KTK-Nutrition

Have you ever had kidney stones?   Do you know someone who has had kidney stones?   I remember my boss having a bout with kidney stones.   He would be in such pain he would lie on his office floor.   What can one do to prevent kidney stones?   Recently a reader wrote to Dr. Roach and asked: “Approximately three years ago, I developed a calcium oxalate kidney stone, which was removed by surgery.   What can I do to prevent the calcium oxalate kidney stone from forming again?” Dr. Roach stated that the calcium oxalate stones are indeed the most common kind.   He had quite a few recommendations.   WebMD and Mayo Clinic also provide good advice.   What can you do to help prevent kidney stones?   Drink more water .   This reduces both the quantity of calcium and of oxalate in urine.   Mayo Clinic recommends drinking 2-3 quarts of water a day.   Drink more water.   Cut back on foods high in oxalates .   Dr. Roach...

Who doesn’t enjoy some sweets in their diet?   We all like our desserts and treating ourselves.   There are a lot of myths about sugar in our diets.   Food for Health has a great article this month on Sugar:   The Not-So-Sweet Truth .   Do you believe some of these myths about sugar?   Below are some common myths many people have about sugar. Myth 1:   Some sugars such as honey or agave are healthier for you than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup. A little bit true, as honey and agave do provide some traces of vitamins and minerals such as potassium and vitamin C.   But the amounts are so small, that honey and agave are not really healthier than white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.   Some people use honey as a cough suppressant .   Others like the taste of honey in baked foods like muffins.   Nothing wrong with choosing honey or agave, they just aren’t much healthier.     Myth 2: ...

How many calories are in those beverages you are drinking every day?   Many people drink high energy drinks, Starbuck’s coffee, soft drinks and drinks like Gatorade without even considering those calories.    And calories from beverages easily add up.    The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has some good advice for high school students that can be applied to all of us. Drop Liquid Calories is one of the Alliance for Health’s recommendations.   Many of us aren’t eating our calories but drinking our calories by consuming sugary beverages – soft drinks, energy drinks, sweetened ice tea, coffee with flavored syrups.   High school students and adults “are drinking more sugary beverages than ever before.”   As the website notes, the biggest source of added sugar in the diets of many of our youth are sugary beverages.   Surprisingly, many of these sugary beverages are provided by parents and they can easily change what beverages are in the ho...

A lot of experts are talking about the health hazards of eating too much added sugar.   And Americans love their sugar.   Who doesn’t love sweets and desserts?   However, added sugar is now in more and more processed foods and it is getting harder and harder to avoid added sugar.   A recent newsletter from Kaiser Permanente challenges their customers to take the 2 week Sugar Challenge.   Why? Most Americans eat a lot of added sugar every day, about 26.5 teaspoons for ladies and 33.75 teaspoons for guys.   That is a lot of sugar. How much added sugar is recommended?    The American Heart Association recommends we limit our added sugars to:   Women    6 teaspoons a day Men    9 teaspoons a day The TWO WEEK SUGAR CHALLENGE Cut out added sugar and artificial sweeteners from your diet for two weeks.    Why?   Believe it or not, this will actually help you reset your desire for sugary sweets.   F...