Natural sugars absorbed more slowly

Sugar contributes to obesity and that starts a cascade of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A study published in JAMA: Internal Medicine found that folks who consumed a lot of added sugar (17 percent to 21 percent of total daily calories) had a 38 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease than folks eating far less (8 percent of their diet).

Also, elevated blood sugar levels can encourage cancer growth, recurrence and resistance to chemotherapy. It is the peak sugar levels generated by these quickly absorbed sugars that are addictive and cause immune dysfunction, inflammation and overeating. Being overweight or obese is clearly linked to the occurrence of 13 cancers.

But the natural sugars found in fruit, 100 percent whole grains and vegetables are absorbed much more slowly. In addition, these whole foods provide disease-fighting fiber and essential phytonutrients that are the building blocks of a healthy diet.

Protecting yourself from misdiagnosis

In 2017, the New Orleans Saints dismissed their team orthopedists because they diagnosed cornerback Delvin Breaux’s broken fibula as a bruise and made it look like the slow-to-rebound player was dogging it. What was actually required was surgery.

Misdiagnosis can happen to anyone — even high-profile athletes. According to a new report in the journal Diagnosis, an estimated 100,000 Americans are permanently disabled or die every year because of a medical diagnosis that initially overlooks their condition, or is wrong or delayed. The “big three” misses, say the researchers, are vascular events (stroke is No. 1 in that category), infections (No. 1 is sepsis) and cancers (No. 1 is lung cancer), which account for 75 percent of malpractice insurance claims.

Scary stuff, but you can do a lot to protect yourself. Remember, those numbers are out of 131 million visits to the emergency room and more than 35 million hospital admissions annually.

First, get a second opinion. Quality physicians welcome that. In an ER, after a diagnosis, get your regular doctor involved.

Second, listen to your gut, or your loved one’s gut. If you or your loved one feels something more is going on, or are unsettled by what you’ve been told, ask questions and demand answers.

A little chutzpah on your part and shared knowledge helps avoid misdiagnosis.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.