Amen to the Obesity Tax, Let’s Just Call it Something Else

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

Honestly, I’m not sure if the NY officials in charge of the “Obesity Tax” truly intend to call it thus, or if the media has just coined the phrase.

However, there are many more causes than just soda when it comes to obesity. And there are many more ills upon society that soda is at fault for.

Furthermore, beverages with sugar substitutes such as aspartame and splenda (sucralose) also make people fat so those should be equally taxed as the Cephalic Response created by these sweet flavored toxins makes us hungry, which makes us eat more, which makes us fatter.

Also, I would suggest that New York tax juice containing High Fructose Corn Syrup. The only thing that makes me mad about the obesity tax is that it is called the “Obesity Tax.” Why pick on people who are overweight? Poking fun at someone for being obese or “taxing them” is truly unfair and perhaps unconstitutional.

Six Better Names for the “Obesity Tax”

#1 The Water Tax: How about just straight across the board tax all beverages that are not plain water? Water is what nature intended for humans to drink after they were weaned.

I wish it was mandatory for all vending machines to sell bottled water at a four time reduced rate than the typical vending beverage. When we see water priced the same as a fruity looking or flashy drink we immediately feel deprived if we pick water, and from a psychological standpoint we all want to get the most for our money.

Not all beverages are unhealthy, but they all still have containers that place an environmental burden on our planet and our seventh generation. I say we tax everything but water, and let water, the “pristine health beverages for all humans”, be tax exempt from this environmental fee.

#2 The Dental Carry Tax: Why haven’t dentists spoken up on this issue? I’ll bet we could fund dental coverage (and maybe even some bling diamond grills) for all the kids in America and Africa if we taxed both sodas and refined candies. It’s not just the HFCS in sodas that is the problem; it is the acids that erode enamel, with sports drinks like Red Bull being the worst offenders.

#3 The Diabetes Tax: Diabetics cost the health care system $13 dollars per every $1 dollar that is spent on the average healthy person. Now I don’t need a bunch of hate mail from Type I diabetics, although you all know that you shouldn’t be drinking HFCS either, but people in America are literally drinking themselves diabetic with soda consumption.

It is not normal to drink calories unless you are getting them off your mother’s teat. For everyone else, water and herbal tea should be staples while red wine, organic coffee, and pure fruit juice can be enjoyed in moderation in exchange for their beneficial antioxidants.

#4 The Pollution Tax: If you are purchasing a bottle that cannot be recycled or reused then the environment should have the right to tax you!

Plastic bottles in our landfills are a problem that no one within the last century has taken a seriously critical look at. Plastics have really only been on the scene since 1950 and their use has only escalated in the last few decades.

What most people don’t consider with plastics is that we have introduced a new substance into the environment, and in LARGE quantities.

Some constituents such as phthalates, BPA, and other such “xenoestrogens” are already showing carcinogenic qualities as well as issues with endocrine system disruption as their steroidal molecular structure weakly mimics estrogen and thus may be a culprit or contributor to estrogen sensitive cancers.

We are already seeing an increased percentage of females species in smaller species.  Larger species are yet to follow.  As much as I am for equal rights I don’t think that plastics are the best way for women to take over the world!

Think of all the plastic in our landfills that will inevitably break down in a thousand years. The pollution from that will likely wipe out all human existence. But that is just my biochemical and medical opinion…and what do I know after ten years of studying this stuff.

If I get to place a vote on what New York should call this tax, I vote to call it the pollution tax. We need to be drinking filtered water out of our reusable glass jars or Klean Kanteen containers.

#5 The Bad Parenting Tax: If you are feeding your kids tons of sodas and hotdogs, and not actual whole food and balanced nutrition then you should be taxed. If you aren’t doing it that often, then you shouldn’t even notice the increased 20 cents on the beverage.

Hopefully this “parenting tax” will go towards better parent education for parents, and television programs that will both educate and inspire parents to provide more wholesome foods for children. It isn’t just about their childhood, you know?

They are going to grow up with the habits that you teach them. The habits they see in you will influence them and they are going to end up a casualty of the American Health Care Crisis, which is actually a problem caused by the food that graces our kitchen tables…or worse yet, our cars and minivans when we drive through.

#6 The Health Care Burden Tax: Aside from the aforementioned soda consumption is also implicated in osteoporosis and heart disease.  Two GIANT burdens on the health care system.

Americans are soon to likely overtake Finland in the challenge to become the MOST unhealthy country in the world. I am not sure how it is possible that Finland is more unhealthy than us–what are they chain smoking and chugging lard for breakfast?

I’m not sure, but Barack Obama will never be able to fix the health care crisis until he fixes the crisis at every American kitchen table. What we need is not health care what we need is AFFORDABLE healthy food.  Imagine if the billions of dollars wasted on prescription meds were actually funneled in to healthy eating and nutrition programs for all Americans?

We know diet and lifestyle prevent disease. However, our cheap processed food options limit us from practicing true prevention. The Reason why our healthcare system is in crisis is that Americans eat the cheapest food they can possibly find. Is this just the case in strapped families and broke college students? No. We have CEO’s of companies feeding their kids mac and cheese from a box, hot dogs, and dinonuggets when they can easily afford better.

You are what you eat. Set the example for young children now, as at these rates likely one in three children born today will end up diabetic. Europeans shop from produce stands and local delis three times a week. Americans shop at large Warehouses to stock up on bomb shelter food monthly.

This has to change.

Con’s of the Obesity Tax:

• Obesity is a clinical term and diagnosis and it is unfair to tax individuals and stigmatize them.
• The money from the obesity tax will be utilized for balancing the NY state budget and will not directly go towards improving health care, helping obese people lose weight, or anything of the like.
• Many people don’t believe taxing is the answer.  I’m Swedish so I say tax away! You can feel free to send me hate mail on this one if you wish, but I already get enough.  Trust me.

Pro’s of the Obesity Tax:

• Makes unhealthy food products less affordable.
• Media coverage of this tax has brought to national attention the crisis we have with soda consumption.
• Increased awareness of High Fructose Corn Syrup.
• Just like the cigarette tax, if it stops just one person from smoking and developing cancer then the tax is a success.  If we educate one person about drinking calories and they don’t become obese and diagnosed with Type II diabetes, then I call the “Obesity Tax” a success.

What are your thoughts on the Obesity Tax?

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Is Fake Sugar Making You Fat?

By Dr. Scott Olsen, author of “Sugarettes”

How do artificial sweeteners cause obesity?

When people first start to think about a sugar-free diet, they think they should reach for artificial sweeteners. This may not be the best idea.

Here is the crux of the problem with artificial sweeteners: They don’t do what you want them to do: keep your weight down. Artificial sweeteners claim to be all the good taste without the calories, but behind this claim is another reality.

If you ignore the fact that all artificial sweeteners are chemicals foreign to your body and that they have been blamed for many health problems, you still want to avoid them if you are trying to lose weight.

Studies have shown that people using artificial sweeteners actually consume more calories than people who don’t. (1) The reasons behind this are simple: you are tricking your body when you eat these sweeteners and your body doesn’t like to be tricked.

When you eat something sweet (artificial or not) you set off a series of reactions in the body that eventually leads to an increase in insulin. Whenever insulin increases, blood sugar will drop.

So, imagine a situation where you are drinking a sugar-free soda, but no other calories: insulin goes up, your blood sugar goes down, and you then feel hungry. And what do you do when you feel hungry? You eat.

I also think that you are training your body to expect something sweet when you continue to eat artificial sweeteners. People who go on a true non-sugar diet have a readjustment of their tastes buds and adapt to a lower level of sweetness.

People who eat artificial sweeteners never do this. This means whenever full-calorie foods are around, at say, a birthday party, you will be tempted to eat them. This just continues your sugar addiction.

What kinds of sweeteners are HEALTHY for us to use?

The answer to this question is really: none. The reason why there are no sweeteners that are good for us is that sweeteners do not exist in nature (except for honey). All the problems mentioned above are due to super-concentrating a food and creating a sweetener and our bodies are simply not designed to handle.

There are two sweeteners that fall into the category of maybe-not-so-bad, and if you find that you simply cannot do without some form of sweetener, then you can turn to xylitol or Stevia. Of the two, Stevia is much better. Stevia is an herb that has no calories but still has a super-sweet taste.

It takes a while to learn how to cook with it because you only have to use a small amount, but it can be substituted in most places you use sugar. Stevia has the added bonus of actually helping to improve blood sugar control.(2) The only problem with using Stevia is that the addiction to super-sweet tasting foods remains and can lead to eating sugar again.

Xylitol is a sugar that doesn’t raise blood sugar as much as other sugars and has been shown to actually help with cavity prevention.(3) Once again, though, xylitol is a sugar and should be used in moderation.

References:

1.Lavin JH, French SJ, Read NW: The effect of sucrose- and aspartame-sweetened drinks on energy intake, hunger and food choice of female, moderately restrained eaters. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997 Jan;21(1):37-42.
2.Chen TH, Chen SC, et al. Mechanism of the hypoglycemic effect of stevioside, a glycoside of Stevia rebaudiana. Planta Med. 2005 Feb;71(2):108-13.
3.Tanzer JM. Xylitol chewing gum and dental caries. Int Dent J. 1995 Feb;45(1 Suppl 1):65-76.

Recommended Reading: Sugarettes

Dr. Scott Olson is a Naturopathic doctor, expert in alternative medicine, author, and medical researcher. Spurred on by his patients’ struggles with sugar addiction, he was determined to discover how addictive and harmful sugar can be and ways to overcome that addiction.

The result of that study is his book Sugarettes, which details the addictive qualities of sugar and the harm that sugar does to our bodies.

Dr. Scott also maintains a blog which highlights the latest in health and healthy living. Subscribe or stop by to check out his latest research on sugar addiction.

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Truvia – The Sweet Taste of Sugar-Free

I tend to shy away from artificial sweeteners because of the undeniably harmful side-effects they all seem to carry. Even Splenda – touted as “natural” – is nothing more than chlorinated sugar.

I prefer not to ingest chlorine, thank you very much. (And before anyone steps up with the fact that tap water contains chlorine, let me assure you that I’ve taken care of that via my whole house filtration system.)

Chlorine levels commonly found in drinking water have now been linked to certain instances of cancer, which is why I try to avoid drinking it. So I would honestly prefer not to sweeten my food with it.

The only real alternative to artificial sweeteners has been Stevia, which has no side-effects and has been in existence years with no reported problems. My only issue with Stevia is that it tastes “okay”, but not fantastic. So when I heard about a new company, Truvia, who claimed to have produced a more “sugar-like” stevia, I was interested!

The Truvia company has discovered a way to isolate and extract the best tasting part of the leaf, and turn it into a calorie-free sweetener that is chemical-free. I’ve used it sprinkled over fruit and in my oatmeal and thought it tasted exactly like sugar.

When I tried it in my coffee, it was good, but the aftertaste was almost minty – which was not bad, just odd. (I’ll admit that I put way to much sugar in my coffee – so that may be the issue!)

At any rate, this is the ONLY artificial sweetener that actually tastes like sugar, and isn’t laden with chemicals. That makes it a one of a kind product for those looking for a calorie free way to get their sugar fix.

Here’s a recipe using Truvia courtesy of Truvia.com:

Pineapple Orange Banana Frostie

Ingredients

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
½ cup pineapple juice
1 banana
1 cup orange juice
1 cup ice
8 packets Truvia™ natural sweetener

Procedure

Add all ingredients to blender
2. Blend on high until smooth
3. Enjoy

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Press Release: Free Pre-Registration on 30 Day’s Sugar Free

Natural Medicine Press Release: 30 Day’s Sugar Free Challenge starts Jan 1st

Status: Available for immediate re-distribution, creative commons copyright.

Who: Dr. Scott Olson ND, the author of a new book, Sugarettes, claims that sugar is both addictive and harmful, much like cigarettes.

What: Dr. Scott is issuing a challenge to spend 30 Sugar Free Days to draw attention to the burgeoning health crisis created by sugar over-consumption.

When: January is typically a time to focus on weight loss, but the 30 Sugar Free Days Challenge is a call to take the next step and create a weight loss program that is also a health program. The challenge starts on Jan 1st 2009 and pre-registration is free.

Why: Sugar consumption has dramatically increased in the last decades. It is estimated that people in the developed world are now eating somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 of a pound of sugar every day – for a total of over 150 pounds of sugar a year.

While most people deny eating that much sugar, 1/4 pound of sugar a day is actually fairly easy to achieve. Calculating daily sugar consumption requires knowing how much sugar is in a pound: 1 pound of sugar is equal to 120 teaspoons, and 1/4 pound of sugar is equal to 30 teaspoons.

Finding 30 teaspoons of sugar in a typical diet is easy.

For example, each 12-ounce soda contains 8 teaspoons of sugar; it takes only four (small) sodas (or one Super 42-ounce drink) a day to equal 1/4 pound. Not everyone drinks four sodas a day, but one or two are very common. When other sugars found in the diet are added to the soda, such as those found in donuts (8-10 teaspoons), jams (3 teaspoons per tablespoon), cookies (2-4 teaspoons per cookie), candy or other snacks, and the so-called “hidden sugars” found in salad dressing, bread, peanut butter and other foods are added, it is easy to see that large amounts of sugar are being consumed daily.

This sugar consumption is not without its consequences as sugar is at least partly responsible for our epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and premature aging.

How: Sign up at www.OlsonND.com for free professional coaching! Pre-registration before Jan 1st is FREE! Don’t forget to grab your copy of Sugarettes for more motivation on kicking the sugar habit once and for all.

Source: KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Heart Healthy Herbal Cocktail

By Dr. Nicole Sundene

With the hot summer months upon us (well not so much in Seattle today), I thought I would share my favorite herbal iced tea recipe to help you “Unleash your inner fabulosity”.

Mixing fat burning green tea with pomegranate juice is a most delicious delivery system for the heart healthy antioxidants, proanthocyanins, bioflavonoids, and polyphenols that protect our cardiovascular systems from the ravages of inflammation.

Ultimately these gifts from nature work synergistically to preventing heart disease and aging. Green tea is also a known fat burner, and can be consumed copiously by dieters for its thermogenic properties.

Ingredients:

• 8 bags of Green Tea.
• 1 cup pure Pomegranate juice (Trader Joes has a great organic one that I like).

Directions:

• Steep eight tea bags with seven cups of boiling water for about 15 minutes in a Pyrex container.
• Remove tea bags.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Add 1 cup of pomegranate juice (Or to taste).
• Chill and serve over ice cubes.
• Drink several glasses daily to prevent heart disease, and increase fat burning.
• One eight ounce glass is only about 20 calories! If you are trying to get off diet soda, a Villain of the Kitchen Table, this Whole Foods cocktail should be your new best friend! Diet pop actually makes you fat, this recipe will burn fat.

Variations:

• For parties add some festive garnishes: Mint, lemon balm, lavender, fruit, and edible flowers will surely make you look like Martha Stewart gone on a health rampage. Plop a few frozen blueberries or raspberries in there as well to make it look interesting, or chop a bunch of fruit and create an herbal non-alcoholic “sangria” for your guests.
• Black tea is also high in polyphenols for those that don’t care about burning fat, you may also use Oolong, White Tea, or any herbal tea. Have fun with the ingredients you have readily on hand.
• For stress relief, grab a box of herbal stress relief tea like Celestial Seasonings “Tension Tamer” or a “Night Night” tea and enjoy iced with your favorite fruit juice.
• For diarrhea, mix heavily steeped black tea with blueberry juice. The tannins have an astringent quality on the gut that serve to stop diarrhea. For extra tannins, try a bit of cinnamon too if you like!
• Add a pinch of sea salt and you have yourself an herbal fat burning organic sports drink! For long work out sessions you may also want to increase the amount of juice in the recipe.
• For sick children, mixing pure juice and prescribed herbal teas (not caffeinated!) prevents dehydration while also treating illness. Add a pinch of sea salt for electrolytes.

If you have your own favorite herbal iced tea recipe, feel free to share it in the comments section.

Isn’t being healthy so much fun?

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen table!

~ Dr. Nicole Sundene

Naturopathic Physician
www.KitchenTableMedicine.com

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Stevia Soft Drink

I bet you thought you would NEVER in your lifetime hear a Naturopathic Physician sing the praises of Coca-Cola, but because they are going to be the FIRST company out with a new naturally sweetened zero calorie soft drink made out of the herb Stevia, I thought I would do a little promo for them.

Because Aspartame is a Villain of the Kitchen Table, I whole heartedly recommend Stevia as the only currently safe zero calorie sweetener. Stevia has been used for over 200 years in Paraguay, and in my opinion we need to use products that are shown to be safe by research. I am always skeptical of any new chemical that has not passed the test of time, and has safely passed through generations of humans.

Truvia is the brand name of the natural sweetener synthesized from the plant Stevia that will be used in this new Coca Cola product. You can read an article about the use of Stevia based products here.

Otherwise I thought I would share with you all the exciting press release I just received on this product soon to hit the shelves this year: Read more

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Stevia the Alternative Sweetner of Choice!

Wisdom Of The Ancients: Stevia Plus Fiber in the green packets, pictured here, seems to be the best Stevia I have come across. It is great because you can carry the packets in your purse and easily add a half a packet to your coffee or tea….it is very strong so be careful you may not even need that much! 

No, I am not affiliated with them, nor do I profit in any way if you pick some up at your local health food store or buy it online. I am just sharing what seems to work. If you have a favorite Stevia brand feel free to let me know in the comments.

The herb Stevia rebaudiana was named in honor of a Spanish botanist in 1556, P.J. Esteve. The plant was first cultivated in Paraguay and has been used as an herbal sweetener for centuries in South America by the Guarani Indians who have long used the herb to make a tea. Stevia leaves and twigs are commonly sold in local markets and pharmacies. Other names are ‘sweet leaf’ and ‘sweet herb’. An extract is also made of the leaves and flowers.

The sweet-tasting component in stevia is stevioside, which is 30 times sweeter than granulated table sugar, though some extracts are concentrated and can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. In Japan, the herb was approved in 1970. Since then, stevia extracts have come to make up 40% of the sweetener market. In 1991, the United States Food and Drug Administration placed an import ban on stevia, declaring that there was inadequate evidence to establish its safe use in food. In truth, the ban was mainly in response to pressure by the sugar industry and other companies making artificial sweeteners who would lose money if stevia were approved in the U.S. as a sweetener. (In 1988, Nutrasweet grossed 736 million dollars.) The ban was reversed late in 1995, although it’s still required to be sold as a nutritional supplement rather than as a sweetener.

A recent study in 1998, by the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, showed no changes in blood glucose levels when stevia was consumed as a sweetener. In addition, there is evidence reported by the Hiroshima University School of Dentistry to show that stevia may help protect against dental caries/cavities, by suppressing dental bacteria growth. Japanese and Latin American scientists have discovered its value as a tonic and diuretic with the ability to combat mental and physical fatigue, to harmonize digestion, regulate blood pressure and assist in weight loss.

Culinary Uses
Powdered stevia leaf can be made into a simple extract by mixing one teaspoon in a cup of water and allowing it to soak overnight. The liquid extract is much better tasting and easier to use than the powdered form. It only takes a few drops to sweeten a cup of tea. It’s also delicious in yogurt, cereal and baked goods. Stevia’s sweetness is not affected by heat, though it will not caramelize like table sugar.

Nutritional Value Per 100 g Edible Portion: Calories 254, Protein 11.2 g, Fat 1.9 g, Fiber 15.2 g, Calcium 544 mg, Iron 3.9 mg, Magnesium 349 mg, Phosphorus 318 mg, Potassium 1,780 mg, Sodium 89.2 mg, Zinc trace, Manganese 14,700 mg, Beta Carotene 12,440 IU, Thiamine/B1 trace, Riboflavin/B2 trace, Niacin/B3 trace, Ascorbic Acid/C 11 mg.

Source: Bastyr students, edited by Dr. Nicole Sundene

Resources
1. Onstad, Dianne. Whole Foods Companion. 1996. Chelsea Green Publishing Co.
2. Omnivite Nutrition. “OmniBalance with Stevia” informational pamphlet.

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