THE BIG QUESTION
It is no secret that sugar is a major contributor to many of our health issues today, but how often do we minimize the issue, and why do we minimize the concern? If sugar is really such a big problem, why is there not a more unified effort to do something about it?
YOUR INDEPENDENCE
Especially as adults, we like to have the freedom to make our own decisions. Making decisions is part of being an adult. When it comes to food choices, there are more options now than ever before. When you make a food decision, are you thinking long term, or immediate pleasure?
Sugar is addictive
Sugar lights up the addictive center of the brain. The same area of the brain effected by cocaine.
TO FEEL GOOD
An important reason to choose what you will eat is often related to how you feel at the time. We refer to some foods as “comfort foods” because of the connection to positive memories and feelings. Sugar increases serotonin in the brain, which results in a “feel good” response. When we depend on sugary foods to “feel good,” a food dependency develops. Serotonin can be produced naturally with a well-balanced food plan, so you will feel good naturally. When a person requires a soda, coffee latte, or donut to “feel good,” now sugar is being used to increase serotonin, and the body’s natural production of serotonin is decreased.
140 lbs per year
The average American consumes 140 pounds of sugar per year.
CULTURAL CHOICES
Access to sugar has increased world wide and may be considered the “drug of choice” in most cultures. Sweet treats are always related to celebrations, special events or occasions. Back in the 1860’s, the average American consumed around 20 pounds of sugar in a year, just short of 2 pounds a month. Now with easier distribution, and the development of corn syrup and other sweeteners, the choices for sweet things to satisfy are excessive.
CONSEQUENCES
The results of choosing sugary based foods can lead to the following results:
Increased Inflammation (Joint pain, muscle aches, headaches)
Increased blood sugar imbalances ( Diabetes, Fatigue, Alzheimer’s Syndrome, IBS)
Increased cholesterol imbalances (Sugar increases cholesterol production)
Increased weight challenges (Fat is not burned when sugar is consumed)
Increased hormone stress (Increased insulin results in greater endocrine stress)
Healthy choices release sugar slowly
Choose those foods which will contain long chain carbohydrates resulting in a “slow release” of sugar that will not result in sugar swings.
HEALTHY CHOICES
Your body does need some sugar each day, but there are many healthy sources, which release sugar in a “slow release” way that will promote health and improve your energy levels. Quality fruits and vegetables should be consumed with each meal to ensure a steady intake of sugar, plus the vitamins and minerals that the body can use to process sugar in a healthy way. The fiber from the fruits and vegetables will also provide food for the good bacteria in your gut to improve the production of serotonin and push out the bad bacteria.
Healthy choices for releasing sugar slowly include:
Apple (one each day)
Broccoli
Avocado
Romaine
In order to use these correctly and not get bored or overwhelmed you need a plan.
LIFESTYLE PLAN
Perhaps you have never had a good example of a healthy lifestyle and what it looks like. A person with a healthy lifestyle is one who chooses foods that make them feel good for the long term, not just the next hour. At Nutrition Proportion, we help train individuals on a lifestyle plan that will:
Establish quality food choices based on your blood chemistry
Provide professional support from coaches who help you learn to choose for the long term
Improve your metabolism and overall health
Use whole foods from your grocery store and not require pills or powders
A Lifestyle to Thrive
A Metabolic Balance Lifestyle Plan can help your whole family to become more healthy, happy, and thrive.
PLAN TO THRIVE
More than 1 million individuals around the world have joined this movement to focus on healthy food choices each day. Thousands of families have benefitted from the simple principles that make this lifestyle so effective. If you would like to learn more about this program, and the way it is customized to your blood chemistry, click on the button below for more information, or TEXT us at 651-323-8163 and type “MB PLAN.”