Archive for the 'high blood sugar' Category
June 22nd, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
Usually when im at the gym my blood sugars are high for some reason. is there less effect if im doing the cardio and weight lifting while my blood sugar is high than if it were at a normal rate.
You need to keep a very detailed log of what your blood sugars are doing when you exercise to look for patterns then make the appropriate adjustments. Sometimes exercise can effect your blood sugar hours later.
Test before working out, after, an hour later, two hours later. Test before bed time. Can you do a test in the wee hours of the morning? Write all the data down and go over it with your endocrinologist.
A very much easier method to look for trends is to wear a continuous glucose monitor for a few days. Good data = good control.
June 2nd, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
I have type 2 diabetes and I read somewhere that you can lose muscle from high blood glucose levels. Like lets say for a couple meals my blood sugar was really high, can I lose muscle? I have a very high protein diet and I eat a crap load of calories but im just wondering.
Yes, but it take a LONG time — more than just a couple of meals.
High blood sugar over the period of 3-6 MONTHS will cause a problem called KETOACIDOSIS. here is what happens:
When you blood sugar is too high, this is because the Square in your blood is not getting to your muscle cells, where sugar is used for fuel to work, grow, and reproduce. In effect, because ot the diabetes you muscles are STARVING.
When muscles starve, they give off chemical signal that cause your BRAIN tho think"NEED MORE FOOD!" but even though you may eat like a horse, the additional sugar can’t reach you cells — they are STILL starving! Since the "I’m Starved" signal doesn’t shut off, the body falls into Plan B. This is called STARVATION MODE. When this happens, your body begins to digest itself, starting with proteins. MUSCLES are a primary source of proteins, so when you are in STARVATION MODE, your body tries to digest its own muscles! Thus, you lose muscle mass.
But when you body tries to digest its own muscles, these gives off toxic chemical called KETONES. These make you VERY sick, and damage your kidneys. KETONES also cause you blood to cross over into the "acidic" zone. When this happens, you body losses control of thing like your heart rate, and your brain start to get foggy, and you get to be "dull witted" and slow in both thought and action. When you blood becomes acidic, this is called ACIDOSIS.
So, when your blood surges have been too high for 3 or more MONTHS, you get a loss of muscle mass, a build up of ketones in the blood (and in the urine), and you blood turns to acid!
if you continue to have high blood sugars, this situation WILL KILL YOU — usually by heart attack.
BY THE WAY — a protein DIET can ALSO cause ketones. You need to eat a HEALTHY diet that has NO sugar, low fat, normal proteins, and high fibers. Your body is ALREADY damaged — don’t do it more harm by eating too many proteins!
June 1st, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
As a society we consume more candy and sugar on Easter than all other holidays, except Halloween. Something about the fasting and abstinence during the weeks leading up to Easter makes us more open to the practice of downing as many sugar-coated marshmallows and crème eggs as our insulin levels can stand, and usually guilt free. Of course, there are many people who can’t partake of the annual sugar infused ritual of tearing into a basket of goodies, and Easter should be no less enjoyable for them. Whether you’re watching your waistline or your blood sugar, here are some sugar free, fun alternatives to pop into those Easter baskets this year:
Make your own sugar-free chocolate Easter eggs. Make your own hollow chocolate eggs with sugar-free chocolate wafers. Buy sugar free chocolate wafers at bulk stores or crafting stores and melt in a microwaveable dish on high in the microwave for twenty seconds (add 10 seconds at a time until the chocolate is smooth). Place a tablespoon or two into a plastic Easter egg and snap closed. Swirl chocolate around the egg until it hardens to produce your chocolate egg.
Add a few green-topped carrots. If your loved one believes in the Easter bunny, this is a great way to get him excited about eating carrots. The bunchier the green tops are, the more authentic they will look.
Tuck in some music or movies. Whether you’re stuffing a basket for a child or for an adult, you’re sure to brighten their day with music from a favorite group or a movie featuring a favorite character. Adding new media to your sweetie’s basket also means you won’t have to listen to the same Barney tape for the millionth time.
Fill out with springtime toys. A jump rope, sidewalk chalk and bubbles are all great springtime treats from the Easter bunny. Who cares how old your diabetic husband is? We should all lighten up and get more active, and there’s no better way than with some outdoor toys!
Go ahead, stick in a few marshmallow Peeps. Sugar free Peeps marshmallows are new this season. You don’t have to get a sugar high when you go on a rampage and eat a whole nest full anymore, and you can even skewer them into lollipops to make them more fun for your little one.
Make it look great!
Don’t dwell on the fact that this basket is different. Either make all the baskets left by the bunny the same as this one, or make this one stand out as more special. If other baskets get sugared treats, make sure they don’t get the special carrots from the bunny. If other baskets seem to have more edible treats, fill this one with more toys and music. Easter is traditionally a time of plenty after the fast, so no one should be left wanting!
Chloe Matthews
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/sugar-free-easter-fun-124196.html
May 22nd, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
Low carb Atkins diet remains to be possibly one of the most accepted low carbohydrate diets in the world today. Low carb Atkins diet popularity has helped spring a lot of related diets who work on the equal workings of low carbohydrate, high protein diet. These days people who want to lose weight have many low carb diets to pick from.
Tests have proven that protein high diet has scores of helpful effects as well as produce significant drop in weight without the need to limit calorie intake. Numerous people who make use of the high protein diet invented by Dr. Atkins have been reporting this. There are studies that show that high-protein, low-carbohydrate intake enhances triclycerides, lowers blood sugar for diabetics and people with beginning diabetes and increases helpful cholesterol (HDL). Low carb nutrition has been medically proven to enhance insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure and bring down blood insulin levels. If we measure it up to low fat diets, low carb diet users also lose less muscle size.
While it is not proven by science, there are lots of diverse positive consequences reported by dieters using low-carb, high-protein diet by Dr.Atkins. Some of these include extra energy, lower need for sweets, better focus, improved temper and decrease of depression form of signs.
On the other hand there are also some advantages specific to the high-protein, low-carb Atkins diet. If you have been a low fat dieter earlier you will enjoy eating all previously prohibited foods that once you had to go without. Butter, steak and cream are a normal element of low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet. Many people enjoy eating foods once off limits to them. People on low carb diet are encouraged to have their full of meat, oils, fats and cheeses.
Diet invented by Dr. Atkins is also uncomplicated to use if measured up to some other high protein diets that you have access to these days. Naturally there are some of basic food calculations that you will have to learn, but once you do that, you are going to be free to munch a meal of any kind from the acceptable food listing.
Dr. Atkins additionally underlined the need of finding your own private carb level. Various individuals have diverse amount of carb acceptance. While some people put on weight with merely 90 grams of carbs per day, other people can eat as many as 120 grams of carbohydrates daily. Throughout your continuing dieting stage and pre-maintenance stage of the diet invented by Dr. Atkins, you will learn your personal carbohydrate number that is going to help you establish your carbohydrate goal from now on.
The status of high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet can in reality make your weight loss much harder then it should be. Since there is loads of advice offered on the high protein, low carb Dr. Atkins diet, which makes it very easy to get resources and help, but can also divert you from your goal. There are many, many Atkins books written and additionally there are endless amounts of internet websites that give you information, tips and group support. On the other hand practically everyone you know has heard of diet devised by Dr. Atkins and most likely has a outlook on it. You must know that there are a lot of misunderstandings present concerning the characteristics of the Atkins diet, and you will, for sure, have to stand up for your new found eating methods once in a while.
Besides that there are also a few of the additional problems to using the low carbohydrate Dr. Atkins diet. You must calculate carbohydrates in every piece of food you eat to be confident that you are keeping within your own carbohydrate limit. Additionally, there is the issue of Induction, the most fervently argued about aspect of the diet devised by Dr. Atkins. Induction is very often difficult to endure if you have tried a diet that concentrates on carbs and sugar. Furthermore, loads of people trying to lose weight try Induction and incorrectly think that this is the way that the complete diet will be. They end up quiting without even starting the actual Atkins diet.
Every so often although if it does not occur very often, some people are going to live through a carbohydrate crash usually on the 3rd and up to 5th day of the diet invented by Dr. Atkins. That kind of reaction is a consequence of their body experiencing the ketosis phase or running on fat as an alternative to carbs. The effects are only temporary nevertheless many individuals have resigned from low carb diets totally because of this minor accident.
Taken as a whole, with the few negligible problems considered, low carbohydrate, high protein Atkins diet remains to be one of the most popular high-protein, low-carb diets because of one reason. It works. Numerous people trying to lose weight have had success with the low carb diet invented by Dr. Atkins and the low-carbohydrate, high-protein fashion of nutrition.
Manfred Stohl
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/decrease-your-blood-pressure-with-dr-atkins-diet-plan-122673.html
April 28th, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
Consuming sugar temporarily elevates the levels of certain neurotransmitters in our bodies. Do you know what neurotransmitters are? They are “feel-good” chemicals. Two of the major “feel-good” chemicals released by eating sugar are:
1. Dopamine, which releases chemicals including endorphins that give us a feeling of pleasure
2. Serotonin, which produces a feeling of well being.
We also tend to eat sugary treats for a quick rush of energy to get us through the day. Of course we also enjoy the sweet taste of sugar. Eating sweet treats like a candy bar or a cookie unconsciously brings back simpler more enjoyable days of our childhood.
Grabbing a sugary treat is a common stress response for many adults. It’s a behavior we have been practicing since we were children. When we had a rough day at school, mom would fix it with a plate of homemade cookies and a glass of milk. Now when we are stressed, we run to the vending machine or grab a cheesecake on the way home.
Is Sugar Really Dangerous Or Addictive?
Yes and No. Our body needs limited amounts of sugar as a quick source of energy, but not in the amounts our society as a whole has been consuming sugar. It is also a good idea to stay away from white table sugar as much as possible. This refined sugar has almost no nutritional value other than the “empty” calories it provides. Some people refer to white sugar as “white death”.
Eating fresh fruits is a much better way to give in to our sweet tooth, get the sugars our bodies need while also absorbing an array of other nutrients, vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.
The high consumption of sugar in the western world is leading to an increase in health conditions from diabetes to obesity.
Is sugar addictive? Yes – not only do we get addicted to the neurotransmitters that are released by the consumption of sugar, which is a reaction very similar to the “high” of a drug addict, consuming sugar also causes our blood sugar levels to rise quickly and then plummet back down just as fast, resulting in a craving for more sugar. This is a desperate (and futile) attempt of our body to keep the blood sugar in balance.
What Can I Do To Curb My Sugar Cravings?
The best way to curb sugar cravings is to aim for a stable blood sugar. You can do this by avoiding sugary treats and drinks like candy, soda and even fruit drinks. Instead try sweetening your foods and drinks with stevia. Please avoid any artificial sweeteners.
Craving sweets is also often an indication of a lack of certain nutrients such as chromium, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur and tryptophan. Let’s take a look at what foods you should be eating to make sure you get enough of these nutrients.
Chromium – eat broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans and chicken
Carbon – eat fresh fruit
Phosphorus – eat chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes and grains
Sulphur – eat cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale and cabbage
Tryptophan – eat cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato and spinach.
If you find yourself drawn to sweets as a response to stress, your first step of action should be to try to eliminate the stress. If you have an argument with your spouse, talk things out. If you are stressed in your job, schedule a meeting with your boss to see if you can get more time, more resources or an assistant.
Sometimes eliminating the cause of stress isn’t an option. In that case, try to exercise. Go for a brisk walk, join your local gym or work out with your favorite exercise video at home. Not only will the exercise help you blow off some stream, it also releases some of the same neurotransmitters that the consumption of sugar does – without the empty calories.
Diana Walker
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/why-do-i-have-sugar-cravings-77145.html
April 21st, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
Low carb diet by Dr. Atkins continues as possibly one of the most accepted low carb diets on the market today. Low carbohydrate, high protein Atkins diet attractiveness has helped spring numerous similar diets who operate on the same values of high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating diet. Nowadays people who want to lose weight have a lot of high protein diets to choose from.
Tests have verified that high-protein, low-carbohydrate intake has numerous good effects as well as create considerable fat burning with no need to limit calories. Lots of people who make use of the low carb, high protein diet invented by Dr. Atkins have for a long time been reporting this effect. There are studies that show that low carbohydrate eating improves triclycerides, lowers blood sugar for diabetics and people with beginning diabetes and boosts good cholesterol (HDL). Low carb, high protein diet plan has been continuously confirmed to enhance insulin sensitivity, decrease blood pressure and cut blood insulin levels. If we judge it against diets low in fat, high protein, low carb dieters also lose a reduced amount of muscle mass.
Although not medically proven, there are numerous various positive effects testified by people on low-carb, high-protein diet by Dr.Atkins. Some of these include energy increase, reduced longing for candys, enhanced attentiveness, improved temper and decrease of depression kind of signs.
Nonetheless there are also several advantages that are exclusive to the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Dr. Atkins diet. If you are one of countless people who have been trying to lose weight with low fat diets in previous years you will get pleasure from eating all of those forbidden foods that once you could not touch. Butter, steak and cream are a regular element of low carb diet devised by Dr. Atkins. Many people enjoy eating foods once off limits to them. People on high protein diet devised by Dr. Atkins are permitted to consume their full of rich meats, cheeses and fats and oils.
Diet invented by Dr. Atkins is also undemanding to make use of if compared with majority of other protein high diets that are on the market today. There are a few of simple carbohydrate calculations that you are going to need to learn, but when you do that, you are going to be free to have a meal of any food you want from the acceptable food listing.
Dr. Atkins furthermore emphasized the need of finding your own individual carb level. Various individuals have unique degree of carbohydrate tolerance. While some of us put on weight on just 90 grams of carbs per day, other people can eat as many as 120 grams of carbs daily. During your ongoing dieting phase and pre-maintenance stage of the low carbohydrate, high protein diet by Dr.Atkins, you will ascertain your individual carb count that is going to help you establish your carb goal from now on.
The status of high-protein, low-carb diet devised by Dr. Atkins can even be a double-edged sword for the anyone trying to lose weight with it. Given that there is plenty of tips accessible about the low carbohydrate Dr. Atkins diet, which makes it simple to get resources and support, but can at the same time confuse you. There have been scores of Atkins books written and furthermore there are infinite amounts of websites that provide you with group support, information and tips. However nearly everyone has heard of diet by Dr. Atkins and almost has his or her own outlook about it. You need to be aware that there are scores of misconstructions around the world regarding the features of the Atkins diet, and you are going to, without a doubt, have to stand up for your newly discovered eating technique from time to time.
There are also some of the other downsides for using the high-protein, low-carb Atkins diet. You should count carbs in every piece of food you eat to be assured that you are keeping within your individual carbohydrate boundary. Additionally, there is the matter of Induction, the most intensely contested phase of the plan. Induction can be tough to come through if you have been on a diet that centers on carbs and sugar. Moreover, loads of individuals have a go at Induction and mistakenly judge that this is the method that the whole diet will be. They quit without even starting the genuine diet by Dr.Atkins.
Every now and then even if it does not occur very often, some individuals are going to live through a carbohydrate crash frequently during the 3rd and up to 5th day of the Dr. Atkins diet. Such sort of reaction is a result of their body experiencing the ketosis phase or using fat as fuel instead of carbs. The sensation is short-lived but lots of people trying to lose weight have sworn off high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets entirely because of this small accident.
Overall, with the few trivial shortcomings considered, high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet invented by Dr. Atkins continues to be one of the most used high protein diets because of one simple reason. It works. A lot of people have succeeded with the high protein, low carbohydrate diet by Dr.Atkins and the high-protein, low-carbohydrate approach to dieting.
Luka Zimmerman
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/prevent-diabetes-with-high-protein-low-carb-diet-132138.html
April 14th, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
It seems as though added sugar is in everything these days, from ketchup to salsa to soup. It is everywhere, I suppose, because we have come to expect it to be.
And it is not just the white stuff we need to worry about. “Refined carbohydrates,” such as white bread and white flour products, produce the same reaction in our bodies.
Researchers have linked sugar consumption to everything from cavities to wrinkly skin, as well as wide range of much more serious health problems.
Some research has been cited that says sugar has not been proven to be a direct cause to these health problems and may not even be directly linked to them, but when you consider that added sugar is basically non nutritional calories, the lack of nutrition and obesity can cause health problems in themselves.
Sugar, some researchers say, can lead to the damage of healthy cells, and can lessen the effectiveness of white blood cells, leading to a weakening of the immune system. Too much sugar means lots of empty calories, too, which can lead to obesity. As any parent knows, when you fill up on sugar, you simply are not hungry for nutritious meals. And sugar can make you hyperactive and irritable, too, as it knocks your body out of whack.
When you eat sugar, your blood sugar spikes. So your body secretes insulin, which sends your blood sugar crashing. The result? Irritability and fatigue. Plus, you are hungry again and probably craving another hit of sugar, and so the cycle repeats itself anew.
One of the nicest things you can do for your body (and your mood) is to reduce your intake of added sugars and refined carbohydrates.
What is the Daily Recommended Sugar Intake?
The World Health Organization recommends reducing your intake of added sugars to less than 10 percent of your total caloric intake. That means, if you eat 2,000 calories, you should eat less than 12 teaspoons of sugar each day. The US Department of Agriculture also recommends limiting your consumption of added sugar to between 6 and 12 teaspoons of sugar each day, depending on your daily average caloric intake. (Six teaspoons a day for people who eat 1,600 calories; 12 teaspoons if you eat 2,200 calories each day.) Keep in mind that a single 12 ounce soft drink contains 10 teaspoons of sugar.
To find out how much sugar is in some of the items in your cupboards, look for Sugars (measured in grams) on the Nutrition Label. Then divide the number of grams by 4 to get the number of teaspoons. So, 12 grams of sugar is 3 teaspoons of sugar. Sixteen grams of sugar is 4 teaspoons.
How to Break Your Sugar Addiction
So how do you start to reduce your sugar intake? Here are some tips.
Try decreasing your intake of added sugar gradually. It can be difficult to suddenly cut all added sugar and refined carbohydrates. Try taking a week by week approach. One week, add less sugar to your morning coffee. Next week, replace your afternoon soda with bottled water. The following week, replace white bread with a whole grain alternative. Before long, you will find that the foods (and drinks) you used to love now taste sickeningly sweet. And you will likely find it easier to keep your moods on an even keel, too.
Keep notes on your sugar intake in your journal or Daytimer. How does decreasing your sugar levels impact your energy levels? Your mood during the day? Your ability to fall asleep at night? When do sugar cravings hit? It might be helpful to start with a Sugar Fast for a day or two. See how one day without added sugars affects you.
Make easy substitutions. Buy brown rice instead of white rice, for example. Brown rice has a nice, nutty flavor, and takes just a bit longer to cook. The next time you go to the store, experiment with all kinds of whole grain alternatives. You might find some new family favorites.
Keep healthy snacks readily available, and rely on a bit of protein in your snacks to keep your energy levels high. Keep a small bowl of nuts on the table, along with fresh fruits. When you are hungry for a mid afternoon snack, opt for lean protein and complex carbs.
Indulge in moderation. If you are a chocoholic, treat yourself to a square of fine chocolate at the end of a long day. When the chocolate is quality, you will not feel the need to have more and you will be more apt to take your time and savor it. When you do indulge in a sugary snack, keep it small, eat it slowly, and eat a bit of protein, too, to help moderate those blood sugar spikes and dips.
Dilute the fruit juice. If you or kids love fruit juice, try diluting it gradually to the point where you are just adding a splash to the top of water.
Become a sugar detective. You can start by knowing the alternate names for added sugars, often found in ingredients lists. These include any ingredient that ends in the suffix “ose,” including sucrose, dextrose, fructose, lactose, polydextrose, maltose, and galactose. Also, look for the following: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses, carob syrup, turbinado sugar, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, cane juice, cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, beet sugar, and sorbitol.
Avoid replacing added sugar with artificial sweeteners. Your best bet is to gradually reduce your taste for sweet foods, not to replace them with chemical alternatives. On ingredients lists, look for sucralose, saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame K, and neotame.
Avoid the center of the supermarket as much as possible. That is where most of the processed foods are shelved. Instead, shop the perimeter for healthy, raw foods.
If you have young kids, go to the grocery store by yourself. You may be less apt to come home with sugary treats. Plus, you can take more time to examine the labels for hidden sugar. If your kids are grade school age or older, take them along and enlist their help as Sugar Detectives. Give them each a list of hidden sugars and artificial sweeteners and turn it into a game.
Carefully measure how much honey you put in your tea and how much sugar you put in your coffee. Aim to put in a bit less each day or each week until you are drinking it either unsweetened or with just a bit of sugar.
Buy items that are not sweetened, and add sugar only if you find that you need to. This will help you wean off the sugar gradually.
Steer clear of sugars for breakfast. When you start your day with a sugar blast and crash, you may find yourself in a vicious cycle for the remainder of the day. Start your day with healthy lean protein and complex carbs. Try natural whole grain breads and cereals for breakfast, along with a lowfat protein, such as skim milk, cottage cheese, or yogurt.
If you need to lose weight, consider a diet plan that focuses on reducing sugar intake. The Sugar Busters Diet Plan is probably the most well known. The idea of this diet is to reduce your intake of sugar and high starch carbohydrates, focusing instead on lean protein, low starch veggies, and whole grain carbs, in order to lose weight. Many of the low GI diets out there use this method, as well.
Be careful not to make sugar taboo in your household. With children, especially, when you swear off something completely, you run the risk of creating a mystique around the forbidden food. Instead of running a completely sugar free household, make sure your children understand the effects that sugar can have on their bodies and their moods, and then help them understand the beauty of moderation. Encourage them to eat low fat protein and help them develop a taste for healthy whole grain carbs.
Focus on well balanced, nutritious diet, instead of simply swearing off all sugar. Your cravings will slowly and naturally fade once you gain a better understanding of why they are cropping up in the first place.
(This article is for informational purposes only. Please discuss any dietary changes with your doctor.)
Jamie Jefferson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/breaking-the-sugar-addiction-16-tips-88786.html
April 10th, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
I did some research and I cannot find a straight answer…but I guess that high blood sugar levels increase the heart rate. I was wondering why that is…? In a short term perspective.
In high sugar level oxygen uptake by body cells is reduced. To cope this deficiency heart has to beat fast.
April 7th, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
How could an individual have high blood sugar levels and also be in a state of ketosis? How/why could this occur?
High blood sugar is a result of not getting enough insulin. The longer you go without enough insulin, the higher your blood sugar gets, until you go into ketoacidosis.
Is this what you mean or are you referring to a low carb diet ketosis?
If you are diabetic, you could end up having both ketones in your urine and high blood sugar at the same time. When you don’t have enough insulin, or your body can use it properly, you end up burning fat instead of sugar. The sugar builds up in your bloodstream, and so do the ketones, so you produce ketones in your urine sample at the same time as you have high blood sugar.
Get tested for diabetes if you haven’t already done so. Ask for an HbA1c test and an Glucose Tolerance Test.
Good luck!
March 31st, 2010 -- Posted in high blood sugar |
For most of the history of humanity man ate a diet of wild game and natural vegetation including some seeds, nuts, and fruit during certain sea-sons. In our era, with the advent of processed foods, mankind’s diet has undergone a radical change. People are eating foods that never existed in nature before, foods which the body was never designed to utilize. The result is that the heavy consumption of refined sugar, and refined flour products too, has led to serious health problems for those who regularly eat them. Today 65% of Americans are overweight, and 27% are clinically obese. Even children are starting to show more and more symptoms of this growing health problem. Diabetes is starting to appear more frequently in the very young. When we look at the diet of the typical American, it is easy to see how this has happened. The average American each year consumes 125 pounds of sugar in the form of 300 cans of soda, 200 sticks of gum, 18 pounds of candy, 50 pounds of cakes and cookies and 20 gallons of ice cream. I want to make clear just how much sugar is found in the sodas people are drinking each day. There are 7 to 8 teaspoons of sugar in some form, in the average soda drink. If you have a soda at lunch, one as a snack in the afternoon, one with your dinner, and one as you watch TV or go out for a final snack later in the night, you have consumed 28 spoonfuls of sugar.
Americans are also consuming too many foods which are made from highly refined flour, which act just like sugar in the body, such as pasta, bread and cookies and cakes. In addition to all the many obvious sources of sugar in the typical American diet, sugar is used as an inexpensive additive to improve the taste of many items in which the producers in order to increase profits use cheaper inferior ingredients or use less expensive ingredients. Among these items, you may have guessed, because they taste so sweet, are ketchup, and jams and jellies, which really should have no added sugar and should be made primarily from the fruit. Fruit flavored drinks and fruit flavored yogurts, and especially, sweetened canned fruit have unnecessarily large amounts of sugar in some form in them. But it is also surprising how much sugar, unhealthy sugar, is found in items like peanut butters, bread, soups, pickles, mustard, canned dishes like baked beans, and salad dressings. Even American’s general idea of proper cui-sine contributes to this problem. Making potatoes a staple at almost every meal has been an additional negative health factor. Potatoes, among all other vegetables, are the one of the most likely to affect the body in the same way as refined sugar.
A surfeit of carbohydrates in any form will lead to gaining weight and eventual obesity, but it is sugar in all its forms, and refined flour in our diets that do the most harm. They lead to a fast rise in blood sugar, which causes the pancreas to produce a large amount of insulin to lower our blood sugar quickly, because high blood sugar is dangerous to our health. Unfortunately, this strong dose of insulin makes the blood sugar drop below our normal level and makes us feel down in mood. In order to compensate for this psychological effect, we are driven by cravings to seek an immediate repeat of our ingestion of sugar to again raise our blood sugar to make ourselves feel better, and so the cycle continues on and on. This results in our taking in more calories than are necessary to supply energy to the body. The end result is overweight and eventual obesity. The high amounts of insulin also have other deleterious effects.
They make the insulin receptors become less and less sensitive, requiring the pancreas to produce larger and larger amounts of insulin each time, to deal with same amount of high incoming sugar. Eventually the receptors become very insensitive to the incoming insulin, and the person has developed a condition referred to as insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance aggravates another problem which results from the production of insulin in the body. When insulin in the body is high, another hormone called glucagon is low. Glucagon is a hormone which promotes the release and utilization of fat from the fat storage cells for energy. So that when glucagon is present, you will be burning and thus reducing your fat stores. In other words, you will be losing weight and the weight will be a loss of fat. However, the high level of insulin in insulin resistant people keeps them from burning any of their fat stores. They can only burn incoming sugar and carbohydrates, and when they are depleted, they will begin to break down and use muscle tissue as a source of energy. This is, again, because the insulin has blocked getting access to the body’s fat by blocking the production of the necessary hormone, glucagon. Now you understand why people who have eaten a lot of sugar, and sugar acting foods like refined flour and grains, and potatoes, in their life all the time have had trouble losing weight, or permanently keeping off any weight they have lost through extreme measures like very strict diets or fasting.
Eventually people on these refined high carbohydrate diets exhaust their pancreas, which stops generating any insulin at all, and they become diabetic, and must take insulin regularly to keep their blood sugar from staying at dangerously high levels.
There is another serious problem with too much sugar, sugar addiction. For many years people have spoken of sugar addiction because of the seemingly addictive behavior of people who have a strong desire for foods with sugar. However, it is only recently that it has been scientifically been shown to be a genuine addiction. Rats fed sugar showed classic signs of withdrawal when their sugar “fix” was taken away from them. When they were allowed to eat sugar again, they binged on it. The sugar had triggered natural pleasure producing opiods in their brains. The effect is similar to morphine and heroin, though not as powerful. Actual studies of these animals’ brains showed an accelerated growth of dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens in their brains. This helps explain why people who eat sugar regularly, have strong cravings and seek a sugar “fix” many times throughout their day.
You are probably addicted to sugar if you have the following: if you have cravings for food containing sugar, if you can’t stop eating after one piece of candy or one bite of cake or other baked goods; if you can’t go for more than a few hours without experiencing a letdown with fatigue or irritability or anxiety; if you have to have your sugared coffee and donuts or other baked goods every morning and have and eat candy and other sweets in your home all the time; if you regularly drink sugared sodas during the day to give yourself a pick-me-up because you’re dragging.
Nutritionally, refined sugars present another problem. It takes vitamins and minerals to digest and assimilate ingested refined sugars. Unprocessed sugar cane juice is rich in vitamins and minerals and provides some nourishment to the body, though it is still too high in sugar to be good for the body. But refined sugar is an empty calorie, which uses up valuable vitamins and minerals in order to be digested without supplying any of them. Thus, eating a lot of refined sugars depletes the body of these valuable health promoting factors. That’s why, you now can understand, even overweight people who have become so because of large amounts of sugar in their diets, can actually suffer from malnutrition.
Here’s a list of some of the negative health effects of sugar, and the refined flour products and potatoes that act like sugar within the body. Sugar can:
… cause an increase in insulin being generated in the body
… cause an increase in insulin sensitivity
… overstress the pancreas causing damage
… cause diabetes … cause weight gain and obesity
… produce a significant rise in triglycerides
… reduce helpful high density cholesterol, known as HDLs
… promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol, know as LDLs
… increase total cholesterol
… cause atherosclerosis
… increase systolic pressure
… cause hypertension
… upset the body’s mineral balance
… promote tooth decay
… cause hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties, and crankiness
in children
… lead to alcoholism
… cause depression
If you are seriously craving sugar, you should avoid all sugars. The following is a list of sugars and sweeteners that act like sugars, though you may not have recognized them as sugars before reading this article. Of course, if a label just says “sugar,” you will avoid that too!
AVOID THESE SWEETENERS: corn syrup, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, sucrose, maltodextrin, dextrose, molasses, rice milk, almond milk, white grape juice, fruit juice sweetened, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, date sugar, cane sugar, corn sugar, beet sugar, succanat and lactose.
There are many other points to be made if one wishes to guide oneself correctly. Raw sugar and brown sugar, which was at one time sold in a lot of health food stores and still may be found in some supermarkets, is actually highly refined white sugar with some molasses put back in to give it brown color. Fructose doesn’t increase leptin, a hormone that decreases your appetite, and doesn’t suppress ghrelin, the hormone that makes you hungry. Thus, people who eat food containing fructose are likely to take in more calories, not less. And remember, almost all simple sugars, fructose included, and not just refined white sugar, are metabolized quickly and raise insulin levels too quickly. Just like refined white sugar, they play a role in creating insulin resistance. In addition, fructose is converted into triglycerides more efficiently than glucose elevating triglycerides that are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Fructose converts to fat more readily than any other sugar, and some believe its prevalence in our present food supply has made it an important factor in making Americans fatter and fatter.
Eating small amounts of fruit will not provide unhealthy large amounts of natural fructose, but fruit juices are best avoided as being too high in fructose for the body to assimilate without generating too much insulin. Aside from limited amounts of fruit, avoid fructose in food just as you would table sugar. One of the best ways to limit your intake of fructose, in general, is to eliminate soda and fruit juices from your diet.
Most artificial sweeteners are increasingly considered to be unhealthy for the body. Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. Aspartame, which is frequently found in diet sodas, accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious. In addition, Aspartame suppresses serotonin production, the chemical in the brain that contributes to your feeling satisfied after a meal. The end result from ingesting Aspartame, just as it was from people eating fructose, is that people are less satisfied with their food and tend to eat more. Diet sodas may actually be increasing your total intake of calories.
Finally, artificial sweeteners in general, just like real sugar, give you an intense experience of tasting something sweet, which psychologically stimulates cravings to consume even more sweet tasting things.
In general, you will be better off health wise if you only buy products that say “no sugar added.” Jams should say fruit only. Often fruit juices are added to the food item, but don’t be fooled, this is an unhealthy form of concentrated sugar too, even though it is originally from fruit. And remember, cocaine and heroine are derived from natural sources, but no one would say they are good for your health. A lot of poisons start out as plant material too. So do not be fooled by people who insist certain sugars are healthy because they are made from natural sources.
YOU ARE READY TO GET HEALTHIER AND FEEL BETTER
Always keep in mind
Sugar is nutritionally worthless and is full of fattening calories Sugar creates cycles of emotional highs and lows, and is chemically additive Sugar is very bad for your body’s health
READ FOOD LABELS
If sugar appears in the ingredients in the first few listed items:
DO NOT EAT THAT PRODUCT
Always keep in mind except for occasional fruit, it is best if you avoid eating any sugar at all.
Many people are addicted to sugar and should avoid all sugars permanently for optimal health.
And remember refined flour products in bread, bagels, pasta, and cookies and cakes, act just like sugar in your body, as do potatoes and potato products too.
We must eliminate refined food products from our diets and choose carefully, selecting high-fiber, non-starchy vegetables as our carbohydrate choices. In this way, we generate less insulin and avoid any insulin resistance and the adverse health effects that result. Remember, even fruits that are relatively low in carbohydrates will generate some insulin in the body to deal with the sugars they contain. Since one of the goals of low-carb eating is to generate as little insulin as possible, enjoy eating fresh fruit, in reasonable moderate amounts. On the other hand, dried fruits should be much more limited because they have a high concentration of sugars. And remember, as noted above, fruit juices are too high in sugars to be appropriate for a low insulin generating diet. Berries, on the other hand, are a good choice.
Jeffrey Rose
http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/sugar-and-health-64562.html
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