Which of my Favorite Stevia Products are Best for You?
Last week a reader of my most recent blog about Stevia asked where he could find Stevia plants.
To answer his question, most home and garden centers such as Lowe’s have Stevia herbs. You can certainly make your own Stevia sweetener, but it would be much more convenient to buy already prepared products from your local health food store, grocery, or from right here on CarsonNatural.com. There are many Stevia products on the market today, however some of them are not pure Stevia. It’s important to check the ingredients to see if the Stevia has been blended with other sweeteners. Those products I cannot recommend! I only recommend pure Stevia products, most of which contain the Stevia extract and a fiber called “Inulin”, a pre-biotic fiber, which stimulates the growth of good bacteria in your gut.
My favorite brand of Stevia is Sweet Leaf Stevia, an award winning brand for its lack of a bitter aftertaste. It comes in a variety of formulas, including granulated packets and liquid drops. For those of you who find the wonderful taste of pure water too boring, they have four water enhancing drops that you can add to your water to flavor and sweeten it naturally. These are a great healthy alternative to other water enhancers on the market, most of which contain artificial sweeteners and flavors.
I recently discovered a new organic Stevia as well. Produced by CID Botanicals, it comes in three additional flavors along with the original and is also highly recommended.
Both of these brands, Sweet Leaf and CID Botanicals, are now available for purchase in the Carson Natural.com online store. As always if you have any questions or anything to add to the discussion, leave a comment below. If you have a question on a different subject please fill out the contact form or click on the “Ask Dr. Phil” microphone, and your question could be the topic of one of my future blogs.
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Have You Tried My Guilt-Free Harmless Sweetener??
In the last blog I promised to provide everyone with my recommendation for a no calorie sweetener.
It’s only fair after I’ve told you how potentially harmful splenda, nutrasweet, and equal are to your bodies, and I’m often asked, “so if you don’t use artificial sweeteners, what do YOU use?” My response is that I generally don’t sweeten anything I drink, but if I do need a sweetener for something I always choose the natural and no calorie sweetener, Stevia.
Stevia is my favorite alternative to sugar for these four reasons.
1. It is all natural!
Stevia is derived from the, you guessed it, stevia herb, specifically the compounds Stevioside and Rebaudioside A found in the plant. This herb is native to South America and has been used there for hundreds of years as a sweetener along with other things. Recent medical studies have revealed that Stevia isn’t just “not harmful”, but that it has actual health benefits, having been shown to help control cholesterol and blood pressure.
2. It isn’t low calorie, it’s NO calorie!
One of Stevia’s only similarities to other artificial sweeteners is that it does not metabolize inside your body, making it a no calorie sweetener. It is sometimes mixed with dextrose or maltodextrin to remove the natural bitter taste of the Stevia plant, which can result in 1 calorie per packet.
3. It is delicious!
One of the reasons Stevia has been used for hundreds of years is because of how sweet it is. In fact the sweetening compounds inside the leaf, Stevioside and Rebaudioside A, are up to 300X sweeter than sugar! For those that have grown accustomed to a certain sweetness in their diet, Stevia is what you have been looking for.
4. It is a ZERO Glycemic Index, so it has no effect on my blood sugar!
The natural compounds that make up Stevia are not absorbed by the body, giving it a GI of Zero. Studies have also shown that stevia can actually stabilize blood sugar over time by increasing insulin resistance, inhibiting the absorption of glucose, and promoting the health of the pancreas. These factors make Stevia the go to sweetener for diabetics.
For all these reasons and more I continually recommend Stevia to my patients, friends, and family. Please comment below if you have anything to add to the discussion and if you have any questions feel free to to contact me by filling out the contact form or clicking the microphone on your screen. Your question could be the topic of our next blog!
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Splenda – The Lesser of Two Evils
My last two entries have been about the potential health hazards of artificial sweeteners,
specifically aspartame. Many people have asked me over the past year or so about alternatives. Today I want to address one that I am continually asked about, Splenda.
I recently had a conversation with someone who asked me what I thought about the use of splenda as an alternative to aspartame. I think you can gather how I feel about it from the title of this entry. I am asked this question often, and every time I tell people that it is the lesser of two evils. Splenda isn’t a natural or healthy alternative to aspartame. Even though it’s made from sugar, it is chemically altered through the addition of three chlorine atoms to reduce its calories. Little is known about the long term effects of Splenda on humans due to the limited amount of human trials. Nearly all FDA trials were conducted on animals.
According to a study performed in 2008 by Duke University researchers, Splenda can destroy the good bacteria inside your gut, contribute to weight gain, and prevent prescriptions from being absorbed. This trial was conducted on rats just as most FDA trials were, and in their study the rats that were given Splenda over a 12 week period gained more weight than the rats that were not given Splenda and continued to gain weight after the fact. They also found that the sugar substitute caused a decrease in micro-flora, (good bacteria in your gut) which aids in absorption of vitamins and protects you from harmful bacteria. If you have been using Splenda, then I recommend you begin taking probiotics to restore the good bacteria in your gut that plays such an important role in your overall health.
There are some good natural alternatives to the low calorie and no calorie artificial sweeteners, and I will discuss my personal favorite, which happens to be no calorie, in the next blog. If you have had any adverse effects due to Splenda or any other artificial sweeteners tell us about it in the comments section below, and as always if you have any questions fill out the contact form or leave a voice message by clicking on the microphone.
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Are You Tricking Your Brain and Confusing Your Body?!?
Last week I wrote about the deception of Diet Coke’s The Heart Truth marketing campaign,
but I want to go on the record as not just being against Diet Coke but ALL DIET SODA’S. Well let me be more specific, I’m against all diet sodas that contain the ingredient Aspartame. Aspartame is not only prevalent in diet sodas but is the key ingredient in many artificial sweeteners as well. Thankfully the general public has become increasingly more aware of this once unknown harmful ingredient. One of the reasons why is because of its links to cancer, but I want to make you aware of its effect on your waistline and metabolic health. This short video does an excellent job highlighting a few of the dangerous effects of consuming Aspartame.
The video also summarizes much of what I’ve been sharing with my patients for years about the dangers of Aspartame. There is a long list of other health problems that multiple studies and scientific research has linked to this artificial sweetener. Since hearing a prominent neurosurgeon, Dr. Russel Blaylock, speak at a seminar nearly 15 years ago and reading his book, Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kill, I have been convinced that Aspartame is a chemical that I do not want to put in my body. You can find a vast amount of information on the web about Aspartame, and while some articles point to it’s safety, many more proclaim it’s dangers, and in 2004 a documentary titled “Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World” was released that I believe tells the definitive truth about Aspartame. It is free to watch on YouTube, and I encourage you to watch it and arm yourself with the knowledge of this chemical that’s so prevalent in the American diet.
Click here to view Sweet Misery on YouTube
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Have You Been Fooled by Coca Cola’s Latest Marketing Plan?
Who’s Got Your Heart?
February is national Heart Month,designated by the Centers for Disease Control for an increased awareness about the health of our most vital organ. One major corporation has gotten behind heart health recently, and I want to call into question the duplicity of their campaign. The company I’m speaking of is Coca Cola and their recent Diet Coke and the Heart Truth campaign. This is pulled directly from the campaign, under the headline The Heart Truth – We Heart Women: “Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer of women? It affects 8.6 million women each year, and one-third of women underestimate their own risk for heart disease. For five years, Diet Coke® has been a passionate supporter of The Heart Truth® campaign to help raise heart disease awareness and to help women get heart smart.”
Now I am all for Coca Cola and Diet Coke empowering women, and everyone, with information about heart health. Increasing awareness of the dangers of not taking care of your heart is important because the following statistics are alarming:
• Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women.
• More women die of heart disease than from all forms of cancer combined.
• Women’s risk of heart disease usually starts to increase in middle age.
• About 3 million American women have had a heart attack.
However, is the same company that’s pulling the fire alarm also throwing gasoline on the flames?
A study published by the American College of Cardiology in March 2014, analyzed diet drink intake and cardiovascular risk of 59,614 women who participated in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. The study, linked here, revealed several pertinent pieces of information such as a 30% increase of a cardiovascular event, for women who consumed two or more diet drinks a day compared to those who drank no diet drinks. The study also was in line with previous studies associating consumption of diet drinks with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Again I applaud Coca Cola for sounding the alarm about the dangers of heart disease in America, but I condemn them for creating these cans and the illusion that diet coke can reduce the risk of heart disease in women, when the facts clearly state this is not the case. If someone you know drinks more than two diet drinks a day please share this with them, and if you are concerned about your heart health, I recommend the supplement SmartQ10 CoQ10. It is one of the top recommended supplements by cardiologists worldwide. If you have any thoughts or questions please leave a comment to add to the discussion below. As always you can contact me by filling out the contact form or clicking on the Ask Dr. Phil Microphone on the screen. I look forward to hearing from you!
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Do You Have the WILL to Succeed? Don’t Pour Water on the Fire too Soon!
I recently had a conversation via text message with a patient that I felt compelled to share with all of you. Our correspondence went like this:
Patient: Do you think me being overweight and malnourished* would contribute to me getting pleurisy? This is the third time I’ve had this mess, and it is very painful.
*The patient knew they were malnourished because they heard me speak at a meeting where I stated that a lot of overweight people are malnourished because most of the foods they eat are void of nutrients.
Dr. Phil: Yes, absolutely, the stress that excess weight puts on your body and the lack of proper nutrition has a direct effect on your immune system thereby weakening its ability to fight off infection.
Patient: Yes, I know Phil, I’m telling you that is the most difficult thing I have had to deal with is weight control…it’s horrible, I have no will-power.
Dr. Phil: No, I think you do have the will power. You don’t have the WILL. You are not willing to discipline the flesh. Will-power is the motivation to exercise WILL, and WILL is the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action.
Patient: Wow, you said it. That is a sermon in itself!! Seriously I will be the first to say that is me… I’m so ashamed at how I have let my body go. I need motivation…then the people I hang around with want to go and eat!!!!
Dr. Phil: Okay, if the fact that you have had pleurisy three times is not enough motivation, think about the people you know our age and younger who maybe in the past year or two who have had a stroke, heart attack, or been diagnosed with diabetes or cancer. If that is still not enough motivation go visit the nursing homes and see some of the 40 and 50 year olds that are there because they had no WILL.
Patient: I know Phil, you are right. I’m drinking ice water right now because you are burning my tail up! Thank you for the fire, I really need it.
Dr. Phil: Drinking water is a great start! Keep it up!
I know that we all know a family member or friend that struggles with the WILL to change their health problems before it can be too late, or maybe it is you, reading this right now, that struggles with WILL. Whatever the case, I challenge you to begin disciplining your flesh regarding your diet and eating habits.
If you do have the WILL to make a change, then I encourage you to not set yourself up for failure by biting off more than you can chew (no pun intended). Start with these three small changes to get the ball rolling and prove to yourself that you can do it.
1. Drink water only, coffee in the morning is okay too, but only with NO cream and sugar…we consume so many detrimental chemicals and artificial sweeteners in what we drink.
2. When eating out, split an entree with your partner, and if you’re single eat half the entree and take the other half home with you for another meal…this not only saves your health but money as well.
3. Eat a protein rich breakfast as often as you can, preferably every day…eggs are cheap, one of the healthiest things you can eat, and can be prepared in a way to please every palate.
You can improve your health starting right now! If you would like more information on developing healthy habits, contact me by filling out the contact form or click on the “Ask Dr. Phil” microphone and leave a voice message.
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Why Dr. Phil Wants to be Like Frosty the Snowman
I walked into my house the other day to find my youngest daughter watching the old Christmas classic Frosty the Snowman. Needing a break, I sat down to watch it with her. As I sat watching and reminiscing about my own childhood days of watching Frosty, I heard the famous Frosty song and was suddenly struck by three words. Although I have probably heard that song hundreds of times during my 54 years, the three words, jolly happy soul, resonated within me like never before. I thought, “jolly…happy… soul.” That’s me; that’s how I want to be known.
For so many years, I have allowed the hustle and bustle of the holidays to steal my joy. I thought, “Ok Frosty, I will no longer lose my joy, I will choose to be that jolly happy soul that I desire to be.” As I contemplated these thoughts, I was reminded of one of Andy Andrew’s seven decisions that he writes about in his book, The Traveler’s Gift. Decision number 5 begins like this: Today I will choose to be happy. I was also reminded of a scripture I have heard and quoted myself many times.
“A merry heart does good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
We all know the line in the chorus of Frosty that goes, “And the children say he could laugh and play just the same as you and me.” How sad it is that as adults, myself included, we so often allow the cares of our world to steal our joy and rob us of the pleasures of laughing and playing. This should not and does not have to be. Andy Andrew’s fifth decision, ends like this: I will greet each day with laughter, I will smile at every person I meet, I have a grateful spirit, today I will choose to be happy. I have been challenged, and I challenge you to let this Christmas season be the beginning of living every day full of joy and laughter, to have a merry heart, and to be a jolly…happy…soul.
Merry Christmas and Healthy Blessings to You,
Dr. Phil
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 1:2
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It’s Too Cold To Eat Lunch Naked
Following up on our last blog post, we ask this question for you: How much vitamin D does your body require each day?
Where I live we are entering into a season where the weather prohibits me from eating outside in the midday sun. So in order to get my daily dose of vitamin D I have to rely on supplementation. The importance of vitamin D supplementation is becoming more and more evident through recent research which indicates that most of the U.S. population may be vitamin D deficient.
The following questions are important ones to consider before you begin vitamin D supplementation:
1. How much vitamin D does your body require each day?
2. What is the recommended daily dose of supplements?
3. Can I get too much vitamin D?
4. What if I feel it’s not safe to expose my skin to the sun?
5. Can I get vitamin D from the foods that I eat?
These are all great questions, unfortunately the answers are too long and complex for me to answer in this blog. Thankfully the answers can be found by visiting the vitamin D council’s website by clicking here.
Because vitamin D is a vitamin that you can get too much of it’s also very important that you know what your vitamin D level is before taking supplements. If you’ve never had your vitamin D level checked or if it’s been more than a year, I recommend that you see your local health care provider and request to have your level checked. It can be done with a simple blood test. Once you’ve obtained the results use the guidelines below to determine if you are deficient, insufficient, or have sufficient amounts.
Vitamin D Council Endocrine Society Food & Nutrition Board
Deficient 0-30 ng/ml 0-20 ng/ml 0-11 ng/ml
Insufficient 31-39 ng/ml 21-29 ng/ml 12-20 ng/ml
Sufficient 40-80 ng/ml 30-100 ng/ml >20 ng/ml
Toxic >150 ng/ml
I can’t stress enough how important it is that you have sufficient amounts of vitamin D! If you find you have deficient or insufficient amounts please consult with your health care provider for information on how to restore your vitamin D level. If you have any questions or you would like recommendations for supplementation send your request to [email protected], or visit our website and click on the “Ask Dr. Phil” Radio button and leave your question. Stay healthy and stay warm this winter!
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
Eat Lunch Naked
Feel better and live longer…. Eat lunch naked!!!
No it’s not a joke, but after reading this blog, if that’s what you want to do, please don’t do it in public!
You may be wondering, how will eating lunch naked make me feel better and live longer? The answer lies in what happens when your skin is exposed to the midday sun. When our bodies are exposed to sunlight it produces a vital nutrient, vitamin D.
So how important is it to your health, that you have sufficient amounts of vitamin D? It has been well known for many years that vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, but recent research has shown that vitamin D may be important to our health for many other reasons as well. According to the vitamin D Council’s website, some of the functions of the body that vitamin D helps with include:
1.Immune system, which helps you to fight off infection
2.Muscle function
3.Cardiovascular function, for a healthy heart and circulation
4.Respiratory system, for healthy lungs and clear airways
5.Brain development
6.Cancer prevention
The research continues and much more is yet to be learned of this vital nutrient and it’s importance to our health.
The best way for you to get the vitamin D that your body needs is to expose your skin to the midday sun. For most of us, in today’s society, that can be much easier said than done. If you are unable to step out into the life-giving sun, then the easiest way for you to get the vitamin D that your body craves is through dietary supplements that are widely available. Regardless of how you get the vitamin D, I believe that it is essential that you do get a daily dose. However, it is just as important to know how much that dose should be, and that is what I will discuss in my next entry.
You may choose to “Eat Lunch Naked”, but keep in mind, if you have to eat lunch in a public place, I highly recommend you consider the supplements. They are much easier than having to explain yourself to the police.
Healthy Blessings,
Dr. Phil
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Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
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