What are you doing to do your part in your community?  Please Comment Below!

Many of you know that “I don’t get sick!” Fact:  I have been “sick” 5 days since I was 11 years old.  One of the things that many people ask me is how I remain so positive. Now don’t get me wrong, I definitely have my moments of spiraling negative thoughts, but overall I do my best to trust God and everything that comes my way HE has a purpose for good and His Glory.   After years of practice, I’ve learned to almost always spin the so-called “bad moments” into positive learning experiences. It’s definitely not an easy task, but it continues to amaze me how maintaining this mindset, even in the most challenging moments, has kept me healthy, strong and moving forward with a smile no matter what.

When I decided to write about this topic, I was delighted to find that research was being done in this area all over the world. Although no one can pinpoint why, a positive or optimistic outlook on life is believed to ward off colds and other viruses, increase life span, improve psychological and physical wellbeing, and even help tackle more serious diseases. Although there are many genetic, biological and environmental influences that impact how one person responds to illness versus another, there are many theories linking cellular and hormonal response in positive individuals to better health and overall disease reaction.

So what can one do to remain positive? For me, the best thing you can do is to try to surround yourself with positive people. This doesn’t mean that you should give up on those who choose to remain pessimistic. I’ve often found that by being positive myself, others start to follow suit which is always fun to witness.  Another great practice is to read books that nourish your inner-self and help you focus on the bigger picture rather than getting caught up in the circumstances of the moment. There are many books with daily quotes or reflections that can help you begin your day on a positive foot. My favorite is the Book of Proverbs in the Bible it has a chapter for every day of the month. I like to use www.BibleGatway.com  Becasue today is the 18th I read chapter 18 Here is what it says. http://tinyurl.com/ye9×4wf

It’s also valuable to begin noticing when negative thoughts come into your mind and to start to find ways to redirect them to something positive.  Remember that it ALL begins with a thought then turns into a belief and later into a behavior either positive or negatively.  (We will revisit this in a couple weeks with more resources for coaches to help you.  Email me if you are interested OK!) Do you know the importance of being grateful and how spending just a few minutes a day remembering what you’re thankful for can be tremendously beneficial to your experience of life?  Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger!

Of course positive thinking, nutruring your spirit, along with a healthy diet and exercise plan will increase your chances of good health and overcoming disease even more so. However don’t underestimate the important role of your thoughts in conquering both physical and emotional imbalances. 

The result will be less stress and a more enjoyable life regardless of the challenges you face, which will help you make the best of the life journey you’re on no matter where it takes you.

Living the Abundant Life …..Mark 

Today I was reminded by my daughter Katerra how precious life is and how my life is not my life but how I manage it.  “My Time, My Money, My Business, My Talents and MY Choices” [sounds like a selfish 2 yr old huh]  Please read the email she sent me and feel free to comment. 

Thank you Katerra!

Two Choices
What would you do?….you make the choice.. Don’t look for a punch line, there isn’t one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

‘When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?’

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. ‘I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.’

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, ‘Do you think they’ll let me play?’ I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, ‘We’re losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.’

Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman’s head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, ‘Shay, run to first!

Run to first!’

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, ‘Run to second, run to second!’

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

B y the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman’s head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, ‘Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay’

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, ‘Run to third!

Shay, run to third!’

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, ‘Shay, run home! Run home!’

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

‘That day’, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, ‘the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world’.

Shay didn’t make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO THIS STORY:

We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate.

The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

If you’re thinking about forwarding this message, chances are that you’re probably sorting out the people in your address book who aren’t the ‘appropriate’ ones to receive this type of message Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make a difference.

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the ‘natural order of things.’

So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:

Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it’s least fortunate amongst them.

You now have two choices:

1. Delete

2. Forward copy this url and paste it in your email. http://www.personalizedfitness.com/489/ 

May your day, be a Shay Day.

There’s no need to feel guilty over this classic creamy combination of chicken, peppers and mushrooms.
Our version uses low-fat milk and flour for thickening to make it plenty rich without all the saturated fat.

Chicken a la King

6 servings, about 1 cup each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition

Per serving: 271 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein; 1 g fiber; 401 mg sodium; 529 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (70% daily value), Selenium (40% dv), Potassium & Vitamin A (15% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 3 lean meat

Ingredients

    * 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
    * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    * 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
    * 10 ounces white mushrooms, quartered
    * 1 large green bell pepper, diced
    * 3/4 teaspoon salt
    * 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    * 1 cup dry sherry, (see Note)
    * 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
    * 1 cup low-fat milk
    * 1 4-ounce jar sliced pimientos, rinsed
    * 1/2 cup sliced scallions

You Might Also Like

    * King Crab & Potato Salad
    * King Ranch Casserole
    * Grilled Chicken Salad with a Fresh Strawberry Dressing
    * Lebanese Fattoush Salad with Grilled Chicken
    * Sofia’s Chicken Paprikash
    * Chicken & Chickpea Tagine
    * Roast Chicken Dal
    * Madras Chicken & Broccoli Salad
    * Chicken & Fruit Salad

Preparation

   1. Toss chicken and flour in a medium bowl until coated. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Reserving the remaining flour, add the chicken to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
   2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are softened and starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in sherry; bring to a boil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, 3 minutes.
   3. Whisk broth and milk into the reserved flour until smooth. Stir the mixture into the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir in pimientos and the chicken and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in scallions and serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

    * Note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. Don’t use the “cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets—it can be surprisingly high in sodium. Instead, purchase dry sherry that’s sold with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.

4 Easy Exercises for Building Washboard Abs
Building washboard abs seems like a very difficult undertaking, but, really, it’s not. Before branding it as an impossible task, take on the challenge and discover for yourself how simple it truly is.

I remember when I got started with this whole six pack abs thing; I didn’t really buy it right away. After much reading, however, I realized ANYONE who had determination and dedication can get totally ripped abs and found some good, no nonsense 6-pack abs information.

It’s a fact that targeted abs exercises can only speed things up for you. Combined with a low-fat diet and regular cardio training, targeted abs exercises will get rid of that undesirable flab and sculpt your ab muscles.

Try to get in your targeted abs exercises 3 to 4 times a week and perform cardio in between those days. Building washboard abs can be easy as pie if you follow these simple exercises:

Weighted Sit Ups

You won’t need a lot for this exercise except for small weights. You don’t have to buy dumbbells because anything that can simulate weight like a small bag of flour or two water bottles will do.

1. Lie on the ground and bring up your knees so your feet are flat on the floor.

2. Place the weights on your chest and secure them with your hands.

3. Without moving your lower body, lift your shoulders off the floor slowly.

4. Go up to a 45-degree angle and hold that position for as long as you can.

5. Go back down to the floor gradually to assume your starting position and repeat all the steps.

Full Body Crunches

Building washboard abs with full body crunches can help you get to your goal faster because it works your obliques, upper abs, and lower abs.

1. Position yourself on the floor again and begin doing your crunches.

2. Lift your legs off the ground the same time you come in for that stomach crunch.

3. Slowly lower your legs and upper body to the floor and assume your starting position.

Ball Crunches

An exercise ball will come in handy for this drill and many others so I suggest you invest in one.

1. Place the ball in the center of the room and sit on it, keeping your feet flat on the floor.

2. Roll your back against the ball without moving your feet. Stop when your thighs and upper body are parallel to the floor.

3. Perform regular crunches while keeping your balance.

4. Remember to keep those muscles tight.

5. Go back down to your original position and repeat the exercise.

Bicycle

1. Again, lie flat on the floor.

2. Put your hands behind your ears and lift your legs off the ground.

3. Begin a cycling motion with your legs, alternately bringing in each leg closer to your pelvis.

4. As your right knee comes up, twist your torso so your left elbow touches it. Then, do the same with the other side.

To guarantee a great workout, do 3 sets of each exercise at 20-25 reps per set. Remember to keep your abdominal muscles tight and drink plenty of water. You’ll soon find out that building washboard abs quickly with these 4 great exercises is easy as pie.

Rock Wants to teach YOU!

Amateur boxer, USA Boxing (Golden Gloves) Brooklyn, New York

Licensed instructor, coach, & trainer since 1994
4th Degree Black Belt – American Tae Kwon Do Association
2nd Degree Black Belt – Midwest Hapkido Federation
5 Time Nebraska State Champion
Middleweight, Light Heavy, Heavyweight & Super Heavyweight Muay Thai Champion (PKA, USMTA, ATA)
PPCT Instructor (Pressure Point Control Tactics)
SHARP Instructor (Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention)
Civilian Advisor USMC teaching CQC (Close Quarter Combat)
(State Board Pending) Licensed Practical Nurse

3 Opportunities to train with John.  First Come First Serve..Limited Space!

1. Boxing/Kick Boxing/ Muay Thai  SMALL Group Classes

3 days a week 1 hour

Monday  Wednesday & Saturday

630 and 730pm M & W .. Saturday’s at Noon & 1pm

Cost $15 per session paid monthly EFT

CLASS LIMIT…  6 later to grow to 10 with more space.

• Introduction to gym and to the equipment.
• Warm up & Stretching
• Striking basics and bag work including heavy bag, hand held bags, speed bag, etc..
• Fundamentals of shadow boxing
• Hand wrapping
• Rope
• Core work
• Combinations
• Round work on various bags
• Balance training
• Partner drills
• Slipping techniques
• Stick work & distance training
• Footwork
• Cool down

2. ONE ON ONE (Boxing & Kickboxing)

Fee’s Are Temporarily Rolled Back 20 years to just $55/hour

Tuesdays, Thursdays at 630, 730 & 830 pm Saturday’s 8, 9 & 11am

Sorry ONLY 3 people will be able to work with Rock!

• Initial assessment (injuries, speed, flexibility, strengths, weaknesses, timing, etc)
• Plan outline for ongoing training with goal points to achieve.
• Introduction to gym and to the equipment.
• Warm up & Stretching
• Striking basics and bag work including heavy bag, hand held bags, speed bag, etc..
• Fundamentals of shadow boxing
• Hand wrapping
• Rope
• Core work
• Combinations
• Round work on various bags
• Balance training
• Partner drills
• Slipping techniques
• Stick work & distance training
• Footwork
• Cool down
• Mental imagery
• Entrance into competition if the client desires it. (Not mandatory)
• Also includes:
• Forearm and wrist conditioning for impact and strength.
• Weekly follow ups and work to be done at home.
• E-mail updates on progress.
• Fighting strategy & sparring. (When the client is ready).

1. 3. S.H.A.R.P.

(SEXUAL HARRASSMENT AND RAPE PREVENTION)

This is a 6 week course at 2 pm Saturdays for 90 minutes

Cost $150 or $25 per session!  Great Value!

10–Available Spots Per Class!

If you don’t get in this first class… Another Class will begin!

Please Call or Email me to reserve your Spot!!

445-0033 or  Click Here to Email Me

(NaturalNews) Scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have revealed results from a study outlining some of the effects of artificial sweeteners on the body. Conducted on a group of 3,000 women, the results indicated that those who drank two or more artificially-sweetened beverages a day doubled their risk of more-rapid-than-normal kidney function decline.

The study accounted for various other risk factors including the woman’s age, her blood pressure, if she smoked, and if she had any other pre-existing conditions such as heart disease or diabetes. The 11-year study evaluated the effects of all sweetened drinks on progressive kidney decline and discovered that two or more diet drinks leads to a two-fold increase in rapid kidney decline incidences.

Though study results did not show any correlation between sugar- or corn syrup-sweetened drinks and the onset of rapid kidney decline, these ingredients are implicated in causing diabetes and obesity and should not be perceived as safe merely because they did not have a direct correlation in this particular study topic.

High sodium intake was also implicated in the study as promoting progressive kidney decline. Since diet soda contains excessive amounts of sodium, higher than sugar soda, it is no surprise that diet sodas were the primary offenders in the study. However it is unclear from this particular study which ingredient plays the larger role in progressive kidney decline, the artificial sweeteners or the sodium content.

Studies on aspartame
When aspartame was first approved in the 1970s under the name “NutraSweet”, studies were submitted as supposed proof that the artificial chemical was safe. The FDA initially approved the chemical in 1974 for use in a limited number of foods based upon the studies submitted by G.D. Searle Co., the company that invented aspartame.

Following a discovery made shortly thereafter by a research psychiatrist who found that aspartic acid, a primary ingredient in aspartame, caused holes to form in the brains of mice, the FDA decided to form its own internal task force to investigate the initial claims made by the Searle Co.

What the agency discovered was a series of falsified claims, compromised study results, and missing information. The claims made in favor of aspartame were so dubious and the evidence so faulty that the FDA decreed that a grand jury should investigate Searle Co.’s claims. Unfortunately, the case failed to move forward when U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan and Assistant U.S. Attorney William Conlon failed to initiate any legal action. Conlon was later hired by the law firm that represented Searle Co.

Investigation revealed that aspartame had caused tumors, seizures, brain holes, and death in many of the studies. All negative findings had been altered or scrubbed from the final reports delivered to the FDA when aspartame was first reviewed.

Time and time again the question over whether aspartame is safe has led to investigations that never go anywhere. Studies are continually released in support of the chemical’s safety even though they fail to address the results of other studies that show it to be harmful.

Other artificial sweeteners
A study published in the January, 2008 issue of the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health revealed that the newer artificial sweetener, sucralose, alters gut microflora and inhibits the assimilation of dietary nutrients.

Commonly marketed as being “made from sugar”, sucralose had undergone no long-term human studies to verify its safety in humans. Like aspartame, initial studies revealed negative reactions by lab animals on whom it was tested, indicating that there could be the same potential problems in humans.

The EU Food Commission, Canadian health officials, and the U.S. FDA all rejected the initial studies submitted by McNeil Nutritionals, the marketers of sucralose, because of the negative results. However they encouraged the company to continue researching until they “got it right”. McNeil simply lowered the levels of sucralose used in their studies until an acceptable limit was found. After several tries, sucralose was finally approved.

Stevia, a safe alternative
A great many varieties of artificial sweeteners have been approved, many scandalously, despite the fact that safe, natural alternatives exist. Stevia, for instance, is a sweet herb from South America that is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. Claiming inadequate safety research, the FDA has long refused the herb from being included on the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) list.

Up until last year, all forms of stevia could only be sold as dietary supplements. The extract could not be labeled as a “sweetener” and it could not be included in any food items.

Once the parent companies of both Pepsi and Coca-Cola discovered how to manipulate and patent a segment of stevia, however, it suddenly became safe to use as a sweetener and is now sold on grocery store shelves in packets similar to the artificial sweeteners. The FDA reluctantly added the natural stevia extract to the GRAS list as well.

Stick with natural and unprocessed
When it comes to health, a person’s best bet is to avoid artificial sweeteners altogether. There are plenty of preferable, safe alternatives such as stevia which will allow for a little extra sweetness without all the harmful side effects.

Sources for this story include

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a…

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009…

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/co…

We at Personalized Fitness & Nutrition are PROUD to have been Voted by  Omaha as “Best of Omaha”!! 

WE definitely have helped more people in a greater way than all the personal trainers (no disrespect to other great trainers and friends) in Omaha.  But with 27 years experience helping people lose fat, gain strength and muscle, increasing their self esteem, athleticism and confidence as well reduce and or eliminate their visits to their chiropractors and medically helping them take personal responsibility to reduce their cholesterol, blood pressure and increase their bone density.  Not to mention helping people manage blood sugar, reduce their insulin intake as diabetics and for borderline diabetics…help them to delay or conquer diabetes completely!   Thank you to our hard working clients, fans of www.PersonalizedFitness.com and all of Omaha who voted for us and or will become a client soon!

Voted by YOU Omaha "Thank You!!"

Sold in over 200 countries, Coca-Cola® is one of the most familiar brands of beverages in the world. As Coke is flavored mostly with caramel and sugar, the latter being such a controversial ingredient, the makers of Coke have long since began using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar.

Studies continue to show that these artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain, disruption of sleep patterns, sexual dysfunction, increases in cancer, MS, Lupus, diabetes, and a list of epidemic degenerative diseases. How ironic that a product originally intended for medicine can actually make you sick.

So it is your choice after reading this Article or don’t mind the above mentioned ailments, and diseases will you continue or will you stop immediatley and share this with all your friends, family and coworkers??

1. Aspartame (phenylalanine)
Used in the majority of diet products, including Diet Coke®, Aspartame can be up to 200 times sweeter than regular (real sugar). The high levels of phenylalanine (detrimental to people with PKU disorder) and methanol in Aspartame destroys neurons and can lead to memory loss, brain tumors and cancer. Twelve ounces of Diet Coke® can contain about 200 mg of Aspartame. Aspartame is a half-billion dollar industry and is the main ingredient in Equal® and NutraSweet®

2. Acesulfame-K (acesulfame potassium) or Ace-K
An artificial sweetener used in Coca-Cola Zero®. Acesulfame-K is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar and is a potential cancer-causing agent. Similar to saccharin, Acesulfame-K enhances a beverages’ sweet taste while extending its shelf life. Acesulfame-K failed to meet FDA standards. Acesulfame-K is marketed under the brand, Sunett and is in Sweet One sweeteners.

3. Neotame (dimethylbutyl)
7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar (one quarter teaspoon of neotame contains the equivalent of 22 pounds of sugar). Neotame is relatively new and is being marketed to replace high fructose corn syrup in many Coca-Cola products. Neotame can cause ADD/ADHD and other emotional and behavioral disorders. Currently not available in individually wrapped packages.

4. Saccharin
Made from an organic petroleum molecule and can be 300 times sweeter than natural sugar. Saccharin is found in fountain Diet Coke® and should be avoided during pregnancy. Especially harmful to children, saccharin has been implicated as a carcinogen and can cause tumors in the bladder as well as cancer. Saccharin is used in Sweet and Low®

5. Cyclamate or sodium cyclamate
Found in Coke Zero and Coca-Cola Light. Banned by the FDA, cyclamate is especially harmful to the male reproductive system causing infertility and diminished testicles. Cyclamate is a carcinogen, which when combined with other harmful substances, can increase the onset of cancer. Look for this harmful sweetener in products when traveling overseas, especially in Latin America. Cyclamate is in Sugar Twin.
6. Sucralose (E955)
600 times sweeter than sugar and is found in Diet Coke. Preliminary research indicates that sucralose can cause organ damage and intestinal complications as it is removed from the blood stream by the kidneys. Sucralose has also been found to trigger migraines. Sucralose is the ingredient known as Splenda®.

7. Maltodextrin
A bulking base for most, common artificial sweeteners. A type of carbohydrate, Maltodextrin is only slightly sweet or almost flavorless. Affects people with allergies to corn or wheat. It is found in Equal, Splenda and many others.

8. Sucrose
Regular table sugar. In one can of Coke there can be over 40 grams of sugar, equivalent to eight to ten teaspoons. If you substitute water with cola beverages, you could gain 18 pounds in one year. Excessive sugar consumption can cause mood swings, nervous disorders, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Sugar feeds every cell including cancer cells. In Mexico, Coca-Cola is made with sugar.

9. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS 55)
Quite possibly the single most common sweetener. High fructose corn syrup also extends the shelf life of products and is cheaper than sugar. Linked to obesity possibly due to the pervasiveness of its presence, digestion of high fructose corn syrup promotes the storage of fat in the human body. High fructose corn syrup is found Coca Cola Classic.

10. Alitame
2000 times sweeter than sugar and is not calorie free. Alitame is not approved for use in the U.S. and petitions have been withdrawn. Alitame is approved for use in Coke beverages found in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and China. Alitame was developed by Pfizer®, and is marketed under the brand name, Aclame™.

In an article published online on January 4, 2010 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Robert Krikorian of the University of Cincinnati, along with his colleagues from the US and Canadian Departments of Agriculture, report that consuming blueberry juice was associated with improvements in learning and memory in individuals with age-related memory decline.

Blue Berries Great Anti-Oxidants

The trial enrolled five men and four women over the age of 70 who reported forgetfulness and memory lapses characteristic of early memory decline. Participants were given the equivalent of 2 to 2 ½ cups of a commercially available blueberry juice daily for 12 weeks. Cognitive assessments were conducted at the beginning of the study and during the final week of the trial.

At the study’s conclusion, learning and recall were improved, and depressive symptoms and glucose levels tended to be reduced. When subjects who received blueberry juice were compared with a demographically matched sample who received a placebo beverage in a companion trial, test scores for learning ability were significantly better.

Enhanced signaling and neuroprotection have been demonstrated in association with blueberry supplementation in animal studies, and phenolic compounds known as anthocyanins that occur in blueberries have been found in regions of the brain that are essential for cognitive function. Anthocyanins have insulin-like properties that improve metabolic function, which, when disturbed, appears to be a factor in neurodegeneration as well as cardiovascular diseases.

“To our knowledge, this is the first human trial assessing the potential benefit of blueberry supplementation on neurocognitive function in older adults with increased risk for dementia,” the authors announce. “Although the sample size was relatively small, effect sizes were moderate to large for both the primary and secondary analyses.”

“These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration,” they conclude. “This initial study establishes a basis for further human research of blueberry supplementation as a preventive intervention with respect to cognitive aging.”