MissionValleyNews.com — October 2010
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Informant, from page 2
Carbs, from page 5
Gomez said the FBI allowed the disclosure of her identity and her major role in an operation that resulted in a February 2009 raid and the arrests of 40 members of the Mexican Mafia, which controls the drug trade and many segments inside jails, state and federal prisons, and Hispanic street gangs in San Diego. During the San Diego operation, the FBI allowed the Discovery Channel to film agents at work for a documentary called “Inside the FBI” that aired in March and August 2009. The documentary revealed Gomez’s identity by showing her cars, home and neighborhood. She now faces death threats from Mexican drug cartels. Gomez, who had been relocated by the FBI to the East Coast for her safety prior to the raid on the Mexican Mafia, contacted KGTV in August 2009 to reveal how the FBI had placed her in danger. After learning of her communication with KGTV, the FBI coordinated with South Carolina authorities to have Gomez charged with obstruction of justice. The charges were dismissed in November 2009. In January 2010, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego obtained an indictment against Gomez, her husband and another defendant on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gomez, who pleaded not guilty to the drug charge, believes it was brought in further retaliation for her communication with the news media. She ultimately told her story publicly in an interview that aired on KGTV on February 8, 2010. She is currently in a private federal prison in San Diego in protective custody awaiting trial.
not all people have the same response to diets.” According to the researchers, for this group of women, the lower carbohydrate diet is more effective, at least in the short term. The study lasted 12 weeks and was funded by Jenny Craig. It found the insulin resistant women on the lowest-carb diet lost 3.4 pounds more than those on the low fat diet. Total calories for all groups were the same. The low fat diet included 60% of its calories from carbohydrates, 20% from fat, and 20% from protein. The low-carbohydrate diet included 45% of its calories from carbohydrates, 35% from primary unsaturated fats, and 20% from protein. Both diets included a minimum of 2 fruits and 3 vegetable servings a day. The use of prepared meals made the structured diets easier and more palatable for the dieter. “These data have potential widespread applications for clinicians when counseling people with insulin resistance to help improve weight loss as part of a calorie-restricted diet,” Plodkowski said. “They should at least initially lower their carbohydrate intake.” Since the women in the above-mentioned study were all insulin resistant, you might be wondering, “What is insulin resistance?” Insulin resistance is a condition where the body produces insulin but does not use it properly. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas to break down glucose in the blood so it can be used for energy. Glucose is a form of sugar and is the body’s #1 source of energy. After your digestive system breaks food down into glucose, glucose is then transported to different parts of your body via the bloodstream. Glucose in the blood stream is called “blood glucose” or “blood sugar.” After you eat, blood glucose levels rise and your pancreas secretes insulin to allow cells to absorb and use the glucose. When people are insulin resistant, they do not respond properly to insulin. In other words, even though the pancreas secretes insulin, it is not effective in getting the glucose from the blood into the cells. More insulin is needed so the pancreas works harder and secretes more. Eventually, the pancreas cannot keep up with the increased demand and glucose builds up in the blood. This is the beginning of diabetes. It is common for diabetics to have high levels of both glucose and insulin circulating in the bloodstream. Insulin resistance not only sets the stage for developing Type 2 Diabetes, it increases the odds of the number one killer in America: heart disease. According to the American Diabetes Association: “People with diabetes have a higher-than-average risk of having a heart attack or stroke. These strike people with diabetes more than twice as often as people without diabetes.” So what causes insulin resistance? There seem to be several contributing factors. The first factor may be genetic. Some scientists think specific genes make certain people more susceptible to insulin resistance. But, genes aren’t everything. Weight and lack of physical activity also seem to play a major role. Then, there are also the types of food you eat. The more junk sugars (ice cream, candy bars, etc.) you eat, the more your little pancreas has to work to keep up with all the sugar that has been dumped into the bloodstream. Just like everything else, there is only so much work your pancreas can do. If the pace is too high for too long, it will basically burn out and quit. It is important to stop this process before it gets too far. Exercise, weight loss and proper diet can reverse many cases of insulin resistance and pre-diabetes. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, “The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and other large studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes can often prevent or delay diabetes if they lose a modest amount of weight by cutting fat and calorie intake and increasing physical activity; for example, walking 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. Losing just 5 to 7 percent of body weight prevents or delays diabetes by nearly 60 percent. In the DPP, people aged 60 or older who made lifestyle changes lowered their chances of developing diabetes by 70 percent.” With all of this information, the most important message to take away is this: Lifestyle has a major impact on your health. Different people react to different foods and diets in different ways, and it is important to pay attention to what you eat and figure out what is best for you. But no matter what, regular exercise and staying away from junk food loaded with bad fats and sugar is a very good idea. Research may not have all the answers yet, but to our knowledge, there is no study that says sitting on the couch stuffing your face with candy bars and ice cream is good for your health.
Scams, from page 2 -- Employs high pressure sales tactics. Seminar leaders often use high pressure sales tactics to get people to sign up without thinking it through, or they might claim that there are only a few spots left or that you need to get in on the ground floor today to see the largest earnings. However, any reputable investment company will let you take your time and do your research and will not pressure you into signing a check. -- Relies on off-shore investments. Many hucksters will try to give their scheme an air of sophistication by relying on overseas investments such as foreign currency, property, stocks and bonds, or they also might claim – incorrectly - that you can avoid taxes by investing overseas. -- Sounds too good to be true. At the end of the day, if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So, listen to your instincts because the potential payoff is rarely worth the risk. For more consumer protection information, visit the Better Business Bureau’s website at www.bbb.org, or phone the BBB’s free 24‑hour Consumer Helpline at (858) 496‑2131 or (800) 600‑7050 to obtain free information and a list of BBB accredited businesses in a particular type of industry before buying decisions are made. The San Diego BBB, which opened in 1921, is San Diego’s largest county-wide business membership organization. The BBB promotes business ethics through voluntary self‑regulation, consumer and business education, and provides the largest free service of its kind with free consumer protection advice and free reliability reports on more than 101,000 local companies.
Roberts, from page 6 early detection of fires, helping our responders to get notified quicker when a blaze begins. San Diego’s backcountry fire fighting system is rooted in a 1974 decision by a former Board of Supervisors to exit the fire protection business. It was one of many compounding errors that left the county on the verge of bankruptcy when our current board took office. We immediately turned our attention to righting the financial ship and today have a county that earns the highest marks around from two separate national rating agencies. A decade ago we turned our attention, and pocketbooks, to fire fighting. Today, the progress we have made is real and the direction steady. Our goal, once again, is to make sure that you, the taxpayer, are protected. Supervisor Ron Roberts’s Fourth District includes Mission Valley and its surrounding communities. You can reach him at ron-roberts@sdcounty.ca.gov, find him on Facebook by searching Ron Roberts and follow him on Twitter at @ ronrobertssd.
Skateworld, from page 1 exclusive negotiation agreement with a private development company (MRW) for the property on which Skateworld is located. This company has indicated that they plan to redevelop the property and the future of Skateworld is uncertain. The Friends of Skateworld (FOSW) is sponsoring this 35th Birthday Party and all proceeds will go directly to the legal fund to help save this rink! All San Diegans are invited to attend this family-friendly evening of fun on Wednesday Oct. 6 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. The event will be taking a trip back in time to 1975, the year it all started and guests will party 70’s Roller Disco style! Break out the bell bottoms and dress up in fun 70’s fashions! There will be prizes for the best costumes. Admission is $7 and skate rental is free! All attendees will receive a ticket for a chance to win a brand new pair of skates, as well as other great prizes, and are invited to enjoy a piece of complimentary birthday cake! The roller rink attracts visitors from all over the County and beyond, and has made many positive contributions to the community. Skateworld hosts fundraisers for various charitable causes, provides family‐friendly activities, and employs many who would not find jobs elsewhere, such as teens with no previous work history. Businesses adjacent to the rink are also supported by Skateworld’s patrons. Skateworld is located at 6907 Linda Vista Road, San Diego, 92111. For more information, visit www.friendsofskateworld.com, be our friend on MySpace, and become a fan on Facebook.
Mission Valley Planning Group Meets the 1st Wednesday of each month at noon.
Mission Valley Community Council Meets every other month on 3rd Monday at 6:30 PM.
San Diego River Coalition Meets the 3rd Friday of each month at 3–4:30 PM. Info at www.sandiegoriver.org All of the above meetings are held at the Mission Valley Library, 2123 Fenton Parkway, and are open to the public.