One of the keys to a long and healthy life is learning how to control fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin. These swings in both blood sugar and insulin are caused by the simple sugars, starches, and high fructose corn syrup that are ubiquitous in food and beverages today. They are also responsible for the obesity epidemic and degenerative health conditions prevalent in both adults and children.
Sugar, Inflammation, and Aging
Sugar and high glycemic carbohydrates – fruits and vegetables that rapidly convert to sugar – create inflammation on a cellular level throughout your body. If you eat a large quantity of refined sugar or a bowl of pasta that converts to sugar in the bloodstream, the sugar triggers an insulin response from the pancreas to control the level of blood sugar in your body. Diabetics do not have a properly functioning pancreas, and consequently they suffer from high blood sugar, which must be treated with insulin. Diabetics with poorly controlled blood sugar actually age 1/3 faster than do non-diabetics. Diabetics tend to have widespread, measurable inflammation in their bodies. Their constant high sugar levels cause kidney failure, blindness, heart attacks, and strokes. Studies have shown that when diabetics keep their blood sugar levels within normal range, they can cut their rate of health problems by 70 percent.
Carbohydrates and the Fat Production Paradox
Whenever sugar increases insulin levels in the body, fats are also stored. This leads to obesity, even though caloric intake may not necessarily be excessive. A rice cake has about 45 calories and 0 grams of fat. Yet this dietary mainstay of millions of American women can make you fat. Rice cakes are quickly converted to sugar, because puffed rice has a very high glycemic index, making it pro-inflammatory. Eating a rice or corn cake will generate the insulin response that causes us to store rather than burn fat.
The body must have carbohydrates in order to function, four to seven servings of low glycemic carbohydrates in the form of fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes and whole grains such as old fashioned oatmeal are recommended as part of the daily diet. As a group, these foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to slow or reverse signs of aging while supplying essential energy. They also contain water, which helps hydrate the skin and body. Choose fresh or frozen produce, but avoid canned items, as heating and processing destroys many nutrients while adding unwanted salt and sugar.
