HFCS is a common additive to processed foods and beverages in the U. S. You’ll find it in a ginormous amount of products found in grocery outlets.

Some popular hiding places are breads, cereals, condiments, frozen dinners and soft drinks. Sodas contain approximately 55% fructose and 42% glucose, two of the main ingredients of HFCS.

HFCS is 6 times sweeter than table sugar. It is the sweetener that has replaced table sugar (sucrose) in the food industry in the United States.

Researchers and critics argue that it is more dangerous to our bodies than table sugar because it can contribute to diabetes and weight gain.

Dr. Richard Johnson, Chief of the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado has published a book on the topic, The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick. It’s very good reading and it will open your eyes to the effects that high fructose corn syrup has on your body.

disease prevention

This may sound like a deviation from the subject of staying trim after 40 but the truth is if your health is bad you will not be able to enjoy the rest of your life.

It is important that you adopt healthier lifestyles from this day forward to prevent age-related diseases.
Some common diseases related to aging are heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis.

The majority of these diseases can be prevented if you exercise regularly, eat properly and manage your stress.

Many of these diseases stem from being overweight and obese, two preventable disorders. Overweight and obesity result from an energy imbalance. This involves eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity.

According to the Center for Disease Control during the years 2009 – 2010, 35.7% of U. S. adults were obese. That’s over 78 million adults.

If there was ever a time to eat healthy in your lifetime it is now. It is critical that you consider disease prevention during this next chapter in life.

To prevent these diseases consider your cell health. You are what you eat. Like a bank your body has to account for everything that you put into it.

Without boring you with scientific facts let me say that aging is related to free radicals floating around in your cells.

Free radicals are unpaired electrons looking for a mate. If they decided to combine with DNA or other things in your cells they can cause cell damage.

The free-radical theory of aging states that organism’s age because cells accumulate free radical damage over time.

How do you prevent free radicals from damaging your cells? By eating foods high in antioxidants or taking vitamins like vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene that interact with free radicals.

Foods containing vitamin E are nuts, seeds, fish oils and whole grains. Vitamin C foods include fruits such as cantaloupe, strawberries, blue berries and citric fruits as well as green vegetables.

Foods containing beta-carotene are tomatoes, carrots, spinach, and a number of grains. You can do a web search to find additional foods in these categories.

You can extend the next phase of your life by giving your body what it needs now so you can enjoy the rest of your life disease free later.