Monday

Harmful Effects of Sugar Consumption

1.  Sugar is the supplier of large amounts of High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Refined sugar is half glucose and half fructose.  Glucose can be metabolized by just about every cell in your body and if we don't get it from our diets, then our bodies make it from proteins and fats.  Fructose, however, cannot be be metabolized and the only organ that can metabolize fructose is your liver because the liver has a transporter for it, FAT!  When large amounts of fructose enter your liver when it is already filled with glycogen, then most of the fructose gets turned into fat.  

2.  Sugar has absolutely no nutritional value.  Empty calories.  Most of your high-sugar foods such as pastries, sodas and candy contain very little, if not any, essential nutrients.  People who consume these high-sugar foods usually are extremely nutrient-deficient. 

3.  Sugar causes fat deposits in your liver.  Anytime you eat fructose (sugar), it goes straight to your liver....and your hips!  If your liver glycogen is low, such as after exercising, the fructose will be used to replenish your energy and sugar levels.  However, most people aren't consuming fructose after a long workout and their livers are already full of glycogen.  When this occurs, the liver automatically turns the fructose into fat.  Some of the fat makes its way out of your body, but some of it stays behind to set up home in your liver.  This fat can build up over time and ultimately lead to a Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

4.  Sugar is BAD for your Cholesterol and Triglycerides.  Most of the fat that gets generated in your liver makes its way out as Very Low Density Lipoprotein particles, otherwise known as VLDL.  These are particles are very rich in triglycerides and cholesterol.  It also will slow down your metabolism, which is the stepping stone that leads to obesity, heart disease, diabetes and very poor health overall.

5.  Sugar causes you to become Insulin Resistant.  The main job of your insulin is to drive glucose for your bloodstream into your cells.  But when we consume sugar, the cells tend to become resistant to the effects of insulin.  When this thing happens, your pancreas will begin to secrete an overabundance of insulin in order to remove glucose for your bloodstream.  Elevated blood glucose levels are toxic to your body.  Insulin also plays another important factor...it tells fat cells to pick up fat from your bloodstream and hold on to it.  This is how insulin causes obesity.  When your body becomes insulin-resistant, your beta cells in your pancreas will become damaged and lose its ability to produce sufficient amounts of insulin.  This leads to Type II Diabetes.  

6.  Sugar raises your risk for disease.  Consuming excess amounts of sugar has been linked to various diseases such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

7.  Like narcotics, Sugar is addictive.   When consuming sugar, dopamine is then released into the brain giving us the feeling of pleasure and satisfaction.  This is the same function as someone on such narcotics as cocaine and heroin.   

8.  Lastly, sugar actually causes resistance to a hormone called, Leptin.  Leptin is a hormone that is secreted by our fat cells.  The more fat we have, the more Leptin is secreted.  Leptin is the hormone that tells our brain when we are full and need to stop eating.  It is also supposed to raise our energy levels when needed.  People who are obese have extremely high levels of Leptin, but isn't working in their bodies because they have become Leptin-resistant.  It is the major reason why people eat more calories than they burn and in return, become obese.

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Yoga Pose of the Day

Standing Yoga Pose

 Good for strength, balance and focus. 

This energetic pose provides a straight line to shaping our best body.

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Other Yoga Poses

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