I have been receiving emails from the #FoodBabeArmy about an alarming practice that happens at doctor’s offices around the country that needs to stop today.
First, however, I was thrilled by the news last week that Coke and Pepsi both announced that they’re (finally) removing Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) from their products – which includes Mountain Dew and Powerade. Of course these products are still no good for your body, as they are loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners, preservatives, phosphates, and artificial colors. Once consumers find out about these questionable ingredients, food companies have nowhere left to hide, but some remain in denial, I’ll get to that in a minute.
This is a great win for my friend Sarah Kavanagh, an amazing teen food activist (seen below) who started the initial Change.org petition, and also for the #FoodBabeArmy because BVO is one of the most harmful ingredients that is still being used in the U.S., even though it’s banned in Europe and Japan. It’s patented for use as a flame retardant!
It’s banned for good reason.
According to food chemist, Walter Vetter, PhD, “BVO can build up in the body and cause toxic effects”. Most shockingly, there is a published report of a man who had to undergo dialysis after regularly consuming large amounts of Ruby Red Squirt containing BVO. There is another report here indicating that soda with BVO caused the same condition, deteriorating a man to the point that he couldn’t even walk. Of course, these people were drinking an insane amount of soda (up to 8 liters a day), and the cumulative effects on your body when you consume fewer BVO-containing drinks is largely unknown because the research is scarce. Charles Vorhees, a toxicologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center agrees by saying, “Compounds like these that are in widespread use probably should be reexamined periodically with newer technologies to ensure that there aren’t effects that would have been missed by prior methods…I think BVO is the kind of compound that probably warrants some reexamination.” Out of the research that has been done, it has been shown that BVO accumulates in your body and is linked to heart lesions. As reported in Scientific American, “After a few extreme soda binges—not too far from what many gamers regularly consume—a few patients have needed medical attention for skin lesions, memory loss and nerve disorders, all symptoms of overexposure to bromine”.
Given this evidence pointing to the dangers of BVO consumption, can you believe that it has taken SO LONG for Coke and Pepsi to finally remove it from their products?
There really is no excuse. Way back in the 1970s, the FDA began to question the safety of BVO and put the ingredient on “interim status”, which meant that food companies could use it in products until toxicology research was done. Well – guess what? Those studies have not been done in the last 40 years, so it has remained in our food – and the FDA has done nothing about it.
With the FDA asleep at the wheel, you will still find BVO legally in these drinks by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group:
- Squirt
- Diet Squirt
- Ruby Red Squirt
- Diet Ruby Red Squirt
- Sunkist Fruit Punch Soda
- Sunkist Peach Soda
- Crush Orange Soda
- Crush Peach Soda
- Crush Pineapple Soda
- Peñafiel Grapefruit Soda
- Peñafiel Mandarin Soda
- Sun Drop Citrus Soda
- Diet Sun Drop Citrus Soda
- Sun Drop Cherry Lemon Soda
- Stewarts Orange ‘n Cream Soda
- Diet Stewarts Orange ‘n Cream Soda
- Stewarts Key Lime Soda
I found it incredibly disturbing that some of these sodas “comply with school beverage guidelines” and are being served nationwide in our schools. A member of my team contacted Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and was told they have no plans to remove BVO from any of these drinks because it’s “FDA approved” and has been diligently researched. At least we know the truth and will avoid these drinks at all costs.
Also, many store brand citrus sodas still contain brominated oil, so watch out for those too.
And we aren’t done yet.
There is one place where BVO is lurking that is reprehensible – and I knew that I needed to bring light to it. A drink containing BVO is being prescribed by doctors to pregnant women everywhere when they get tested for gestational diabetes – a routine test given to nearly all pregnant women in the U.S.
Check out the ingredients for the “Oral Glucose Tolerance Beverage” by AeroMed:
These drinks (also known as “Glucola”) are essentially sugar water with hazardous artificial colors and preservatives with a VERY LONG shelf life. They are no better than most sodas on the market – and truly not something you’d want to consume while pregnant. Yet, doctors routinely prescribe this non-carbonated soda to their pregnant patients, without taking into consideration the dangerous ingredients they contain. While it’s certainly important to monitor your blood glucose during pregnancy, there are alternatives to drinking this toxic sugar water.
Realize you have a choice – Simply ask your doctor what other options you have and if they don’t know, educate them!
The purpose of the drink is to ingest 50 to 100 grams of glucose, after which your doctor can test how your body handles influx of sugar. This woman was given the alternative of eating real food, such as bananas. This study showed that eating 28 jelly beans had the same effect on blood sugar in a 50 gram glucose test. Of course, you’d want to choose a non-gmo variety, free of artificial colors and other nasties!
An even better option that you can discuss with your doctor would be to avoid the test altogether and monitor your blood sugar with a glucometer throughout your pregnancy, as recommended here, here and here. This is the best alternative because you won’t create an extreme blood sugar spike, and can stick to your regular healthy diet. You will also avoid feeling like you are going to vomit and the dreaded “crash and burn” that women report after drinking glucola – including several Food Babe readers who have reached out to me personally.
As you can see, there is absolutely no reason that you need to consume these toxic glucola drinks. Now that you are informed, you can make a better choice for yourself and your baby.
Remember, I am not a doctor (take my advice at your own risk), however, in my opinion there is no way in hell any doctor could convince me to drink something with flame retardant, artificial dyes made from petroleum, controversial preservatives and GMOs, pregnant or not!
If you know someone who is pregnant or is still drinking BVO, please share this critical information with them and let them know they have a choice!
Wishing you the greatest health imaginable.
Xo,
Vani
Update 12/6/2017: There is now a natural alternative, The Fresh Test, which is an exact equivalent to glucola – but without all the preservatives, dyes, and BVO.
Hi, just wanted to say thanks for all the effort you make In giving us this valuable information, I am from Puerto Rico and me and my friend are always talking about your your posts 🙂
Vani, you remind me of “Nader’s Raiders” back in the 1970’s who went after big companies to help save and inform the public, for the good. It was effective and we were better informed. Keep up the good work, our children and grandchildren will benifit from the hidden ingredients you uncover. You are gaining steam…..keep on going!!!
Vani nails another one. The glucose tolerance test was developed long before easy, inexpensive glucose monitoring at home was available. It has long since outlived it’s usefulness. Why on earth Obstetricians still use it is beyond me. It fell out of favor as a diagnostic test for Type 2 DM many years ago.
I wish you had been around when I was pregnant. Even if there wern’t nasty ingredients, the GTT is awful. there is NOTHING natural with starving a pregnant woman, then giving her a massive shot of sugar to see what happens! I got SO SICK when I took it. Then, even though I was normal, my doctor wanted me to take the 3 hour test “just in case.” I fired her and found a new one, who took one look at me, a very healthy mom-to-be, and said “nobody should be saying the words ‘gestational diabetes’ to a paitent like you!” So the good that came of it is that I found an awesome doctor who I still see!
I hope you’re making this story up. Any OBGYN should know that though certain risk factors increase your likelihood of developing gestational diabetes, it can happen to everyone…even “very healthy” mothers. I also don’t know why your doctor would arbitrarily decide to put you through the three-hour test. I have a feeling that you had a borderline score on the first test and she just wanted to be sure.
Maria, I’m a “very healthy” woman and have had raging gestational diabetes with 2 out of my 3 pregnancies. I am not overweight (I am 5′ 9″ and weigh 150#), have gained 30# with each pregnancy, and eat very healthy. My OB has been shocked each time that the test comes back positive. Conversely, I know several overweight and completely unhealthy women that have passed the GTT with flying colors. For a doc to diagnose your risk for GD with “one look at you” is blatantly ridiculous.
Hey Vani! Thank you for posting this. Funny enough about a month ago I randomly called a friend that was pregnant and told her my fears about this drink. She was literally opening the fridge to consume it. We talked about it and decided that with are all organic diets this would be against everything we know. She didn’t tell her Doc but she just drank a bunch of apple juice. I gave her my monitoring kit so that she could test herself after meals to be sure. There is a good reason for the test but do not let a pushy Doc make you do something that is against your policy! Next time I am pregnant I will be vigilant about voicing my opinions and if necessary find another doctor.
UGH!! This post was about 3 weeks too late for me. I am pregnant with my third baby and just took the Glucose tolerance test. I had to drink that exact drink 🙁 When I got pregnant with my first baby I began reading labels on everything and trying to educate myself on what chemicals I may be exposing myself to through food and cosmetics. I am so disappointed that I missed this one.
The way that I understand it Bromide anything steels iodine from your body as per Dr David Brownstein MD
It doesn’t steal Iodine. It competes for the receptors in your thyroid not allowing Iodine to be captured. Same goes for chlorine and fluoride. They are all halogens (including Iodine).
You can substitute a regular sized 3 musketeers candy bar for the Glucola
I don’t think so. I asked my doctor if I could eat chocolate instead of drinking glucola and she said no, because the fat in chocolate would mess up the test results.
You can substitute 10 oz. of organic grape juice for glucola, which also contains 50 grams of sugar. This is how I take the GD teset.
When I had to drink this with my daughter I sat there thinking “this can not be healthy for the baby” and now I know and will refuse it with my future pregnancies. I also thought “and we wonder why America has so many ADHD children” we are dumping sugar (and food dies etc.) into their little bodies from the time they are in utero!!! Unbelievable. Thanks for all you do! You are inspiring!
Ugh, that’s what I hate most about going to the doctor. They act like they’re doing you a favour by prescribing you these “medicines” that are loaded with artificial crap, HFCS and generally anything else approved by the FDA. Ridiculous.
I’m so happy to see that when I get pregnant I can fight this test. I wasn’t aware how bad the ingredients were.. Mostly concerned about being sick from it. Good to know there are better options.
be careful fighting this test. it’s actually very important and if you do have gestational diabetes and you are not aware of it, your baby could become seriously oversized(10+lbs) or even die.
Vani,
I know you will always have “nay sayers” like Marie Ann but don’t let them discourage you for the work you are doing. When people say, “stop frightening the public with less than scientifically researched information. A few anecdotal studies don’t prove anything” – I always think if “the author” of that statement wants to ingest these ingredients even if an ingredient has NOT been proven YET of anything bad, let them. I, personally, choose not to. Remember the ads that used to say, “DDT is good for me.”
Actually, don’t ask your doctor anything about nutrition unless he/she is a ND or a MD/DO/PhD who has studied nutrition after medical school. Food Babe and any other nutrition coach will know more about substitutions for foods than a MD (unless he/she has studied nutrition on his own like Bill Davis of Wheat Belly, David Perlmutter of Grain Brain, David Brownstein, Joe Mercola, Al Sears, Bill Douglass III, Andrew Saul just to name a few) would know.
Mercola? Are you kidding me? Guy’s a quack!
I’m not sure how you can say that. He knows nutrition which is often more important or at least as important as medicine.
Fritz…. Are you some kinda Nut case? Dr. Mercola is amazing. Do your homework!! Geesh!!!
Dr Glidden
Healing is Easy
Nuf said
I love this website …vain you keep on helping us …my health has been much better since I have been evading food babe and food educate both wonderful…I’m better from keeping away from all the junk that’s out there for he greed of manufacturers…good work girl…just love ya
I have 8 kids. With the first four this was not a standard test. I refused the test for the next ones. Not a single case of diabetes in over 100 relatives. Always ate organic and paleo-WPF like diet. The ingredients are disgusting. Why can’t they just do a regular fasting insulin test or have women monitor glucose levels at home?
Thanks for this post Food Babe! During both pregnancies I was so careful with my diet, and remember reading the ingredients on this little bottle and cringing. I’m in the Navy and honestly felt I didn’t have a choice in the matter (I don’t really get to “pick” my doctor), so both times I drank it and felt angry about the whole thing. The procedure was to drink it right there so they can ensure you drink it all within the time frame, so I couldn’t cheat or replace it with anything. I know that other practices let you drink it at home and then come in for the blood draw. Articles like this are SO important because I think if I had read this before my pregnancies and glucose tests, I would have been a little more insistent about the process and NOT agreed to drink this nasty syrup! Both times it made me sick, I wasn’t used to that much sugar! Thanks for your work!
I remember a few years ago my Dr. wanted me to have a scan of my kidney. It was required that I drink some kind of yummy looking artificially flavored carton of poison. I REFUSED IT AFTER VIEWING INGREDIENTS. I returned to my Dr., told him I am not drinking chemicals and that’s final. He said, “oh, you’re so sensitive”! No, I’m just not stupid enough to do everything these Dr.’s tell people. Once this same Dr. had me on antibiotics forever. I went to a Specialist and he told me there was no need for me to be on them. Another time I went to drugstore for glucose tablets. I looked at the ingredients and about died when I realized they were full of artificial and the ubiquitous “natural flavoring” that is most likely hidden MSG. PEOPLE, LISTEN TO ME. Stay out of the Dr.’s office unless you have a critical emergency and avoid buying drugstore medicines. The public has been duped, lied to for years. I mean, Nyquill is full of chemicals, dangerous preservatives and green dyes!!! Why were we “indoctrinated” to believe that this is “normal”? This is consuming chemicals. This is NOT NORMAL. Insanity. It has to stop! We are all being systematically poisoned. Thank God for Vani Hari, thank God.
Never mind the drug store. Take a walk down the aisles of Walmart and check out what is being passed off as food these days. Have yourself a Jimmy Dean’s pure pork resembling breakfast and wash it down with Sunny D. it’s bologna and something kind of cheese-like on white chemically processed “bread” for lunch and for supper Prefab meatloaf, canned former green beans, instant mashed potato’s and a nice big Coke. Little Debbie snack cakes and maximally processed corn or potato chips for a midnight snack. Yum, yum.
When I had my children no one suggested I might have gestational diabetes or that I be treated for it. As long I didn’t gain more than 20 pounds during the pregnancy (yes, that was a medical order that if broken got one a hospital stay to drop the excess pounds). Now how crazy is that scientific and educated medical practice from the 60s?
Since when is this test mandatory? Since when does suggesting alternatives for what appears to be an unnecessary drink make one “dangerous,” “misinformed,” “conspiracy” theorist, or “crazy?”
Perhaps you should get your reading matter from someplace else to keep yourself from going over the edge. Or maybe you work for a company that sells this stuff? Now that would be a logical guess………
There is a “50 Carb Breakfast” you can do instead of drinking that awful orange stuff for the glucose test. Most more natural OBs and all midwives would recommend it.
Whoa! I am a doctor (family med) and have never been educated on the ingredients in the glucose challenge test. All we are informed about it is that it is a necessary test during pregnancy care, that it is a defined measure of glucose and how to read the results. Nowhere along the way, do they discuss the ingredients since the lab is usually administering this not the doctor or nurse directly. I have never even seen the bottle label.
I am definitely sharing this with colleagues and friends…
While I think most of the content of the article is a call to arms, I think the title is infuriating and insulting. As a physician, I’d never prescribe a test or therapy intended to harm a patient. This is another example of how people are undermining physicians and making us out to be bad guys and gals. I’m not an OB, so I am not an expert on the glucola test. I do know that it is a way to give pure glucose without lipid and protein to evaluate for gestational diabetes…a disease that needs to be accurately diagnosed in order to treat. I would like to point out that nurse practioners and midwives also order the test…but the title doesn’t say that.
BVO is bad stuff. Maybe focus your energy on getting the FDA to ban the crap. Perhaps take on public schools to ban pop as well. But quit making physicians sound like villains.
But with all due respect WHO sits down and eats sugar!? I mean 50grams is 10 tsp??? Most of the time people eat fat and protein with it as a food even bad food. I don’t know. GD has it seems.become.more prevalent but look around at diets! I have four kids and I refused that garbage for three after the first made me so sick.. Doctors it is your responsibility to first do no harm …stop listening to the drug reps and following blindly. Understand how foods..real foods work in the body. Understand how a truly nourished body can be healthy.
There is 50g sugar in one bottle of juice like odawalla or naked. I haven’t talked to a drug rep in 6 years, btw.
GD is more common because more Americans are obese and eat bad diets. I’m glad that you are healthy. But imagine an obese patient not knowing she has GD. What if she goes into labor with a 14 pound baby? Her baby could die or be permanently disabled from hypoglycemia if not treated immediately. Btw, that gross glucola drink is cheap and off patent.
People, we need to focus on getting chemicals like BVO banned! This stuff is in everything. It’s in all sorts of soda pops and juice drink products. Let’s stop bashing the physicians. It’s the FDA that gets bribes from lobbyists and lawyers that keep chemicals in foodstuffs to prolong the shelf life. After decades of drinking BVO, you can get serious kidney damage! Fight the FDA!!
Dr’s.. the title is to get your attention so you will become more aware of what goes in our bodies. We all need to be more informed. Don’t take it as an insult make a change please.
It is accusatory and insulting.
The real issue is that the US govt allows this crap into our food. I’m equally as outraged. I would like my congressmen to listen to me and stop taking bribes from lobbyists. Europe has banned a lot of food additives because they aren’t healthy.
The title should more accurately read, ” Moms, look what test your insurance company is forcing your doctor to order so that your maternity care is covered.”
I got so sick on the 3 hour glucola, I threw up all over myself and passed out from dehydration and hyperglycemia. I get it.
Let’s put the pressure on the FDA, NIH, and CMS.
Cynthia,
No offense taken. If you knew how little they taught us about nutrition in medical school you would be even more alarmed.
She’s trying to scapegoat insurance companies. This is the issue. Blaming nsurance companies? It has nothing to do with insurance companies. If she writes the script, or recommends the product from the local pharmacy, it’s her responsibility to know what is in this product that she’s recommending to her patient. PERIOD. SHE JUST DOESNT GET IT!
First and foremost, one cannot make someone out to be something that they, themselves, portray. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and swims like a duck then it is a “duck”. I, personally, have yet to meet one doctor with an ounce of integrity…and I have met ….oh, wait a minute…yes, I did meet one out the 35 that I have had the misfortune to be used as a profit margin by. He was most honest with me and spared me an untimely death through the ERCP procedure.
The medical “industry” is just that; An “Industry” for profit. Most humans who go to medical school obviously are enticed by the large prospective incomes and adulation that comes with the acronym. I have yet to have one doctor actually give a rat’s ass about my health crisis…which was caused through the ignorant consumption of processed “foods” approved by our conscientious and noble FDA cretins.
As a practicing “physician” it is your responsibility to know that which you prescribe to your patients! How did we get to this place where we constantly “pass the buck”? Where we find loopholes and backdoors to escape taking full responsibility for our part ( no matter how small or large ) in creating and supporting harm?? I am astounded by the number of humans who will take a position yet not be worthy of it!
When I was in training for GMAC Mortgage, back in 1997, I was aware that we were being trained to fabricate income on the forms our clients were to fill out. I was appalled that we were in the business of lying, cheating, and, more egregiously, causing harm to our clients whom we KNEW would not be able to afford the mortgage on these homes. I was disgusted and outraged and resigned my position before even putting one client under contract.
How many people remain silent about such intentional deception and criminal behavior by the large corporate bodies that govern our country in order to collect a paycheck?
I have seen my share of cheating, lying and cold blooded killing for profit in my years on this planet and can tell you, Jamey, that we are in a state of hubris.
We all had better start taking responsibility for our part in this madness or we will teach our children this valueless system of corporate profit at all costs.
Perhaps it is already too late…….
Bravo!
Amen. God Bless you.
Its not about doctors being the bad guys; its about doctors being uninformed. Most doctors are incredibly educated in a few select areas (blood work, pharma, diagnostics) but totally uneducated in nutrition. There are some that defy this by furthering their education but that doesn’t seem to be the norm.
This to me is a monster problem. Very obviously, what we eat/drink plays a major role in our health. If doctors are to be healthcare practioners rather than disease managers, they absolutely must know this stuff.
A part of me thinks a lot of this lacking is intentional & maximizes profit. If a doctor tells you to take a pill of any kind, I’d question on some level if its in my interest or if its to help pay his bills. This is a terrible, but extremely valid viewpoint. Western medicine has earned the reputation as a pill or surgery only, doing whats best for the bottom line, 8 minutes with the patient max, kind of business. Big pharma is big business. A lot of major diseases are big business.
Its sad, but most of the time money is more of a motivator than saving/improving lives. It shows in our FDA being a toothless joke. It shows in our goverment policies being completely bought by major comporations, regardless of damage to our bodies, planet, etc. It’d be nice if at some point optimal life for all became a priority. It’d be nice if you could trust politicians to pass protective policies. And it’d be awesome to know that your doctor is on your side & is there to make sure you stay healthy, rather than just making sure you stay alive while ingesting a dozen pills & never reaching optimal health.
The title no where near “villainizes” doctors. It’s a call for people to be aware that doctors are recommending a very toxic product, i.e., the one mentioned in article. If you, as a Dr., prescribed this, (given that you were an OBGYN) , why would it preclude you from knowing what the ingredients are in this product? This is precisely the issue. You may not have been educated in school about nutrition (for example), and it’s relationship to health, but that doesn’t mean you are pre-exempt from educating your patients re: health/nutrition relationship. Doctors must begin making it their business to find out what it is exactly they are writing scripts for. Western medicine is a very toxic business, unfort. Thank God, we are entering into an “enlightened age”, and accountability will trump feigned ignorance. Doctors are going to be held to higher standards as people turn to functional medicine in order to seek authentic health.
Look carefully and with discriminating eyes, John. Look at who is being ‘chosen’ to lead this new movement and where it is being led.
I want to tell you and Vani’s readers a story about what true “health care ” looks like.
When my eldest son was 4 he was stricken with heat exhaustion ( being a new transplant to the deep south I had no idea that there existed such a condition ). He was lethargic and not interested in eating anything. I wanted to take him to his pediatrician but my father-in-law insisted that I take him to a healer. I decided that I should give this a try because I did not like that my son’s pediatrician was constantly trying to put him on pills for any complaint.
While I was very skeptical something deep inside of me felt that this was a valid form of healing and health care. From the outset I was instructed to offer no money and no ‘Thanks’ for services rendered. It was a gift that these people shared openly and with great care.
I took my son by the hand and led him into T-Shal’s humble home. He began to move his hands through the air around my son’s form and chanted something in French. After he was finished with the prayer my father-in-law rose from his seat so this was my cue to leave the home without so much as a nod of thanks to T-Shal. As soon as we got to the car my son threw up and his flushed face returned to it’s normal color. He even began to run around and was laughing as if he was never ill.
I was terrified that I would make the wrong decision taking my son to a “healer”. That I would possibly cause him irreparable harm in foregoing legitimate, allopathic care, but, I was mistaken. My son recovered fully and there were no side effects from this type of healing. I have seen this work two times in my life and was astounded each time by the efficacy of this method. The key to the efficacy of the healing process was that no money change hands ( it was considered demoralizing and would produce a negative outcome on the healing process ) or thanks for services rendered. The reward was in the patient being healed.
While I do know that natural healing is a possibility I also know the value of a highly skilled surgeon. I do not recommend that everyone stop taking their children to doctors for a health crisis, however, I do highly recommend preventing a health crisis by educating ourselves.
i have always wondered what is in those drinks!! thank you so much for this info, and if and when i have to have another glucose test in the future i will definitely be using another alternative! <3 vani, you just rock so much!
I avoided the glucola drink because I am allergic to the ingredients in it. My midwife wrote a script for the testing center to allow me to drink a fruit juice of 50-100grams. She told me to drink orange juice. I did and it was no big deal and no feeling yucky after!
I so appreciate this posting of the awful truth of all the very bad food items.
There is no healthy restaurant in my town. I would like to take my grown son to lunch on a regular basis but there is no foods I can eat as I am healing my body. I cannot afford to cheat.
Our restaurants are dirty and the staff of cooks and servers are dirty…I am praying that someone would open one clean and organic and healthy food restaurant…I think there might be a great number of people interested…If I knew someone with restaurant owning experience, I would join with them in trying to open “Organica” as I thought of in the early 90’s. I cannot believe the chain restaurants that move here also become health hazards…it is the people they have to choose from for employees. I am appaled at what is allowed in the GMO’s in our food…I want to avoid them entirely…I have auto immune and have since birth…I want to heal…Good food is a must…I am hoping to fill a greenhouse with healthy veggies from heirloom seeds for our own use.
I would just like to say that while the food served in restaurants is for the most part unhealthy and I would love a vegan, whol foods plant based restaurant cchain to be opened, as a server in a restaurant I resent your condescending assumption that servers are dirty. I am a server in a restaurant and my hands are often dryed cracked and bleeding from washing them so often. Just because someone is not employed in a white collar job, it does not mean they are dirty!
No doctor, nurse or other medical person can force you to do anything against your will. This is called ASSAULT. You, as a person and patient, can refuse any recommended test or treatment. A good physician will tell you ALL your testing options including doing nothing. They can recommend BUT they should never assume you will do a test just because they want you to. I really despise when a doctor’s office sets up testing without actually allowing me to make the decision.
Just say no to anything you don’t agree with. Ask questions and then ask more. You may end up having to find new doctors but you will be better off in the end.
You will eventually find doctors who prefer to treat humans versus those who like sheep.
I was annoyed by the artificial coloring when I was subjected to this test, but unaware of the dangers of BVO. It is too late for me, but I hope the word gets out that there are alternatives to this testing method to discuss with one’s doctor. I also wish that OTC medicines (especially for children) did not contain artificial dyes. My pediatrician prescribed vitamin D drops for my newborn, which contain a scary ingredient list including artificial flavor and color.
I have a question does anyone know what the test is to see if you have overload?
What about Fresca and Moutain Dew?
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/11/brominated-vegetable-oil-in-us-soda.aspx
I am a Clinical Nutritionist since 1996 and when I created the nutrition education programs in the mid 2000’s for the local school districts in my area (Hermosa and Redondo Beach City School Districts in Los Angeles CA) I took care to tell the parent docents that GATORADE was NOT healthy. And that BMVO and Wood Rosin (and much of what is in the glucose tolerance test drink) were harmful. I think some people heard it. Some schools actually switched from Soda machines to Gatorade machines. My daughter on Student Council in 6th grade put together a proposal to have bottled water vending machines installed. Because – The drinking fountains and pipes are filthy in Hermosa Valley School. The water in hermosa is notoriously dirty (see the lab tests) and the levels of chlorine are so high that we go through at shower filter every 3 months at home. There is only 1 drinking fountain near the playing field, and so many thirsty children. The money made on water could be used to put back into the school or into offering healthier food choices maybe? Of course she was shot down. They did get rid of the artificial drink machines. Now they need to provide healthy water so that juice and milk boxes are not the only choices for the kids to drink at school. My kid brings her own reusable BPA free water bottle from home but many kids just don’t drink any water all day. Very sad. I also REFUSED to do the Glucose Tolerance Test my self.. I don’t eat sugar why would I drink that and while pregnant too? My Dr had No reason to even have me do the test my blood sugar was fine, he was just “being careful” he said. No thank you! Glad you are making people aware of this!! Thanks for the great work you are doing!!! NEXT – How about the crap they call TPN?? Corn Starch, sugar, canola oil etc…? How is that Nutritious?? I could go on for days…..
@ Agnes I Like your Organica idea.. Check out the restaurants called Evolution Fresh in the Seattle, WA area. I am up here “healing my body” as well and I have had autoimmune that came from LYME it turns out. I am very impressed with these healthy, fast food type restaurants and would love to see more like this..
http://www.evolutionfresh.com/en-us/locations/seattle-university-store
Is it true that Pepsi and nestle use aborted fetal tissue in their products for flavoring ???
I eat very well, no processed foods, low sugar, and even followed Nourishing Traditions pre preggo diet to nourish my body before and during. I wish I’d known to fight for an alternative but am grateful to have found out. I was borderline on the 1 hr and over on the 3 hr. It’s not about your health or diet… It’s about whether your preggo hormones mess up regulating insulin efficiently. Also, the monitors are cheap, but the test strips are crazy expensive without insurance!! You go through 4-5 strips a day. Can’t get covered for them without taking the test
I asked my midwife what else I could drink when I was asked to get this test, and because I don’t consume artificial colors or flavors, she told me that any fruit juice with 50 g of sugar would be fine. I drank a delicious cup of pomegranite juice. I did this for both my pregnancies. Pedialyte is another horrible drink doctors recommend for dehydrated babies/children. Drink coconut water to stay hydrated or to rehydrate! Give it to your children when they have fever. Never use Pedialyte!!
Vani,
Thank you for the wonderful work you are doing. All of what you are bringing to
public awareness is so needed. I walk a few towns up from where I live near a very wonderful business community for socialization for my young dog. Now that it is spring the signs with the crossbones on all grass is everywhere. I have been wondering what I can do to bring public awareness in a kind way as people do need to wake up and when I look at what you are doing, I honor that. To you and I it is so obvious, to others it is another language. Again, thanks for your heart.
I have a question, I have never been pregnant so would like to know this. Why would a women have to do this if she is primarily healthy, eating healthy, and exercising before during and after pregnancy. I just don’t get why would she need to be tested in the first place if there are no symptoms or other health issues. Is this just another way of filing another unneeded medical test with insurance for money? Just wondering.
Know your own bodies, know what is good and what doesn’t agree with you. I’ve been avoiding processed foods for years, but every once in awhile I’ll enjoy (yes I said enjoy) a processed meal. The payback comes the next morning when I wake up congested with a foul taste in my mouth. It’s that noticable. In the past I thought this was normal and would take an allergy tablet and a “purple” type pill. I now have a very good Dr that completely understands that he can write all the prescriptions that the pharmaceutical companies want, I won’t take anything with a laundry list of side affects. Luckily, at 62 I have no need for any medication.
I did it during my first pregnancy because I didn’t know any better. I refused to do it during my second pregnancy. A woman’s senses are heightened during pregnancy and I knew that wasn’t right the first time. The other part to it is that they make you fast before coming in. So you are drinking that crap on an empty stomach. It was bad for me and I am glad that I didn’t do it the second time. I just kept telling my doctor that I would do it…..and I never did.
I’ve always been careful to only buy the two flavors of Powerade that were Bromine-free. I’m glad they’re taking it out of the others… But I’d still FAR prefer a ready-made electrolyte-replenishing drink with real sugar and NO nasties in it at all!
I have been pregnant 3 times and with each pregnancy my midwife did run a glucose test. But her method is much different than a doctors. First of all, no fasting required! She recommends that I eat a high protein diet about 4 hrs before the test and then drink high quality organic grape juice about an hour before she takes my blood. I actually look forward to this test every pregnancy because me and my husband get up early and go get some yummy breakfast together before the test. I love my midwife and I have been blessed to 3 beautiful home births and a supportive and informative midwife by my side along the way.
I had the glucose tolerance test last year and was also appalled at the fact that doctors make you drink this chemicals laden beverage. I am trying to follow a strict clean diet and I even avoid eating non organic foods. When I saw this I was just about ready to leave the lab. The only thing that made me stay was that I was in a process of having my fertility evaluated and this test was part of it.
It is unbelievable and unexplainable why in the world someone would put so much poison in one bottle and it’s even more disturbing that doctors agree to use this. Back then it caught me by surprise and I didn’t know how to react because I didn’t know if I had other options. Afterwards I researched and I found out I could have said no. Too late though. For three days afterwords I tried hard to balance my blood sugar and I had upset stomach. And dear Joe we consume and breathe daily so much toxic substances and ingredients unknowingly that even a little bit of this and that poison is already way to much than our bodies can handle. I would continue to choose with extra care the things I put in and on my body and will try to help people like VANI spread the awareness of what is in our food.
It is amazing how people r afraid to stand up for themselves. I always take charge for myself because else is. When it came to my Bio Identical Hormones for my thyroid which comes in a capsule, I received it in a “color” capsule and told them I could not take these in a color capsule because I am allergic to dye ( which everybody is) and so they refilled it into clear caps and have it in my records. At the dentist I question if there was fluoride in the paste they polish your teeth with after a cleaning and she said yes, so I asked if there was an alternative and she said yes we have an all natural clay that we can use so that is what I had done. If they did not have anything I would of said do not do anything. Thankfully we have all natural doctors for everything but when needed I question, I do research if not sure about something and they do it my way or I say BYE BYE. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SAY NO!
Tete
I had my appointment today where this drink was brought in. It took some pushing but the doctor eventually gave me an alternative meal to eat instead; plain cereal, milk, oj, plain toast and a tsp of sugar. I had been bringing this issue up for months and finally pushed hard enough regarding the food dyes and othe scary ingredients. Thank you for bringing this subject up I think more moms to he need to be informed and empowered.
Soft drink companies need to remove high fructose corn syrup from their ingredients. I am sensitive to corn and the list of food that I cannot eat is dizzying! To name a few: pancake syrup, ketchup, salad dressing, corn starch, popcorn, candy. My doctor, a doctor of osteopathy, told me that many of the products with HFCS can be made with genetically modified corn. We drink Mexican Coke which has cane sugar, but there’s no guarantee it is safer if you don’t know if it is organic. I NEVER would have thought I would be promoting the virtues of organic foods until I got diagnosed with celiac and multiple food allergies.
Celiac “Disease” is a scam. Doctors are scammers, carpet baggers and scalawags. Look who profits from the new “disease” and the giant ‘Gluten-Free’ Industry; It sure ain’t you! Liars.
HFCS causes NAFLS. NAFLS causes gallbladder disease, Pancreatitis and a plethora of other serious health issues…but you will not hear this from ONE “doctor”! Why? Because there is no money in telling you the truth. There are no “HFCS-Free” market products. Why? Because corn is the most subsidized crop in the US and the Corn Growers Association has a lot invested in keeping their deadly product on market shelves…and in your poor leaky gut. If a designer line of products appeared on market shelves that was ‘HFCS-Free’ then that means grocery shelves would be bare. Can you imagine walking into a grocery store with only 4 shelves?? One for gluten free products and 3 for HFCS free products.
Again, the public is being duped, cheated, scammed and used as a corporate guinea pig. There is no “Gluten” tolerance problem. There is a HFCS and MSG tolerance problem, though, that is not being addressed by the “medical industry”.
Just so you know not all glucose drinks have bvo in them. Thermo scientific makes one with out the Bov. Educate your self on what your lab uses before going.
As the Web MD page says:
Why are there concerns about BVO?
In very high amounts drunk over a long period of time, BVO can build up in the body and cause toxic effects.
HIGH AMOUNTS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
Not sure what the concern is over a drink that is consumed maybe 3 times at most in a lifetime?
Stopping that afternoon coke every day is going to help you a lot more than not drinking this once or twice in your life…
Absolutely Jim.
I just read about this in my local newspaper! Great work ladies keep it up.
http://www.laramealor.com/12-unconventional-ways-keep-family-healthy-vacation/
A bit off topic but as a physician, I continue to be delightfully amazed by how interested everyone here is in attaining and maintaing good health. You guys are absolutely great but but do not represent my patient population at all. I think that unfortunately many folks are in complete denial about what they do to themselves. They are not concerned at all about healthy lifestyles or what we prescribe to them but more about finding any easy path to avoiding any change. When I say to my diabetics, “Maybe you shouldn’t drink 3 liters of coke every day”, I get back, “Well can’t you just give me more medicine for that? ” They smoke and are surprised when they get COPD, drink to excess and then talk about how unfair it is that their license has ben revoked, eat until they are morbidly obese, never exercise and then blame us when they have a heart attack. Most of them cannot even list what medications they are on, much less demonstrate any interest in what is in them or what side effects they have. Getting on a web site about healthy nutrition? Forget it. So you guys and gals are an Oasis in a 26 year career that has been rewarding in many ways but terribly frustrating in others. God bless you, every one, and especially Vani for the remarkable contributions she makes every day.
Dear Randy,
There are two things that are the guiding factors in our health crisis in America; Ignorance and Intentional Corruption.
We are possibly the most ignorant population, of first world citizens, on the entire planet. Why do I say the most ignorant? Because we have advanced technology at our fingertips yet utilize it for nothing more than entertainment and gossip. We have training facilities and universities of “higher learning” ( and I use the term ‘higher learning’ very loosely ) in every community ( small or large) yet struggle with literacy problems. Astounding!
Factor in the intentional deception and criminal behavior of our governing bodies ( I won’t even go into the entrenched hierarchal mindset of such powerful institutions that breeds an acquiescent citizenry ) and you have a recipe for complete and utter disaster….at least for the ignorant citizen who profits not from the disaster.
My blind faith in the governing bodies of our country led me to believe that I could consume, without harm, what was proffered to me by my local grocer.
My faith and trust in my doctor led me to believe that he understood how the human body worked therefore leading me into wise and healthy decisions about my body. I abrogated my personal responsibility in favor of those in positions of authority. I assumed that they just knew better than I what was right and good for my body. How did I come to such an erroneous conclusion? How could I just allow someone, whom I did not know, such leeway with my body? How did I come to a conclusion that there are people who are more intelligent than myself? Wiser than myself? I came to these conclusions based on years and years of indoctrination through hierarchal systems.
( Just watch the ‘Milgram Experiment’ for elucidation ——->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnBY0FCqJU0 )
In the Native American tribes there were “Elders” and these were considered the wisest of the tribe and their counsel sought because of their wisdom. These wise ones conducted themselves in a manner that was in accord with compassion, care and respect for all living things. They understood the value of life and all things that contributed to sustaining life. Nothing was taken for granted, exploited or harmed in this pursuit of life. They were considered ‘wise’ for their deep introspection concerning all manner of life and the relationships formed within this circle of life. Their lives had profound meaning and for this their counsel was valued. We have no such “Elders” in this salacious system.
We, in this Western System of profit, have no ‘Value System’ that is worthy of being supported…much less, bequeathed to our tender children who are in desperate need of a kinder and more intelligent “system”.
I gave away my health and well being because I was taught that I did not know …nor, could I know, more than those in positions of power and authority.
My only crime was being gullible and naïve. I would hazard to say that is true for billions of humans. Those that know this prey on people like me.
Your patients have been completely stripped of all self sufficiency…of intelligence and power. This is exactly what this system wanted all along.
If you want to help your patients then you might consider telling them the truth about the “health care system”. You might try giving them handouts on how the human body works and what these toxins are literally doing to their organs. Education seems to be a key factor in eradicating ignorance. You could play a key role in such an endeavor. I know that I, myself, have been sounding the alarm bells on HFCS for the past 9 years, and, despite experiencing emotional violence by those opposing my alarm, have succeeded in educating a few good souls who have weaned themselves off of this destructive “ingredient”.
Good luck, Randy.
Amen! Just to note, I do as much educating as I can, but few patients are interested. In 26 years of practice, I have had exactly one patient reverse his diabetes by working at it, educating himself as well as actually listening to my health sermons, exercising, and radically changing his diet. He went from 259 lbs to 149, started running 5Ks, then 10Ks and eventually marathons, and forever after has had a normal blood sugar and HgA1C. I am so proud of him. There are so many others that just do not have the will. Nutrition wise, it is difficult even to find whole, nutritious foods any more, though I think that the pendulum is swinging.
The timing of this is crazy for me! I am pregnant and up for the gestational diabetes testing. I did not want to drink the scary drink, but I had really seen the ingredients of how bad it was. I asked my midwife for an alternative and I basically have to use the finger-prick test for 2 weeks, 4 times a day. A little work, yes, but better than poisoning myself and my baby! Thank you for the information!
I am an anti-aspartame, I’ve figured it out it is NOT just a fake sugar. It was product from dead bodies’ organ to use for food processing without labeling honestly to every customers to buy any soda, diet soda, etc… and other fast food, hamburgers with aspartame included!! I’ve addicted to diet coke for many years before I found out!! How gross it was, really disgusted me. It was somehow I received problem with my mind with foggy and function processing slowly, depressive, gaining weights… I also found out that the primary doctors were not really honest with me and other patients. They urges them to have fake sugar like using coffee to add with it… In very fact that dishonest doctors’ wanted patients’ money for profits, That’s it!!!!!! That sounds very sad:( http://www.naturalnews.com is very very helpful for me to research it, there more than 7 millions fans of natural news, because it IS honest and save your money!!
Hello, Jenny! Glad to hear that you are clean of Aspartame addiction!
Mike Adams is NOT honest. He has banned me from posting on his site ( for telling the public the raw truth of our food situation ) and just recently went on the Dr. Oz show and parroted exactly what Vani said on ‘The Doctor’ Show; “The FDA is asleep at the wheel”.
How can one be involved in uncovering the truth about our health crisis here in America yet be totally unaware of the intentional deception, fraud and corruption within the FDA?? Not possible. But, if one is so blind to this reality then how can we trust their discernment skills in anything? Something smells to high heaven with the opposition.
Mike Adams is also aligned with Alex Jones who appears, by all intents and purposes, to be controlled opposition. These people are being groomed as the heroes of the “truth movement” and I would be skeptical as to their level of honesty in reporting.