New Year Sugar Detox - Are you addicted?

With a new year ahead of us, you are probably asking yourself, What is in store for me this year? What do I need to give up? What do I need to change? It is common for people to give up pop or start exercising, but maybe it is more than just pop. It is sugar..which lurks everywhere and hides in many foods we would not expect. I recently wrote a Sugar Detox book and the message really hit home about why it is so important to eat whole, clean un-processed foods... Here are some small pieces from my book and I hope you consider eating whole foods and trying a sugar detox to feel like a new person. 

Can you live without sugar? I mean the sugar that is added to foods, such as cakes, cookies, yogurts, sweet rolls, candy, and soda? If you have ever tried to diet and cut out everything with sugar, I am sure the diet was unpleasant to say the least, especially for your energy and mood.

When you see the ads for “Just Say No,” they have not hit the message home for a drug-free America. The same goes for giving up sugar. Eliminating added sugars is not an overnight fix. There are so many complex processes that occur when we eat sugar and after we eat sugar. I am sure many of us would love to end our sugar addiction and feel at our best. If you or someone else has said, “I am going to start eating clean tomorrow and cut everything out that is unnatural,” ask yourself, how long did it last? As easy as we think it can be to cut out all the bad stuff overnight, it is not that simple.

The main point I want to make known is that you are not alone...sugar can be hard to cut out right away due to its high palatability. Something is preventing us from eating healthy and pursuing healthy lifestyle behaviors. What is the culprit? The environment and highly processed foods. Added or processed sugar is not necessary for us to survive as it only provides “empty” calories, thus no nutritional value. However, many Americans are easily exceeding the limit of added sugar intake daily. Why? It is sweet, delicious and potentially addictive. Think about the ancestral times...they hunted for food and didn't know when their next meal would be so they would "stock" up. Same with today, we have that same type of zest for food; however, with all the unhealthy food around us, it is no wonder that it is more than tempting.

American is turning into (or already is) a sugarholic country, with sugar intake amounting to 22 tsp of added sugar per day, which is equivalent to an extra 350 calories day and over 8,000 teaspoons of sugar per year. Women are recommended to have no more than 6 tsp daily and men no more than 9 tsp daily. Therefore, we are taking in too much sugar, which is not benefiting our waistline or our health. Over 65 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese which means the majority of people are eating little nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean meats and healthy fats.

Is Sugar Truly Addictive and if so, How and Why?

Added sugar, not naturally occurring sugar, can become literally addictive. Sugar can make for a vicious cycle of events – the more you eat the more you want it. Sugar can elevate blood sugar levels, release insulin and lead to fat storage in our important vital organs. This type of fat stored is highly metabolically active, meaning that is can affect metabolism, hormones and organ function, such as the liver. It is not just willpower but ultimately you can become dependent on it like drugs. After you eat sugar, a message is sent to your brain and activates the rewards system. Your rewards system includes a series of electrical and chemical path systems that are located across various parts of your brain. The key chemical in your reward system is called dopamine, also known as the happy hormone.  Dopamine receptors can start to work overtime when you become dependent on sugar as they continually seek a “high” effect.  More and more sugar is needed to reach this effect, which makes sugar dependence turn into a true addiction. Interestingly, sugar causes a similar reaction in the brain just like drugs.

Where is surprisingly found? Look at grams of sugar on the back of labels...if you see hidden ingredients such as syrup, HFCS, corn syrup, brown sugar, fruit juice concentrates, etc., and towards the top of the list, chances are it is highly processed. Simply divide grams of sugar divided by 4 to get total tsp. Unfortunately, it will not disclose how much sugar is natural (lactose in milk and yogurt and fructose in fruit) and how much is unnatural so checking the ingredient list for added sugars is important.

Here are some steps to get rid of those cravings...ask me about a Sugar Detox program that is perfect for you!

1. Use the MyPlate System (Go to www.myplate.gov for personalized information)

2. Eat every three hours and no longer than 4-5 to keep your blood sugars balanced.

3. Try to avoid eating carbohydrates alone. Pair it with other food groups such as protein and healthy fats.

4. Consume less sugar and processed foods..

5. Have a bed time snack, such as veggies and hummus, bowl of oatmeal (original with fruits and nuts); plain Greek yogurt with berries

6. Consume prebiotic fiber which will improve your digestive health and support a strong immune system in addition to helping balance your blood sugar levels.

Maternal and Infant Health: Omega-3 for the Brain!

An area that has always interested me is maternal and infant nutrition..as a mother who has nursed both of my beautiful daughters (and still going strong!), I maintain committed to breastfeeding not only for the bonding time but for their long-term health and well being. A mother's diet truly is important during nursing as the nutrients are delivered to baby. The omega-3 fatty acid status determines the content of the breast milk thus the amount of DHA in the milk. DHA stands for docosahexaenoic acid, an essential fatty acid that is literally found in the brain. Mom's intake of fish and/or omega-3 supplements will lead to healthy doses of DHA in her breast milk which are then transferred right to baby..cool, right?! It gets even better. DHA in breast milk is very important as studies show it has a positive influence on baby's cognitive health and functioning.

If you choose to use formula, there are formulas now formulated with DHA, which may be a good choice for baby, depending on their dietary needs and health status.

Now before going on about this, it is important to stress the difference between various healthy fats. Consuming foods, such as walnuts, flax seed, chia seed and flax oil contain ALA, a type of fat that can convert to DHA but little is actually converted to DHA. That is why it is important for mom to consume omega- 3 fatty acids that come from fatty fish such as tuna and salmon. If you do not like fish, an omega-3 supplement will do just fine. But be sure to check your labels as many are not so great. Look at the label and ensure the total omega-3 fatty acids between DHA and EPA result in 1000 mg total or greater. DHA should be about 2xs more than EPA as DHA is the type of fat found in the brain.

When taken daily throughout breastfeeding and then providing a supplement to children after breastfeeding, this may lead to improved health in infants and children, such as:

• Improved attention and cognitive functions
• A decrease in allergies, respiratory illness and eczema
• Improved immune functioning

Did this convince you I hope? :-) Another note to consider...a high quality omega-3 will not result in burping. If you have burped before with an omega-3 supplement, chances are it is rancid and poor quality. There are some flavored omega-3 supplements out there as well. I use CardioTabs Liquid Omega-3 but you can find numerous ones at various health food stores.

With cold weather here for good, for a while...this is a great time to start increasing your intake of DHA not just for maternal and infant cognitive health but for overall better immune health to protect you from getting sick.

Happy holidays and Best in Health...

Pre-Thanksgiving Meal!

Today is a busy day, full of some freelance work, packing and spending some quality time with my husband before picking up the girlies before the fun Thanksgiving Holiday. But before all the craziness, I am going to enjoy a quiet, homemade meal that I would call a "Pre-Thanksgiving Meal". It is nothing like turkey, stuffing, gravy, potato and pie...but you can never go wrong with chicken thighs and sweet potatoes!

All I did was lightly season my chicken thighs with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, I mixed melted margarine (Smart Balance Omega-3) with garlic powder, red pepper flakes and basil. Then I poured it over the chicken thighs and cooked until liquid was clear from chicken. Delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels to all.....