Our Lady of Weight Loss ™®
is a division of Oy-Caramba! Ltd.

August 23, 2004

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The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye,
And it looks like it’s climbin’ clear up to the sky.
~ Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), U.S. songwriter.
Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ (song), Oklahoma! (Stage musical, 1943; film, 1955).
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I'm as Corny as Kansas in August!

In 1970, the average American consumed a scant 1/2 pound of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) per year.  By the mid-1990’s, the number escalated to 55.3 pounds of HFCS per person and by 2001, 62.6 pounds per person.

FATOID Figures from the USDA show a steady growth in consumption of high-fructose corn syrup: from zero pounds in 1966 to 62.6 pounds per person in 2001. These statistics correspond with the rapid rise in obesity. Coincidence?

The American food industry has been quietly substituting HFCS in place of sugar and honey.  Corn syrup is cheaper to produce, is twice as sweet as table sugar (cane and beet), has a long shelf life, and our heartland is poppin' with corn.  

According to Greg Critser, author of the book, “Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World,” federal policies that supported corn production in the 1970s led to a glut of corn, which in turn, led to the production of HFCS.  In other words, now that we had a cheaper way to sweeten food, companies could increase the size and amount of sweet foods and beverages that they produced and increase their profits.  A winning business combo.

Many nutritionists explain that the body processes the fructose in HFCS differently than it does table sugar.  Unlike sucrose or dextrose, fructose does not ' breakdown' before it reaches the liver. It arrives almost completely intact. This changes the way metabolic-regulating hormones function and is called "metabolic-shunting."  A strain is put on the liver, causing it to KICK out additional fat into the bloodstream. (Not the kind of KICK we’re looking for.)

If you think you are in the clear because you don’t drink sugar-filled soda, or stay clear of sweets, sorry - guess again.  I just checked the labels on my 'light' bread, power bar and the baby’s teething cookies (not my baby), and they all had HFCS listed high among their ingredients. 

NEWS Bite Our Lady of Weight Loss in the NEWS ALL THINGS GIRL Body & Soul Section August-September 2004 An Interview: Janice Taylor *** Our Lady of Weight Loss ArtWare exhibiting at the Museum of Sex See Exhibition: Current Extended by popular demand!

A report issued in the April 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated “Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity.”

40% of caloric sweeteners that are now added to our foods and beverages are High Fructose Corn Syrup.   This represents an average of 16% of our caloric intake.  (If you consume 1500 calories per day, 240 of those calories are from HFCS.)

We are a weight-obsessed people, fixated on carbs and calories.  And, yes, there are many contributing factors to obesity, including lack of exercise, large portions, extreme amounts of fatty foods, but HFCS may well be another contributing factor, and should be considered, if based solely on the fact that we consume so much of it without knowing it.

Dr. James O. Hill, physiologist at the University of Colorado's Health Sciences Center, told the Associated Press, "If obesity is left unchecked, almost all Americans will be overweight by 2050." He went on to say that obesity is the normal response to the American environment.

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Righteous Recipe ~ Amilah from Chicago would like to continue the Smoothie conversation. Take it away, Amilah!

"My smoothie recipe is a lot simpler--
1) Always keep a supply of cleaned organic strawberries or blueberries, along with bananas cut in thirds, in the freezer.
2) Always keep a bottle of (no sugar added) tangy special fruit juice (e.g. blueberry or pomegranate) in the fridge.
3) Always keep either low fat yogurt or soy yogurt around-- in good flavors. (Peach is always good in the mix.)
4) When the smoothie bug hits-- get the blender-and take the equivalent of one banana per person, and 1 1/2 cups berries /banana/person, add 1/2 - 1 cup of that special juice, scoop in the yogurt, and fill to above the frozen fruit line with cold filtered water.
5) Blend.
6) serve in a glass with a straw.
YUM --easy...
 
And truly, there's no need for honey or extra sweeteners-- the banana makes it way sweet."

Thanks, Amilah. Our Lady appreciates all YUM-easy, YUM-lite recipes and suggestions!

Want to whip up another dish?
Send Our Lady your favorite recipe? Keep them easy, low-cal and FUN. If yours is used, Our Lady will send you a prize!

Chewing the Fat

How you doin'? Write Our Lady.

Dear OLofWL,
I am still stinging from the 'conversation' I had with a new 'friend' [she is a fitness nut btw]. When talking about how we used to dress in our younger days, I happened to mention that I was a size 6 then. It took a good minute for her to take her jaw off the floor. "You were a size six?" she asked shocked. I replied, "Well don't look so shocked." For the record, I am a size 16 now.
 
That was 2 days ago and it is still hurting as I replay it in my mind. It can be so frustrating how 'holier than thou' thin people are.  
Should I go back and say something to her? ~ Plain Jane, Hurting, USA.

Dear Plain Jane, Hurting, Your new 'friend' was rude. Jane, a size 16 is nothing to feel shame over. Your aura transcends size. You radiate beauty, warmth and grace. Don't buy into what society (or a fitness buff) thinks you should be. I say this because I am assuming that your hurt feelings indicate that you were 'agreeing' with her, and in turn, making yourself feel badly about yourself. If you feel the need to lose weight, do it for you - for your self-esteem, for your health - not to be the size six you once were. I would wait to say something about the incident until she either puts her aerobic foot in her mouth again, which she probably will, or if the topic naturally finds its way into a conversation. ~ OLofWL

The KICK in the TUSH Club provides a weekly reminder in the form of an Art-KICK for those who wish to anchor themselves to their weight loss and/or health goals (or for those who need to satisfy their craving for a quirky kick). It's fun, fab and fat-free. Sign-up now (there's no charge). Click here! Our Lady (Or send an email to: info@OurLadyofWeightLoss.com) and say, "YES! I need a KICK in the TUSH."

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