Ben Fuchs

Ben Fuchs is a nutritional pharmacist from Colorado. He specializes in using nutritional supplements when other healthcare practitioners use toxic pharmaceutical drugs.He is the founder and formulator of Truth Treatment Systems for skin care, host of The Bright Side syndicated radio show, a member of Youngevity's Scientific Advisory Board, health expert and frequent guest on Coast to Coast am with George Noory."The human body is a healing and regenerating system, designed divinely to heal & renew itself on a moment to moment basis." "Take charge of your biochemistry through foods and supplements, rather than allow toxic prescription drugs to take charge of you." ~Ben Fuchs

Apr

2013

Exercise is a Must!

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

To exercise the body doesn’t have to be a complicated affair, it basically has to be a physical stress that is slightly or a bit more than slightly uncomfortable. A walk around the block doesn’t count, because it’s not uncomfortable. It is the discomfort that comes from stress or challenge or exercise that must be respected and exploited if we are to become optimally healthy. The discomfort is not necessarily pain, it simply has to be uncomfortable. Like the kind of feeling you get when you’re on a treadmill and your body feels you to get off but your brain says one more minute. Or when you’re running around the block and your body tells you to stop, but you’re brain says don’t you dare.

It is this discomfort that overrides the body’s breakdown signals, In physics it’s called entropy and it basically means that unless something is growing, it’s breaking down.

Now, to slightly complicate matters, there are two kinds of breakdown. There is the breakdown that is caused acutely or quickly, such as the kind of breakdown that is experienced by muscles when you’re working out. And then there’s the kind of breakdown that occurs chronically over longer periods of time such as the kind that occurs after periods of disuse, malnourishment or long-term, low-key stress. The first kind, the work out, acute quick stress leads to a breakdown that stimulates growth while the longer, low-key kind, I call it the drip-drip drip kind of stress leads to a breakdown that does not result in growth. Rather, it causes a breakdown that leads to atrophy degeneration and accelerated aging.

So, there are two kind of bodily breakdown. One which results in atrophy, which is slow and low-key and long-term; it occurs over days and weeks and months and even years and a second which is adaptive and leads to growth It is quick, sharp and occurs over a period of seconds and minutes. We want to be avoiding the first and exploiting the second.

You see, when we were growing up, from a genetic point of view, in the African savannah 150 thousand years ago physical exercise told the body, from a biochemical and genetic perspective that spring was coming and it was time to grow. On the other hand when fall was arriving the body and its growth began to slow down, and fat was fat was stored rather than burned. So in essence working out to the point of discomfort or stress tells the body that it’s springtime and it’s youthful while sitting our butts tells the body that it’s winter and it’s old. So, unless we want to be cold and old we’ve got get some stimulation going.

And remember, you don’t need to get a full fledged gym membership or some fancy DVD workout programs. All you need to do is move your body parts to the point of discomfort. Lifting suitcases or stepping up and down on a stool are great exercises as is brisk, (BRISK!) walk around the block or in the park. Of course sports are great too as is swimming, but we’ve always got to be keeping in mind the other half of our continuum. Remember the floor of the triangle of health has a stress side and a rest side and our growth occurs during the recovery or rest side. So understanding the rest that occurs after stress is critical.

That’s the problem with the drip-drip-drip kind of stress. There’s no recovery or rest phase, thus there is no growth. It’s the see-saw balance between rest and stress that accounts for the growth. For those of you who like biochemistry, what is occurring is when the body is under stress it releases chemicals called CYTOKINES. Some of these cytokines lead to breakdown and inflammation and others lead to adaptation and growth. Well it turns out that inflammatory and decay cytokines are stimulated by long-term, low key stress, while acute, quick-acting stress triggers the release of adaptive growth cytokines and that’s what we’re looking for. As long as there is adequate rest and nutrition, you will always get a hypertrophic, growth response from this kind of “exercise” stress.

Apr

2013

Incredible Immune System

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

By making a few simple changes and by applying some good old fashioned mind power, we can begin immediately to change our health for the better. And it doesn’t matter whether our health concern is weight loss, acne, high blood pressure or even cancer. Because of the body’s remarkable ability to heal itself, and make no mistake about, the body does indeed heal itself. For example, did you know that according to scientists at Texas Tech University and Cornell University, allergy sufferers are far less likely to contract cancer than everyone else? That’s because allergies activate the body’s healing and defense mechanisms which are collectively known as the immune system, and the activated immune system not only responds to allergies but also helps fight cancers too. When you get a cut, thousands and thousands of germs and viruses can get into your body, if you get splinter, now you’ve got a big invader in your body. No problem! The immune system kicks in, destroys the germs and viruses, and walls off the splinter and seals the wound. If it happens to miss something which it does occasionally, no problem. The immune system kicks in with a second phase of activity and you may see some inflammation and pus which is nothing more than evidence of a functioning immune system. Every day we swallow and inhale many thousands of germs and viruses and toxins and pollutants and these too are destroyed by the immune system. In the unlikely event a germ or virus gets through, we catch a cold or the flu or some kind of infection and once again this is nothing more than evidence that the immune system is doing its job in a kind of phase two fashion. Most of the time it will eventually it takes care of the infection and we’ll get over our cold or flu or whatever.You see folks this defense mechanism we call the immune system is charged with healing the body from many of the assaults that we turn to doctors and drugs to treat. The immune system is responsible for fighting colds flues, infections, sinusitis, sore throats, bacteria, viruses even cancers. And my friends that is without needing doctors appointments, emergency room visits, insurance companies or anti-bionics. The immune system simply needs to be cultivated with good nutritional and health practices. If you’re one of those folks that seems to get sick every time there’s a “bug’ going around or if you’re paranoid about touching door handles or that neighbor or employee in the next cubicle with sneezy, runny nose or hacking cough, the bright side is you no longer have to be concerned. If it’s taking you two or three rounds of different more potent antibiotic to get rid of a cold that used to be gone after one round or if you’re even thinking about getting the flu vaccine, the bright side is you’re no longer going to need a shot OR antibiotics. If you’re kids are getting chronic ear infections, sore throats or stomach flu, the bright side is that can all be put behind you. Sure there is a time and a place for anti biotic medicine and heroic intervention and as a pharmacist I am well versed in the importance of emergency medicine or the miracles provided by anti biotic treatment. Antibiotics have saved countless millions of lives in last 80 years and if you have a nasty pneumonia or staph infection there’s no better way to treat it than with a couple weeks of penicillin or Cipro. The debate is not about the importance of antibiotics, it’s about our dependence on them. You see, the trick to wellness is to support the immune system so our bodies don’t reach the point where we need the anti-biotics. You see what I’m saying? Our immune system, when it’s strong and vital should be able to take care of most common bacteria and viruses.. so the trick here is to commit ourselves to lifestyle choices that support our bodies abilities to withstand these assaults. To support our immune systems with our choices and habits so that they are robust and vigorous and perform their divinely mandated role of defending our cells and tissues and organs. So they can defend us. But in order to make appropriate choices we first have to understand we we’re dealing with here. So lets talk a little bit about the immune system.The immune system simple put is the defense department of the body charged with protecting us from invaders from and from within. The immune system is everywhere in the body , it’s not localized to one part of the body or one organ system, but rather it is composed of billions of specialized cells that float around throughout the body especially in the skin, nostrils, lungs, digestive tract and the linings of our internal organs. Some cells float around as patrolling soldiers others stand guard in the linings of our blood vessels and organs. Mucous plays a critical role in the functioning of the immune system, by trapping and blocking the effects of dust, allergens, bacteria, viruses and other invaders. The skin is one of the most important components of the immune system and in a way you could even refer to the skin itself as an immune organ. Many so-called skin diseases like psoriasis, eczema, rashes and even many instances of acne are really nothing more than the activation of the skins immune response. And by immune response, I simply mean a defense response, sort of like those sirens that go off when a city is being attacked by enemy bombs.

One of the main routes or highways for immune cells to travel through is a vast network of vessels and nodes, totaling hundreds of miles. Collectively called the lymphatic system, most people are hardly aware of this critical transport system for the body’s defense department. The lymphatic circulation is similar to the blood circulation except instead of blood it carries a white substance called lymph. Lymph fluid bathe all the cells with nutrients and oxygen and sugars and then it is re-circulated throughout the lymph vessel system. The Lymphatic system also acts as a drainage system and cellular debris, bacteria, viruses and other invaders are all carried and drained away by lymph fluid. One problem with lymph circulation is unlike blood circulation which is pumped throughout the body by the action of the heart, the lymph has no pump. It depends on muscle motion for its flow. This is one reason why exercise is so important. If you’re overweight or sedentary you can end up with lymphatic congestion where the lymph fluid isn’t flowing like it should. This can lead to cells not getting the nutrients that they need or, even worse, lymphatic congestion can cause bacteria and viruses and other toxins to pool up. The combination of cells not being nourished and toxins building up can cause metabolic disorders, infections and accelerated aging. Get yourself a rebounder, a mini trampoline you can buy at an exercise equipment store or on-line. Its one of the best ways to make sure lymphatic fluid is moving around as it should. The up dand down jumping motion is ideal for moving lymph fluid around. Get some exercise, go to the gym. A brisk walk can help. You can even have lymphatic massage done, where a health professional, physically manipulates the lymphatic vessels to break up blockages. Drinking enough fluids can also help to dilute lymph, thereby improving circulation. As lymph fluid flow through the body it stops at many thousands of different, collecting points, called nodes, lymph nodes which are small bean shaped complexes that act to filter the lymph and kill the bad guys, the viruses and germs and poisons. Lymph nodes also trap cancers and produce white blood cells the main solders of the immune sytem. The white blood cells, technically called lymphocytes are divided into two main classes T and B cells are the true superstars of the bodies defense system. They travel around the blood, mostly in a resting state until they’re activated by the enemy at which point they pump up chemicals like anti-bodies (love that word!) that prepare the enemy for destruction. Can you begin to see how cool the human body is? These T and B cells are also produced in the bone marrow. B cells stay in the bone but T cells are passed on to the thymus a gland near the top of the lungs and behind the breastbone. Both T cells and b cells travel through the lymphatic system and the lymph nodes.

The main lymph nodes are in the armpits, the groin, under the jaw, behind the ears and both sides of the neck where your doctor will check for swelling if you’ve got a cold or some kind of infection. If you have some kind of infection or abscesses or even cancer you may end up with swollen or painful lymph nodes. Pressing on a lymph node and feeling swelling or pain or warmth or tenderness means something’s up, because usually you can’t tell where a lymph node is. A major concentration of lymphatic tissue is in the spleen, which makes houses white blood cells among other things.

The spleen also acts as a filter for foreign cells and other invaders. If you have you’re spleen removed you’re going to get sick more often unless you take extra care of your immune system.

A major component of the lymphatic system is the digestive tract. So called GALT, gut associated lymphatic tissue is located throughout the digestive system and in fact makes the intestine the largest mass of lymphatic tissue in the body. The tonsils and adenoids and the appendix as well as the intestines all contain lymphatic tissue that is associated with the digestive system.

The lymphatic system is so important for the immune system that it can pretty much be considered your immune circulatory sytem. Keeping your kidneys and bowels operating properly is critical for lymphatic health. And anything you can do to improve the elimination of waste from the body is going to play an important role in maintaining a healthy lymphatic system and immune system in general. One of the best things you can do to make sure that your lymph and immune system is operating optimally is get yourself on whey protein. First of all whey protein can have beneficial effects on the good bacteria that live in the colon. Good bacteria help process toxins and germs and they improve bowel function and stool formation. These can all reduce the amount of poisons in the lymph and may help improve lymphatic congestion. Whey protein also contains anti bodys that can support our own anti bodys again removing some of the work load on our immune system. Whey protein is a wonderful source of glutathione which is a powerful chemical that can detoxify poisons and support their elimination from the body. Whey protein is also a great source other wonderful molecules that kill germs and fight diseases. Lactoferrin, Lactoglobulins, Lactoperoxidases, Lysozymes, these are all tremendously important substances for supporting immune health and they are found in large amounts in whey protein. Interestingly, as important as these substances are, some people may have reactions to them, and these may account for some of the allergies some people have to whey protein. But, if you don’t have a problem with it, you are absolutely crazy if you’re not supplementing with stuff on a regular basis. In fact, whey protein shouldn’t be a supplement to your diet , it should actually be a component of your diet. It should probably be your main source of protein, as long as it doesn’t result in an allergic or digestive reaction. It’s cheap, it’s filling, it’s a great source of protein, and it’s incredibly important for supporting immune and digestive health.

Apr

2013

Your Heart

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

The human heart beats over 100,000 times a day, 40 million times a year 3.5 billion times in a typical lifetime, pumping blood over 60,000 miles of circulatory highway. It generates an electrical field 50 times stronger than the brain, that can be measured several feet outside the body. It’s got brain cells in it, it produces hormones and most of us never even give this incredible biological system a thought. That is, unless it gets sick. And, unfortunately, the odds of that happening are higher than you may think. Heart disease, is now the leading cause of death in America and as of 2006, 81 million people had some form of it, whether it be hypertension, angina, stroke, MI or heart failure. That’s almost one out of 4 Americans. Over 1/3 of deaths are caused by heart disease, so clearly this is something we want to be looking at. The good news is overall mortality has been declining as we begin to understand the impact of our lifestyle choices on our circulatory systems and our heart. The good news is that as our understandings around improve, so can our overall mortality. In a study of almost 43,000 men that was published in the journal “Circulation” it was found that men who adopted all of the low-risk behaviors were 87 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease during the study period compared to men who adopted none of the behaviors. Furthermore researchers estimated that 62 percent of all “coronary events” that occurred during the study period may have been prevented if all members of the study population adopted the lifestyle factors. Now folks we don’t need research and we don’t need studies to prove to us that the health of the heart as with the health of the body can be enhanced by lifestyle choices. That means exercise, watching what we eat, no smoking, relaxation and of course nutritional supplementation. With an emphasis on nutritional supplementation! Indeed, there’s no organ system in the body that has evidenced the powers of nutritional supplementation more than the cardiovascular system. You want some tips for your ticker? OK well, here ya’ go! There’s probably no more important group of nutrients for your heart than the B-complex. Now probably most of you have heard about the B-complex, but here’s a couple of things you probably didn’t know. You never want to take individual B vitamins without taking the group. The B-complex is, as the name implies a complex. They work together. While sometimes it’s instructive to talk about each of the B-vitamins and their roles individually, it important to never lose track of the fact that they appear in nature together, and they work together. They each support each other. So if , for example you want to work with blood fats, triglycerides and cholesterol and your taking Vitamin B3, niacin which has been shown to have some dramatic effects on lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, that doesn’t mean that you don’t need Vitamins B1 Thiamine, Folic acid and Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B5 among others of the of the B complex. They all work together as a team. Same idea if you’re taking Vitamin B12 for energy or as anti depressant or Vitamin B5 for treating acne. Each component of the complex acts to support each of the other components. And here’ another point to keep in mind. When your body attempts to excrete a particular B-vitamin it tends to do it in a complex. So if, for example, you’re taking Vitamin B3 for your triglycerides, when your body excretes the B#, it will do it with any B1, B2, B5, B12 etc that’s in the system. If you’re not taking additional amounts of these vitamins, you can actually cause deficiencies. So make sure you’re taking the entire B-complex. And taking it in generous amounts. It’s water soluble so you’re gonna be urinating out what’s not used right away, so you’re levels may not be where you need them to be if you’re only taking a B-vitamin pill once or twice a day. That’s why I like my patients to be using B-complex powders and liquids that can be sipped on throughout the day. We want to be careful about using nutrients like we use pharmaceuticals. Oh you have arthritis, take niacin. Menstrual cramps take B6, you’re depressed take B12. That’s called allopathic nutrition and it’s just another way we try to monetize good nutrition. Sure Thiamin, Vitamin B1 helps with insulin and blood sugar. Riboflavin, Vitamin B2 deficiency is associated with migraine headaches. B6, pantothenic acid is great for stabilizing excess skin oils, B6 is well known for helping woman who are experiencing female problems, be they estrogenic cancers, premenstrual breakout or morning sickness. And of course the well documented link between mood and energy levels and Vitamin B12. But remember friends, they’re all working together as a complex and they are excreted together as a complex. And they are found in nature as a complex. So, you want to make sure, even if you’re taking high doses of one B-vitamin for a specific reason, that you’re taking generous amount of the entire complex.

Then there’s that good old standby Vitamin C. Vitamin C is like that spouse or relationship that you have that you just don’t appreciate, cause it’s there very day. You see most of us get enough Vitamin C to prevent full blown deficiency disease. This makes us take our relationship to Vitamin C for granted. What I mean to say is that while we may have an OK relationship with Vitamin C, a relationship that keeps us out of dramatic trouble, hardly anyone gets the amount of Vitamin C that’s required for optimal functioning of multiple systems in the body. Vitamin C is so critical for the functioning of a cell, that it actually has a doorway on the membrane of a cell so that it can access the inside of cells. That is an amazing fact that underscores the vital nature of this powerful nutrient that most of us don’t appreciate or get nearly enough of. Dr. Mathias Rath has written extensively about this in several books including one with the very catchy title: “Why Animals Don’t Get Heart Attacks, But People Do”. Dr. Rath, who is a highly renowned physician and a colleague of the famous Vitamin C pioneer Dr. Linus Pauling says that animals don’t get heart attacks because they produce large amounts of Vitamin C. That’s right, for some unknown reason only humans, gorillas and certain types of guinea pigs don’t make Vitamin C. All the other creatures in the animal kingdom make large amounts of this vital nutrient. Under normal circumstances the daily amount produced by animals , adjusted for comparison to a 150lb human, is somewhere between 3,000 mg and 15,000 mg, with an average of 5,400 mg. And yet the RDA for adults in this country is 60mg. Are you kidding me??!! 60mg??!! A mouse produces the adjusted equivalent of 2300mg a day and when it’s under stress it produces the equivalent of 20,000 grams a day!!! So now, let me ask you something do you think it’s possible that maybe the typical American who’s not supplementing and getting his Vitamin C from arrange juice (a glass of orange juice, by the way, has around 80 or 90 mg of Vitamin C) may be deficient. And given all the roles Vitamin C plays in the body, especially in cardiovascular health, you can begin to C why we may have a hidden nutritional deficiency going on here. And by way, so much for getting all your nutrients from food! Vitamin C is absolutely critical for the production of collagen. Without it you simply can’t make collagen. And without enough you simply can’t make enough collagen. Collagen is required for vascular health, because blood vessels maintain their strength and elasticity largely on the strength of this vital protein. In fact, when collagen in arteries and veins becomes old or weakened that’s when we’re at highest risk of stroke aneurysms and other cardiovascular issues. Oh, by the way, on of the bodies mechanisms for patching up weak vessels is to use cholesterol as a glue. That’s why elevated cholesterol levels sometimes, not always, but sometimes precede heart attacks. And please pay no attention to the silliness around cholesterol lowering drugs and reduction of heart disease. The facts according to the Framingham study, which is a 50 year study that’s produced over 1000 scientific papers are: now listen up here: for each “1% mg/dL drop in cholesterol there was an 11% increase in coronary and total mortality”. So, don’t be talking to me about lowering cholesterol to protect the heart. I’ve said it many times on this program: to poison the body to stop it from producing chemistry is just plain BAD MEDICINE and BAD SCIENCE!! If you cholesterol levels are high there are simple and natural ways to lowering them that do not involve drugs. Permit me to repeat: You don’t need cholesterol lowering drugs! We’ll address that whole can of worms in a posting to come…

Apr

2013

Bone and Tissue Building Nutrients

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

After breaking a bone, or being involved in any surgical procedure, making sure there are enough anabolic (building) nutrients present in the body, can be an important strategy for accelerating the healing process. The same is true for anabolic requirements arising from exercise or simply to slow down the aging process. The following are some important nutrients that can help speed up healing, improve tissue building associated with exercise and help stave off some of the breakdown affects associated with aging.

SILICA POWDER – 100 to 150 mg a day

Silica is essential to skeletal development and aids in mineralization of bone. Essential for both bone hardness and flexibility. Improves collagen production.

MSM – 3-5 gm a day

Contains digestible, non-toxic sulfur a major requirement for bone, cartilage, and collagen building. Sulfur is also a critical component of detoxification enzymes.

CALCIUM/MAGNESIUM – 2gm/1gm a day

Primary mineral components of bone. Involved in growth enzymes.

ZINC PICOLINATE – 50mg /day

Mineral component of bone. Mineral component of protein-inducing enzymes involved in growth. Stimulates healing and healthy testosterone synthesis.

WHEY PROTEIN- 30gm/ 2-5 times a day

Stimulates growth of new tissue. Stimulates bone growth.

EFAs – 3-9 Capsules/day

Initiates tissue growth activity. Maintains circulatory fluidity.

BROMELAIN/PAPAIN- 1-2 gm/day

Helps dissolves scar tissue. Accelerate healing, reduces swelling, bruising and pain associated with inflammation

VITAMIN K2 100mcg/day

Aids in bone remineralization.

SUNLIGHT (for VITAMIN D) – lots but don’t burn

Aids calcium deposition in bones.

VITAMIN D3 – 2500-5000 i.u./day

Aids calcium deposition in bones.

B-COMPLEX (especially FOLIC ACID) 1/8 teaspoonful /3 times a day Stimulates tissue growth processes. Important in assimilation of dietary nutrients.
VITAMIN E- 400iu/day

Accelerates healing and tissue regenerative processes.

VITAMIN C – 1000mg/3 times day

Accelerates collagen production. Facilitates tissue development, healing processes.

SPIRULINA/KELP POWDER – 2-3 teaspoonsful/day

Important source of digestible, absorbable minerals.

BOVINE CARTILAGE – 1-2 gm/day

Accelerates healing, tissue growth.

GLUCOSAMINE/CHONDROITAN – -2 gm/day
VITAMIN A – 20,000 iu/day

COLLOIDAL MINERALS – 2 oz/day

Important source of absorbable minerals for bone/tissue growth, enzyme systems.

BONE SOUP – as much as possible beef/chicken/fish bones soaked in water with veggies
HYALURONIC ACID 200-400mg/day

Important for anabolic support and connective tissue (collagen) building.

Apr

2013

Sugar is the Adversary!

By Ben Fuchs | Pharmacist Ben

When it comes to good health and nutrition there are clearly many hurdles and adversaries that must be addressed and conquered. However, a strong case can be made, that no adversary is more formidable or needs to be addressed more that the one known as SUGAR! Now aside from the fact the body really has a hard time processing sugar and aside from the fact that the body’s insulin response to sugar can be as problematic as the sugar itself, (we’ll be talking more about that later), there is the whole subject of sugar’s effects on the skin.

You see sugar explodes, witness the sugar we call ethanol that is used to run cars. Think of a marshmallow when it’s lit in a campfire, poof!. This reaction that sugar has with burning is actually an important part of biochemistry and how energy is produced in the body. Sugar in the form of glucose reacts with oxygen and a type of burning takes place and that’s how we get the energy to blink an eye, think a thought, wiggle a toe and generally move about the world.

The problem starts when there’s too much sugar around and this burning (which is technically called oxidation) goes out of control. Then you have these burnt sugar particles (I’m not being technical here) floating around. These burnt sugar particles are very reactive and one of their favorite things to react with is…protein, as in, the body’s protein. That means every single part of the body is at risk. In fact every single cell of the body is at risk to damage from this burning process which is called glycation. And by the way fructose is a lot more susceptible to glycation than glucose. Which is another reason to stay away from high fructose corn syrup.

Fructose is also associated with elevated uric acid levels and all the fructose we’re ingesting may be one of the reasons why gout, which is a type of arthritis is becoming such a problem. Incidence of gout is increasing and it’s especially increasing among women. Because of the chemical nature of fructose, it is more likely to react with proteins than glucose, some studies say 10 times more likely.

Now, cell receptors are made of protein and because they’re the link to hormones like insulin and thyroid hormone and digestive hormones, you can see how this glycation process, which remember is the result of eating too many potatoes and Twinkies can wreak havoc on multiple systems in the body. So you’re stomach’s bothering you or your thyroid’s not working like it should for example and you go to the doctor, what’s he or she gonna do? Probably put you on some drug like Synthroid or Lomotil to do what? To TREAT THE SYMPTOM!!! And that’s a classic example of why our medical model doesn’t work. Now glycation can affect a lot of other biological systems.

Take the vasculature. Because blood vessels are in large part composed of proteins like collagen, glycation issues can weaken blood vessels leading to cardiovascular issues like stroke and aneurysms. The body attempts to patch up weak vasculature with cholesterol, so now you’ve got plaques. And what’s pharmaceutical solution? Of course it’s a statin drug that stops the liver from making cholesterol. Or some well-meaning medical person will tell you to stop eating fatty or cholesterol-rich foods. But the problem isn’t cholesterol. That’s just the symptom. Once again if you back track far enough upstream you’ll find the problem is very likely too much sugar. It’s a dietary problem. It’s a food problem. It’s a lifestyle problem. It’s a choice problem.

And that’s the good news, that’s The bright side! We’re not sick or defective, we’re simply making the wrong choices. Glycation of the vasculature in the extremities, the fingers and toes and hands and feet can cause neuropathies, nerve pain and can even lead to amputations. Glycation in the small blood vessels in the eye can ultimately lead to blindness. And diabetes is a well known cause of both amputations and blindness. When it comes to the skin, which is my area of expertise, now you’ve got glycation-caused accelerated skin aging. That means photodamage and wrinkles. Wrinkles are caused by breakdowns in skin proteins and one of the leading causes is sugar glycation. If you’re eating the standard American diet of soda pop and desserts grains and fruits, and you’re worried about wrinkles and skin aging it’s not gonna do you much good to stay out of the sun. And I don’t if they’re whole or processed or whatever, grains are a major source of sugar . Especially corn! Glycation and sugar reactions are far more dangerous to skin health than any reasonable exposure to the sun.

And then there’s cellulite. One of the causes of orange-peel cellulite, and there are several factors involved, but one of the things that happens is connective tissue, in other words proteins, like collagen break down. Connective tissue, which is located in the bottom layers of the skin, which is called the dermis, acts to separate fat into little compartments or chambers. When sugar attacks, glycates connective tissue it degrades it ,and the fat can now leak out. And viola, you’ve got your wonderful orange-peel, cottage cheese look.

So, while there are many factors involved in the formation of cellulite in many ways it can be considered a connective tissue disorder. So if you’re eating lots of glycating sugars it doesn’t matter how much cellulite cream you put on. There’s lots of nutrients you can take to protect yourself from the ravages of sugar and glycation and we’ll be talking a lot about specific supplements today and in the weeks to come but for now please understand for skin health, connective tissue health, circulatory health, for looking good and feeling good, we’ve got to begin to address the impact of the choices we make around the foods we eat.