Many of us have the idea that since a drug is sold from the drugstore shelf, it must be safe to use. I will bet you didn’t know the over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are sold directly to consumers not because they’re harmless but because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks.The fact is almost every OTC drug poses some risk, especially if taken in mega doses or with the wrong foods or other medications.
Granted, most of the OTC medications are no where near the same level of risk as many prescription drugs. And some prescription drugs have fewer side effects than their OTC counterparts. Benadryl, for example, can slow your reaction time as much as 3 to 5 alcoholic drinks. Prescription allergy drugs usually cause a lot less drowsiness.
There may also be ingredients in OTC medications that are unsafe. It’s up to the manufacturer to test for quality of products. Not that long ago Phenolphthalein, once used in laxatives and phenylpropanolamine, used in decongestants, were declared unsafe and were taken off the market.
You need to be especially careful when taking OTC meds because they are more susceptible to misuse. You need to be even more careful when you are diagnosing yourself rather than letting your doctor do the diagnosing. Misdiagnosis happens frequently if the drug you’re taking masks the symptoms of your problem.
You may also be getting inadequate treatment when you diagnose yourself. Or you could be taking too much of the drug because your doctor isn’t involved. Overdoses may also happen inadvertently when people are taking OTC meds. That could happen if you are treating a cold and taking Tylenol, flu tablets, extra zinc, plus meds for heartburn.
Drug interactions are another problem area. Without someone having a handle on the medications you take and the ingredients of the meds you’re buying on line, it is highly likely there will be some sort of negative reaction. Even food and drink can interfere with the OTC drug you’re taking. Trying to calm your stomach, for instance, by drinking lots of milk and taking antacids containing calcium or sodium bicarbonate may eventually cause serious kidney problems.
As you get older, your body is less efficient at getting rid of the drugs in your system. As a result they may reach higher levels in your blood. Even at normal blood levels, the side effects of many OTC drugs are more pronounced. To make matters worse, the suggested average dosage testing probably never included anyone past 50 which means the amount an older person takes might be too much – and in some cases too little for the drug to be effective.
Be sure to ask your physician if there are nonprescription drugs you should avoid. And tell you doctor about all the OTC drugs you’re taking including medicines, supplements and herbs. Aspirin, for example, can change the urine-sugar tests for diabetes.
Read the label and be sure you know what you’re doing before you diagnose and treat yourself with OTC medications.
If you use a special technique to keep track of your medications, prescribed and OTC, let us know. We’d like to share those ideas with the rest of the group.
Scroll down to “Comments” and type what you do in the blank window.
To your successful aging,
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Freelance Health Writer
Freelance Business Writer
Copywriter

Tagged with: OTC misuse • risk of OTC drugs • self diagnosis

Filed under: Uncategorized

Digestive health is a big concern these days making the probiotics or friendly bacteria market valued at $2 billion dollars by 2013. Even though more of the big food companies are touting the wonders of probiotics, most people have no idea what probiotics are and what they do.

Probiotics are live microorganisms, in most cases, bacteria.  They are usually called ‘friendly bacteria or good bacteria that are similar to the bacteria found in your body. Although you may not need probiotics to be healthy, these microorganisms may provide some of the same health benefits that the bacteria already existing in your body do, such as helping you with digestion and protection against harmful bacteria.

Most of us get our probiotics by taking dietary supplements and foods. Today, they are everywhere in the US especially in the functional food scene.  Live, active cultures are found in fermented dairy products such as yogurt as well as in miso, in some infant formulas, juices, soy beverages, granola, cereals and capsules.

Interestingly there is no legal definition for probiotics although it’s widely accepted scientific definition established by the World Health Organization is “live microorganisms which when given in appropriate amounts offer a health benefit to the host” which would be you and I.

People use probiotics to prevent and treat certain illnesses and support general wellness.  However, effects found from one species or strain of probiotics do not necessarily hold true for others. In addition there is limited evidence supporting some of the uses of probiotics and more scientific knowledge is needed including about their safety and appropriate use.

Even so friendly bacteria are vital to the proper development of your immune system and to protect you from the unfriendly bacteria which can cause disease. Most probiotics are bacteria similar to those found in your gut. Some probiotic foods date back to ancient times such as fermented foods and cultured milk products. Each person’s mix of bacteria varies so that the interaction between a person and the microorganisms in the body and among the microorganisms themselves can be crucial to your health and well being.

As with any dietary or herbal supplement, talk to your doctor before starting any new treatment.

To learning more about preventive health.

Ruthan Brodsky

PS If you have tried any probiotic treatments, tell us about your experience. I know I feel better on those days I eat yogurt. Let’s find out what works experientially!!

Ruthan Brodsky

Copywriter and Content Creator

Freelance Business Writer

Freelance Health Writer

Tagged with: digestion help • probiotics • protect immune system

Filed under: Aging Gracefully

I was looking at a few books I purchased 5 years ago and more and then looked at a few more recent ones all of which were about health. I bought the books because they were at one time best sellers on the health and fitness market and I wanted to find out why people were buying them.
I did not trust the information in any of these books but somehow what they offered was particularly appealing to those who recognized they were getting older and weren’t pleased with the results. Or maybe they thought they could do better if they took a different approach.

What’s amazing is that many of today’s scams are a variation on a theme. The ads on TV, in new best sellers, in online publications and videos on U tube still claim to cure cancer, get rid of arthritis and improve your memory while making you look 20 years younger.

None of us are kids anymore and we know that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is- not true that is.  

Even so, we forget all that we know from experience and grab onto an instant of insecure hope. It’s not that horrible when some unproven remedy offers false hope for a quick and painless cure and at worst the treatment is worthless and we wasted our money. The fact is many of us probably rationalized that we weren’t going to waste that much money when we bought the product in the first place, but what if…?

The danger enters when the remedy or the product do cause harm. We all have heard horror stories of people who stayed away from conventional medical treatment because they were counting on a special active ingredient found only in this herb and distributed only by such and such company that will completely cure you of cancer or aids or fatigue. So often these are people who live with a chronic condition or are suffering from a disease so miserably that they will try anything. I personally know of a woman who refused all treatment for breast cancer and relied on her nutritional supplements. She passed away way too early.
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It is up to you to protect yourself and your family and friends from these health scams. Be wary about what you see or hear in ads or read on the internet. Find out about the product and the company before you buy anything and do not let a sales person or a sales page on the internet push you into a snap decision.

Check with your doctor about the product or remedy if you have any questions.

Have you ever bought something that you thought would give you the magic pill to stay young, or lose weight, or make your hair thick? Most of us are sorry we did it by the time the package is at our door. Tell us your story and what you did with the package or what happened after you read the book. Maybe your response will help someone else avoid the same mistake.
To your good successful aging.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Health Writer
Business Writer
Content Creator

Tagged with: health scams • magic pill to stay young

Filed under: Prevention

If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself. That’s what the great ragtime composer and pianist Eubie Blake said at the age of 99 when he was still performing. He died the next year.
If you are 40 or 50 or even 60 you may not be giving much thought to the challenges ahead of aging. That is too bad because just as you need to plan for your future financial needs when you don’t have an income, we all should be planning for optimum health regardless of our age.
Now you can ask, what would you prepare for?
Some diseases, such as Alzheimer and certain cancers, continue to baffle the researchers. However, research has shown that the earlier you are diagnosed for one of the cognitive diseases, the more able to delay the major disabilities that accompany the disease. There are still a lot of diseases then that can be prevented, or slowed or minimized with a healthy lifestyle and regular health screening.
The fact is the more you do in middle age, the more you do at any age, to the better off you’ll be.
Obesity is a major problem for middle aged and older adults. The reports say that three-quarters of adults, age 60 and older, are overweight or obese. Obesity is related to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast and colon cancer, gall bladder disease and high blood pressure.
To make matters worse, more than 40 percent of adults 60 years and older have a combination of risk factors known as metabolic syndrome which puts people at higher risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, breast and colon cancer, gall bladder issues and high blood pressure.
What can you do? It’s no secret. The best way to fight weight is to increase your exercising, reduce the amount of food you eat and the amount of alcohol you drink. Just in case you didn’t know, calories from alcohol go right to the gut.
You can also increase your healthy fat intake that is taking in more foods with omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats. It would also be a good idea to eliminate transfats from your diet because they do you absolutely no good.
In middle age, the best idea is to eat foods as close to naturally prepared as possible. I understand that doing all this is going to take a chunk out of your day. Cooking takes time but anything of value takes time.
My question to you is if you don’t exercise more and eat less, you may have the day to do whatever you want, but you just may be too unhealthy to do anything. Babies get instant gratification. Middle aged women and men get hope.
To your successful old age.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky

Copywriter and Content Creator

Health Writer

Business Writer

Tagged with: healthy old age • plan for old age • slow down aging

Filed under: Anti Aging

f you are passed age 50 you are probably noticing that your skin is becoming more dry and starting to look thin skinned and wrinkled. You do not have to resign yourself to prematurely aged skin because there are steps you can take to stop the damage.

Here are four steps you can take to moderate your how much your skin is forming wrinkles.

1. Modify your daily skin routine. Wear gloves when cleaning the house, washing dishes, or gardening. In the winter keep your baths and showers shorter than 10 minutes and use warm water, not hot. Use skin cleansers that do not deplete you entirely of oils such as creamy, nonfoaming cleansers. Above all, apply moisturizer to dry areas of skin after showering and before bedtime.
2. Protect your skin by wearing sunscreen daily. The one mistake most of us make is not using enough sunscreen. You can also wear clothing with built in sun protection. In the winder wear gloves and protect your neck, face, and head with a scarf and hat because cold air aggravates dry skin. Wear sunglasses all year to shield the thin skin around the eyes from damage. And be sure to stay hydrated and drink lost of water.
3. Exfoliate your skin regularly. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells that can make the skin thicker and rougher and unable to glow. Exfoliation of your body and face also allows moisturizer to be absorbed easier. To exfoliate dry skin, use a clean washcloth and apply light pressure to the skin using a circular motion. If your skin is normal or oil, try a cleanser that contains alpha hydroxyl or beta hydroxyl acid to exfoliate more rigorously.
4. Moisturize daily. Moisturizers can help your skin stay supple. The cream or lotion you use puts down a barrier that seals in the natural moisture of your skin. For best results, use a moisturizer that has a minimum SPF of 15 for sun protection. Pay as much attention to the skin below your neck as you do to your face. A rich body lotion, applied right after bath time, can help moderate cases of dry skin.

Taking care of your skin is important no matter your age. It is also important because you want to feel good and look your best. See your dermatologist if you notice any sudden changes in the appearance of your skin.
You probably have some good tips about keeping your sking looking healthy and supple. Share them with us by typing them in the comment box.
To your successful healthy aging.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky

Copywriter Oakland County Michigan

Freelance Health Writer Michigan

Freelance Business Writer Michigan

Tagged with: dry skin • efolliate skin

Filed under: Anti Aging

Nutritional needs change as women age so that the same diet you had when you were 35 isn’t going to meet your needs at age 50 and older. A 35 year old woman for example, can consume 2000 calories daily to main a weight of 132 pounds. On the other hand a 55 year old woman cannot consume more than 1600 calories daily to maintain her weight.

My mother somehow knew all this 40 years ago. She used to tell me that for every 10 years she has to eat a lot less or figure on gaining 10 pounds. She was almost successful. The problem was she also had several physical limitations which decreased her level of activity. Unless she absolutely starved herself, she slowly began to gain weight.

The same statement can be made for men except the differences are less great and the risk of not getting enough calcium, for instance, is not as negative. All of which is why you hear less about men and osteoporosis with fractured spines and pelvises.

For decades doctors have been telling women they need to consume more calcium to reduce their risk of osteoporosis and hip fractures. This is especially true for women in postmenopausal years. Calcium in dietary and supplement forms can help replace the calcium that’s lost in bones as you age and help reduce the risk for osteoporosis and fractures. Today they are telling women over 50 that too much calcium is not good for these women and they may not need as much calcium as we think.  In fact too much calcium can cause other health problems such as kidney stones.

The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,200 milligrams (mg). However a recent study in Great Britain shows that boosting your calcium intake may not reduce that risk. It was a study in the U.K. of 61,000 women who consumed around 750 mg of calcium daily. They did have a much lower risk of fracture than those who consumed less.  However, increasing their calcium over 750 mg did not lower the risks of fractures any further.

Interestingly the recommendation for calcium is 700 mg per day in the U.K. and 800 Mg per day for Scandinavia, both of which are much less than the U.S.  In fact there is no universal recommendation for the amount of calcium you should consume. In addition, other factors need to be considered before a decision is made such as general health. And of course, different climates around the world influence nutritional needs.  Vitamin D, for example, is required to metabolize calcium so that those who live in the northern climates  get less vitamin D from the sun that those who live closer to the equator.

It’s important to know that you can also consume more calcium from food sources such as 8 ounces of yogurt or milk.  While there’s no agreement on the minimal amount of calcium you need, too much calcium especially from supplements, increases the possibility of kidney stones and kidney problems.
You need adequate calcium but you also need to be careful about getting too much. The number that comes up most frequently is 1,200 mg of calcium a day for senior women.

To your good nutrition
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter Oakland Michigan
Health Writer Oakland county Michigan
Freelance Business Writer Novi Michigan

Filed under: Uncategorized

Back pain can  be very debilitating. You may be one of the fortunate patients and discover that building muscle strength can relieve some of your discomfort.
I understand that there are situations for which people can’t do much about their back pain. Whether it’s genetic or because of a trauma such as an auto accident, strengthening muscles will only help to a degree if you deal with spinal stenosis, degenerative disks, or osteoporosis.

Even so, the abdominal and lower back muscles support the spine. The problem is those muscles become weak as we age. The good news is  that strengthening those core muscle groups in the abdominal area and lower back has positive effects. The goal is to get those core muscles – the transversus abdominus and multifidi working to stabilize and support the spine which promotes movement and reduces pain.

 
Working with a physical therapist so that you exercise correctly, and swimming in a heated pool with weights will help. Exercise combined with better body mechanics can lessen the strain. Also avoid spending long periods of time sitting in slumped positions. Think about that when you’re watching TV, playing cards, or working on your computer.

 
The problem with treating back pain, especially lower back pain, is that there is no secret, no ultimate pill, and no specific exercise that can relieve your back pain let alone eliminate the pain. This is an important concept to keep in mind for anyone suffering from back pain. Many people recover by avoiding strain to their spine for a period of time. Some find relief from ice, heat or medications. Others have a routine series of simple exercises to carry out to relieve their pain. Still others do absolutely nothing different in their daily routine and over time the pain goes away.

 
Depending upon the symptoms,  the length of the problem you have, whether or not it is a recurring problem and you have seen a doctor about it more than once, when the simple treatments you can do by yourself no longer work, it’s probably time to have your physician to evaluate your condition.

 
A few symptoms that require immediate medical attention regarding your back discomfort are:
·    Your back pain persists beyond a few days;
·    Your back pain wakes you up at night;
·    You have difficulty controlling your bladder and bowels;
·    You have a fever, chills or sweats and other signs of infection or
very unusually symptoms.

 
The importance of all this is that before you begin any back pain treatment program, be sure you know your diagnosis and discuss any treatment plan with your doctor. It is important that you deal with your back because daily back pain is clearly associated with decreased quality of life and even depression. It is difficult to be happy when you’re in constant pain. My concern is that as we get older we are more prone to back pain because of a lifetime of improper body mechanics such as maintaining good posture while we work on the computer!

 
Rest is usually the first treatment, especially in low back pain, so that you rest the spine. Because most cases of back pain are due to muscle strain, it’s important to avoid further irritation to the spine and muscles that surround the spinal column. I’m not talking about a lot of bed rest – one or two days tops. Then start moving slowly and once acute pain eases avoid lifting and twisting and any real physical exertion.

 
My advice is to always take the least invasive, the most conservative approach first when it comes to treating your back problems. For example modifying the way you use your body and strengthening the muscles that support your back are a key ingredient.

 
This exercise is easier for me. Get on your hands and knees with your hands about shoulder width apart and knees about hip wide. Keep your back straight and level and your neck in line with your back. Draw your abdominal muscles in towards your spin without arching your back. Hold for the count of 10 while breathing normally. Repeat 5 times.

These should help but also talk to your doctor if your back pain becomes worse and isn’t relieved by changing position or resting. It doesn’t happen very often but back pain may be caused by an infection or disease such as cancer. It’s worth the time to cross that off your list.

Let me know if you’ve been even somewhat successful managing your back pain.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter Oakland County Michigan
Business Writer Macomb county Michigan
Health Writer

Tagged with: abdominal muscles • lower back pain

Filed under: Back Health

Your nervous system is involved in just about everything you do which is why even mild nerve pain and damage can have a serious impact on the quality of your life.

There is a wide variety of symptoms for nerve pain and nerve damage. The kind you have usually depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Sometimes the damage can occur to nerves in your brain or on the spinal cord.  Pain can also take place in the peripheral nerves which are located throughout your body.

There are many causes for nerve pain and nerve damage. For instance some types of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease can produce symptoms of nerve pain and nerve damage.

Cancer can also cause nerve pain and nerve damage. For instances  there may be a cancerous mass pushing against or crushing the nerves. Chemotherapy and radiation may also damage some of the nerves and cause pain.

Interesting, nutritional deficiencies may also produce nerve pain especially lack of vitamin B 6 and B 12.

Anything that results in trauma or compression of nerves can result in nerve pain and nerve damage. This includes pinched nerves in the neck, crush injuries and even carpal tunnel syndrome.

Although some degeneration of the cervical spine (upper spine) is expected as we get older, that doesn’t mean we must live with pain. In fact many forms of neck pain are temporary and easily treatable. A muscle strain or pinched nerve may respond well  to anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen along with some stretching  exercises to keep neck muscles flexible.  It may be that a hot shower helps your neck feel  better or ice may help reduce the pain.

In some cases, however, neck pain may also be a sign of spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerve. If you neck pain is accompanied by tingling and weakness in the hand and fingers, an unbalanced gait, or it lasts longer than a month you should get an evaluation from a physician.  Treatment may be injections of anti-inflammatory medication , radio-frequency ablation or interrupting the pain signals with radio waves, or surgery to remove the part that is pressing on the nerve.

Spinal degeneration takes place when the bones and disks deteriorate over time due to poor posture, injury or just everyday wear and tear. If the bones start to rub against one another your body may try to repair the damage that’s taking place and bone spurs result. These can narrow the spinal canal by themselves pressing and irritating the surrounding nerves.

By the same token you may be able to control some of the damage. For instance, when sleeping don’t use too many pillows under your head which can force the head forward.  You may also want to exercise your neck following prescribed exercises by your doctor.

One of the best ways to cope with your pain is to keep a pain journal. I understand very well that the written word is very powerful.  I’ve kept a personal journal for years. One of the benefits for this journal is that it gives me a greater sense of control over my live and a journal about your pain will give you a greater sense of control over your pain. No matter what you’re thinking, write it down and get it out of your system.

That includes being honest about your pain with yourself and others. Accepting your pain is part of the healing process.  Coping strategies won’t take you pain away but they may get you to a level where you can deal comfortably with the pain.

To your success coping with your pain.

Ruthan

Ruthan  Brodsky

Health Writer

Business Writer

Tagged with: nerve damage • nerve pain

Filed under: Back Health

Your chronic pain is likely to be different from my chronic pain.

The next few blog posts will focus on chronic pain, what it is and how it can be treated and managed. The more I research this topic the more surprised I am by the huge number of people who face chronic pain daily.

I am also becoming more aware of the acceptance of alternative forms of medical treatment for pain that are now readily accepted in the medical community. Then there are the updated devices that help eliminate pain from specific parts of the body. Of course pharmaceutical companies continually create new pain relieving medications that are prescribed while others are purchased over-the-counter.

Unfortunately there are also the snake oil scams and the well known promises to eliminate pain instantly – just send money.

Obviously there is much to write about and perhaps in a couple of years I’ll capture all these topics.  In the meantime the next few posts will give you a good start about coping with your pain. Chronic pain is tough to deal with; it can sap your energy, affect your mood, limits your ability to do things for yourself and for others.

Short term pain or acute pain, the kind that happens when the dog pulls extra hard on his walk and you fall on your knees, has a beginning and a relatively short duration (although I do admit that as you get older it seems like it takes forever to heal even from a sprained ankle.

The most common type of pain in older adults is usually musculoskeletal pain such as lower back pain or shoulder pain. Another type of pain is neuropathic pain. That is usually caused by nerves or mechanisms in the spinal chord or brain that result in the perception of pain although the source of pain may not actually be there.  These are the two sources of pain I will concentrate on in these posts because they do impact so many of us.

There are good treatments for dealing with these pains and with other pains.  You can Google for them and you will receive lots of good information about your pain and treatment.  My advice is to first find a good doctor before you seriously take information you find on line and practice it.  It may take more than one visit to find the doctor you want. This warning you hear from family and friends is probably worth listening to: If the doctor just wants to do surgery, find another doctor.

You need to be absolutely honest with this doctor. Don’t hold anything back and don’t be stoic. In fact, it’s a good idea to start writing you symptoms down a week or more before your appointment. I ay write them down because even if you’re a little anxious, you’re going to forget what to say. Let your doctor know what makes it feel better or worse. Your doctor may suggest a pain management clinic, an exercise program, physical therapy or medication.

Most chronic pain is treated with medication. The amount of the dose varies depending on the size of the person, the degree of pain, and how each person metabolizes the medication. What is important is how much medication you need that allows you to function as normally as possible.

Some doctors also recommend an antidepressant that will improve your mood and reduce your pain. Some medications may require another medication to offset the side effects such as constipation or severe fatigue.

You may also be told about other treatments because often pain in one area results in pain in another area because your muscles tighten to protect you from the original pain. These treatments may include massage, acupuncture, heat and even meditation.

The goal for you and your doctor is to find the treatment that works for you. Do your own researches, Talk to others who experience the same kind of pain you do and find out what kinds of treatment they’re getting. When you involve yourself in managing your pain your results are bound to improve.

Much success in managing your pain.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter and Content Creator
Business Writer
Freelance health writer

Tagged with: living with chronic pain • lower back pain • neck and upper back pain

Filed under: Uncategorized

One of them is all about the shouting that this or that superfruit will cure whatever ails you or at least keep you strong, active, young, and sexy looking. The latest fruits are the acai berry, mangosteen and goji which are even touted as defense against cancer.

Certainly, eating fruits and vegetables and good nutrition in general is important to your total immune system, but one fruit is not the fountain of youth or the cure for everything. In fact, the very definition of a healthy diet that protects you is one that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables. No matter the ads, no matter the testimonials, please do not attribute supersized benefits to any one food.

Another is that chocolate has become a health food. It is good news that studies have reported positive results for chocolate’s antioxidants and flavonoid polyphenols that have heart benefit. However, be mindful of saturated fat and calories. They are still a major part of chocolate anything, dark or light. The healthiest way to enjoy chocolate is to have small amounts, like a half ounce to one ounce of dark chocolate as a treat once in a while. Make sure your chocolate has at least 70 percent cocoa so you get higher amounts of those polyphenols.
I do not have a good answer for this misperception but I do know that the medical and science research has not made its mind about whether high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is completely bad for you. This is the sweetener found in everything from ketchup to soda. No one can tell you for sure whether it is worse than regular table sugar.

I can tell you we consume a lot of HFCS – about 60 pounds a year. Avoiding HFCS and consuming natural sugar instead doesn’t make much sense either. Here is where the notion of balance comes into play again. Moderate your sodas between low cal and regular or stop drinking soda altogether so you won’t have to worry about gaining weight or poisoning yourself. This is a dilemma for all of us so stayed tuned!

You cannot pick up a magazine or look at a paid TV advertisement where someone isn’t trying to sell you on the latest and the greatest nutritional product. Often times it’s a blog post that promises you the fountain of youth or a short report the best system to lose weight. It is no wonder that most of us can’t keep our nutrition facts straight. The problem is the news we receive is often inaccurate.

Not everyone you read is an expert in nutrition. According to the American Dietetic Association of a survey of more than 1,000 people, over 70 percent of people want food information. I for do not consider myself an expert. However, I am careful about what I read and I pass on only information that I’ve qualified by their resources. A tweet about some new energy juice drink is a bright red flag for me to stay away although I may know and trust the person. I don’t trust their information until I find out the resources.

Always consider the myths about sugar when you read nutritional information.
Sugar is the major culprit for health problems. It is true that we consume too much sugar, close to 22 teaspoons a day for the average person. It is also true that The American Heart Association says to cut back to 4 teaspoons a day. However, sugar is the major cause of disease.

Sugar adds a lot of empty calories to your diet especially when it comes to soft drinks such as cola. You certainly can gain some weight and added weight gain does link to diabetes. Sugar, however, does not cause diabetes. That is another myth. There is a connection but not a direct cause and effect. When you have diabetes you need to watch your sugar and your carbohydrate intake to properly manage your blood sugar level. The main risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are a diet high in calories, being overweight and an inactive lifestyle.

The other myth is that brown sugar is better than white sugar. The truth be known the brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. It is true that brown sugar contains tiny amounts of minerals but unless you eat a huge portion of brown sugar every day, the mineral content difference between brown and white sugar is not significant. There is not much difference between the two sugars.

I have a feeling most of us had some misconceptions, especially re the brown sugar. Hopes this help your thinking and your weight loss efforts.
To your success at healthy aging.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky

Freelance health writer Oakland county Michigan

Freelance business writer Oakland county Michigan

Freelance copywriter Oakland county Michigan

Tagged with: acai berry • goji • mangosteen

Filed under: Nutrition and Weight