The 30 day NO High Fructose Corn Syrup Challenge!

So we've seen all the advertisements on tv basically pleading the public to see that "sugar is sugar, you're body can't tell the difference" while studies are being done and revealed that sugar is NOT sugar. As of 2010 the corn industry has petitioned the FDA to change the term "High Fructose Corn Syrup" to "Corn Sugar", but if sugar is sugar, why? Marketing....

According to Dr. Michael Rosin Phd. stated:

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a sweetener that is found in many processed foods, can strongly affect your brain's satiety center---in a bad way.

Here's how it works: When you eat calories from healthy sources, they turn off you desire to eat by inhibiting production of NPY (a chemical that decreases metabolism and increases appetite), or by producing more CART (a chemical that increases metabolism and reduces appetite). But high-fructose corn syrup, which sweetens our soft drinks and salad dressings, isn't seen by your brain as a regular food.

Because your brain doesn't see any of the thousands of HFCS-containing foods as excess calories or as NPY supressants, your body wants you to keep eating (which means that even low-fat foods can have extremely bad consequences, calorie-and appetite-wise). Author of "You on a Diet"

So January 1, 2012 I eliminated high fructose corn syrup from my diet. I did not however eliminate sugar like honey, raw sugar and fruit. The first week I was cranky and dieing for a soda but I kept going. The second week I felt the bloating going down, one because I stopped eating out which reduced sodium intake, HFCS and MSG they put in foods. The third week my cravings were still there but replaced them with fruit, cravings satisfied. By the fourth week my joints stopped hurting and I actually felt calmer & my sleep improved. The fifth week, I can now see habitual eating vs. the actual hunger eating. Everytime I get a craving I asked myself. "Am I actually hungry or is it just habit to munch?" As soon as I realized most was habit eating I focused on listening to my body to eat only when hungry. I feel AMAZING!

When I had HFCS in my diet I was hungry ALL THE TIME, so I ate. Now I have found I am no longer  hungry all the time and that a bowl of strawberries and honey satisfies the sweet craving wonderfully. I've lost weight so far doing nothing and the rest will keep coming off. My actual sugar intake after calculating with HFCS & sugar vs. NO HFCS & sugar dropped from 170mg to 50mg per day! That's huge because it's in everything on the grocery store shelf.

Now this all could be just a placebo effect that I'm feeling but no joint pain, not hungry all the time and loosing weight, Ill take it. So I ask everyone to try the no HFCS challenge (cause it's a challenge at first). You have nothing to loose but feeling like crap all the time. 

The only way you'll know your not healthy, is to feel healthy.  

What is your idea of Healthy Eating?

When I ask people this question I get alot of the same replies.

"Organic foods"

"Not eating chips, sodas and candy."

"No more hot dogs..."

"Wheat bread, juice vs. soda and organic milk"

"McDonalds salad and yougurt with a diet Coke"

I was at the grocery store the other day and the checker asked me if this particular bag of chips I was buying were good.

"They are very good" I said.

"Eating healthy is expensive. I wish I could do it." She replied.

Organic meats, farm fresh produce & dairy products can be expensive you're right, but what about the winter months or regions of the country where people don't have access to those things? What we are left with; the grocery store.

Companies are getting smarter about advertising because people are taking notice of the chemicals in their foods and are demanding healthier alternatives. With the ever expanding shelves at the grocery store, how do you know which peanut butter to buy? Wouldn't you think peanut butter was just, peanut butter? Who has time to read every label especially when you're not sure about what you're looking for. We are seeing labels pop up everywhere "Natural", "No MSG", "Whole grain", "Sugar Free", etc. Beware, most of the time these are just marketing flags to bring your attention to their product. The FDA has NO regulations on the term "Natural", yet. The only way we can know is to read the label and have a basic idea of what we're looking for.

Everytime I go to the store I read a few more labels. This is very time consuming if you read every label. Once you know which pasta sauce, yogurt and chips to buy you can move on to other products you might want to try or that you're wondering about. 

Start simple. Start with things like high fructose corn syrup and sugars. You'll be suprised to find it in everything, even things like refried beans, canned tomatoes and breading mix for your chicken breasts. And yes, it's in some big name peanut butters reading "Natural" in HUGE letters. If you must choose go for sugar vs. it's chemical alternative.

Then you can move on to things like MSG & all of its other names, colors and preservatives like BHT. The FDA and many people will claim that these things are safe, ok maybe they are, but what if they're not? The FDA has also approved many things that get ripped off shelves when a large enough population gets sick.

Get used to reading labels. You being healthy & feeling good is the most important thing on this planet! If you're unsure of what something is, look for an alternative with simple ingredients that you know. When in doubt eat simple foods like meat, vegetables, fruits and water. Food is medicine and should heal us, energize us and make us feel happy.