Truckers and Travelers

Hello, Fellow Drivers,  I came across some trucking resources on diabetes, high blood pressure, and eating healthy.  There is a new trend that the Pilot truck stops are offering truckers.  They are wellness centers to help educate and support drivers in healthy lifestyles on the road.  Enjoy the read and remember to be safe out there. 

The most important tip is to stay consistent. Also, a good rule to remember is to eat closest to the natural source. In other words, stay away form processed foods; foods that have preservatives such as; corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils. You will have to lean to read labels! Your life style will have to change to make a difference. Most important you need to create low stress in your life!

Good information to know!

The epidemic rate of obesity and diabetes plaguing our nation has created quite a stir in the health care community. No one challenges the clear association between increased body weight and risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But what isn’t clear is the cause of this obesity crisis, which affects nearly one-third of American adults and 16 percent of children.

Melissa Ohlson, MS, RD, LD, a registered dietitian and Nutrition Projects Coordinator of Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic, looks at obesity and diabetes, and answers questions about a potential root cause.

Isn’t obesity about eating too much and not exercising enough?
Ohlson: Eating too much and exercising too little has been ingrained in our brains to be the root cause of weight gain. And, as research has indicated, this much is true. But we can add to the obesity equation the increased availability of low cost nutrient-poor, calorie-rich foods; less physical and leisure activity; and low levels of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains in the American diet. Yet if weight gain were truly a matter of simple mathematics — calories in and calories out — one would surmise that fewer people in America would be struggling with their weight. This paradox has prompted researchers to look at other aspects of the diet for the answer.

Why single out one food ingredient?
Ohlson: Although it is almost certain there is no single cause for obesity and diabetes, some researchers have begun pointing the finger at specific foods and food ingredients. One such ingredient stands out at the top of their list: high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS is produced by processing corn starch to yield glucose and fructose (sugar molecules). HFCS has the same sweetness and taste as an equal amount of sugar (sucrose), but is the preferred sweetener because it is less costly to manufacture and has a longer shelf life.

How prevalent is high-fructose corn syrup in the average diet?
Ohlson: The commercial use of HFCS began in the 1970s. Over the past 30 years, HFCS in the food supply jumped from less than 1 percent to over 40 percent, and now stands as the leading caloric sweetener added to foods and beverages. HFCS can be found in soft drinks and other beverages, and it is used to sweeten jams, condiments, breakfast cereals, baked goods, candy confections and prepared desserts. In an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition review, a conservative estimate of the consumption of HFCS indicates a daily average of 132 calories for all Americans over age 2. The top 20 percent of consumers of caloric sweeteners ingest roughly 316 calories from HFCS each day. If nothing else changes in a person’s diet or activity, this daily caloric excess over a year’s time would result in a weight gain of 13 to 33 pounds!

Aren’t all sugars the same?
Ohlson: Some researchers say the increased use of HFCS in the U.S. parallels the rapid increase in obesity experienced over the past few decades. What’s more, they say that calorie-laden sweetened beverages might actually enhance overeating. You see, fructose is absorbed differently than other sugars, and doesn’t register in the body metabolically the same way glucose does. For example, ingestion of glucose causes increased production of insulin in the pancreas in order for the body to take up and use glucose for energy. This rise in insulin triggers production of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite and fat storage. Simultaneously, insulin suppresses ghrelin, another hormone made by the stomach that regulates hunger. Fructose functions differently. Unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion, and therefore does not increase leptin production or suppress ghrelin. In other words, the body’s hunger/appetite signals do not respond. This suggests that consuming a lot of fructose over time could lead to weight gain.

Fructose also is preferentially metabolized to fat (triglyceride) in the liver. In research studies, intake of HFCS leads to hypertriglyceridemia, an independent risk factor for the development of heart disease. In additional studies, fructose consumption has been shown to induce insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemia, all risk factors in the development of type 2 diabetes.

What are the results of studies performed in humans?
Ohlson: Those who object to the HFCS-obesity theory argue that sucrose (table sugar) is no different than HFCS. Sucrose is chemically made up of 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose. HFCS is not very different: Approximately 55 percent of HFCS comes from fructose and the other 45 percent glucose. Most studies conducted in humans have compared sucrose with HFCS, and little differences have been shown.
But this is not to say research hasn’t observed a link between HFCS to obesity or diabetes. In a study conducted on 50,000 female nurses between 1991 and 1999, weight gain over a four-year period was highest among women who increased their sugar-sweetened soft drink or fruit punch consumption from one or fewer drinks per week to one or more drinks per day. Women consuming one or more sugar-sweetened soft drinks per day had an 83 percent higher relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with those who consumed less than one of these beverages per month. Similarly, consumption of fruit punch was associated with increased diabetes risk.

Which is to blame — HFCS or over-consumption of calories?
Ohlson: In another study, per capita nutrient consumption in the U.S. between 1909 and 1997 obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was compared with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even after total calories were accounted for, corn syrup was positively associated with the prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

Other trials have compared pure glucose to pure fructose in men and found pure fructose raises fasting blood triglycerides. Although these findings are interesting, they do not apply in a practical manner to the normal consumption in humans, since we consume foods that contain a mix of fructose and glucose, not fructose alone. In fact, a 2006 study compared the effects of equal amounts of soft drinks sweetened with sucrose; HFCS containing 45 percent fructose; HFCS containing 55 percent fructose; or aspartame (non-caloric sweetener). Researchers found that all the drinks with caloric sweeteners produced similar fullness responses and had the same effects on overall calorie intake.

So high-fructose corn syrup may or may not be the culprit?
Ohlson: Like many nutritional controversies, it appears the HFCS debate will continue for some time. While it may seem logical to blame HFCS for playing a role in the obesity epidemic, there is still a lack of solid evidence in the opinion of some researchers. They argue that if HFCS was not in our food supply, it is likely the obesity problem would still be here. This is because, whether it’s HFCS or sucrose, American’s are simply consuming too many calorie-rich, nutrient-poor foods like soft drinks, juices, baked goods, desserts and other “convenience” foods.

What’s your advice to readers?
Ohlson: First, fill your diet with nutrient-rich, lower-calorie fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Second, regardless of the source, keep in mind “calories in and calories out.” Although weight control is more complex than that, even a small switch from one to two cans of soft drinks per day to water can make a difference. Only when we make these positive changes in our diets will the obesity and diabetes rates in this country begin to fall.

High blood pressure

Previous clients have had great success at lower blood pressure levels naturally by following these tips;

1. 1.oat meal (not instant)
2. 2.cinnamon
3. 3.garlic
4. 4.30 minute walk 3 to 4 days a week
5. 5.eliminate all products with high fructose corn syrup