Cinnamon and Honey: The Dynamic Duo You Need More Of

It is widely known that the key to a health-promoting diet is a variety of whole, nutritious foods.
However, there are certain foods – and certain food combinations – that can greatly boost your wellness quotient if you incorporate them into a healthy lifestyle.
One of the most potent superfood duos out there is cinnamon and honey.
Individually, both cinnamon and honey boast amazing health benefits.
Together, they are a veritable powerhouse.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is an ancient spice, and was used culinarily and medicinally in both ancient Egypt and China. This spice comes from the inner bark of the cinnamon tree, which rolls into a “cinnamon stick” shape when it is dried. These sticks are either used whole, or ground into powdered form.
There are over 100 varieties of cinnamon, although what we commonly consume in the West is cassia cinnamon, which hails from China. Ceylon cinnamon is known as “true cinnamon,” and has a subtler flavor, but it is difficult to find in this part of the world.
This sweet, aromatic spice is rich in minerals, including calcium and manganese. It also contains a number of essential oils with active components, including cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alcohol and cinnamyl acetate.
These volatile compounds, as well as other antioxidants found in cinnamon bark, have potent anti-inflammatory properties and help to combat disease-promoting free radicals.
Thanks to its essential oil content, cinnamon possesses antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. A 2013 study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology found that when cinnamon was added to carrot broth, it effectively controlled the spread of Bacillus cereus, a foodborne bacteria, for sixty days.
The cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon has been found to improve circulation and prevent the unwanted clumping of blood platelets. Because of this, it may aid in the prevention of heart attack and stroke.
Cinnamon is linked to helping to lower blood sugar, as it can slow the emptying rate of the stomach after ingesting food. This improves insulin sensitivity, and can therefore be of great use to individuals suffering from diabetes, as well as those diagnosed with pre-diabetes.
The anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon make it a key food in relieving multiple types of pain, including joint pain, headaches and menstrual cramping. Furthermore, cinnamon has been linked to boosting cognitive function – just a whiff of its aroma may help to improve focus and memory.

Honey

Honey, like cinnamon, is also an ancient food celebrated for thousands of years for both its amazing taste and potent medicinal properties. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, refers to it as “liquid gold” in his writings.
However, not all honey is created equal.
Processed, refined honey is a far cry from natural, raw honey. Many honeys that have undergone heavy processing no longer contain pollen, which is an important part of real honey’s health benefits. Also, some honey products that hail from India and other parts of Asia have been found to contain contaminants, and even antibiotics and metals.
While a certified organic honey is likely a safe bet, your absolute best source for honey is a local, raw variety.

Raw honey

The importance of finding a raw honey from a local source rests in its ability to help desensitize your body to allergens commonly found in the area where you live. When bees produce honey, they deposit a small amount of pollen into it. Eating a spoon or two of local, raw honey can help build up your immunity to environmental allergens in your hometown.
Raw honey can also be extremely beneficial during a cold or cough. Adding a teaspoon of honey to your tea is not just an old wives tale: it has been scientifically studied to work. A 2007 study performed at the University of Pennsylvania gave either raw honey or Dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant medication, to children between the ages of 2 and 17 who were suffering from upper respiratory infections.
Upon analyzing the results, the study authors wrote: "In a comparison of honey, DM, and no treatment, parents rated honey most favorably for symptomatic relief of their child’s nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty due to upper respiratory tract infection. Honey may be a preferable treatment for the cough and sleep difficulty associated with childhood upper respiratory tract infection."
Raw honey has antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties, and can be applied topically to both disinfect and help heal numerous wounds and skin conditions, including minor burns, eczema and dermatitis. When it is ingested, these properties can help to support your immune system in dealing with pathogens that may make you sick if left unchecked.
One particularly potent type of honey is manuka honey. This honey, which hails from the flower nectar of the manuka tree, native to Australia and New Zealand, has been found to have up to 200 times the antibacterial potency of any other honey. Manuka honey can also help to support healthy gut bacteria, which along with improving digestion may provide a significant boost to your immune system.
Note: Honey should not be given to children under 12 months of age.

When their powers combine…

In both Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, the combination of cinnamon and honey has been long celebrated. The following are just a few benefits of blending these two superfoods:

• Boosting the immune system to help prevent seasonal illnesses and other infections
• Speeding recovery from colds and other seasonal ailments
• Clearing sinus congestion
• Soothing indigestion and other digestive disturbances
• Aiding in recovery from bladder infections
• Supporting healthy weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and exercise
• Aiding in the prevention of heart disease and other chronic ailments
• Potentially increasing longevity

Both cinnamon and honey taste delicious, and the healing powers of these ancient superfoods are vast.
The truth is, we've barely scratched the surface when it comes to the many benefits of honey.
If you liked today's article, feel free to share with friends and family below.

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3 Healthy Food LIES Reveal Why Your Kitchen Is Full Of "Fat Storing" Ingredients...

Picture the foods that are in your fridge at this very moment.

Did you know that almost every single one of these foods contain “hidden” fat-storing ingredients that can slow down your metabolism, sap your energy, and block your fat burning potential by a whopping 82% – even the ones you think are “healthy”?
Did you know that there’s a super simple way to rid your life of these “fattening” foods and SWAP them with delicious foods that BOOST your metabolism and dramatically accelerate your fat loss?
In fact, once you uncover the so-called "healthy" foods inside your kitchen that STOP your body from burning fat, you'll instantly be able to create your own fat burning kitchen loaded with foods that will automatically make stubborn belly fat your body's daily "go-to" energy source.
All you have to do is to read through the short article below and you’ll discover the easiest way to transform your kitchen and FIX your slow fat-loss – and you’ll do it in LESS than 24 hours.
This isn’t another quick fix or diet scam where you’ll end up being sold some miracle weight loss pills. It doesn’t require you to buy expensive organic foods or shady supplements. In fact, this information is CRITICAL for everyone to understand – even those who shop at health food stores and farmers’ markets all the time.
It doesn’t matter if you’re young, old, or anything in-between...or what your current goals are. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have OR how good you think your diet already is. If you eat food, this information will revolutionize your nutrition plan AND help you burn more stubborn fat.
My name is Nick Pineault, but people call me “The Nutrition Nerd” because I’ve spent the last 7+ years relentlessly researching, reading articles, and analyzing studies to master my knowledge on nutrition and the unique power of fat burning foods.
What I’ve uncovered is startling and it exposes the hundreds of dirty little tricks the big food industry, the diet industry, and even Governments try to hide from you because they don’t want you to know the real truth. These dirty little food tricks age you faster, block your body’s ability to burn fat and prevent you from feeling great.
Even though all the “bad guys” hate me for being honest, I’m on a mission. And now dozens of renowned fitness experts, nutritionists and fat loss coaches from all around the world endorse my work.
Just read the short article below and you’ll uncover a few of the most shocking discoveries I made so you can STOP being scammed into buying the wrong fat storing ingredients.
But I do have to warn you. What you’re about to read is often considered highly controversial and goes against the grain of the mainstream diet and nutrition industry.
In fact, you’ll see how these little-known truths are the exact opposite of what you’ll hear from your local dietician, your family doctor, and almost all old school nutritionists and personal trainers.
So if you’re ready to uncover the REAL truth about fat burning foods and you’d like to burn 82% more fat every single day, with just a few small tweaks in the foods you eat, then keep reading.
But if you still believe everything you hear in the media is true and you can’t accept the fact that you’ve probably been force fed dozens and dozens of food lies, then this article is definitely not for you.
However, if you choose to continue reading you’ll finally discover ALL the “healthy” foods that are making you store more belly fat – WITHOUT you even knowing it.

These 3 reasons reveal what you MUST STOP doing the next time you shop for "healthy" food because it's DAMAGING your metabolism… and EXACTLY how you can "transform" your diet to quickly burn off belly fat – in 24 hours or LESS.

Just follow the 3 simple steps below and you’ll discover which foods can “shut off” your cravings and “turn on” your body’s fat-burning switch with each and every bite making it IMPOSSIBLE for you NOT to burn MORE stubborn belly fat.
Below, you’ll find all 3 steps, and you’ll also discover an easy and delicious way to “fix” your broken diet and KEEP your body in a consistent, fat burning environment 24 hours a day – all while eating MORE of your favorite foods.

Step #1: STOP Trusting Food Labels (They're NOT trustworthy)

Everyone believes reading labels is a good way to determine if a food is healthy or not – but that’s only partially true.
To make more money from uneducated consumers, most food manufacturers use dirty little tricks to hide dangerous and fattening ingredients in common foods that you eat everyday. And worst of all, these fake ingredients are specifically designed to make you ADDICTED to their stuff.
One of many examples is “trans fats”. If you don’t know by now, this is one of the most dangerous foods in existence.
Eating just a tiny amount of this nasty ingredient can increase your risk of heart disease and promote accumulation of visceral fat – a dangerous kind of belly fat that’s almost impossible to get rid of.
Well, believe it or not, MANY of the foods that show “Zero Trans Fat” on the label actually contain a TON of it.
Thanks to the FDA, manufacturers are allowed to label ANY food, even so-called “healthy” ones, with less than .5g of trans fat per serving as “Trans Fat-Free”. Almost every manufacturer lowers their portion sizes on the labels to hide their claims on their products while filling them with this dangerous and fattening ingredient.
Here’s a powerful, eye-opening example. When you eat just ONE handful of “Zero Trans Fat” crackers you poison your body with a couple grams of toxic, fat-storing trans fat – WITHOUT even being aware of it.
But wait. It gets even worse. There’s one common food in particular that’s probably in your pantry, right now, and it contains loads of trans fat that don’t appear ANYWHERE on the label.
That’s right. NOT on the ingredients list, NOT in the nutrition facts, and not even on your favorite Internet food database. Nowhere.
Very few people know this, but vegetable oil (made from fat-storing corn, soybeans or canola) has to go through an extreme 5-step processing method before it ends up on your supermarket shelves.
This high pressure, high temperature process destroys all the “heart-friendly” fats originally contained in the oil and transforms it into dangerous trans fats.
According to a shocking study by the University of Florida at Gainesville, your vegetable oil can contain up to 4.6% hidden trans fat that’s not on the label. Kind of scary, I know.
But there’s a super easy way to avoid these hidden and dangerous fats.
You can read all about it on the next page.

Step #2: STOP Avoiding Saturated Fats (You've been lied to)

The media, doctors and the big food industry spend millions of dollars every year trying to convince all of us that red meat is “fattening” and why you should avoid it if you want to lose belly fat. After all, it does contain a lot of dangerous saturated fats – right?
Don’t fall for it. It’s just another nutrition myth that prevents you from eating some of the BEST fat burning foods on the planet.
In fact, the RIGHT kind of saturated fat is actually good for you and can even help you lose belly fat. Recent studies actually prove that saturated fat REDUCES your risk of heart disease and supports weight loss. (Reference: Ann Intern Med. 2005 Mar 15;142(6):403-11)
That’s because “healthy” saturated fat sources like grass-fed beef and pasture-raised eggs contain a natural fat burner called CLA – plus a ton of other essential nutrients that can BOOST your metabolism and accelerate your fat burning.
But if you continue listening to all the nonsense and false information everybody tells you about this “friendly” fat-burning fat, you’ll be missing out on one of the most powerful fat-burning foods you could ever eat.
You’ll learn exactly what kind of fats you can eat to burn MORE fat using the system on the next page.

Step #3: STOP Using Fake "Health" Foods (They're in your kitchen right now)

If the first two reasons didn’t surprise you, this one surely will.
Thanks to the relentless greed of most food manufacturers, that obviously couldn't care less about your health, some of the healthiest foods in your kitchen may be fake.
Here's proof.
In 2010, Consumer Reports – one of the most credible non-profit organizations fighting for consumer rights in the US – revealed that around 20% of ALL olive oils are fake and have been mixed with other cheap oils, while still claiming they are 100% pure.
This food hoax was uncovered once again in 2012, when the UC Davis Olive Center found out that only 27% of all olive oils passed the quality test to be labeled “extra virgin” – the best and most nutritious kind of olive oil there is.
So the olive oil you have in your kitchen RIGHT NOW might contain up to 100% vegetable oil, even though the label “says” it’s healthy. And don’t forget, vegetable oils are LOADED with dangerous, fat-storing trans-fat.
You can go ahead and TRY to find a manufacturer who actually cares and delivers a legitimate olive oil to support your weight loss goals, but it’s a crapshoot.
Or you can my use my 10 second breakthrough method on the next page where you’ll discover the TRUTH about choosing the right olive oil and uncover whether or not your oil is really fake.

WARNING: These Food Truths May Be Hard To Swallow

If you’re still questioning whether or not everything I’ve revealed above is really accurate, or you’re willing to accept the blatant lies the food industry has force fed you about fat burning foods, then The Truth About Fat Burning Foods system is simply NOT for you.
However, if you’d like to learn how this unique solution works, just click the “Next Page” button below and you’ll discover a simple system that will show you EXACTLY how to rid these fat-storing foods from your kitchen – and how you can quickly and easily swap them out with mouth-watering foods that accelerate your metabolism, help you conquer your cravings and FORCE belly fat to be your “go to” energy source on a daily, ongoing basis.
It’s proven, it’s efficient, and it’s one of the fastest ways to transform your kitchen from fat STORING foods, to fat BURNING foods in LESS than 24 hours.
And since 82% of your fat loss comes from nutrition, this is also one of the surest and easiest ways to get a flat, attractive belly and six pack abs fast, WITHOUT strict, complicated diets, long boring exercise sessions, OR having to buy outrageously expensive organic groceries.

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Stay away from this stuff!

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer

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Is "Whole Wheat" Damaging Your Body?

Can eating too much wheat be a factor in causing visceral abdominal fat, acne, joint problems and arthritis, IBS and acid reflux, cravings, addictive behaviors, increased overall calorie consumption, diabetes, heart disease, accelerated aging, and autoimmune diseases?  Let's have a look...
by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of the best-sellers:  The Truth About Six Pack Abs
& The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

One thing you may know about me is that I believe in continuing to educate myself on nutrition and fitness, and passing that information onto you, my reader.  I feel that regardless of how much we've already studied over the years, there's always new things you can learn that can help improve your health for a higher quality of life.

That's why I try to always read at least 2 new books every month on nutrition, to keep learning new things all the time.  Despite how much we already know, there's always new things to learn.

I've found this to be especially true of a new book I'm reading right now called Wheat Belly, by Dr. William Davis... there are lots of gems inside this book that I will be sharing with you over the next couple weeks.

There's a lot to discuss about this topic, so I wanted to start with just a few of the most important points in the book...
This is a topic that you should pay close attention to, as wheat is one of the biggest sources of calories in the average person's diet (along with corn and soy, which are equally bad).  The average American eats a whopping 133 pounds of wheat per year, which includes babies in that average, meaning that the average adult eats well over 150 lbs of wheat per year.

Most people eat wheat at every meal...bagels, muffins, or cereal at breakfast... a sandwich at lunch... crackers, pretzels, and other wheat-based snacks all day long... bread on the side at dinner... and maybe even some cake or brownies for dessert.  Yes, a day in the life of the average consumer makes most of us look like "wheat-a-holics".

First, as you know, I've talked a lot in past newsletters about why I believe that grains in general, and also wheat in particular, should not be a large part of your diet as government guidelines recommend.

We've talked about the negatives of anti-nutrients -- compounds in many grains that prevent some nutrients/minerals from being absorbed in your body, leading to possible deficiencies in some nutrients if you eat grains at most meals.

We've also talked about the possible negative effects of gluten on not just celiacs, but a large % of the population that can experience chronic gut inflammation from too much gluten, too often.  And we've also talked about the negative aspects of many grains on your blood sugar cycle, the caloric density of grains, and the weight control challenges that grain-based foods can give you if you're not a super-active athlete.

From all of my research, I see grains on a scale like this:

* oatmeal and rice -- Not the most ideal food, but not so terrible (only if you're VERY active)
* wheat and corn  -- Not much healthy about these at all  (regardless of your activity level)

...with many other grains somewhere in the middle.  It's all about the different anti-nutrients that each contains, the gluten factor, and whether they are genetically modified.

As a generalization, there are many more negative health aspects to wheat and corn than there are in rice and oats.  We'll discuss all of this in more detail in future newsletters.

But let's start today and focus on wheat...

Why in the world does Dr. William Davis conclude in his book that "whole wheat" is terrible for your health?  Well, let's start with a few of the topics Dr. Davis talks about in his book, Wheat Belly:

1.  The wheat we eat today is very different biochemically than the wheat even just 50 years ago
First and foremost, Dr. Davis goes through the history of wheat in the human diet, which goes back to only about 10,000 years ago.  He talks about how the type of wheat that was eaten 1000's of years ago is biochemically not the same wheat we are eating today.  And in fact, even the wheat our grandparents ate just 50 years ago is a far cry biochemically from the wheat that is used today.  This is because wheat has been hybridized heavily over the years to increase crop yield and to increase certain baking characteristics or taste.

Dr. Davis states:  "Small changes in wheat protein structure can spell the difference between a devastating immune response to wheat protein versus no immune response at all."

The take-home message... today's wheat is quite different than even just 50 years ago, as today's wheat has different levels of anti-nutrients and gluten with overall biochemical differences.

Essentially, big agra has hybridized wheat heavily over the last 5 decades to improve things such as crop yield and baking characteristics, but never once thought about the impacts on human health of changing the biochemical structure of wheat.  Although the biochemical differences may seem small, it can have a major impact on how the human digestive system processes the food.
Dr. Davis points this out with this passage... "Wheat gluten proteins, in particular, undergo considerable structural change with hybridization. In one hybridization experiment, 14 new gluten proteins were identified in the offspring that were not present in either parent wheat plant."  This means that modern wheat contains new "foreign" gluten proteins that the human digestive system has not adapted to properly digesting.

Because of all of this, Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease with complete gluten intolerance, has increased fourfold in the last 50 years.  Dr Davis also believes that gluten sensitivity has increased in similar levels in the last 50 years.

The message is that even if you haven't been diagnosed with Celiac or Gluten Sensitivity, it doesn't mean that constant daily gluten intake isn't causing chronic gut inflammation and some sort of possible long term digestive system damage, along with other possible autoimmune diseases.  And remember that chronic gut inflammation can also possibly lead to cancer later in life.

2.  Wheat has addictive properties similar to opiate drugs
Dr Davis makes a very convincing argument that wheat is addictive.  Wheat contains compounds termed "exorphins" that have an effect in your brain similar to opiate drugs.  This explains why people have such a hard time giving up their beloved breads, cereals, pasta, and muffins because these foods are mildly addictive.

I know personally from past experience that if I have have a pasta dinner, I'll go back for seconds and thirds as I just can't seem to stop eating the stuff.  And then hours after dinner, I'll get cravings for more carb-based foods or sweets.  But if I pass on the pasta and just have meat, veggies, and salad, I find myself totally satisfied after dinner with no cravings later at night.

3.  Wheat makes you consume more calories
Possibly due to the additive nature of wheat products, and the subsequent cravings for more carb based foods, Dr Davis cites studies in his book showing that wheat eaters eat more calories overall than people on a gluten-free diet.  One study he cited showed 14% higher caloric intake in wheat eaters than those on a gluten-free food plan.

Dr Davis also notes: "It might be due to the lack of exorphins, reduction of the insulin-glucose cycle that triggers hunger, or some other factor, but elimination of wheat reduces daily calorie intake by 350 to 400 calories -- with no further restrictions on calories, fats, carbohydrates, or portion sizes. No smaller plates, prolonged chewing, or frequent small meals. Just banishing wheat from your table."
The message... it's a LOT easier to control your total calorie intake by avoiding wheat based foods like cereals, breads, muffins, and pasta (with the exception of 1 cheat day per week if you can't fathom giving up wheat altogether).
4.  Wheat raises your blood sugar even more than table sugar
The type of complex carbohydrate that comprises wheat is called amylopectin A, which is a type of carb that is unique in that it is digested so fast that it highly affects blood sugar more than most other carb sources.  Dr Davis cites studies in his book that prove that wheat bread can raise blood sugar HIGHER than table sugar, due to it's amylopectin A content.

Dr. Davis even states:  "Aside from some extra fiber, eating two slices of whole wheat bread is really little different, and often worse, than drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soda or eating a sugary candy bar."
Dr. Davis discusses the fact that the amylopectin A which is uniquely found in wheat and not other sources of carbs raises blood sugar to a much higher degree than most other carbohydrates sources, regardless of whether they are simple or "complex" carbs.  He continues, "In fact, the degree of processing, from a blood sugar standpoint, makes little difference: Wheat is wheat, with various forms of processing or lack of processing, simple or complex, high fiber or low fiber, all generating similarly high blood sugars."

5.  Excessive wheat consumption leads to visceral fat in the abdomen
There are many causes of visceral fat in the abdomen and Dr Davis isn't trying to fully lay the blame on wheat, but he makes a case that shows that wheat is a heavy contributor to visceral fat.  Through a combination of wheat's trigger on the blood sugar and insulin process in your body, the ability of wheat to automatically increase calorie consumption, as well as the digestive system inflammation characteristics of some of wheat's contituents, including gluten, this all leads to a greater chance of developing visceral fat in your abdomen.
And as you know from my article above, visceral fat is particularly dangerous as once it accumulates in your gut and around your organs, it continuously releases inflammatory molecules into your system.  We've talked before about how high fructose corn syrup and other junk foods can increase visceral fat, but Dr. Davis makes a strong case for how wheat can also contribute to visceral fat accumulation.
The message... Eliminate the wheat (aside from one cheat day per week if you absolutely must), and you'll lose the belly much faster.
6.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Acid Reflux may be linked to wheat consumption
Dr. Davis makes a good argument in his book showing links between gluten consumption and IBS and acid reflux.  He states, "Eliminate wheat, acid reflux improves, symptoms of IBS improve. Unfortunately, this effect has not been quantified, though investigators have speculated on how large a role gluten plays in non-celiac sufferers of IBS and acid reflux."  Dr. Davis also states that hundreds of his own patients have seen complete or partial relief from IBS and acid reflux with gluten removal from their diet.
If you have IBS or acid reflux, you should at least consider removing wheat from your diet for 2-3 weeks and see if the symptoms go away.  It certainly can't hurt anything to eliminate wheat for a couple weeks (after all, there's nothing "essential" about eating wheat), and if anything, you'll lose some body fat as well in the process.
7.  Wheat consumption leads to accelerated aging
Eating too many wheat products such as bread, bagels, muffins, cereal, crackers, etc increases compounds in your body called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).  I talked in a previous article here about how sugar can make you age faster and how to prevent this.
But it's not just sugar and corn syrup that cause this problem... as we've already mentioned in this article, the main starch in wheat products is a very unique and fast digesting starch called Amylopectin A, which raises blood sugar even more significantly than table sugar.  Due to the significant blood sugar effect of wheat products (yes, even "whole wheat"), this means it increases those nasty AGEs in your body which contribute to premature aging and wrinkles.
If you're concerned about aging and want to stay looking youthful, make sure to read this article:
>> 5 tricks for looking 10 years YOUNGER
8.  Too much wheat in the diet can cause ACNE problems
According to Dr. Davis, pimples (aka, acne) affects up to 95% of 16-18 year olds in western cultures, and even affects 50% of adults over age 25 with intermittent bouts.
But Dr. Davis provides evidence that acne is NOT caused by genetics, but rather almost entirely by diet.  He discusses how cultures that rely on a basic hunter-gatherer diet, or some other form of diet that does not include wheat or sugar, have been curiously acne free (until western diet influences came in of course).
Dr. Davis talks about how acne is nearly universal in young Americans, but does not occur at all in other cultures.  He states, "Some cultures display no acne whatsoever. Cultures as wide ranging as the Kitavan Islanders of Papua New Guinea, the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay, natives of the Purus Valley in Brazil, African Bantus and Zulus, Japan's Okinawans, and Canadian Inuit are curiously spared the nuisance and embarrassment of acne."
Dr. Davis then cites research that shows that once Western influence introduced wheat, sugar, and other processed foods into the diets of the Okinawans, the Inuits, and the Zulus, acne soon followed.
9.  Wheat consumption contributes to heart disease risk
Another interesting chapter in the book Wheat Belly is where Dr. Davis makes a strong case that frequent wheat consumption increases your heart disease risk.
As you may have heard before, the LDL particles in your blood stream can be characterized as large puffy LDL types (which do not contribute to heart disease) or small dense LDL particles (which do contribute to plaque buildup and heart disease).  Dr. Davis states, "Foods that increase blood glucose the most therefore translate into both greater quantities of small LDL and increased glycation of small LDL.  So heart disease and stroke are not just about high cholesterol. They are caused by oxidation, glycation, inflammation, small LDL particles ... yes, the processes triggered by carbohydrates, especially those made of wheat."
10.  Eating wheat adds a large acid burden that your body must deal with
Your body is hard wired to keep a very precise pH level in your body of approximately 7.4.  What foods you consume either contribute acidifying compounds or alkaline compounds.  A natural hunter-gatherer diet is well balanced with the acid compounds of meats being easily counteracted by alkaline producing fruits, nuts, and veggies.  But when you add the acid burden of grains to the equation, the acid-alkaline balance shifts towards acid.
The more acidifying compounds that you eat or drink (soda, grains, sugar are examples), the more your body needs to pull calcium compounds out of your bone to regulate pH in your body.  This can cause weak bones and osteoporosis as you age.
According to Dr. Davis, grains such as wheat account for 38% of the average American's acid load.  Dr Davis states, "Around 10,000 years ago, the formerly alkaline human diet pH balance shifted to the acid side with the introduction of grains, especially the most dominant of grains, wheat.  The modern human diet of plentiful "healthy whole grains" but lacking in vegetables and fruit is highly acid-charged, inducing a condition called acidosis. Over years, acidosis takes it's toll on your bones."
Dr. Davis also cites a University of Toronto study that showed increased gluten intake increased urinary calcium loss by 63%, along with increased markers for bone weakening.  So even if you're not Celiac or gluten sensitive officially, this is yet another reason to consider reducing or eliminating gluten and wheat from your diet.
11.  A link between wheat consumption and joint degeneration, including arthritis
Dr. Davis also includes a chapter about how eating too much wheat over the years is linked to joint problems and pain, including arthritis.  Dr. Davis states: "The more wheat products you consume, the higher and more frequently blood glucose increases, the more glycation occurs. Glycation represents an irreversible modification of proteins in the bloodstream and in body tissues, including joints such as the knees, hips, and hands.  The cartilage in joints is uniquely susceptible to glycation, since cartilage cells are extremely long-lived and are incapable of reproducing."
Dr. Davis continues... "The damage of glycation is cumulative, making cartilage brittle and unyielding, eventually crumbling. Joint inflammation, pain, and destruction results, the hallmarks of arthritis."
The message... if you want healthy joints for life (I know I still want to be enjoying skiing and mountain biking, two of my favorite things in life, for decades to come) then Dr. Davis makes a strong case that eliminating or greatly reducing wheat in your diet can be an important step to help protect your joints as you get older.  And if you already have arthritis, it's a worthy test to eliminate wheat from your diet for a full 3-4 weeks and see if you notice some relief.  After all, what could it hurt... if anything, a side effect of eliminating wheat is that you'll drop some body fat.
Summary and Choices -- Do we eliminate or reduce wheat in our diets? 
As you can see in the 11 major points we've discussed above, there are a lot of negative consequences to your health of eating too much wheat.  And I'd be hard pressed to find any benefits whatsoever of eating wheat.
Fiber content may be the only possible benefit of wheat, however you can easily get more than enough fiber in your daily diet from fruits, nuts, and veggies instead, without the harmful health effects of wheat.
So you have a choice at this point... if you're the type of person who will do anything to improve your health and have a better body, both in looks and internal health, eliminating wheat is your best bet.
But if you're like most people, the thought of never eating wheat cereals, breads, muffins, pasta, and crackers is just too hard to bear.  If you're this type of person, you can still reap the benefits of greatly reducing wheat in your diet, but minimize your consumption to one weekly cheat day.  It helps to only have this cheat day which might include your favorite wheat products at restaurants, so you keep all wheat foods out of your house and not be tempted by them during the week.
Remember that one very pleasant side effect of eliminating wheat at least 6 days a week is that most people reduce their body fat significantly after making this choice and sticking to it.
And as we've talked about in this article, reducing or eliminating wheat can also prevent acne, reduce heart disease risk, slow down the aging process, reduce symptoms of IBS or acid reflux, help stabilize your blood sugar (assuming you're not still eating loads of sugar and wheat-free junk food), reduce diabetes risk, reduce visceral fat in your abdomen, and more!
Considering the possible benefits to our appearance and health, I'll choose to continue to reduce wheat in my diet!  For me, I've chosen to not completely eliminate wheat, but rather to never have it in my house, and only indulge in wheat products on once-weekly cheat days or while on vacation.
Do you want a healthier and better looking body?  The choice is yours!  Although we still need to consider major health killers such as sugar, HFCS, processed soy foods, processed corn foods, trans fats, and other junk foods, the case has been made that wheat is one of the biggest culprits in our health problems.

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A million children at risk because of hidden fat

Around a million children are at risk of heart disease and diabetes because standard measures to determine if they are healthy ignore body fat and muscle mass
By Claire Carter
 
One million children who are classed as healthy under Government standards could be at risk of an early death because of hidden fat around their organs, academics warn.

The body mass index system, which measures height and weight to classify people as underweight, healthy and obese ignores fat within the body say experts, which puts children at risk of diabetes and heart disease.

They say this system underestimates the amount of children who are overweight by around one million, as these children may appear slim but have fat packed around their organs, limbs and brains.

Scientists describe this group as “tofi” children – thin on the outside and fat on the inside – who are being put at risk by the use of standard measurements that do not distinguish between body fat and muscle mass.

Professor David McCarthy, of London Metropolitan University, said there was a “raft” of children who had been overlooked because they are classified as having a healthy BMI.

“This matters because the more fat you have, compared to muscle, the more likely you are to develop type 2 Diabetes and coronary heart disease in later life,” Prof McCarthy told the Mail on Sunday.
“If they maintain their body composition into adulthood, or it gets worse, they are going to be at risk of these diseases.”
For the study 1,000 children were measured using a Tanita bio-electrical impedance machine which measures how much weight is fat and muscle by passing a low electrical current through the body.
This found that 15 per cent of children classed as “healthy” under the BMI scale had high levels of fat – with one boy found to have 29 per cent body fat.
The study also found that one in ten children who were classed as overweight using the BMI system were actually healthy when their muscle and fat mass were measured.
Tam Fry, of the National Obesity Forum, called for scanning units to be regularly used in schools so their body fat could be measured properly.
“We need to see inside children with sophisticated scientific equipment to find hidden fat- otherwise we are failing to address a growing problem.”
Body mass index is calculated by measuring the ratio of weight to height and does not take into account the difference between body fat and muscle mass. Under the National Child Measurement programme children are measured at ages four to five and when they are 10 and 11, to indicate whether they are in the healthy BMI range or not.
The measurements, which public health officials have conceded are not perfect, have seen some parents of active sporty children receive letters telling them their child is overweight.
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The #1 WORST Food that HARMS Your Brain (avoid!)

Some foods you might be eating daily can actually DAMAGE
your brain over time. In this article, we'll explore foods
that HARM your brain vs foods that PROTECT your brain.

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist
Co-Author of the best seller:

The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

First, the BAD NEWS...

Certain foods you eat can indeed harm your brain, both in
impaired learning ability as well as impaired memory.
Even worse, the wrong food and drink choices throughout your
life can even lead to the terrible and deadly disease
of Alzheimers.
A friend of mine just told me that her dad died of Alzheimers
recently and it was just a terrible disease where he didn't
even know who she was anymore towards the end.
It's time our society starts taking degenerative diseases
like Alzheimers, cancer, and heart disease more seriously
throughout our lives, and not just once it's too late.
Even in our 30's, 40's, and 50's, the choices we make with our
daily food can PREVENT these terrible diseases.

So let's dig in with the topic today of foods that harm your brain,
and what you can do about it...

Food #1 that HARMS your brain:  Fructose

In a 2012 UCLA study published in the Journal of Physiology,
researchers found that a diet high in fructose over time can
damage your memory and learning ability.

Beyond the harm to your brain, it's well known in the research
world that a high fructose diet can also cause insulin resistance
in your body over time, and possibly lead to type-2 diabetes and
extra body fat.  If that's not enough, a high fructose diet also
detrimentally affects your triglyceride levels in your blood as
well as small dense LDL particles that cause plaque in your arteries.

So what we have here is high-fructose intake = impaired memory and
learning in your brain, increased risk of diabetes, and increased
risk of heart disease. Oh, and we forgot to mention extra belly fat too...
Yum - who wants another can of soda pop or a large bowl of corn syrup
sweetened ice cream!

The average person eating a modern western diet of processed food
consumes a LARGE quantity of fructose without even thinking about it
from all of the soft drinks (high fructose corn syrup typically),
sweetened juice drinks, orange juice, processed junk foods such as
cakes and candies, as well as the HFCS that's added to store-bought
salad dressings, breads and cereals, and even condiments like ketchup.

Note that many sports drinks, even though marketed as "healthy", can
have large amounts of corn syrup or even crystalline fructose as their
main sweetener.  These sports drinks can be equally as bad as a soda for
your body and your brain.  Don't be fooled by the clever marketing showing
pictures of pro athletes guzzling this stuff.

Also note that agave syrup (aka, agave nectar) which is marketed as
a "healthy" sweetener as well, is one of the most concentrated forms of
processed fructose in sweeteners as well.  I personally stay away from
agave sweeteners as much as possible unless the amounts are very small.

All of these fructose-laden foods and drinks are easy to avoid though if
you choose to eat consciously... for example, make homemade salad dressings
from your favorite olive oil and vinegar with added spices, or choose to
drink unsweetened iced tea with lemon instead of sweetened drinks or juices.
If you use a lot of ketchup, try to reduce the quantity by mixing with mustard
or hot sauce, which typically don't contain HFCS sweetener in any significant
quantities.

Last thing to note about fructose... Yes, natural whole fruits do
contain fructose, but generally contain MUCH smaller quantities of
fructose than you would consume in a sweetened juice drink, soft drink
or sweetened junk foods.  Also, the phytonutrients, antioxidants, and
fiber that's contained in most whole fruits counteracts any negative
effects of fructose.  I personally try to keep fruit intake to no more
than 1-2 pieces a day due to the sugar and fructose content of larger
amounts of fruit.

Here's a trick:  Did you know that limes and lemons contain virtually
zero fructose, and only 3-4 grams of total carbs in a whole lemon or lime,
whereas a typical orange contains 6 grams of fructose and 25 grams of total
sugar per fruit.
I squeeze lemons and limes daily into either water or teas for a healthy
flavorful drink. Fresh lemon juice has even been shown to control blood sugar
response from a meal...another bonus!

Other Foods that HARM Your Brain:

You probably already know some of the harmful health effects
of these foods, but long term effects on your brain are yet another...

Trans fats -- strongly inflammatory in your entire body including
damage to cell membranes throughout your body.
Avoid hydrogenated oils in processed foods and deep fried foods.

Mercury -- studies show that mercury from pollution (coal burning
plants are the biggest source of mercury pollution to air and water)
and from fish that are high on the food chain such as tuna, shark,
swordfish, tilefish, etc can possibly cause long term negative effects
on your brain.  Limit these types of fish to a couple times a month and
focus more on fish such as salmon, trout, and many other types of smaller
fish to reduce your mercury load.

Wheat-based foods -- In the groundbreaking book, Wheat Belly,
Dr William Davis makes a very convincing argument that wheat has addictive
properties in the brain.  Wheat contains compounds termed "exorphins" that
have an effect in your brain similar to opiate drugs.
This explains why people have such a hard time giving up their beloved breads,
cereals, pasta, and muffins because these foods are mildly addictive.

I know personally from past experience that if I have have a pasta dinner,
I'll go back for seconds and thirds as I just can't seem to stop eating the stuff.
And then hours after dinner, I'll get cravings for more carb-based foods or sweets.
But if I pass on the pasta and just have meat, veggies, and salad,
I find myself totally satisfied after dinner with no cravings later at night.

The good news is...

There are plenty of superfoods, herbs, and spices that can protect your
brain and your other organs too!
In fact, did you know that turmeric is one of the highest antioxidant
spices that also exhibits brain-protecting effects? In India, where curry
containing turmeric and other spices is eaten daily, rates of Alzheimers
disease is among the lowest in the world, proving some of the brain-protecting
effects of turmeric.

In addition, the powerful DHA and EPA omega-3 fats in fish oil has been
proven in countless studies to protect your brain from damage over the years.
Want more...
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nutrients that PROTECT your brain, joints, organs, and skin by clicking the
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These unique nutrients and superfoods can be found at most stores and can
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