Shredded Blood Vessel

So, what is wrong with eating too many carbs? What is a carb anyway?Carbohydrates include foods composed of starches, sugar and/or fiber. They are the most common source of energy found in food. Most carbohydrates break down into glucose (a specific type of sugar).Examples of carbohydrates are: table sugar, fruit, milk, grains and vegetables.Proteins and fats make up the other two main sources of energy. They do not break down into glucose.The average American consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar each week, which is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup are being processed into so many foods such as bread, breakfast cereal, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and of course, microwave meals.In the last 20 years, we have increased sugar consumption in the U.S. 26 pounds to 135 lbs. of sugar per person per year! Prior to the turn of this century (1887-1890), the average consumption was only 5 lbs. per person per year! Cardiovascular disease and cancer was virtually unknown in the early 1900's.

When sugar or carbs enter our blood stream, they reak havoc! For one thing, a sugar crystal is very sharp and spikey. Now when this sharp carb goes through the little veins and arteries, it causes cuts and scratches along the way. Our bodies use cholesterol to heal wounds in the body. This is why diabetes and heart disease go hand in hand. So, now we have all these little cuts, and the body is sending cholesterol to fix the damage we have just done, and we make things worse by eating fat along with sugar! Fats and Carbs together are the deadly duo! Fat is not the culprit! Our brains, and our bodies need fat to survive! In fact you could say we need fat to thrive!

So, what else does having a high sugar count do to the body? It reaks havok on our immune system.We have known this for decades. It was only in the 1970's that researchers found out that vitamin C was needed by white blood cells so that they could phagocytize viruses and bacteria. White blood cells require a 50 times higher concentration inside the cell as outside so they have to accumulate vitamin C.
There is something called a "phagocytic index" which tells you how rapidly a particular macrophage or lymphocyte can gobble up a virus, bacteria, or cancer cell. It was in the 1970's that Linus Pauling realized that white blood cells need a high dose of vitamin C and that is when he came up with his theory that you need high doses of vitamin C to combat the common cold.
sugar and lymphocytes

We know that glucose and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, so what happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete for one another upon entering the cells. And the thing that mediates the entry of glucose into the cells is the same thing that mediates the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl. I remember reading a dentist report on sugar and the affects on our health. They claimed that ingesting sugar caused a drop in our white blood count by 50% for the next five hours! The worst thing we can do for our loved ones is give them some high carb meal in the morning and send them out with a damaged immune system!

What can you eat for something sweet? Stevia is a wonderful all natural sweetner with 0 carbs, and can be used for almost anything. You could cut your sugar eating down to just Sundays. There are many ways to go low carb. Whole books have been written on it. You can go online and easily find low carb recipe sites, and low carb food charts.

Pay attention when you buy your food to the nutrition label. For instance, one of my apple crackers has a carb count of 12 grams. But here's the great part! Now you subtract the fiber, which my yummy crackers have a fiber count of 9 grams. That leaves you with a net count of only 3 grams of carbs! Just one white tortilla has the carb count of about 45 grams, and that is with nothing on it! Most vegetables have pretty low carb counts and pretty good fiber counts, except potatoes! Eating potatoes often is not a good idea, escpecially when you then take all those carbs and fry them in hot oil, and then a more carbs with a bun, and a shake or soft drink!

Here is a list of damages inflicted upon our bodies by too many carbs...

* Sugar can suppress the immune system.
* Sugar can upset the body's mineral balance.
* Sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, and crankiness in children.
* Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
* Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
* Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol (HDLs).
* Sugar can promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol (LDLs).
* Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
* Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
* Sugar can cause kidney damage.
* Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
* Sugar may lead to chromium deficiency.
* Sugar can cause copper deficiency.
* Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
* Sugar can increase fasting levels of blood glucose.
* Sugar can promote tooth decay.
* Sugar can produce an acidic stomach.
* Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.
* Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
* Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair.
* Sugar can increase total cholesterol.
* Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity. A glucose count of only 120 will signal the body to store fat!
* High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
* Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
* Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
* Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
* Sugar leads to decreased glucose tolerance.
* Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
* Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.
* Sugar causes food allergies.
* Sugar can cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.
* Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
* Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
* Sugar can overstress the pancreas, causing damage.
* Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
* Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
* Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
* Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.
* Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
* Sugar can cause depression.
* Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention.
* Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance.
* Sugar can cause hypertension.
* Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
* Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind's ability to think clearly.
* Sugar can increase blood platelet adhesiveness which increases risk of blood clots and strokes.
* Sugar can increase insulin responses in those consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
* Sugar increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.
List Source: www.nancyappleton.com

I can attest to the fact that you will feel healthier, have more energy, a clearer mind, and be a happier person all around with adopting a low fat diet. Eat healthy, Exercise, and Give Thanks! Namate, Kathy

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 7:50 PM and is filed under Health Issues . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.