Nexus - 0701 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Refined Sugar: The Sweetest Poison of All Continued from page 24 In almost all discussions on drug addic- organised medicine. While Tintera's tion, alcoholism and schizophrenia, it is | sweeping implication of sugar as a cause of life, and through the preschool and gram- claimed that there is no definite constitu- what was called "schizophrenia" could be mar school years. Each of these periods _ tional type that falls prey to these afflic- confined to medical journals, he was let has its own characteristic clinical picture. tions. Almost universally, the statement is alone, ignored. He could be tolerated—if This picture becomes more marked at made that all of these individuals are emo- he stayed in his assigned territory, pubescence and often causes school offi- tionally immature. It has long been our endocrinology. Even when he suggested cials to complain of juvenile delinquency goal to persuade every physician, whether that alcoholism was related to adrenals that or underachievement. oriented toward psychiatry, genetics or ad been whipped by sugar abuse, they let A glucose tolerance test at any of these physiology, to recognise that one type of _ him alone; because the medicos had decid- periods could alert parents and physicians endocrine individual is involved in the _ ed there was nothing in alcoholism for and could save innumerable hours and majority of these cases: the hypoadreno- them except aggravation, they were sati small fortunes spent in looking into the _ cortic.'"® fied to abandon it to Alcoholics child's psyche and home environment for Tintera published several epochal med- Anonymous. However, when Tintera maladjustments of questionable signifi- ical papers. Over and over, he emphasised dared to suggest in a magazine of general cance in the emotional development of the that improvement, alleviation, palliation or circulation that "it is ridiculous to talk of average child. cure was "dependent upon the restoration — kinds of allergies when there is only one The negativism, hyperactivity and obsti- of the normal function of the total organ- ind, which is adrenal glands impaired...by nate resentment of discipline are absolute ism". His first prescribed item of treatment sugar", he could no longer be ignored. indications for at least the minimum labo- was diet. Over and over again, he said that The allergists had a great racket going ratory tests: urinalysis, complete blood- "the importance of diet cannot be overem- for themselves. Allergic souls had been count, PBI determination, and the five-hour _ phasised". He laid out a sweeping perma- entertaining each other for years with tall glucose tolerance test. A GTT can be per- nent injunction against sugar in all forms _ tales of exotic allergies—everything from formed on a young child by the micro- and guises. orse feathers to lobster tails. Along method without undue trauma to the While Egas Moniz of Portugal was comes someone who says none of this mat- patient. As a matter of fact, have been receiving a Nobel Prize for devising the take them off sugar, and keep them urging that these four tests be routine for lobotomy operation for the treatment of all patients, even before a history or physi- schizophrenia, Tintera's reward was to be cal examination is undertaken. harassment and hounding by the pundits of Continued on page organised medicine. While Tintera's sweeping implication of sugar as a cause of what was called "schizophrenia" could be confined to medical journals, he was let alone, ignored. He could be tolerated—if e stayed in his assigned territory, endocrinology. Even when he suggested that alcoholism was related to adrenals that ad been whipped by sugar abuse, they let im alone; because the medicos had decid- ed there was nothing in alcoholism for them except aggravation, they were satis- ied to abandon it to Alcoholics Anonymous. However, when Tintera dared to suggest in a magazine of general circulation that "it is ridiculous to talk of inds of allergies when there is only one kind, which is adrenal glands impaired...by sugar", he could no longer be ignored. The allergists had a great racket going or themselves. Allergic souls had been entertaining each other for years with tall tales of exotic allergies—everything from orse feathers to lobster tails. Along comes someone who says none of this mat- ters: take them off sugar, and keep them off it. life, and through the preschool and gram- mar school years. Each of these periods has its own characteristic clinical picture. This picture becomes more marked at pubescence and often causes school offi- cials to complain of juvenile delinquency or underachievement. A glucose tolerance test at any of these periods could alert parents and physicians and could save innumerable hours and small fortunes spent in looking into the child's psyche and home environment for maladjustments of questionable signifi- cance in the emotional development of the average child. The negativism, hyperactivity and obsti- nate resentment of discipline are absolute indications for at least the minimum labo- ratory tests: urinalysis, complete blood- count, PBI determination, and the five-hour glucose tolerance test. A GTT can be per- formed on a young child by the micro- method without undue trauma to the patient. As a matter of fact, I have been urging that these four tests be routine for all patients, even before a history or physi- cal examination is undertaken. NEXUS +79 DECEMBER 1999 — JANUARY 2000