Sugar – Hello Doctor

10 bad habits that can damage your teeth

February 24th, 2020 by The Hello Doctor Team

Certain habits and lifestyle choices wreak havoc on your teeth. Here’s how you can put these habits to rest.

1. Fizzy and sports drinks

Fizzy drinks are packed with sugar that leaves a coat of acid on the enamel of your teeth.
What to do instead: Stay hydrated with fresh water; add fresh or frozen fruit for a bit of flavour.

2. Eating sticky and sugary treats

Sugary, chewy and gummy sweets stick around and between your teeth. These attract bacteria which contributes to tooth decay.
What to do instead: Try crunchy fruit and veggies, like apples or carrots. While you chew, your mouth produces more saliva, which helps to rinse away sticky residue.

3. Using your teeth as a tool

This may be a convenient way to crack open certain things but using your teeth as a tool can cause them to chip or crack.
What to do instead: Use your hands, a bottle opener or scissors instead.

4. Smoking, vaping or chewing tobacco

Cigarettes and tobacco products can stain your teeth, cause gum and periodontal disease, tooth decay and tooth loss
What to do instead: Talk to your doctor about finding ways to help you quit.

5. Chewing on ice, pens and pencils

Mindlessly nibbling at a pen when you’re concentrating or chomping on ice after your cold drink can crack or chip your teeth, irritate the soft tissue inside teeth and cause regular toothaches.
What to do instead: Chew sugar-free chewing gum instead.

6. Grinding teeth

Stress and sleeping habits can cause teeth grinding, which wear teeth down over time.
What to do instead: Wear a mouth guard at night to protect your teeth and reduce mouth pain.

7. Brushing too hard

Firm bristles and brushing aggressively can damage teeth and irritate gums.
What to do instead: Choose a brush with soft bristles and replace it every 3 months. This lowers the risk fo creating an environment for nasty bacteria to grow on your brush bristles.

8. Playing sports without a mouthguard

A hit to the mouth can cause chipped or loose teeth when you play contact sport without a mouthguard.
What to do instead: Get a mouth guard at your local pharmacy or talk to your dentist about a custom-made one.

9. Nail-Biting

Regularly biting your nails can cause your teeth to move out of place, potentially cause teeth to break or tooth enamel to splinter.
What to do instead: Carry a nail clipper for convenience.

10. Eating too much fruit

Some diets promote eating large amounts of fruit, but it might be doing damage to your pearly whites. Acid causes tooth enamel to wear down and exposes your teeth and gums to sensitivity.
What to do instead: Eat fruit in moderation and learn which fruits contain more sugar and acid. Also, be sure to visit the dentist twice a year.

References:

Sugar vs. fat – which is worse for your health?

February 20th, 2020 by The Hello Doctor Team

While doing your grocery shopping rounds you’re bound to come across an endless array of suspicious “healthy” foods. These foods have “fat-free” or “reduced fat” label, but did you know that they may actually do more harm than good?

Low-fat foods are usually chockfull with preservatives, additives, and extra sugar that’s meant to enhance flavour.

Question is, how much sugar or fat can you actually have in your diet?

Lowdown on sugar

Sugar consumption has been associated with a higher risk of obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. It’s been shown to trigger inflammation, the root of most diseases. Long term sustained levels of inflammation have been linked to an increased risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.

Sugar is highly addictive. It stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls the reward and pleasure centres of the brain, and causes withdrawal symptoms when you cut back on your sugar intake.

Sugar provides no nutrition which is why it’s often referred to as ’empty calories’. Limiting the amount of sugar in your diet should be a priority for everyone, not just for those with diabetes.

Skip the sugar from processed foods, sugar-sweetened juices, energy drinks and fizzy drinks, and other unhealthy sources.

If you do need to add a hint of sweetness to your favourite baked goods or beverages, opt for natural sweeteners like:

Raw honey
Stevia
Dates

Lowdown on fats

Not all fats are created equal. While fats found in whole, unprocessed foods like nuts, seeds, and oils are packed with benefits, the fats found in highly processed foods are not at all good for your health. Opt for fats found in foods like avocados, olive oil, and almonds which all boost heart health and alleviate inflammation.

Trans fats found mostly in processed foods, and hydrogenated vegetable oils have been associated with a wide range of negative health conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

Healthy fats, on the other hand, are an essential part of a diet and may assist with weight loss, improve heart health and reduce inflammation. For this reason, it’s best to swap out sugar out the sugar from your diet and replace it with fats.

If you want to become your healthiest self, opt for foods like:

Coconut oil
Avocados
Extra-virgin olive oil
Grass-fed butter
Fatty fish
Nutrient-rich nuts and seeds

References:

Make your own chocolate for your sweetie

December 3rd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Shake up your gifting options this Valentine’s Day with a personalised present. Express your love with a twist, by gifting your loved one different types of feel-good, hormone-boosting homemade chocolates.

Dark chocolate

100g coconut oil
½ cup raw cacao powder
½ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

Method

Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan on low heat, add the cacao and stir well.
Add the syrup, vanilla and salt, and stir continuously for two minutes.
Pour the chocolate mixture into a silicon chocolate mould or onto a tray lined with baking paper.
Place in the freezer for half an hour to set.
Remove from the mould and break into squares.

Alternatively, store the sweet treats in a container in the fridge. You can even add frozen blueberries or goji berries for a different flavour.

Vegan white chocolate

112g edible raw cacao butter, chopped
4 tbsps non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1 tbsp smooth natural cashew butter (almond butter also works)
1 cup icing sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
You can replace the shortening with an equal amount, by weight, of cacao butter. The resulting white chocolate is much richer.

Method

Place the cacao butter and shortening into a medium-sized heat-safe bowl. Heat up the contents by placing the bowl over a small pot of simmering water, but make sure that the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Allow the cacao butter and shortening to melt, and stir occasionally. The mixture will be thin.
With the mixture still standing over the simmering water, add in the nut butter and mix to combine. Include the icing sugar, salt and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Remove the bowl from the pot and let it cool for a while before transferring the mixture into a measuring cup to pour into moulds.
Pour the mixture into silicone moulds (any flexible container will do) and refrigerate or leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until solid. Remove from the moulds and serve.

You can add toasted almonds or hazelnuts to your mixture for a healthy crunch or frozen strawberries for flavour.

Milk chocolate

¾ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup milk powder
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla or chocolate extract
¾ cup coconut oil

Method

Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium to high heat.
Add the sugar and stir gently.
Add the cocoa and milk powder and fold in the ingredients while stirring.
Add the vanilla or chocolate extract to give a kick to the chocolatey flavour.
Mix until you get a smooth and silky consistency.
Pour the chocolate mixture into silicone moulds.
Shake and tap the mould a bit to remove any air bubbles.
Place the chocolate in the fridge for two hours or until the chocolate completely sets.

Spice up your chocolate concoctions with coconut shavings or peppermint extract for extra flavour.

References:

Are some fruits healthier than others?

August 9th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

When it comes to the dessert menu, you’re better off with a fruit salad, but while fruits are nutrient-dense snacks, sugar is sugar. Even natural forms of sugar in fruit, can still send your blood-sugar level soaring as much as a triple chocolate mousse!

Here’s a handy guide to get your sugar fixed in the healthiest way possible:

Low-, medium- and high-sugar fruits

All fruits have zero cholesterol and saturated fats, and are low in sodium, keeping your blood pressure balanced. Therefore, the only baddie on your fruit platter or sosatie is sugar. Here is the low-down from your healthiest, to your sweetest options available:

Low sugar content: Blackberries, raspberries, lemon and limes.

Medium sugar content: Peaches, pears, melons, apples, nectarines, apricots, oranges and naartjies.

Highest sugar content: mangoes, pawpaw, grapes, bananas and pineapples.

The good thing about all fruit is that they contain fibre, which keeps you regular while you feed your sweet tooth. Fruit are packed with nutrients too:

Purple and red fruits are high in antioxidants
Citrus fruits give an immune-boosting punch with Vitamin C
Avocados (yes, they are fruit!) contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
Orange fruit, like apricots, are high in Vitamin A.

How much sugar is too much?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults limit their total sugar intake to 5% of their total daily calorie intake. That’s around 30g, or six teaspoons of sugar, a day, and includes all sugars. Low-sugar fruits typically have one or fewer teaspoons of sugar per 100g.

Which fruit is best?

Medium-sugar and low-sugar fruit ease the mid-afternoon craving, while high-fibre fruit get a constipated tummy back to work. Hydrating fruit, like watermelons, keep you cool and full on a hot summer day, while high-sugar fruit like bananas are useful for a quick energy boost.

Work out how many grams per 100g of a fruit is sugar. Five grams is around one teaspoon of sugar; any more and you want to add a generous helping of dietary fibre, fat or protein, to smooth out the sugar high. The WHO’s recommended daily allowance for fibre is 25g, 44 to 78g for fat and for protein, 0.8g per kilogram body weight.

Lemons and limes are the stars of the low-sugar show with less than 5g per fruit. They also score high on nutrient value, with 74% and 48% of the daily recommended dose of Vitamin C respectively. Their sour taste makes them hard to swallow, so drizzle the juice over a fruit or vegetable salad. An added bonus: acids slow down the release of sugars, staving off a crash.
Raspberries, with less than a teaspoon of sugar and almost two teaspoons of dietary fibre, plus 48% of the RDA of Vitamin C in just 100g, are a great choice to add to some full-fat, sugar-free yogurt.
Blackberries are low in sugar, high in fibre and pack a Vitamin C punch; 38% of your daily allowance.
Avocados stand out with high fibre and low sugar values. It’s also a source of healthy fat, making it a perfect snack to tide you through to supper.
Budget options – apples, pears, oranges and naartjies – are good for your pocket and waistline.

If you’re trying to ease hunger, very high-sugar fruits are a no-no. There aren’t many fruits you should avoid, but make sure you lean towards the medium- and low-sugar options. Add fat, protein, more fibre or acids like lemon or lime juice can help avoid sugar-crashes.

References

Detox from sugar without feeling awful

February 20th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Give your body a boost by eliminating the bad sugars.

Sugar addiction is no joke. When you’re hooked, the cravings can be hard to resist; but the not-so-sweet truth is that too much sugar leads to a ton of health problems.

According to Claudine Ryan, a Cape Town-based registered dietician, an easy place to start to detox from sugar is to reduce the sugar you add to hot drinks, like coffee and tea. Do this gradually and over time, to give your tastebuds time to adjust.

Some people find it better to avoid artificially sweetened drinks and foods altogether. But with some, reducing your sweet tooth might trick your tastebuds and make you long for the taste of sugar. Find what works best for you!

First things first

“Stock up on healthy treats and snacks at home, and get rid of sweets and chocolates. By doing this, you’ll make it easier to have a balanced diet, instead of munching away all the time,” says Ryan.

Get started!

If a craving strikes, choose fresh fruit, which affects blood glucose slowly without spikes. Opt for those with a low glycemic index like apples, berries and strawberries.
Include healthy lower GI carbohydrates in your diet to sustain blood sugar levels: swap white bread, rice and pasta for wholegrain versions like oats, wholewheat breads, brown rice, quinoa and wholewheat pasta.
Eat a protein with carbohydrate foods to stabilise blood glucose levels.
Eat often. Low blood glucose levels will make you crave sugary foods.
Reduce the sugar in recipes and add lemon juice, herbs and spices to boost flavour and taste.
Learn to distinguish between hunger and a craving. Sugar can easily become an emotional crutch, a way to reward yourself, relax or celebrate. Figure out where your cravings are coming from. And find an alternative to rewarding yourself with sugar.

“Don’t stress about it; it’s okay to have a little added sugar from time to time. Rather focus on concentrated sources of sugar than the teaspoon you’re adding to reduce the tartness of your mince bolognaise! Get active. Exercise increases the level of feel-good hormones in your body, which will reduce the dependency on sugar for that feeling,” explains Ryan.

Learn more about the sugar in foods by actively reading the ingredients labels. Sugar comes in many forms and has different names including corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, fructose, lactose and glucose. Divide the amount of sugar in a product (in grams) by four, to calculate the number of teaspoons it contains. For example, if yoghurt contains four grams of added sugar, it’s equal to one teaspoon of sugar.

The no-go zone

Avoid processed and convenience foods! As time-consuming as it is to prepare your own meals from scratch, you can significantly reduce your sugar intake by preparing meals yourself. Avoid readymade sauces and cooking bases as they can contain lots of sugar.

Next best thing

According to Ryan there are loads of sugar alternatives. Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and agave syrup are all high in glucose. One way to limit sugars is to try a non-caloric natural alternative, like stevia. “Overall, sugar is not a bad thing; it’s bad because of the huge amounts we eat every day. The best advice I can give is to cut back on sweetened foods, add naturally sweet foods to your diet, and use natural sweeteners that suit your personal needs and tastes in moderation, or use a non-caloric natural sweetener like stevia to replace added sugar in your diet.” says Ryan.

References:

https://www.nutritiousliving.co.za/

5 essential ingredients for brain health

February 20th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

What does it take to live a long, healthy life?

A healthy brain.

At Northwestern University in America, scientists say that “SuperAgers” are a trend on the rise. These are men and women older than 80 whose memories are as good or better than those up to 30 years younger!

And one of the key reasons is that SuperAgers have a relatively wholesome overall sense of wellbeing, from experiencing satisfying warm relationships to living a life of purpose. “Social relationships are really important to this group and might play a significant role in preserving their cognition,” say researchers.

What, then, are the other ingredients to ensure you also turn into one of these SuperAgers?

Brain essentials

Make fish your friends

The stars here are Omega-3s and Omega-6s. You get these either in supplement form or through food. But what’s so great about them? Research shows that the brain needs a constant supply of these essential fatty acids throughout your life, but babies and seniors have the most need. EFAs play a significant role in brain structure by determining membrane fluidity, while also contributing significantly to brain function. Omega-3s could possibly prevent dementia or help if you already show signs of the condition, so include more of these healthy fats in your diet, or take a supplement.

Walk the walk

Lace up those sneakers. Daily walks do your brain a world of good. In a recent study, a group of people all 60 and older were separated into two walking groups. One group walked about four thousand steps a day while the other aimed for more than four thousand. Those who clocked in more steps displayed better results on MRI scans. Scientists say that walking at least three kilometres a day can help preserve cognitive functioning in our ageing brains.

Be a social butterfly

It’s official; spending quality time with friends and loved ones gives your brain a happy boost. Numerous studies show that those with an active social life perform better on memory and cognition tests. Join a community club, enjoy lunches out with your friends, or volunteer. The key is happy moments with feel-good people.

Use it or lose it

Those who continue learning new things throughout life and regularly challenge their brains are less likely to develop serious dementia. Make a point of staying mentally fit. Learn something new, whether it’s technology, skill or language. Try to squeeze in some brain games or crosswords on a daily basis. Have new experiences – instead of eating at the same place every weekend, make a point of exploring a new area. Take different routes to work – anything that challenges you to step out of your comfort zone.

Spare the sugar, save your brain

Bad news: sugar ages your brain (and skin). When we take in more sugar than necessary, the excess causes toxic compounds to form and surplus insulin is released, spiking blood sugar levels. With the extra glucose overloading brain cells, the neurons are far less able to do their work, leading to less functioning brain tissue in important areas of the brain.

References

Sugar vs guns: which kills more people?

April 14th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Sugar may be the newest and deadliest of modern-day killers. Current research shows that obesity is one of the five risk factors of early death. The rate of obesity in South Africa is growing rapidly with almost 70% of women and 40% of men overweight or obese.

Diabetes in South Africa is also on the increase. High blood sugar levels have been linked to an estimated three million deaths worldwide on a yearly basis directly due to diabetes. In South Africa, it’s reported that around 5000 deaths were caused by gun shots in 2012, while 58 people died from diabetes every day in the same year – that adds up to over 21 000!

Sweet yet deadly
The three main parts of sugar (fructose, glucose and sucrose) come from sugar canes and sugar beets. The metabolic pathways in our body receive these sugars differently. Fructose is the “bad guy” as it’s simply excess sugar that the brain and muscles don’t necessarily need. This can also turn into fat in the body.

The human liver has a limited storage capacity for sugar; this means that the leftovers return into the bloodstream as fatty acids. These acids then store themselves in different parts of the body namely thighs, breasts and the belly. Thanks to this unfortunate side-effect, you then put yourself at risk Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, high cholesterol, gout, hypertension and liver disease.

Why so addictive?
Think of sugar as little gremlins that lurk around causing upheaval. The metabolic pathways in our bodies are tampered with by sugar; causing changes in the brain and the dopamine receptors (these influence body movement and emotional states through the brain). Sugar becomes addictive because of the overstimulation in the reward centres of the brain; the area of the brain that primarily processes “desire” and “want” caused by stimulants. Too much sugar causes an imbalance in our brain biochemistry, blood glucose and gut health, reducing our “feelgood” brain chemicals. This, in turn, makes us crave more sugar to feel better.

Hop off the sugar train
Sugar cravings are very real and withdrawing from sugar can leave you feeling cranky and tired.

The best approach is to stay away completely. Replace sugar with good fats and protein foods. As soon as you let your blood glucose levels drop you’ll start craving sugar.
Read food labels and look out for “hidden” sugars that might be lurking under names like maize syrup, glucose syrup, fructose syrup, fruit fructose and crystalline fructose.
Limit your fruit juices and energy drinks, and stay away from artificial sweeteners if possible.
Many kinds of bread (both white and wholewheat) contain sugar. Some breads contain as much as a teaspoon of sugar per slice.
Sugar is often added to tomato products to counter the acidity, and tomato sauce is one of the worst culprits when it comes to hidden sugar. Up to one-third of the content of tomato sauce can be sugar. Keep in mind that a tablespoon of tomato sauce equals one teaspoon of sugar.

Decoding the labels:

Sugar-free: less than 0.5 grams of sugar.
Reduced sugar: at least 25% less sugar for each serving than the original product.
No added sugar: no sugar in any form has been added as an ingredient.

References:

How much you’ll save without sugar and cigarettes

March 30th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

We all have a guilty pleasure; whether it’s that ice-cold Coca-Cola to go with your meal or that long-awaited puff of a cigarette after a long, stressful day at work. As good as it is in the moment, your temporary high be costing you (and your health).

Sugar
The average South African takes in between 12 and 24 teaspoons of sugar each day. Four to eight teaspoons are from sugar-sweetened beverages. A single 330ml soft drink contains about eight teaspoons of sugar and sells for about R10. If you drink one a day, this adds up to R300 a month.

With the sugar tax around the corner, this number is set to rise. The tax involves an extra charge of 2.29 cents per gram of sugar in soft drinks, sugar-sweetened fruit drinks, sports and energy drinks, and sweetened iced teas.

Why pay more just for weight gain, bad health and a lighter purse? Can those soft drinks and enjoy these health perks:

A healthy heart. When you eat too much sugar, the excess forms triglycerides (bad fats in your blood). High triglycerides can increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. Kicking sugar to the curb will lower levels of triglycerides, and keep your heart beating.
Low cancer risk. Sugar feeds every cell in your body, including cancer cells. Nixing your sugar habit will lower your risk for cancer and conditions known to increase your risk for cancer, e.g. obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Clearer skin. Sugar is a known inflammatory which can trigger breakouts, and speed up ageing. As you begin to wean yourself off sugar, you will notice suppler and smoother skin.
Less anxiety. Sugary foods can affect your mood, causing anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. It has also been shown to interfere with your body’s ability to cope with stress. Once you ditch the sweet stuff, you’ll feel calmer, less agitated and stressed.
A sharper mind. A diet high in sugar can sap your brain power, and damage communication among your brain cells. Cutting it out will preserve your brain cells and improve your learning and memory.

Smoking
Smoking is an unattractive and expensive habit. A pack of cigarettes can cost you anywhere from R30 to R45. If you smoke one pack a day, smoking can cost you between R800 to R1 300 a month.

Need more motivation? Stub out for:

A glowing complexion.Smoking can leave your skin looking worn-out, and grey. Quitting for good slows down the skin-ageing process, leading to fewer wrinkles and a more youthful appearance.
Whiter, brighter teeth. Nicotine can stain your teeth. Without it, your teeth will have a much better chance of staying white, which will make you look younger and healthier. Your breath will also be fresher and you’ll be less likely to get gum disease or lose your teeth.
More energy. When you stop smoking, your blood circulation improves. This increases the amount of oxygen in your body, and boosts your energy levels. You’ll find that physical activity like walking and running will be much easier.
Less stress. Smoking does not relieve stress. Studies show that smokers are more stressed than non-smokers. When you give up your smokes, your heart and anxiety levels will no longer be artificially raised by nicotine. You’ll also be a lot less worried about your health.
Improved smell and taste. Smoking can dull your senses of smell and taste. Quitting may enhance the smells and tastes of food. You’ll appreciate different flavours and enjoy eating so much more.

One last thing – it’s time to cut the caffeine
Love your cuppa Joe first thing in the morning? Your bank account doesn’t. Takeaway coffee costs about R25. If you indulge in a cup every day, your daily caffeine fix ends up costing you a whopping R750 a month.

Toss out on coffee to save yourself a buck. It can also help you sleep more soundly and feel more refreshed the next day. No more caffeine also means less caffeine withdrawal headaches, anxiety and high blood pressure.

References:

9 ways to beat flu and prevent cancer

March 1st, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

We don’t always appreciate what we have until we lose it – and this also applies to our health. These are the things you can do today, so you don’t lose your health tomorrow.

#1 Have a cold shower
Studies have shown that people who took daily cold showers had an increase in the number of virus fighting white blood cells. Why does this happen? It is probably due to your body’s increased metabolic rate, from the shock of the cold temperature water.

#2 Wash your hands
Germs can live for up to 3 hours outside of your body, and will take every opportunity to move from surfaces to your hands. Their strategy is simple: countertop > hands > mouth > blood, in under 180 minutes.

Your strategy is just as simple:

Wash for at least 20 seconds: the same time as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song.
Always use soap.
Remember to wash the tops of your hands, as well as your fingers and nails.
Wash your hands regularly throughout the day, especially if there is anyone who is sick in your household or office.

#3 Sleep
Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours of good quality sleep at night. If you don’t, your risk of getting the cold increases 4 times!

#4 Eat more phytonutrients
Phyto-what? Phytonutrients are natural compounds that are made in plants. In fact, “phyto” comes from the Greek word for plant. These little health helpers may protect against germs and other environmental threats. They give plants their vibrant colour, distinct taste and smell, and keep them healthy. There are more than 25 000 phytonutrients found in plant foods. The most common variants include:

#5 Cut out sugar
What is your favourite treat? Chocolate? Cake? Jelly sweets? There’s nothing wrong with sugar itself – it gives us energy, and enhances the taste of things. But the quantity of sugar we eat on average, is toxic. How?

It causes inflammation which has been linked to ageing and disease. Want to slow down the ageing process? Start with cutting refined sugar from your diet.
It can lead to diabetes.
It can contribute to heart disease.
It could increase your cancer risk.

In total, you should only get up to 30g of sugar per day (including hidden sugars in treats and juices.)

#6 Stop smoking
We know smoking is ‘bad’. But do you know why?

It disrupts your immune system.
If fills your body with toxic chemicals that can lead to cancer.

It may be a hard road, but quitting is worth it!

#7 Get just enough sun
The germs that cause the common cold don’t suddenly appear at the first sign of winter. They are around for most of the year. One of the main reasons we get sick more often in winter is because we spend more time indoors, with others, being exposed to more germs. Beyond that, sun also stimulates endorphins and vit D. So get your 20 to 30 minutes a day!

#8 Stress less
Yes, we know that it’s easier said than done. However, you can manage your stress, with a few simple principles:

Take deep breaths regularly. Inhale and exhale slowly. It regulates your stress-hormone, fills your brain with oxygen, and helps get rid of carbon dioxide.
Accept the things you can’t change. You can’t control the traffic, so make sure you have some good music on hand.
Take time-outs. Go for a short walk, have a shower, go and make yourself a cup of tea – just step out of the stressful situation for a few minutes, if you can.

#9 Drink plenty of fluids
Water helps your kidneys function as they should, helps flush out toxins that collect in your body, and keeps you hydrated. If you don’t like water, try adding slices of lemon or orange. Herbal teas also contribute to your daily water intake, so drink up!

Could you legally avoid taxes and improve your health?

February 28th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Slowly but surely, sugar has become public health enemy number 1. Closely linked to several chronic diseases sugar has made our lives sweeter, but also shorter. Since processed foods hit the market, the intake of sugar has risen steadily. In fact, if you are an “average Joe”, you’re consuming somewhere between 100-200g of sugar every day without even knowing it!

Sugar as a “highly addictive white substance”

Studies have shown that sugar is as addictive as cocaine and heroin. As with any addictive substance, over time you need more sugar to get that same high. The reality is, that over and above natural sugars found in food, our bodies have no physiological need for any added sugar as it has no nutritional benefit. In other words, it provides only empty calories.

Too much of anything is never good, too much sugar damages your health

Evidence suggests that a diet high in added sugars, increases your risk of

Weight gain and obesity, especially “visceral fat” (deep fat around organs) closely linked to several chronic health conditions
Insulin resistance: as the body becomes resistant to the hormone insulin, risk for conditions such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes increase
Heart disease: arteries become damaged and harden, increasing risk for high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes
Inflammation: sugar creates a cascade of hormonal changes that set off inflammation, both within blood vessels and around joints
Nutritional deficiencies: sugary foods and drinks contain empty calories. These make you feel full without filling you up, making you miss out on important nutrients.

Where is all this sugar coming from?

Sugar sneaks into processed food, as it helps to preserve it for a longer shelf-life. However, it’s often what we’re DRINKING, not necessarily what we’re eating that can be the real problem.

How much of a problem? Here’s a rough estimate of how much sugar you drink. Keep in mind that 4g of sugar is 1 teaspoon:

250ml fruit juice: 30g sugar
330ml can of fizzy drink: 30g sugar
500ml sports drink: 35g sugar
250ml energy drink: 28g sugar

South Africans drink an average of 165ml of fizzy drinks daily… that’s much higher than the average for the rest of the world, which is 133ml. Considering that the consumption of sugary drinks has been linked to an estimated 184,000 adult deaths each year globally, these numbers are a great concern. What’s worse, South Africa ranks second, behind only Mexico, when it comes to the number of deaths related to the consumption of sugary drinks.

Sugar tightens your belt, in more way than one!

A diet high in sugar directly contributes to weight gain, but as government moves forward with the proposed sugar tax, you’ll soon have to be tightening up your budget belt when it comes to buying sugary drinks.

The sugar tax is to be implemented later this year once all the legal ins and outs have been finalised. Despite much protest from industry, the finance minister has confirmed that the government is forging ahead.

Much like the other “sin taxes” (placed on cigarettes and alcohol), sugary drinks (fizzy drinks and concentrated juices) are simply going to start costing you more. The proposed tax is 2.1c/gram for a sugar content in excess of 4g/100ml. Huh? Here’s a more practical example:

A 330ml can of Coca Cola has about 30g of sugar. 12g of this sugar will be exempted from the tax. So, a can of Coke is going to cost you an extra 48c
Concentrated drinks (e.g. Oros) will be half this amount

The underlying goal of the tax is to change health behaviour. Making “unhealthy” choices cost more will make “healthier” options the obvious choice. The plan is that some of the money generated from this new tax is going to be pumped back into the budget to support health promotion interventions as part of a strategy to fight chronic disease.

Will it work?

In theory, yes. But, theory is never practise. Looking elsewhere, however, gives us some insight: Mexico has been in the spot light recently, as one of the first countries to both introduce a sugar tax, and report on its impact. There is evidence to show that consumers DO respond to price changes. For example, in Mexico, 2014 sales of taxed drinks feel by an average of 6%. At the same time, purchases of water and non-taxed drinks increased by around 4%. This was especially true in lower income groups. But it’s still quite early in the process to understand just how this change translates into health benefits, or what other factors could be involved.

What you can do to legally avoid paying tax (and improve your health at the same time):

Diet fizzy drinks come with their own set of health risks. Aim to give both diet and regular drinks up for good
Start slowly: weaning yourself off fizzy drinks is a sustainable strategy. Start by having 1 less can a day and increase it fromthere
Dilute your drinks: if going cold turkey is simply not an option, dilute your drink with some water
Embrace fizzy water: you’ll keep the fizz without the sugar
Class up your water! Add in some fresh fruit and crushed ice
Don’t buy it! Out of sight, out of mind
When a craving hits, drink plain water first. Often these “cravings” are just your body’s way of telling you its thirsty
Bust through your boredom: if you drink not only when you’re thirsty but when you’re bored, make sure you keep yourself busy to avoid the temptation
Avoid triggers! Common drink-triggers include walking past a vending machine and having FOMO watching someone else drinking! Change your route to avoid the vending machine and embrace JOMO (joy of missing out)…. You’ll be saving money and you’re healthy!)

References

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0124845
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/132/8/639
http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.h6704
http://www.oecd.org/health/49716427.pdf

Don’t binge this Easter!

March 25th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

Joanne Hart for HelloDoctor.com

You’ve been on a healthy eating plan since the year began – good for you! But here comes Easter riding on a wave of chocolate! Surely it couldn’t hurt to binge a little? Actually, it really can. This is what happens when you sugar binge:

Continue reading “Don’t binge this Easter!”

The 3 killers: Sitting, smoking, sugar

December 15th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

We’ve known that smoking is deadly for a long time, and every year the world moves a little further away from lighting up. When we realised that sugar, when over-consumed can also be dangerous to your health, this caused another major change in how the world eats and drinks. But the latest potential killer on the block is harder to drop and it’s everywhere: sitting. Continue reading “The 3 killers: Sitting, smoking, sugar”