What ACTUALLY Happens To Your Body When You Eat Sugar???

I received a lot of messages asking about the effects of sugar on the body. Have you ever wondered what sugar ACTUALLY does to your body? Here is the scoop on the step-by-step physiological events that happen when you consume candy, soda or any of your favorite sweets:

1. Your teeth: Once sugar enters your mouth, the teeth are the first victims. Candy and sugar cling to your molars and other teeth. The sugar will mix with bacteria in your mouth, creating an acid that can start breaking down protective tooth enamel. Erosion of tooth enamel occurs. This means you get sensitive teeth and possibly, a cavity!!

2. Your stomach: Obviously, you swallow the sugar into your somach. After about 15 minutes in your stomach, the sugar passes to the small intestine, where your body metabolizes the sugar into glucose and fructose molecules. Both are then broken down further, enabling them to pass into the bloodstream!

3. Your blood: A surge of glucose enters your bloodstream, with blood levels peaking about 30 minutes after you've eaten. At this point, your pancreas is working its BUTT OFF to pump out extra insulin to deal with the glucose influx. Meanwhile, the fructose is heading for your liver!!

4. Your brain: After all of that, insulin begins rushing the glucose throughout your body, giving you a surge of energy for the next two hours! Your brain cells actually run solely on glucose so a binge delivers a huge fuel infusion here and you may feel more "alert." Sugar also activates the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are neurochemicals linked with pleasure and reward--- hence, the sugar high. The effects, however, are short-lived and you eventually drop into a "low."

5. Your cells: About two hours after eating, your body has burned through all the glucose it could process and GUESS WHAT? It stores any extra glucose as FAT... and it also turned the fructose into BLOOD FAT!! With no sugar available, insulin and blood glucose levels dip, leaving you feeling cloudy and lethargic. Guess what happens next? You reach for more sweets to achieve that high again which will only cause the cycle to repeat. Grab a piece of fruit and get a natural (and longer-lasting) sugar boost instead.

How do you get "highs" without "lows" ?

You want to eat sweets after a balanced meal. Digesting everything together slows the surge of glucose into your bloodstream, which helps to keep energy levels steady! Also, limit those desserts and other favorite sweets because too much can lead to other avoidable health conditions and of course, you will gain weight.

Ti Nhong

Some Easy Ways to Eat Less in 2012!

Lots of us tend to say that we'll lose weight or eat less in the new year, but after a few weeks or days of commiting, we give up or say, "I'll do it next year." I work in the medical field, and I still have trouble sometimes getting proper nutrition everyday! Here are some easy ways you could put into practice that may reduce the amount of foods you consume :)

As a medical professional, I have found the following things very helpful in maintaining a healthy weight:

1. To maintain a healthy weight, you should do things that reduce stress and increase serotonin. Serotonin is sometimes known as the "happy hormone." Serotonin is actually a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood, appetite, and sleep. It is the modulation of serotonin at our synapses that is thought to be a major action of several classes of pharmacological antidepressants. Research does show that serotonin helps to reduce appetite and higher levels make you more likely to burn fat!! So make sure to find things in your life that will make you smile a lot!

2. As some of you know, nuts help to reduce your appetite because they are packed with proteins which help to make you feel "full" longer. In a study done at Eastern Illinois University, people who were given shell-less pistachios ate 211 calories' worth while those who had the in-shell variety (you crack 'em open) consumed only 125 calories in the same sitting. The point is the slower you are forced to eat, the quicker you will be satisfied or "full."

3. Use your fork or spoon in your non-dominant hand. You'll be more mindful of what you're eating and probably end up consuming less. (If you're not Thai or Chinese, you might not be an expert at using chopsticks, so try eating with chopsticks, especially if you're not a pro. You'll definitely eat slower.) Just have plenty of napkins on hand. The slower you eat, the less you may eat.

4. Add protein to your bison. Grill up a 3-ounce buffalo steak every now and then. It has only 148 calories and 4 grams of fat. Plus, the 26 grams of lean protein in that bison steak can keep you satisfied enough to decline dessert.

5. Wake up early!! According to a study done at Northwestern University, late risers not only eat more calories (almost 200 more at dinner and another 375 after 8 p.m.) but also eat more unhealthily than those who wake up around 8 a.m.

6. Eat with the opposite sex. A study done at the State University of New York at Buffalo shows that people eat 37% less when they eat with a spouse or partner than when they dine out with their buddies.

7. Lastly, although it'll make your body and organs happy if you consume less food, it's important to still consume the proper amount of foods recommended by dietary guidelines.

Here is a link to the USDA's Food Pyramid:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pmap.htm

Make sure you always drink plenty of water (8 cups/day) so that your cells and organs are able to perform properly. Staying hydrated and eating properly allows for your defense mechanisms to proliferate in your body so that they can do their job in defending your health from "the bad guys."

If you aren't getting the proper amount of foods and nutrients, talk to your primary care provider about adding to your diet: vitamin supplements. Always keep your medical provider in the loop about any changes in your diet, especially if you have health conditions that depend on a certain prescribed daily diet!

Happy Eating!
Ti Nhong