5 Reasons to Quit Added Sugar

I’ve talked a lot on this blog about sugar and how a diet high in added sugar can have devastating effects on our health.  How it is one of the main reasons behind the obesity and disease epidemic we are experiencing in our society today.  How it has wriggled its way onto the ingredient lists of many of the foods lining supermarket shelves (even the ones you don’t expect).  And how a seemingly healthy diet may actually turn out to be one high in added sugar.

Sugar is sneaky, it is deceptively delicious and keeps us coming back for more.

Sugar is a topic that I am extremely passionate about.  It wasn’t until l truly understood the impact that sugar had on my health that I grasped how it is so important to keep added sugar to a minimum in our diets.

When I finally broke the cycle of cravings it was like my head came out of a cloud.  My emotions leveled out, I lost some unnecessary weight I previously hadn’t been able to shake, and I felt like I finally had energy for the first time in a while.  Real energy, not the kind manufactured with the help of a steaming mug of coffee (served by your local barista with a heaping dose of added sugar).

I teamed up with my close friend and fellow health coach Laura LaBeau and we launched our very first 21 Day Sugar Detox last summer with a group of awesome participants.  It was a joy for me to teach others what I had learned through my own experience.  After all, teaching about nutrition and using food as medicine and nourishment for our bodies is why I write and what I strive to do as a career someday.

So what’s all the fuss about sugar anyways?  Why is it so bad?  Why should you entertain doing cleanse to help eliminate it from your diet?

Well, here are 5 very excellent reasons:

1. Consumption of high amounts of sugar can lead to Type 2 Diabetes.  Sucrose, or table sugar, is made up of equal amounts glucose and fructose. Fructose is the kind of sugar you find naturally in fruit and is also what gives sugar its sweetness. While your cells metabolize glucose, fructose is processed primarily in the liver. If you eat too many simple sugars, which are quickly digested (soft drinks, candy), your liver breaks down the fructose and produces fats called triglycerides. A lot of these triglycerides are pushed into the blood. Over time blood pressure increases and cells become progressively more resistant to insulin. The pancreas responds by producing even more insulin to try to make up for this resistance. Eventually a condition known as metabolic syndrome kicks in, which is normally characterized by obesity. If not addressed, Type 2 Diabetes will develop.

2. Research has shown that sugar stimulates the same pleasure centers in the brain as heroine and cocaine.  And just like heroine and cocaine, it is highly addictive.  So why do we crave sugar?  Let’s take a trip back to caveman times, where sugar was extremely rare and only found in naturally growing fruit. Due to its scarcity, our bodies became efficient processors of fructose, storing it all as fat to help the body survive during the lean winter months.  Additionally, sugar provided the body with instant energy to survive in the wild.

3. Fructose is stored in our bodies as fat.  Fructose can only be processed by the liver. When the liver is overworked (say when you are consuming a sugary beverage), it relies on the pancreas to help it out. The pancreas then releases insculin, an energy storage hormone which stores the sugar your body is processing as fat. At the same time, insulin blocks messages from getting to your brain that you are full. The result? Excess fat is stored while at the same time your body feels hungry, tired, and cranky.

4. Insulin resistance in our cells has also been found to impact the health of our brains.  We all need insulin.  It is produced and released by our pancreas to help our cells absorb the blood sugar (aka glucose) they need for energy.  Insulin resistance develops when cells are called upon to absorb glucose from the blood too often, as I described above.  Insulin keeps the blood vessels that supply the brain healthy and encourages brain cells and neurons to absorb glucose, allowing them to grow and become stronger.  Low levels of insulin lead to reduced brain function but, on the flip side, too much insulin damages the blood vessels that supply nutrients to our brain.  In addition, just like the rest of the cells in our body, our brain cells can become insulin resistant from a steady diet of too much sugar and processed junk.  When this happens, our brain cells stop absorbing the levels of glucose they need to thrive and grow, resulting in decreased brain function, loss of memory and disorientation.

5. Fructose is making us sick.  In addition to Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s, research has shown that fructose inhibits our immune system’s ability to fight infection, can mess with fertility, speeds up the aging process and can cause a rapid rise in adrenaline, which can lead to hyperactivity, anxiety and loss of concentration.

So why am I sharing this with you today?  Well, Laura and I are back at it and are launching another round of our 21 Day Sugar Detox, running June 6th-26th.

The cost is just $30, which includes daily inspirational emails straight to your inbox, invitation to a private Facebook group for accountability and support, a packet of cleanse-friendly recipes and weekly shopping lists to make your grocery outings less stressful.  You will also have the opportunity to work one-on-one with Laura or I for a discounted rate of $50 (a $75 value!).

Interested in joining us and making this investment in your health?  Click on the link below to sign up today!

http://goo.gl/forms/K2N7Gj13mTFXjww82

~Peace, love and veggies~

Photo credit:  Image courtesy of CeresB on flickr

Natural Solutions for Thyroid Health

Last week in Part I of this two-part series, we discussed what hypothyroidism is and what are the common signs and symptoms of the disease.  If you are just visiting for the first time, head on over to Part I to get up to speed before reading this article.

As we discussed in Part I, we must address hypothyroidism comprehensively and not just rely on medication, as is so often done today.  How can we do this?  Through positive and healthy lifestyle changes to help resolve the underlying issue for why the thyroid became compromised to begin with.

We learned that conversion of inactive thyroid hormone (a.k.a T4) to active thyroid hormone can be influenced by age, prolonged caloric deprivation, mineral deficiencies (zinc, iodine, magnesium, iron and selenium), chronic lack of sleep, chronic stress and imbalance in our microbiome (a.k.a large intestine, where 20% of our T4 is converted).  So, the first place to start after being diagnosed by a physician is to take a closer look at these items.  

While we can’t change our age, we can work on our sleeping habits and stress and we can eat a healthier diet to improve the health of our gut and get adequate levels of minerals our thyroid needs.

When it comes to stress, it’s important to note that high cortisol levels impose a low thyroid state on the body.  This includes physical, mental and emotional stress.  No good.  If there is something that is stressing you out, address it head on.  You can remove yourself from this stressor completely (ideal but not always doable in the near term) or do something to help counteract this stress, such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing and taking walks outside in nature.  Regardless, do something.  Your body (and future medical bills) will thank you.

If you are having trouble sleeping, do an inventory of your caffeine intake during the course of the day.  Perhaps you are drinking too much or too late in the day?  Stress can also impact sleep (see previous paragraph).  Drinking chamomile tea at night and reducing your exposure to technology up to an hour before you go to bed may also help.  If you have tried everything and still aren’t seeing results, check out the book Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson.  It is chock full of natural ways to address sleep issues.

Now on to food, which is always my favorite topic to discuss!  There are some foods that should be minimized when you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and some foods that you should eat more of to make sure you get all the nutrients your little thyroid needs to function properly.

Foods to avoid/minimize

• Raw cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips and bok choy) should be minimized.  These foods contain goitrogens, which disrupt the production of thyroid hormones by interfering with iodine uptake and high amounts of these can impose a hypothyroid state.  By “high amounts” doctors mean more than 1 cup 3-5 times per week.  When these vegetables are cooked the compounds are destroyed, so if you want to eat these veggies (and I do!), I recommend cooking them first.
• Gluten should be minimized or eliminated completely, especially in the case of autoimmune hypothyroid, which is known as Hashimoto’s disease, and Celiacs disease.  Put in the simplest way possible, about 80% of our immune system is housed in our gut.  If we eat foods we are sensitive to, for example gluten, the lining of our small intestine (which is one cell thick) can become compromised.  When this lining is compromised, the immune system is more likely to create an immune reaction to what is in your small intestine.  This can lead to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s and also allergies.  For a more indepth article on this, read here.
• Caffeine has been shown to disrupt the absorption of thyroid medication, so it is recommended that you do not drink coffee within 30 minutes of taking your medication in the morning.  I also wouldn’t recommend drinking coffee on an empty stomach, as that can throw your entire delicate system off and lead to a spike in cortisol.

Foods that help your thyroid

These include foods that are high in zinc, iodine, magnesium, iron and selenium, which are minerals necessary for optimal thyroid function.  Buy organic, grass-fed/pasture-raised when economically possible.

• Fish, shrimp and seaweed are great sources of iodine.  Iodized salt (as the name suggests) is as well.  It is important to note that the salt you eat in prepared foods is not iodized salt, nor is most sea salt.  I recently found an iodized sea salt at my grocery store.  Fresh fruit such as strawberries and cranberries, yogurt, navy beans, raw cheese and potatoes (eaten with the skin on) are also great sources of iodine.
• Spinach, lettuce, collard greens and other leafy greens, as well as fish, avocado, bananas and dark chocolate (emphasis on dark) are great sources of magnesium.
• Nuts and seeds such as cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts are great sources of iron, magnesium and zinc.
• Other foods high in iron include animal protein (meat and fish), beans, and dark leafy greens.
• The best food sources for selenium include Brazil nuts and other nuts and seeds (sunflower, sesame, flax), fish, meat, eggs and whole grains.
• Add zinc to your diet with oysters, crab and lobster, animal protein (beef, pork, chicken), legumes (hummus, chickpeas, lentils, black beans), mushrooms, spinach, and whole grains.

I hope Part I and this week’s article have helped you to obtain a better understanding of what hypothyroidism is, what causes it and how you can address it through a holistic approach along with your medication.  If you suspect you may have an underactive thyroid, I encourage you to check out the resources below so that you can have an informed discussion with your doctor. These are all resources that I found extremely informative for my own personal health.

• I love the podcast called The Model Health Show by Shawn Stevenson, the author of Sleep Smarter (the book I recommended for sleep issues above).  He did a show recently on thyroid health with Dr. Jillian Teta, a naturopathic doctor.  After listening to this podcast I finally understood what hypothyroidism is all about.  Dr. Teta explains it phenomenally.  Check out the podcast here.
• Dr. Jillian Teta also has a five day thyroid-gut school that is completely free.  I did it and she spells out everything you need to know, plus discusses how gut health can impact the health of your thyroid.  If you are thinking of discussing thyroid health with your doctor, check this out first.  You will get one email every day for five days. Believe me, it’s worth it!  To sign up go here.

Peace, love & health,

The Yogi~Foodie

Photo credit – CC image courtesy of Mel Edwards on flickr

What is Hypothyroidism?

You’ve heard me talk about hypothyroidism in previous posts with regards to my personal health, but why am I writing about it today and what exactly is it?  Well, I have been doing a lot of research lately to really learn about this condition and natural ways to address it in addition to my medication.  In this research I have discovered that the rate of diagnosis of this disease is skyrocketing and there are many out there who may have undiagnosed hypothyroidism.  So, I figured that I should share what I have learned because it may help you in your own quest for health.

To answer what hypothyroidism is, we need to understand the role of the thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in your throat.  It’s job is to drive the rate at which we burn fuel for all physiologic, metabolic and physical tasks our body performs all day of every day.  Simply put, it drives our metabolism.  It also produces hormones that are responsible for a wide range of functions and contributes to our mental and emotional well being.  A pretty important gland shall we say?

Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid gland.  Basically, your thyroid function is slow or low.

Why is hypothyroidism commonly undiagnosed?  Well there are two main reasons.  First, the range on lab tests for “normal” thyroid function is very large, so you may be struggling with an underactive thyroid but still be considered “normal”.  This is what happened to me; I went to 3 doctors before I found one who agreed with me that my results weren’t “normal”.  It also shares symptoms with other diseases and conditions, which makes it even harder to diagnose.  To get an accurate diagnosis, a doctor should consider lab test results, but also consider symptoms (how the patient is feeling, which are subjective) and signs of low thyroid disease (which are objective and measurable).  Many doctors rely on lab test results alone.

So, what are the symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism you may ask?  Below are the most common ones, though these lists are not exhaustive:

Symptoms (subjective)

• Tiredness and fatigue
• Low mood, depression
• Apathy
• Difficulty with concentration and clear thinking
• Forgetfulness
• Intolerance to cold, get cold easily
• Constipation
• Muscle cramping or pain
• Joint pain
• Weight gain or inability to lose weight
• Numbness in extremities
• Lightheadedness
• Spaciness

Signs (objective)

• Dry, brittle hair
• Hair loss
• Infertility
• Puffiness of face
• Low heart rate (less than 60 bpm)
• Slow reflexes
• Hoarse voice
• Fluid retention in hands and feet

Without getting too technical and science-y, there are multiple hormones that impact the thyroid gland.  There is active thyroid hormone (commonly called T3) and inactive thyroid hormone (T4).  T4 must be converted to active thyroid hormone for it to be used by the thyroid gland.  Conversion of T4 to its active form is impacted by age, prolonged caloric deprivation, mineral deficiencies (iron, zinc and selenium), chronic lack of sleep, chronic stress and imbalance in our microbiome (a.k.a large intestine, where 20% of our T4 is converted).

So now that we know what a thyroid is and what some signs and symptoms of an underactive thyroid are, what are some natural solutions for optimizing thyroid health in addition to or paired with prescribed medication?  Well, the first place to start after being diagnosed by a physician is to tackle the things I described above that impact conversion of T4 thyroid hormone.  While we can’t change our age, we can work on our sleeping habits and stress, we can eat a healthier diet to improve the health of our gut and get adequate levels of minerals our thyroid needs.

Are these things needed?  Absolutely!  Medication simply targets the thyroid and helps to get it working normally, but it doesn’t resolve the underlying issue for why the thyroid became compromised to begin with.  We must address this issue comprehensively and not just rely on medication, as is so often done today.  Plus, our medication works best when paired with positive, healthy lifestyle changes.

I will dive into these natural solutions next week in Part II of this article, so stay tuned!

Peace, love & health,

The Yogi~Foodie

Sources:

• Dr. Jillian Teta’s 5-Day Gut-Thyroid School (register for free here)
• The Model Health Show Podcast on the Thyroid and Gut Health Connection

Photo credit:  Image courtesy of Kuster & Wildhaber Photography on flickr