New Year, New You... But what about Sugar?

SPEAKING OF SUGAR

One of my friends has a cute lovable puppy named "Sugar" sweet as can be ... and while the puppy is sweet ... you shouldn't be eating sugar.  So lets talk SUGAR!

Is it really worse than, say, cocaine?  Well according to some researchers it should be regulated like tobacco and alcohol.  Studies show too much sugar not only helps make us fat, it also wreaks havoc on our liver, mucks up our metabolism, impairs brain function and may leave us susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, and possibly cancer.  Kind of like watching a train wreck in slow motion says one researcher.  So what are the ramifications and how can we deal with preventing long-term damage to our bodies?

First of all to examine the hold sugar can have on us, substance abuse research indicates when subjects taste sugar, the brain lights up in the same regions as it would in an alcoholic drinking a bottle gin.  Furthermore too much sugar forms free radicals in the brain and compromises nerve cells' ability to communicate.  This could have repercussions on how well we remember instructions, process ideas, and handle associated moods.

A 16 ounce Starbucks vanilla latte and plain Einstein Bros. bagel will max out your day's allotment.  That being the recommended nine teaspoons a day for men and five for women.  A better choice would be black coffee or my fav, a cappuccino, and plain yogurt with walnuts.  Sugar contributes to premature aging just as cigarettes and UV rays.  When sugar is present in the skin, it forms cross-links with amino acids (the building blocks of protein) which jam the repair mechanism and over time leave you with prematurely old-looking skin.

Best way to start your morning is a whole natural food protein based shake with little carbohydrates and whole food nutrition. Muscles use mostly carbohydrates for fuel, which break down into glucose, a simple sugar that can kick=start your energy but again too much of this and then again we have insulin creating foods. I’ll talk about that in another blog, but snacks with "natural sweeteners" may contain fructose, a sugar metabolized in the liver not the muscles.   So have a protein-packed snack with minimal fructose before exercise.  Try a energy bar with a modest amount of sugar an hour before workout.

Written by Wendy and Martha E. Hall Lac Dipl OM