Statistics Canada released a terrible stat a little while ago that has been haunting my mind ever since. Did you know that roughly 3 out of every 4 Newfoundlanders are overweight and our Canadian population has a 20% obesity rate? I realize that there is some room for error in the standard Body Mass Index Table for reporting obesity/overweight individuals as it does not factor in muscle mass, but honestly, the statistic is pretty close.
The government says that we have all of the information we need to become healthier but yet as a population we are not improving. So, what is the problem? Here is my take.
Sugar! Sugar! Sugar! and not the Fat! Fat! Fat!
If you walk into the super market and look at a product, take yogurt for example, you will notice it is very hard to find anything that isn't marked as 0% fat or "low fat" or "fat free". Now stand back and watch how many people are buying these products. It isn't nice to judge people, but I have to come to the conclusion that for the most part, the people buying fat free or low fat products are not a healthy weight. In fact, they are definitely more on the overweight to obese side of the spectrum. But how can that be? Well, here it is in a nutshell.
No fat = Sugar + chemicals
When a company extracts the fat from a product, it will lose its flavor and it's consistency. So, to replace that, the company adds in lots of sugar (or even worse, sugar free chemicals) and other chemicals to bring it back to an edible taste. For starters your body has no idea how to digest and work with these chemicals and so your level of toxicity increases. These chemicals in turn can slow down your body's functions, leaving you sluggish and therefore at increased risk of weight gain. (Note: Even if you believe you are skinny, that doesn't mean you are healthy! These chemicals are not beneficial in any way, shape or form to your body and overall health!)
How does Sugar Make me Fat?
Sugar consumption leads to an increase in fat storage in the body. Here is how it goes.
***Click here to Download a PDF Explanation of Sugar and Hypoglycemia***
The government says that we have all of the information we need to become healthier but yet as a population we are not improving. So, what is the problem? Here is my take.
Sugar! Sugar! Sugar! and not the Fat! Fat! Fat!
If you walk into the super market and look at a product, take yogurt for example, you will notice it is very hard to find anything that isn't marked as 0% fat or "low fat" or "fat free". Now stand back and watch how many people are buying these products. It isn't nice to judge people, but I have to come to the conclusion that for the most part, the people buying fat free or low fat products are not a healthy weight. In fact, they are definitely more on the overweight to obese side of the spectrum. But how can that be? Well, here it is in a nutshell.
No fat = Sugar + chemicals
When a company extracts the fat from a product, it will lose its flavor and it's consistency. So, to replace that, the company adds in lots of sugar (or even worse, sugar free chemicals) and other chemicals to bring it back to an edible taste. For starters your body has no idea how to digest and work with these chemicals and so your level of toxicity increases. These chemicals in turn can slow down your body's functions, leaving you sluggish and therefore at increased risk of weight gain. (Note: Even if you believe you are skinny, that doesn't mean you are healthy! These chemicals are not beneficial in any way, shape or form to your body and overall health!)
How does Sugar Make me Fat?
Sugar consumption leads to an increase in fat storage in the body. Here is how it goes.
- You eat sugar
- Your Pancreas releases insulin
- Insulin helps send the glucose (sugar) to the tissues in your body to be burned, converted to glycogen in the liver or to be stored as fat.
- If your body produces too much insulin (either because you ate so much sugar or because it senses sugar even though the product was "sugar free") your blood sugar levels are going to drop.
- As this continues, your body has to fight to raise your blood sugar levels up again by asking the adrenal glands to release cortisol. Eventually, the glands get tired that they burn out. Unfortunately, as a side effect, your blood sugar is not able to raise to a normal level. This is what we call Hypoglycemia. Unfortunately, the only way out is to consume more sugar. There are many adverse effects of hypoglycemia, but that is another talk in itself.
***Click here to Download a PDF Explanation of Sugar and Hypoglycemia***
It's important to realize that it doesn't matter to your body if it is white sugar or a sugar alternative such as something that has aspartame in it. The biggest problem with the chemical sweeteners, is that the body will produce insulin but there is nothing there for it to attack. Aside from that, it is a chemical and not natural so your body has no clue what to do with it. As a result, your system gets very confused resulting in a cascade of health problems and potential weight gain.
Healthy Sugar Alternative
Stevia leaf and Coconut Sugar are great sugar alternatives to have on hand. Both are more natural than white sugar and are better recognized by the body. Maple syrup and xylitol are also ok choices. Remember though, everything in moderation.
Eat "HEALTHY" Fat and live a healthy life
Seriously, to maintain a healthy weight you have to follow certain steps.
To stay in touch and receive other healthful tips and facts, Like my facebook page www.facebook.com/TheHealthyRoot or follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Coachdeanne.
Have a question about the blog? Leave me a comment and I will happily respond to you.
All the best in Health,
Deanne xoxo
Healthy Sugar Alternative
Stevia leaf and Coconut Sugar are great sugar alternatives to have on hand. Both are more natural than white sugar and are better recognized by the body. Maple syrup and xylitol are also ok choices. Remember though, everything in moderation.
Eat "HEALTHY" Fat and live a healthy life
Seriously, to maintain a healthy weight you have to follow certain steps.
- Eat smaller meals, more frequently
- Decrease sugar consumption
- Enjoy healthy fats (Here is an article I wrote all about fat: http://thinkdifferentfeeldifferent.com/fats-fats-fats/)
- Avoid processed & packaged foods
- Limit saturated fats and avoid trans fats
- Eat fresh fruit and vegetables
- Eat protein at all meals
- Enjoy physical activity for 30 minutes daily
To stay in touch and receive other healthful tips and facts, Like my facebook page www.facebook.com/TheHealthyRoot or follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Coachdeanne.
Have a question about the blog? Leave me a comment and I will happily respond to you.
All the best in Health,
Deanne xoxo
