Tag: healthy aging

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Sugar: The Other White Powder That Can Kill

DrAlishaND

3 Basic Things to Know

Over one decade ago the USpopulation was consuming an average of over 90 pounds of sugar per person per year, according to the USDA. [1] Now, it is over 135 pounds per capita. This has paralleled increases in major chronic illnesses; such has heart disease, cancer, diabetes, amongst other health challenges. Health for some can be an inside-out approach, and for others perhaps outside-in. Here are a few things to know…

  1. Sugar inside your body-causes inflammation which can contribute to many health challenges. While your body uses glucose as fuel, it can derive its needs from complex carbohydrates, as in fruits and vegetables. Simple carbs such as pasta, white rice, cereals, cookies, etc can raise glucose levels quickly, only to have them come crashing down to either make you tired and/or crave for more. Minimize your sweet treats and choose other sweeteners such as stevia.
  1. Sugar outside your body-causes the skin to age, leading to a decrease in collagen and increase in wrinkles.[2] This occurs via the process of forming what are called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs for short and ironic, when sugar attaches to protein. Caution on the various forms of sugar, it can come under an array of names. High Fructose Corn Syrup has become ubiquitous in our processed foods, and even baby formula![3] HFCS is also thought to produce even more AGEs.
  1. Calculate your intake. The American Heart Association recommends limiting sugar intake to 100 calories for women and 150 calories from sugar for men, or 6 and 9 teaspoons.[4] When looking at packaged food, look at the grams of sugar to calculate your intake and convert to teaspoons using this formula; example: 12 grams of sugar divided by 4 (g of sugar/teaspoon) equals 3 teaspoons of sugar. (3 teaspoons=1 tablespoon)

These three things are intended to give you some fuel for thought. There is an enormous amount of information available on this subject. Start with small steps of change, and with consistency you can cut out the sugar and live a healthy and beautiful life!

 

 

 

Articles

Health is in Your Hands and DNA is Not Your Destiny! 5 Habits for Healthy Aging

DrAlishaND

Do you believe that if you don’t have your health, you can’t really appreciate the other things in your life? Our life expectancy has drastically changed. CDC statistics for 2009 reveal that the average man in Americalives to be 75.7 years of age, and the woman 80.6.[1] That has been an increase of 2-5 years since the 1980’s figures. However, let’s not just think about life span, but rather youth span. What difference does it make if you’ve lived until 80, but the last 10-20 years of your life you have lived in debilitating health that has taken you away from the people and things you love in your life?

You have the power in to take your health in to your own hands and change your life so that not only will you have longevity of life but have the vitality in your mind, body, and spirit to get the most of the years in your life. The 2 top things that kill the most Americans each year are heart disease and cancer; both of which diet and lifestyle have a heavy influence on. One of my favorite sayings now is, “genetics may load the gun, but diet and lifestyle pull the trigger.” I hope that gives you a new perspective that you really can change your DNA destiny!

Here are 5 habits for a happy and healthy life:

  1. Restrict Calories: There has been lots of research in this arena showing that caloric restriction leads to a longer life. I take this as eating enough, but not in excess, for example perhaps those large sugary drinks that are packed with calories are useless, and should be avoided. [2]
  2. Increase Antioxidants: Many metabolic processes in your body give off free radicals as a by product and in our daily living we are exposed to regularly. There is a check and balance system here, and the damage that the free radicals create needs to be combated with antioxidants to protect and prevent inflammation amongst other negative side effects that can contribute to disease.[3]
  3. Keep Cortisol in Check: This “stress” hormone secreted by your adrenal glands is like your energy bank account. It gives you the power to get out of bed and get the day going, helps regulate blood sugar, has effects on the immune system, amongst several others in the body. Having health cortisol levels in your body has far reaching benefits. You are able to test cortisol levels via saliva, for more information go your natural health care provider.
  4. Pave the Road: There is a saying, the “road to good health is paved with good intestines.” What this means is your digestion is imperative to your health. If your food that is supposed to be your fuel is not getting absorbed properly or not eliminating regularly, you will feel the effects.
  5. Find Purpose: What is the point of living longer, if you don’t have your heart in it? Do you want to be a great grandparent, have a long love life, or leave a legacy? Find what makes your heart beat with happiness, and do that often!