had all of this in the front of my mind last night. But elected against going onto the internet at 3am... and then didn't sleep well (probably from a late coffee) and now don't have the info in the front of my mind... It seems that the Mucilage (the gooey sap you find in Nopals, very similar to that in Okra) prevents ulcers and/or creates a protective lining on top of the mucus membrane of the intestines... Someone gave me a bag of freshly cut Nopales from his ranch last week (I've never liked them due to causing blockage since many people undercook them) and I prepared them in a stew. It turns out that the Nopales slowed everything down. However, unlike other "binding" foods that slow things down, I didn't feel the sensation of blockage and the accompanying tension and fatigue below. I knew the stuff was there, since I was well aware of how infrequently I had gone to the bathroom. But, it was as if there wasn't anything there in waiting... Plus, I have a very good scale here with us that gives me my weight by the gram (2.25 pounds to the Kilogram). So I know if something (like 1 pound of digested food) is still in my gut... I would consider combining Nopales (if you can find them in Nashville) with chlorophyll and see if things change for you. Nopales are touted for dis-inflamation, removal of LDL cholesterol from the body, and for slowing down the absorption of glucose in the blood stream (prevention and control of diabetes)... However, I think looking more closely at them we should find that they would have cured your Ulceritive Colitis that continues affecting your J-Pouch... I was thinking that you should mention this to your Dr. Chen (is that his name?) at the Cleveland Clinic and see if he has heard about Nopales and their mucilage? If not, for looking into possibly creating an investigation... If not, at the very least I will be my very own test bunny... Ross


Emily hasn't responded to the letter, although she recently sent me a message that I don't give up on her (don't write her off as someone who doesn't respond to messages)... When I returned to Guadalajara last Tuesday, I did a short investigation into Nopales and many other things and have learned that even more important for inflamation and the immune system are the Prickly Pears themselves (the fruit called "Tunas" here in Mexico)... It turns out that in India, the scientists are comparing Nopal to Turmeric (the most powerful natural anti-inflamatory used in the diet on the planet). But, in their research, they've found that the fruit also is extremely high in anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. I was reading about the Flavanoid Quercetin in apples and wondered if Nopals also contained quercetin, since it seems that Nopals relax my digestive tract and remove certain types of irritations in my J-Pouch etc as do apples. It turns out that the Prickly Pear fruit is very high in the cousin of Quercetin: Betalains and also are high in anti-oxidantes. I imagine it is the mucilage in the cactus paddle that acts like the quercetin, dietary fiber and pectin in apples. I swear by apples for tranquilizing the digestive tract. However, I believe that Nopal is even stronger in its curative powers. That said, I wouldn't remove apples and add Nopals. Each has its place in the diet. The truth is that when you place something new in your diet, you remove space for other things you were eating. I imagine that those things that are left out offered less overall satisfaction for your mind and body. On another note; George Matejan of "The World's Healthiest Foods" www.whfoods.com mentions that apples help with mast cells and decrease histamines in the body; decreasing risk of alergic reactions. He also writes that the combination of the pectin and dietary fiber of Apples causes people to eat 15% less calories in meals that follow eating apples, meaning that their bodies sense greater satisfaction after eating apples.


Before leaving for Aguascalientes in April, I was experiencing distinct issues of irritation and inflamation in my J-Pouch called Pouchitis. I read that pro-biotics (like yogurt) help reduce inflamation that causes pouchitis. I bought a package of Yakult "sugar free" and read its label: Glucose, Sucrose and Fructose. Sugar free? But, we're in Mexico where anything can be printed or published or sold, with the exception of the truth. So, I decided to look up other sources of pro-biotics and read that eating apples removes the need for consuming dairy based pro-biotics (Yakult, natural yogurt). I also read that berries (especially Raspberries) are very high in healthy bacteria. However, raspberries and black berries are also very high in histamines... So, eat raspberries and immediately eat an apple... ;-) And then eat 3 eggs or a steak or a chicken breast. Did you know that the amino acid Methionine in eggs or animal muscle helps remove unmetabolized histamines from the blood?

Letter from Jess of "the Patient Celiac"

http://www.thepatientceliac.com/:

Hi Ross,

It is really nice to hear from you and that your business has been successful.
And that you and Margarita are feeling so much better with all of your lifestyle changes.

About 9 out of 10 people to whom I suggest the Gluten Free diet look at me like I am crazy. I constantly encounter people with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), other autoimmune symptoms, arthritis, unexplained anema, fatigue and headaches, etc. who have no motivation for changing their diet or lifestyles.

You are fortunate that you did and have become a great example of the power of lifestyle changes.

As an MD I consider it my duty to continue recommending that people get screened for celiac disease before going GF, but I can understand your point of view as well (I-Ross--don't believe it necessary being screened before removing wheat products; a lot of money, hassle, etc). Also, the information on the sugar content of the coffee drinks is both eye opening and horrifying. Wow! It makes me happy that I am unable to drink Frappacinos at all.

I wish you and your wife continued health and peace.

Jess

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Vegetarians discriminating against people who don't eat gluten or simple carbs and Racist Krishnas; welcome to 21st Century Enlightenment!

Yesterday we went to the inaugeration of José and Mary's new Indian clothing and crafts etc store. When I was offered the vegetarian samosas or traditional Indian pastries and asked about their ingredients and said that I wasn't eating wheat or potatoes or other simple carbs, "they" looked at me as if I was crazy. Some people stated, "One time won't hurt!" I bet you've heard that before! Did anyone say "peer pressure"? So I mentioned when I was a Vegetarian 20-25 years ago and told people that I couldn't eat their pot roast or other meats and they were incredibly offended and stated, "what, are you a rabbit? What do you eat, lettuce?" And the funny thing is that this time I wasn't the vegetarian with a group of vegetarians who were doing to me what would repeatedly be done to them by the "in group"... 

The Mexican Krishna Astrologer said to me, "Hindus are peaceful and accepting people who don't cause conflict and don't judge. But those bastard Moslems are pure hate and violence. In Europe there are some Jews and Christians who are almost enlightened. But, they believe in pseudo-religions..." I replied, "I have a Jordanian friend who works for an Egyptian friend. The Jordanian friend said that when people learn that he is Arabic, they become tense and make snide remarks about Moslems being Terrorists and he responds, 'Oh yeah, at this moment I have two hand grenades in my pocket ready to toss at you. But in all seriousness, did you know that Islam is the most populated religion in the world? 1.5 billion followers... and that if each Islamic person was as violent and Jihad happy as these people believe, don't you believe we would have destroyed our enemies and the world?'" Mohammed, the Egyptian fried visited me in Aguascalientes, presented me to his wife and we talked about preparing Middle-Eastern food in Mexico (I gave his head-covered [Niqab] wife a cup of the Egyptian-Yemeni inspired lentil stew I prepared that afternoon by coincidence). The conversation went well until I mentioned that Israeli Arabs (or Jewish Arabs) and Islamic Arabs were cousins who basically shared the same religious laws, culture, language and foods and should respect one another and learn to live together in harmony. He spat out "NEVER" and walked away with a tense smile. The following day I mentioned the same thing to his Jordanian worker who responded, "Look, I don't believe in all of the propaganda and have met a lot of Israeli's or Jews in the Middle East, the U.S. and in Mexico and know that they are my friends. But, the world wants to divide and fight..." I mentioned to the Mexican Krishna Astrologer that two days ago, Narendra Modi was elected the new Prime Minister of India and that his terms as leader of the state of Gujarat were rife with controversy due to anti-Moslem riots/violence since 1992. Narendra Modi's party that just won control of India is of Hindu belief and has been accused of pay-rolling the anti-Moslem violence. So much for Hindus being pacifists. Plus, the Mexican Krishnas tell Mexicans that Hindus (Asian Indians; although India is comprised of Hindus, Sikhs, Bhuddists and Moslems) are Vegetarians and that in India hunger doesn't exist because the wealthy people and the Krishnas always create banquet/festivals for thousands in various communities (and show photos;-) If you look up world vegetarianism, yes you will find that the country with the highest percentage of vegetarians is India. However, you will also notice that only 30% of Hindus in India are vegetarian... You've gotta love propaganda and lies, religion (politics) and power... EAT YOUR VEGGIES BAD BOYS and GIRLS... But also, learn to use your mind.

Limited Fatigue Experience with Removal of Simple Carbs.

I don’t believe it is absolutely necessary having the tests or biopsies for justifying diet/lifestyle changes that improve our health. Yes, it would be nice if there was truly accurate information that explains just how tolerant or intolerant is the human body to gluten. Something tells me that gluten is a general “no no” for the general population. However, we are a “scientific” culture and we don’t trust supositions or blanket statements and it seems that most people would prefer being inflamed or obese than trust someone without well backed-up information telling them that they should stop “partying”…

That said, Margarita and I have returned home from our intense work with our coffee bar in possibly the most important state fair in Latin America (San Marcos)… 23 days straight of working from 8am until as late as 4am. We are now 2.5 months gluten-free and basically simple carbs-free. One month without 45-60 minute run walks. And we both continued losing weight/inflamation. In two months we’ve both lost 22.5 pounds/10kgs. I must point out one thing: in the past, the horrible sleeping and the super exhaustion caused what I call “Lack of Sleep Hang-over” and I always ended up with what seems like Peripheral Neuropathy from my right shoulder to my fingers and what seems like a form of Tunnel Syndrome. This time around, although we sold the most coffee we’ve sold per day in our history, meaning that I had a ton more work with the Frappe Machines (lifting 3 liter jugs of frappe or coffee with milk for filling the frappe machines hundreds of times per day and placing up to seven 21 liter boxes filled with sweetened black coffee for cooling for the Frappe machines), I didn’t experience any neuropathy, tunnel or arthritis symptoms. Plus, I didn’t experience the typical exhaustion and sense of Sleep Hang-over, mental fogginess. Margarita claims that she also didn’t experience the typical exhaustion or mental fogginess etc… Truthfully, I attribute this to the cross the board withdrawal of simple carbs. However, Margarita mentioned that she believes that removal of gluten removed her lactose intolerance when drinking coffee with milk and she didn’t experience the strange pain (needle prick sensation) in her knees or her ankles… 4 years ago she had developed severe pain in those regions accompanied with strange blemishes and strange bumps. She visited with various doctors and had various blood tests taken. However, nothing came back positive, not for Lupus, not for Rheumatism or for Cellulite (I don’t know if that is the translation from Spanish to English)… I did a bunch of research and came to the conclusion that it was a “warning” of what may come if she isn’t more “careful”; that she would develop Rheumatism in her legs and must remove wheat, dairy and red meat from her diet. However, she didn’t take the idea serious (since it is incredibly difficult to change one’s customs, tendencies, lifestyles, especially if not accompanied with a diagnosis).

Selling Wonderful Cold and Sweet Drinks that Probably No One Should Drink

I forgot to mention that before the fair started I was greatly concerned about how I would prepare and sell Frappuccinos I couldn't drink. But, when we began selling, I noticed within myself a general indifference towards the frappes. At the same time I stumbled across a recent report by the American Heart Association mentioning the general upper limit for sugar consumption for children, adult men and adult women. Actually, I was looking for the amount of grams of sugar in a teaspoon... What shocked me was that the AMA said that children shouldn't consume more than 3 grams of sugar per day, women; the maximum of 20 grams or 5 teaspoons and men; somewhere around 38grams or 9.5 teaspoons... So, I decided to ask people, "who should consume more sugar; a child, a woman or a man?" Would you believe that EVERYONE responded, "clearly the children; they need more sugar because they expend more energy." However, we all concluded that healthy children naturally generate energy from the food they ingest and don't need assistance. With this idea offered by the American Heart Association, I decided to calculate the sugar content of our Frappuccinos. What I named "The Supreme", which is 16ozs comprised of Coffee Frappe, Caramel, Chocolate Syrup, Ground Nuts, whipped cream and a Maraschino Cherry gives you 90 grams of sugar! If I am correct, the typical Moka Frappuccino offers somewhere between 60 and 70grams... Fortunately I didn't drink one cup during the 23 days. Imagine; 90 grams of sugar, how many plates of rice, how many slices of branola bread that have minimally 2.5 grams of sugar per slice... corn tortillas, flour tortillas, 1-2 regular coffees or cappuccinos with at least 3 tsps (12 grams) of sugar, an occasional celebratory pie or cake from Costco, an occasional pizza from Costco... Heinz Ketchup has 1 gram of sugar for every gram of ketchup in the bottle; 100 % sugar. Fortunately I wasn't a soda drinker two months ago. However, in the fairs how many grams of Sugar was I placing in my body per day? Mexicans drink minimally 3 times the amount of Coca Cola/Pepsi Co products than do "Americans"... So, how many grams of sugar is that person ingesting per day who regularly bought a 16 oz Frappuccino from us and who traditionally accompanies his/her lunch and dinner with a 20.3oz bottle of Soda and follows lunch or dinner with Hostess cakes or pies or traditional Mexican pastries?




I so badly wanted to talk about the Diabetes epidemic here in Mexico (to my customers) while observing the parade of obesity passing infront of our stand and while measuring the sugar contents of what we sell and don't eat. But, Margarita repeatedly told me to take my ideas and conversation to another side of our world, since the sale of what people want to put in their bodies is what pays our lifestyle and ability for me to do the research and for us to eat healthier and exercise freely as we do.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Diabetes Rates Increasing and some other stats from WHO and NIH

The NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) of the NIH (National Institute of Health) published in 2011 that as of the year 2000 18-year-olds in the United States could expect a diabetes rate of 33% for men and 39% for women and that since 1980, diabetes in the U.S. has increased 300%. The Internation Diabetes Federation has diabetes #s per country and the WHO (World Health Organization) has all of the stats (especially important is the percentage rate). However, the difference between the NIH and the other two organizations, the NIH focusses upon the age group of 20-70 and the other two organizations focus upon complete populations which distort the numbers. Let's say that what truly concerns us is Diabetes II and not Diabetes I that finds its stats in the 0-14 years age group and has has nothing to do with diet (although, yes it affects greatly the child's diet as contrasted with our diet affecting the onset or lack there of Diabetes...) Who has the percentages for the U.S. at 10% and for Mexico at 11%. But that's including all age groups. The NIH has the rate at 33%, which should worry you, especially concerning the fact that the rate must have been around 11% 30 years earlier... So, what will be the rate in 2031? If I play my cards right or am lucky, I will be 62-years-old then. The mortality rates caused by diabetes increase greatly in the decade of our 40s and continue the same in our 50s, 60s and 70s... I'm not saying that I was diagnosed with diabetes. And considering the fact that normally you are diabetic 5-10 years before being diagnosed, one should maintain alertness. It is not difficult to fall into the 1 of 3 position... Plus, it is your decision or proactiveness that can greatly prevent your falling into that space... Now, what happens if the rate slips towards 50% in the time you are approaching your 50s or 60s? That means that you may find yourself walking a very thin line or maybe you will be one of us who believe yourself to be one of the rare truly healthy people in the world. But what does that truly mean? Just to put things in a strange perspective: The countries with the highest rates of diabetes are in Africa and the Middle East. Why? Some has to do with poverty. It is well known that sugar consumption is used for temporarilly relieving pain and depression... In Isabel Allende's book "Retrato en Sepia/Sepia Colored Portrait", one of the main characters, a wealthy woman from Chile who made her fortune in San Francisco during the Gold Rush told her lawyer nephew to invest in sugar cane since Chile was entering into the war for Salt Peter "Salitre" with Peru and Bolivia. Her nephew thought she was crazy and she explained to him something that really peaked my interest since I noticed that Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico and Mexicans in Mexico consume much more sweets than "Americans": "People consume much more sugar when they are under stress"...

According to WHO the # 1 cause of death worldwide is by Heart Attack caused by narrowed arteries.  In Mexico Diabetes is the #2 cause of death after heart attack, which runs a narrow first.  Mexico is #6 in the world in death by Diabetes...  In the U.S. the #1 cause of death is Coronary Heart Disease.  However, the U.S. ranks #135 in this category.  Diabetes is the 7th cause of death in the U.S. behind Breast Cancer, Lung Disease, Alzheimers Disease, Stroke and Lung Cancer.  The U.S. is #3 in the world in Alzheimers, and #9 in the world in Lung Cancer and Parkinson's Disease. 

Now getting into the "nitty gritty" thanks to NIH: A study done in the U.S. between 2000-2004 shows that the risk of developing Diabetes Mellitis in the lifetime of an 18-year-old in that year for Women was 12% for underweight/normal weight, 31% for overweight and 66% for Obese and for Men was 16% underweight/normal weight, 27% for overweight and 63% for Obese... .

Friday, May 16, 2014

The affects of Coca Cola on the paint job of your car verses the affects of Coca Cola on your body; not a debate about Leptospirosis

In fact, forget about placing it on your car:

Actually, I was thinking more of the sugar content... forgetting about the chemical content and the artificial colorings or the bi-carbonate content... etc... The American Heart Association just came out with the maximum recommended daily allowance for carbohydrates (sugars; that includes wheat products, corn products, rice products and anything else --refined-- removed from it's dietary fiber) for Children, Adult Females and Adult Males and you will be more than surprised: For children: less than 1 teaspoon of "sugar" per day (3 grams). For Adult women: 20 grams of sugar per day (5 teaspoons). For Adult males: 38 grams of sugar per day (9.5 teaspoons)... But why the American Heart Association? Why not the American Diabetes Association? Two reasons: Diabetes is the #1 cause of Heart Disease; and, "they" just discovered that it isn't animal fat that causes heart disease (especially since the heart relies 100% on fat as its energy source) but one type of LDL Cholesterol (VLDL: Very Low Density Lipoproteins) and triglycerides that come from carbohydrates. Remember when they came out with the body types of obesity that put you at greater risk of heart attacks? If you carry your weight above your hips and aren't blessed with the hour glass figure of weight gain... Well, it is also said that pot bellies or belly fat is from insulin intolerance (the cells of your body decided that they have received more than enough glucose and block the insulin that moves the glucose from the blood stream to the cells). Now, when you don't metabolize the glucose, the glucose is transfered to the liver where it is converted into fat (triglycerides) and from triglycerides to VLDL Cholesterol and stored around your mid-section... Have blood tests taken, look at your triglyceride and VLDL Cholesterol levels, go two weeks without eating simple carbs and have the blood test taken again to see how much both levels drop... You'll be amazed... If you were able to change your eating style (not a diet, but a lifestyle change), you would not only remove the risk of Diabetes but greatly decrease the risk of heart related problems... And remember, inflamation is directly related to digestive issues (malabsorption problems and metabolic disorders--low energy levels etc), auto-immune diseases (arthritis and rheumatism for two examples), cancer and neurological disorders (not limited to mental issues but muscular/motor issues such as the tunnel syndromes, Parkinson's type diseases etc...) No, it's not about dieting and losing wait but about feeling much better (healthier) during the years you will continue living... Just so you know; Alcohol is considered the sugar that affects you at the highest rate/speed... Most alcoholics don't die from Cirosis of the Liver but from Diabetes related diseases and neurological impairment. Remember, neurological impairment not only affects your motor abilities/responses but your mind and ability to make adequate decisions. "Craziness" is the first symptom of alcoholism. Diabetes is the second disease that appears for the alcoholic. Peripheral Neuropathy follows Diabetes for affects of alcoholism; and Cirosis of the liver afterwards... With diabetes also comes peripheral neuropathy, heart disease, vision problems (the problem with the optical nerve and formation of "AGEs" or Advanced Glycogen Endproducts on the cornea caused by excess glucose, ultimately leading to the breaking of the cornea in 1 of 4 Diabetics), kidney problems caused by hypertension, amputation of lower limbs due to poor blood circulation and nervous system issues... So, I would reconsider buying and opening that can of Coke and not placing it under the faucet for preventing Leptorspirosis. And forget about ruining your paint job just to show what possible corrosive effect the Coke could have on your digestive tract...