We live in interesting times, for sure. We've got the benefits from so many cool technological advances. It's hard to believe that just a few short years ago we didn't have the Internet, yet now just about everybody I know functions both at work and home in some capacity by using computers and the Internet (mail, surfing, etc). Then there are big screen TVs that turn your home into a movie theater and video game systems and all of it leads to us spending quite a bit of time on our butts.
We also live in dangerous times. Parents don't dare turn their kids out into the streets to play unsupervised. I remember as a child leaving the house in the morning and wandering around to different neighbor kids' houses. Except for a couple of meal breaks, we stayed outside playing until it got too dark to see.
It's definitely having negative effects on our health.
Posted by LaDonna at 09:28 AM on 07/28/07 • Permalink •
Comments [2]
• Filed under:
Charity • Blogathon07 • Health •
One more sugar-related post.
We're facing an obesity epidemic in this country. Due in part to our sedentary lifestyles to be sure, but one can not overlook that the rising numbers started just about the time that High Fructose Corn Syrup was developed. It's quite the complicated procedure to extract HFCS from corn, yet it is still cheaper for manufacturers to use it than other sweetener sources such as cane or beet sugar.
Since it's not a naturally occurring substance, our bodies can't deal with it well. Here's an excerpt from a
San Francisco Times article describing how HFCS leads to weight gain:
And unlike other types of carbohydrate made up of glucose, fructose does not stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin. Peter Havel, a nutrition researcher at UC Davis who studies the metabolic effects of fructose, has also shown that fructose fails to increase the production of leptin, a hormone produced by the body's fat cells.
Both insulin and leptin act as signals to the brain to turn down the appetite and control body weight. And in another metabolic twist, Havel's research shows that fructose does not appear to suppress the production of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger and appetite.
"Because fructose in isolation doesn't activate the hormones that regulate body weight as do other types of carbohydrate composed of glucose, consuming a diet high in fructose could lead to taking in more calories and, over time, to weight gain," he says.
In addition to obesity, researchers believe there is a link between HFCS and the increased rates of type 2 diabetes, as well.
What I found most shocking when I was researching HFCS a few years ago for a speech I was preparing for a public speaking class is that it's seemingly everything. In addition to it's expected places like soda, it's in most yogurts, health drinks like SoBe, frozen foods to extend shelf life, breads to increase browning...it's even in that Chewy Trail Mix bar I ate for breakfast (damn, forgot to check the label last night when I bought those).
What's the most telling is when trying to find people that believe it has no ill health effects for human, you find people connected with the corn industry. Hmmm.
The B-52's—Rock Lobster
Posted by LaDonna at 09:01 AM on 07/28/07 • Permalink •
Comments [0]
• Filed under:
Personal •
This is going to be a little quick post because I'm getting a little behind reading all the health related information sites while researching my topics. I had really intended to get this all researched in advance, but stupid work and RSS feed problems got in my way this week. I'm also trying to see what some of the other bloggers are up to. That was the good thing about blogging on the B schedule last year. I cruised around all the other sites and then concentrated on my own blogging later.
Mike and Marcus are usually off mountain biking together but last Saturday Mike took a pretty bad tumble and screwed up his ribs or something. They're having lunch at McDonalds and are supposed to bring me back some nuggets. Not a great lunch since I've been talking about eating healthier, but hey, if you're watching my cam, you'll see I just ate an apple.
Mmmmm...nuggets.
Posted by LaDonna at 08:28 AM on 07/28/07 • Permalink •
Comments [1]
• Filed under:
Charity • Blogathon07 • Friends •
I've been reading that average Americans consume over 100 pounds of sugars a year. The problem is that most of these sugars are processed or refined sugars, not naturally occurring ones such as those in fresh fruits and juices.
It's hard to pinpoint the exact damage that a diet with too much sugar causes as many other poor dietary problems usually accompany the sugar indulgence. We do know for sure that it causes all sorts of dental problems (as I can attest) and diabetes as well as being a contributing factor to heart disease, arteriosclerosis, mental illness, depression, senility, hypertension and cancer.
This article outlined some of the other
undesirable effects of sugar on the body:
~ Increases overgrowth of candida yeast organism
~ Increases chronic fatigue
~ Can trigger binge eating in those with bulima
~ Increases PMS symptoms
~ Increases hyperactivity in about 50% of children
~ Increases tooth decay
~ Increases anxiety and irritability
~ Can increase or intensify symptoms of anxiety and panic in susceptible women
~ Can make it difficult to lose weight because of constantly high insulin levels, which causes the body to store excess carbs as fat
I remember watching the Dr. Phil show a couple of years ago where his wife, Robin, talked about how she's totally gotten sugar out of her diet and the amazing effects it had on her health (specifically menopause related symptoms).
Posted by LaDonna at 07:59 AM on 07/28/07 • Permalink •
Comments [0]
• Filed under:
Charity • Blogathon07 • Food • Health •
Back in the old days (like Pioneer times), sugar was a luxury. If you ever read any of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, you know that sugar was for the most special of occasions.
My friend
Amy does not allow any kind of flour, sugar or caffeine into her diet. As with caffeine, I was totally amazed at how much sugar (especially refined and modified sugar) is in everything. Food manufacturers put sugar in just about everything because it makes them taste better to our whacked out taste buds.
I've started eliminating some sugar sources and I'm amazed at how much better I feel already. I'll go into a little more detail in the next post why sugar is so bad for us.
Posted by LaDonna at 07:36 AM on 07/28/07 • Permalink •
Comments [1]
• Filed under:
Charity • Blogathon07 • Health •
Page 105 of 481 pages ‹ First < 103 104 105 106 107 > Last ›
Page rendered in 0.0723 seconds
Name: LaDonna
