Sweeter Than Sugar
Our bodies are our gardens – our wills are our gardeners. – William Shakespeare Thrive! Presents practices that can improve life. This post explores sugar and sweet alternatives. Six thousand years ago, the sugar cane plant’s juices were first extracted in India and Southeast Asia. Four thousand years later, sugar granules were produced. In time, they were refined into crystals. Cane growth and sugar manufacture then spread throughout the early Islamic world. Later, to the West Indies and tropical Americas, along with enslaved Africans. Until the 1500s, sugar was rare and expensive. When technology allowed cheaper production, more people could buy those sweets. In 2014, JAMA Internal Medicine reported adult men eat an average, added 24 teaspoons of sugar daily. Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health continued, “Excess sugar’s impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can [cause] a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Of non-sugar sweeteners, one concern is their potential negative impact on the gut microbiome. This is a distinct ecosystem inside intestines. Its trillions of microscopic organisms include over a thousand species of bacteria, as well as viruses, fungi and parasites that help the body. Read more. According to Dr. Axe’s “12 Best Sugar Substitutes,” side effects from artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, ace-K and saccharin have been linked to,” headaches and poor digestion to cravings and even mood disorders.” Are there healthy sugar substitutes? Dr. Axe reports, “Some experts like fruit the best because there are no empty calories involved and the sugars are naturally occurring.” Here are some popular, natural sweeteners listed by Dr. that Axe, Stevia (0 calories) Dates (1 Medjool date = 66 calories) Coconut sugar (1 tablespoon = 45 calories) Banana puree (1 cup = 200 calories) Monk fruit (0 calories) Manufacturers are now developing new ingredients that can sweeten foods and beverages without adding calories or chemicals. Sweet proteins are naturally-occurring compounds in some tropical plants and berries native to West Africa and Southeast Asia. Unlike conventional sweeteners [which are typically sugars or artificial compounds], sweet proteins are amino acids. Their names include thaumatin, brazzein, monellin, curculin, and miraculin. They are 400 to 3,000 times sweetener than sucrose [table sugar]. The better-known stevia and monkfruit are 200-300 times as sweet as sucrose. Because sweet proteins are metabolized differently from sugars, they do not raise blood sugar levels. Plus, their intense sweetness means eating fewer calories. To be used in US food products, any new ingredient must receive GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status from the FDA. While thaumatin has been approved, ongoing studies are testing safety and usefulness of more sweet proteins. Recipes Sugar Free Recipes 340+ trusted sugar-free recipes from appetizers to main dishes to desserts [includes cookies, cakes, cobblers]. 30 Days of Sugar-Free Recipes From enchiladas to salad dressings and more. Resources: 12 Best Sugar Substitutes Are Sweet Proteins the New Stevia? History of Sugar Sweet Danger of Sugar See These Videos Sugar Alternatives, 04:37 [Yes, sugar can cause health problems. But there’s another, hidden dietary culprit.] If You Quit Sugar for 30 Days, 6 Healthy Alternatives, 03:52 The HEALTHIEST Sugar-Free Sweeteners at the Grocery Store, 13:29, COMMENT Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. Radiant Tree Books Beyond the Sky’s Limits shares encouraging wisdom and uplifting images about going beyond boundaries and making dreams come true. Space is open for notes, sketches and journaling. Contact to arrange in-person and online Illustrated Wisdom and Writing workshops. 36-Page, 5×8 soft cover, $15 Preview or Purchase 48-Page, 8×10 soft cover, $20 Preview or Purchase, View All Books Thanks for shopping!
Ginseng, Benefits Beyond Better Sex
The most beautiful, amazing and inevitable fact about life—everything has a natural healing process. – Sanober Khan Succeed and Soar’s Thrive! offers insights into foods and practices that can heal and improve life. Succeed and Soar’s Thrive! offers insights into foods and practices that can heal and improve life. The Healthline article Ginseng for Erectile Dysfunction opens with, “Panax ginseng may benefit sexual function in people with penises and in people with vaginas.” According to Cleveland Clinic’s Dr.Thuy [Kim[ Nguyen, ginseng, “can boost energy, alertness and memory, as well as benefit blood sugar, digestion, heart health and immune function.” For women, a National Institute of Health study on sexual arousal in women found that when “women were given either three capsules a day of ginseng or a placebo. Those who received [ginseng] had improved sexual functioning with no side effects.” Web MD reports, “There are two main types of ginseng: Asian or Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Studies show that different types have different benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, American ginseng is considered less stimulating [gentler and more soothing] than the Asian variety.” Web MD post also says that ginseng has also been studied as a way to improve mood and boost endurance, as well as treat: Cancer Heart disease Fatigue Erectile dysfunction Hepatitis C High blood pressure Menopausal symptoms Cautions Although some herbs are called ginseng—like eleuthero or Siberian ginseng—they don’t contain the active ingredient of ginsenosides. And, side effects reported from ginseng use include nervousness,, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, allergic reactions and menstrual cycle changes. Ginseng could also interact with Dioxin, blood thinners, diabetes medications, diuretics, blood pressure medicines, stimulants like amphetamines, morphine and drugs that affect the immune system. While ginseng offers great benefits, definitely discuss its use with health care professionals. Research Resources: 7 Amazing Benefits of Ginseng for Women Can Ginseng Boost Your Health? Korean Red Ginseng for Erectile Dysfunction What Is Ginseng? COMMENT Ginseng Videos Both Asian and American ginsengs are Chi tonics well-known for their energizing effects as well as immune-modulating and endocrine enhancing qualities Click Here to View Length: 24 Minutes Also see: Wisconsin Foodie. Here, learn why ginseng is so popular, how it’s cultivated in United States and ways to include it in recipes. [24 minutes] and Lucky Chow. Ginseng Recipes Happy Body Formula has rounded up 13 tasty recipes, including: Headache-Soothing Adaptogenic Hot Chocolate Ginseng Steamed Fish Raw Maca & Ginseng Aphrodisiac Truffles 10 More Shop Sandra’s Fine Art America galleries for beautiful additions to home, office and as gifts. Art can be purchased as prints, framed as well as coffee mugs, yoga mats, shower curtains, tee shirts and much more. Revisit often. Galleries change. Buy this Art. Thanks for shopping!
Fats & Oils: The Good, The Bad, The Best
Consider Why are there never any good side effects? Just once I’d like to read a medication bottle that says, “May cause extreme sexiness.” – YourCards HEALTHY, HELPFUL FATS Length: 4 minutes, 50 seconds Click here to view. Imagine my amazement. Just when I swore to never eat fat while dieting, a weight loss coach told her class that our bodies NEED at least one tablespoon of fat a day. Why? Life Hack explains: Fat is essential to brain health. Fat keeps the lungs working properly. Fat boosts the immune system. Fat keeps our largest organ, our skin supple. See More: Here, the Cleveland Clinic explains the chemical makeup of unsaturated fats, which leaves them liquid at room temperature and less likely to gunk up arteries. Here, Healthline describes the four best oils for cooking [olive, avocado, sesame and safflower] and the four with low “smoking points” that should be kept cooler [fish or algae oil, flax, palm and walnut oils]. ‘Saturated Fats’ have a chemical structure that keeps them solid at room temperature. They come from animals [lard, tallow, schmaltz], dairy products processed meats and some plant oils [palm kernel and coconut]. Because saturated fats can increase LDL [bad cholesterol] and raise the risk of heart disease, they should be less than 6% of daily caloric intake. Read more. That said, Practical Self Reliance posts, “Animal fats can be a healthy part of any diet, especially from a grass-fed and pasture-raised animal,” Benefits include: Crisper, flakier, more flavorful food Less waste for those with a tip-to-tail lifestyle Read more While eating fried and fatty foods is among life’s pleasures, MedicineNet cautions that overeating could be cravings caused by: Deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins (E, D, K, and A) Pleasant, fatty-food memories Stress and more at: https://www.medicinenet.com/what_does_it_mean_if_you_crave_fatty_foods/article.htm In summarizing this post, keep Malcolm Forbes’ words in mind, Food may be essential as fuel for the body, but good food is fuel for the soul. Succeed & Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. Video 19 FOODS THAT’LL NEVER MAKE YOU FAT 13 Minutes Click here to view. Video FOODS WITH HIGHEST HEALTHY FATS 2 Minutes Click here to view. Shop Sandra’s Gallery Click Here. Buy Sandra’s Art framed, on canvas, as posters as well as puzzles, shirts, infant onesies, phone cases, ornaments, journals, blankets, clocks and more. Each item is individually made, just for you.