Author Archives: Gary Fettke

Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes (and the whole population)

Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Diabetes (and the whole population)Get your Triglycerides down and pay a lot less attention to cholesterol levels.'Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).We demonstrated a direct association between long-term mortality risk and triglyceride levels.'Triglyceride levels are an indirect measure of the small dense Low Density Lipoproteins (small dense LDL's) that are often known as the 'bad cholesterol' particles.The production of small dense LDL's is directly from Fructose consumption and indirectly from carbohydrate (glucose) intake.Too much Fructose and Carbohydrate consumption, whether or not you have Diabetes, will result in elevated Triglycerides.The Triglyceride measurement on your cholesterol or lipid test is the most relevant. If you can get it below 0.8 mmol/l then you will have virtually no small dense LDL's and that means cutting your risk profile for heart disease dramatically.How to do it? Cut back on the sugar and refined carbohydrates. LCHF is here to stay long term.Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseasehttp://www.cardiab.com/content/13/1/135Cholesterol testing athttp://www.nofructose.com/introduction/other-stuff/cholesterol-testing/

Get your Triglycerides down and pay a lot less attention to cholesterol levels.

‘Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

We demonstrated a direct association between long-term mortality risk and triglyceride levels.’

Triglyceride levels are an indirect measure of the small dense Low Density Lipoproteins (small dense LDL’s) that are often known as the ‘bad cholesterol’ particles.

The production of small dense LDL’s is directly from Fructose consumption and indirectly from carbohydrate (glucose) intake.

Too much Fructose and Carbohydrate consumption, whether or not you have Diabetes, will result in elevated Triglycerides.

The Triglyceride measurement on your cholesterol or lipid test is the most relevant. If you can get it below 0.8 mmol/l then you will have virtually no small dense LDL’s and that means cutting your risk profile for heart disease dramatically.

How to do it? Cut back on the sugar and refined carbohydrates. LCHF is here to stay long term.

Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
http://www.cardiab.com/content/13/1/135

Cholesterol testing at
http://www.nofructose.com/…/other-stuff/cholesterol-testing/

Too much sugar makes you ‘older’

shutterstock_205906498As we age our DNA changes. It can be measured and is a predictor of aging. The telomeres are parts of our genes and they shorten as we age.

“The researchers found that the amount of sugar-sweetened soda the participants consumed was associated with the length of their telomeres. They calculated that consuming 20 ounces of soda every day (600 mls of soft drink) was associated with around 4.6 years of additional biological aging, based on how telomere length shortens with chronological aging.”

One can of soft drink per day or 2 glasses of fruit juice will get you to that level of intake.

Who would have thought that we would be criticising sugar this much when I was growing up and having that intake?

“This finding held regardless of age, race, income and education level. Telomere shortening starts long before disease onset. Further, although we only studied adults here, it is possible that soda consumption is associated with telomere shortening in children, as well.”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/283994.php

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25322305

http://www.nofructose.com/food-ideas/food-principals/

Supermarkets getting savvy for parents shopping with children.

10744887_10152649414918673_1334057758_n Ever tried going through a checkout with children and all those bright colours and sugar laden bribes. It’s all marketing and setting parents up for the obvious tantrums that ensue.

Most junk food is coloured brightly to attract your attention. It’s there to distract you and get your attention. The hungry colours are red and yellow. That’s part of why McDonalds has been so successful.

Fruit in nature does the same thing. At the time of plenty it ripens into those bright colours, gets our attention and then we are attracted to it. We know that at those times the fruit is high in fructose and glucose and that can be converted into fat for winter storage.

The fruit advertises itself to us. It wants it’s seed propagated and we want it’s sugar. Brilliant marketing in nature.

The supermarkets do the same thing with colours and brightness. It’s part of the lighting aspect of shops. Sales go down if the lighting is poor, particularly in food outlets.

Society mimics nature.

Now the supermarkets can see another angle by providing a sugar free checkout. Brilliant!

Learn more about fruit at http://www.nofructose.com/food-ideas/fruit/

 

Hospital Food Industry Failed on my Report Card

Melbourne Hospital Food Industry 15 10 2014 NoFructose_372I spoke to the Institute of Hospitality in Healthcare National Conference yesterday in Melbourne.

I ‘think’ the talk was a success and some inroads were made.

There were some open minds present and productive discussions with some hospital food industry leaders was made. This is not to say change will occur quickly but steps in the right direction did occur. Continue reading →

The Cheese Wedding Cake – Symbolic of Good Health

Gary Fettke No Fructose's photo.

Belinda and I are a little busy today. I am officially Father of the Bride and just a little proud

Our elder daughter Kate marries Edward today and what a celebration of family and life it should be. A distraction from life’s madness in the grandest terms.

The women in my life keep it all interesting with all of the plans coming to fruition today.

I have been contemplating ‘that’ wedding cake. The contemporary fruit cake is not that traditional.

One of the first traditions began in Ancient Rome where bread was broken over the bride’s head to bring good fortune to the couple. In Medieval England cakes were stacked as high as possible for the bride and groom to kiss over. If they successfully kissed over the stack they were guaranteed a prosperous life together. That’s where the tiers of cake came from as well as the French Croquembouche.

Sharing the cake is symbolic of fertility and good fortune.

So in the modern era with the association of high Fructose laden cake being linked to poor health, infertility and overwhelming health costs I have made certain that plenty of cheese is being served as my ‘symbolic’ gesture for their good health, fertility and prosperity.

Let the celebration of life continue.

https://www.facebook.com/393958287365295/photos/a.407869679307489.94446.393958287365295/714236205337500/?type=3

Am I part of a secret funded society? Pathetic effort from the food industry.

Gary Fettke No Fructose's photo.

This is a new low point slur accusation. In an online blog this week the Low Carb Down Under group are ‘accused’ of being sponsored by some undeclared secret benefactor with an agenda.

It must come as a rude shock to the vocal nutritionist Bill Shrapnel that a group of like minded individuals have an altruistic bent and might do something for the benefit of society.

It might surprise Mr Shrapnel who has numerous links and sponsorship agreements with the food industry that I buy my own airline ticket and pay for my own accommodation to attend and speak at these events. This includes flights to Melbourne and New Zealand this year!

Tim Noakes has asked me to speak at the World Summit in South Africa in February. I am paying my own way to that event. I think it unlikely that the Food Industry are going to write me a sponsorship cheque for that.
www.lowcarbhighfatexperts.com

Dr Rod Tayler, a Melbourne Anesthetist and a clear LCHF proponent continues to invite people together. We have a shared goal of raising awareness of a modern approach to nutrition.

We can all see that that the ‘Food Pyramid’ is killing us and that the food industry has so much vested financial interest in continuing the status quo. We are trying to change that.

The Low Carb Down Under talks had very spartan beginnings and it is the ticket sales which fund the events and the future events. So, who funds the Low Carb Down Under group? You do.

To be completely honest with financial declarations. We all went out to dinner after the last Melbourne meeting and talked LCHF and the next meetings. That meal of meat and veggies was paid for by the event tickets!

If this is the type of campaign we have against us in raising awareness of eating well, then all I can say is that is about as pathetic as it can be.

http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?p=1599#more-1599

Shrapnel’s declared Food Industry sponsorship
http://scepticalnutritionist.com.au/?page_id=2

https://www.facebook.com/393958287365295/photos/a.407869679307489.94446.393958287365295/713825662045221/?type=3

The Case to Ban Sugary Food and Drink from Schools: these products are addictive, and kids will learn best without them.

shutterstock_51179569 - Copy

Children’s “sugar intake has been associated with aggressive behaviour, attention deficit, dysphoria (a state of general dissatisfaction) and suicidal thoughts in cross-sectional studies. Longitudinal studies have also linked soft drink intake with impaired cognitive development.
We believe that banning sugary drinks from schools will assist teachers and students to better achieve their learning goals, with a side effect of improving their health status.”

Simon Thornley and Gerhard Sundborn go through some of the latest science on reasons to get rid of sugar out of schools.

3 The Case to Ban Sugary Food and Drink from Schools

Heart Foundation in the limelight again

Photo: DIETITIAN SAYS - HEART FOUNDATION COMPLETELY IGNORES ADDED SUGAR WHEN PLACING THE ‘HEART FOUNDATION TICK’ ON PRODUCTS I hope you all loved the music by Nahko we shared last night (powerful stuff hey?)Tomorrow Dr Terry Wahls will be sharing a post for you on here, where she talks about her specialised approach with MS using paleo and functional principles so please share this post far and wide. Today we are sharing a post by Joe Leech. Joe is a Dietitian and professional health writer. His nutrition advice is based on actual scientific evidence AND common sense; not just what someone else told him to believe. Over to you Joe...The famous Heart Foundation Tick.Ever noticed how many high-sugar products have earned that Tick on their label?It’s on all sorts of “healthy” foods, including cereals, snack bars and condiments that are between 30-70% sugar. For perspective, jams are around 60% sugar. The reason these foods get the Tick is because the Heart Foundation DOES NOT consider excessive sugar intake a health risk. Time to lift the lid.It’s unorthodox, but I’m citing my scientific references in this post because some of the media are dismissing Pete’s Facebook posts as “pseudo-science”.According to an exact quote from the Heart Foundation, “existing levels of evidence indicate that there is no direct causal relationship between added sugar and coronary heart disease, diabetes or obesity (with the possible exception of sugar-sweetened beverages).”What an exceptionally strange statement. Basically they’re admitting added sugar is a health risk, but only if it’s bottled in a soft drink- not in a box of Tick-approved chocolate cereal or muesli bars. Now I’m not sure where they are getting their “existing levels of evidence” from, but all the new research CLEARLY shows sugar has a direct impact on disease. And not just type 2 diabetes, but heart disease and obesity too (they’re all related).Perhaps most famously in 2012, three US academics - one named Robert Lustig – reviewed the current literature and labelled sugar as more toxic than alcohol in its impact on public health. The study can be seen at --> http://bit.ly/1ptZJjd Then a 2014 review study, which summarised the findings of 39 previous studies, found that regardless of your body weight, high sugar intake SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTS blood pressure. It also raises LDL “bad” cholesterol and lowers HDL “good” cholesterol- all strong markers of heart disease. Sugar impacts much more than just your blood sugar level. Here’s the study --> http://bit.ly/1mHq3pp Another telling study published this year followed over 40,000 subjects for an average of 15 years. It found that those who consumed a diet of more than 21% added sugar had DOUBLE THE RISK OF DEATH from heart disease compared with those on a diet of 8%. In fact the risk TRIPLED for those with a diet of more than 25% added sugar. --> http://bit.ly/MVQ7kZ Many studies have found a STRONG link between sugar intake and obesity too. The link seems especially strong in children, where each serving of soft drink is associated with a HUGE 60% increased risk of obesity --> http://bit.ly/1rHb7LL Can we really still say that added sugar doesn’t warrant at least SOME restrictions? That’s what the Heart Foundation are saying with their Tick criteria.And yes I have cited observational studies – “observation does not equal causation” – but it is telling data that cannot simply be ignored, like the Heart Foundation is doing. For those playing at home, there have also been animal studies looking at causation (clinical trials). A 2013 study found that when mice ate a diet of 25% sugar – the mouse equivalent of having three cans of soft drink per day – females died at TWICE the normal rate, and men were 25% less likely to reproduce. While rodent studies can’t be compared to human trials, it’s still first-hand proof that consuming added sugar in proportions the Heart Foundation considers safe (in this case 25% of diet) is extremely harmful to mammals. --> http://bit.ly/1sPqy8c There’s PLENTY more studies but space in this post is just too limited. You get the point though, there’s no shortage of new research- why are the Heart Foundation ignoring it?So just what evidence do the Heart Foundation base their Tick recommendations on? This is the part where it GETS REALLY INTERESTING.On their website they claim their advice is based on sound science, and they will “continue to review new scientific evidence as it becomes available.” I just covered that they in fact don’t seem to do that. But they also DON’T CITE ANY STUDIES about Tick criteria on their website for consumers to check themselves (none that I could find in any case). And here’s the BEST part.They’ve also confirmed in an official statement that the Tick criteria includes nutrients the World Health Organisation deems important for maintaining good health (You can confirm everything they say here http://bit.ly/1x3HZA9).But guess what? The World Health Organisation have just CHANGED THEIR STANCE ON SUGARS. They’re in the process of OFFICIALLY changing their sugar recommendations from 10% of energy intake to less than 5%, because lower sugar intake has “additional benefits”. Quote. --> http://bit.ly/1hMsoy5 For the average Australian adult, 5% of energy intake is equivalent to about 25 grams (around 6 teaspoons) of sugar PER DAY. Some of the Tick-approved cereals have more than 25 grams in a SINGLE SERVING. And they’re cereals advertised to children, who should be having much less than 25 grams.The World Health Organisation even goes on to say much of the sugars we eat today are “hidden” in processed foods that we don’t even associate with sweetness. They then used tomato sauce as an example, stating 1 tablespoon typically contains “around 4 grams (around 1 teaspoon) of sugars”.Can you guess how many cooking sauces, gravies, and condiments with added sugars have the Tick? See for yourself --> http://bit.ly/1vyigi2 Now I’m certainly no mathematician, but it seems rather IMPOSSIBLE to follow the World Health Organisation’s new recommendations if we continue to eat high sugar Tick-approved products.The most ironic part of all this, however, is that both the BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION and the AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION have recently warned about the dangers linking heart health and sugar. The American Heart Association even published a statement titled “Added Sugars Add to Your Risk of Dying from Heart Disease.” Seriously, see it here --> http://bit.ly/1rT10Rw I would LOVE to know what our Heart Foundation thinks about all of this?Now these media-dubbed “rants” Pete has on here aren’t the first time the Heart Foundation have been criticised about the Tick program. (And I just wanted to bring this up so they can’t use it as a rebuttal). In response to strong concerns from a colleague in 2011, Dietitian Rosemary Stanton, they claimed the Tick criteria excludes sugar because natural sugars (like in fruit and dairy) are no different from added sugars (like in ice-cream and soft drinks). While they may not be chemically different, I can tell you right now, gram for gram, the QUANTITY and CONCENCTRATION of sugar found naturally in fruits or dairy is but a fraction of the amounts in processed foods.What’s more, REAL foods like fruit and milk contain many beneficial nutrients alongside their natural sugars. Processed foods don’t. This is what truly separates natural sugar from added sugar, and is the reason you cannot simply claim they are the same thing. They are clearly not.In fact the HARMFUL EFFECTS of ADDED sugars are now so widely accepted in the scientific community that in the States, the US Food & Drug Administration has proposed ‘Added Sugars’ be shown on the new nutrition labels under that separate heading. Because they are DIFFERENT to natural sugars.Of course, the big food companies are lobbying extensively to make sure this doesn’t go ahead! You can check it all out here --> http://reut.rs/1xYafD8 SO TO RECAP, all the new scientific evidence has found extremely strong links between sugar intake and disease. You could even say the new evidence condemns added sugars.And many of the biggest international health authorities have revised their recommendations to heavily restrict, if not ELIMINATE added sugars from your diet. Including the World Health Organisation and Heart Foundations/Organisations in other countries.And yet, our own national Heart Foundation continues to advise us that Tick-approved products – packed full of added sugars – are GOOD FOR US?This has got to stop. Fortunately, TOGETHER, we have the power to help force this change.Our voices, COLLECTIVELY, can make a differenceAnd it wouldn’t be the first time the heart foundation caved into pressure- remember when the Tick program was at McDonald’s? (What on earth were they thinking by the way?) The Heart Foundation removed all McDonald’s Ticks in 2010 because of strong consumer backlash and pressure. They do listen to what we have to say. Let’s just make sure we’re shouting it loud and clear.Fortunately for the public to have our say has never been easier. Jessie Reimers has started a petition to Flick the Tick and now has over 30,000 signatures. The more signatures we get, the more likely the Heart Foundation will act on this issue! Please take 30 seconds to sign the petition here --> http://chn.ge/1rkWWON <-- and SHARE this post if you’re in! On Tuesday week, the 14th October, they’re going to deliver the petition to the Heart Foundation in person.And if you want to get in touch with Joe who wrote this article you can find him at www.thehealthcopywriter.me or twitter www.twitter.com/dietvsdisease The ideas and suggestions written by Chef Pete Evans, on this page are provided as general educational information only and should not be construed as medical advice or care. Information herein is meant to complement, not replace, any advice or information from your personal health professional. These of course are observations, they don't equal causation, but are pretty difficult to ignore. I'm sure the experts will agree. All matters regarding your health require supervision by a personal physician or other appropriate health professional familiar with your current health status. Always consult your personal physician before making any dietary or exercise changes. Pete Evans Chef disclaim any liability or warranties of any kind arising directly or indirectly from use of this page. If any medical problems develop, always consult your personal physician. Only your physician can provide you medical advice.Throughout this page are links to external sites. These external sites contain information created and maintained by other individuals and organizations and are provided for the user’s convenience. Chef Pete Evans does not control nor can they guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this information. Neither is it intended to endorse any view expressed nor reflect its importance by inclusion in this site.

Chef Pete Evans has stirred a pot or two in the last few weeks.

His stand on the Heart Foundation position is welcome.

The Heart Foundation claim to be the peak body providing EVIDENCE for their position but they are so out of date.

They last reviewed the role of dietary fats and obesity in 2003!
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Dietary-fat-ovob-position-Nut-Diet.pdf

They last reviewed the role of dietary fat and heart disease in May 2009 with last articles from 2008.
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Dietary-fats-summary-evidence.pdf

They last reviewed the Low Carbohydrate options in 2004 and yet they dismiss it without looking at recent literature.
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Very-low-carb-diets.pdf

The Heart Foundation have ignored the literature of the last few years which does not show a risk profile for saturated fats.

They seem to have missed their British Heart Foundation counterparts funded study of over 600000 people not showing a link between heart disease and saturated fat consumption.
http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1846638&resultClick=3

The list goes on but they are still propagating a message of reducing saturated fats, pushing proinflammatory polyunsaturated fats upon those most at risk of progression and not encouraging a reduction of sugar intake. Continue reading →