Given the public health crisis sugar is causing, as well as widespread sugar addiction, we’re not big fans of sweet treats. For an unjaded palate, fruits and the sweeter vegetables like red peppers, carrots and beets, eaten in moderation, provide plenty of sweetness, while even the healthier sweets, like raw honey and dried fruits, cause unfavorable blood sugar swings and can all too often easily revive a dormant sugar addiction. Artificial sweeteners are toxic, as we’ve written about before in Newsclips and articles, and of the “natural” sweeteners available, such as agave, Monk fruit and stevia, Raymond Francis has approved only one stevia product: BetterStevia Organic Extract Powder from NOW. (Note: He had previously approved KAL Stevia, but withdrew his approval when they began adding maltodextrin to their product.) However sweets are such a huge part of the holidays, and when prepared in a low-glycemic way and eaten occasionally, they do little harm. Watch how they affect y…

. . . it could double your risk for macular degeneration A European study on nearly 4,700 men and women over 65 found that daily aspirin users more than doubled their risk of late stage, "wet" macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness resulting in loss of independence among older Americans. The macula is a tiny, highly sensitive region in the center of the retina that allows you to see fine details and colors. Without it, you aren't totally blind, but all you see is shapes and movement in shades of black and white. With age, the macula can deteriorate in one of two ways. It can become thin and sprinkled with debris called drusen (the dry form), or blood vessels beneath the retina may push up into the macula and leak blood and fluids (the wet form). The wet form, which is considered the more serious, was the form associated with aspirin use in the above study. (Aspirin is known to cause small hemorrhages under the retina.) Other…