Europe has witnessed the health decline of the American population over the last several decades, and wants no part of following our footsteps. Our country does little to curb Obesity or Diabetes, while Cancer and Alzheimer's are on the rise. Europe is hoping to be more proactive.
The health agencies in Europe have been studying ways to cut down on sugar consumption, and some proposals are calling for sugar to be limited to 3% of the diet. (That is 3% of sugar added to foods, not naturally occurring sugar in fruits and such.) While an admirable goal, it is yet to be passed.
It is also interesting that many of the same ideas that are problematic here, are alive and well in Europe. The problem isn't just pure sugar; it is the consumption of processed foods, void of nutrition, and full of empty calories. The body processes simple carbohydrates in a very short amount of time and converts them to sugar, which then spikes our blood sugar and insulin levels.
By now, most people know that constantly elevating sugar levels destroy the beta cells in the pancreas. Elevated glucose levels in the bloodstream causes all sorts of damage to the eyes, nerves, and organs of the body. Nearly one out of three Americans has elevated blood sugar; this really needs to addressed before it becomes full-blown diabetes.
As blood sugar rises, so does the insulin levels, and that is tied to an increase risk of cancer, stroke, and heart attack. Elevated glucose and insulin levels are actually better indicators for heart attack and stroke risks than cholesterol levels.
The manufacturers in Europe are working on nano technology for sugar. The idea is they can spray nano sugar coating on foods. This requires less sugar to provide the sweet taste people crave. They are also tinkering with dissolving sugar in alcohol, and then letting it crystallize. This also allows for smaller amounts of sugar to be used in manufacturing.
Whether these ideas stem the obesity epidemic remains to be seen. It will also be interesting to see what happens in the body with the new, smaller sugar molecules, and how they impact blood glucose, absorption rates, and insulin.
The easiest solution, of course, is for the public to eat single-ingredient foods versus processed foods. That would help solve not only the obesity epidemic, but most of the diseases that come with it.
In the meantime, if you find you are one of the 100 million Americans with elevated blood sugar, you may find that humulones (a specialized Hops extract) are a big help. They can be found in a product called Diabetes Defense, manufactured by Pharma Defense. There are studies you may want to view at IsohumuloneStudies.com. Cinnamon, nopal cactus, and several other botanicals have also shown promise, though not to the same extent as humulones.
The best defense against disease in general is to eat well, drink fresh clean water, take the 46 essential nutrients, and exercise. You can also read more about the keys to a healthy life at WhatAreEssentialNutrients.com.
* Products listed here can be found at EssentialVitaminsAndMinerals.com.
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