Get Skinny Fiber Now!!: Is Sugar Sapping Your Memory?

Get Skinny Fiber Now!!: Is Sugar Sapping Your Memory?: By Jeffrey Rossman, PhD, Rodale.com Thu, Mar 31, 2011 Do you ever forget people's names? Enter a room and forget why you went ...

Is Sugar Sapping Your Memory?

By Jeffrey Rossman, PhD, Rodale.com
Thu, Mar 31, 2011

Do you ever forget people's names? Enter a room and forget why you went there? Forget a word mid-sentence? As we get older, these types of "senior moments" happen more often. Many of the people I evaluate worry that these slips mean they are getting Alzheimer's disease. In most cases, they aren't. They're just part of normal, age-related memory decline. Starting at about age 30, our ability to process and remember information declines with age.

But though these cognitive changes are common, cognitive decline is not inevitable. Recent research has identified specific brain alterations that underlie this kind of age-related cognitive decline. And the good news is that many of these brain changes can be prevented with healthy lifestyle practices. A key finding: Elevated blood sugar contributes to cognitive decline.

Worried about your losing your memory? Don't. Here's why.

The details: It has long been known that problems with short-term memory are related to age-related decreases in blood flow in a part of the brain called the hippocampus. Recently, researchers at Columbia University Medical Center discovered that decreased blood flow to the hippocampus is related to elevated blood sugar levels. Scott Small, MD, the lead investigator, said the effects can be seen even when levels of blood sugar, or glucose, are only moderately elevated. This finding may help explain normal age-related cognitive decline, since our body's ability to regulate blood glucose levels worsens with age.

Your brain's primary fuel is glucose. If your blood sugar level drops too low, you'll have trouble paying attention, learning, and remembering information. But if your sugar level is consistently too high, the body pumps out excess insulin, which causes inflammation and oxidative stress that prematurely age your brain. So, a cup of coffee with sugar and a bagel can be just the thing to get you going in the morning: It quickly gets glucose into your brain and enhance your cognitive functioning. But over the long term, consuming a large volume of sugar—and foods that are quickly converted by your body into sugar—will prematurely age your brain.

Want to keep your brain in top form? Smart eaters know to include these in their diets.

What it means: Like so many things, it's about balance. A key to healthy cognitive function as you age is maintaining good blood sugar regulation, preserving your body's ability to keep your blood sugar neither too high nor too low. The primary ways to do this are through exercise and diet. A healthy diet keeps you from overdosing on sugar, and regular aerobic exercise increases insulin sensitivity, enabling the cells of your body to efficiently utilize glucose for energy. This is a big part of why you feel more energetic when you exercise regularly, plus, it means your body doesn't have to produce as much insulin to get the job done.

Here are some ways to keep your sugar levels balanced, overcome sugar addiction and cravings, and keep your cognition in good working order:

Minimize your intake of sugar, and of the refined carbohydrates that your body quickly converts into sugar. When it comes to carbs, stick with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The fiber in these foods helps your body maintain consistent blood sugar levels and reduces cravings for more carbs. Avoid highly processed carbs, found in many cakes, cookies, breads, cereals, and pasta products.

Eat healthy carbs with protein, which further enables your body to maintain consistent blood sugar levels. Eating protein stimulates your liver to produce glucagon, which slows down the absorption of glucose and makes it available longer.

5 mental exercises to help boost your memory.

Eat healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids. These also help to balance your blood sugar.

Get regular aerobic exercise. This is the main way to increase insulin sensitivity and healthy glucose metabolism. Exercise also stimulates production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a substance that promotes the growth and connectivity of new brain cells.

Be aware of your blood glucose level. If it's creeping up as you age, talk with your doctor about strategies for keeping it lower. With healthy lifestyle modifications, you can prevent type 2 diabetes, and stave off its precursor, insulin resistance, while also keeping your brain sharp.

Manage stress well. Prolonged, excessive stress can damage and impair functioning of the hippocampus. Slow, rhythmic breathing exercises and meditation can help to quiet the mind, relax the body, and reduce the effects of stress.

Don't forget to take your Skinny Fiber: http://6footer.eatlessfeelfull.com/

Sugar Is a "Drug:" Here’s How We’re Hooked

By Brian Krans
Thu, Sep 19, 2013

Here’s something to think about the next time you’re craving something sweet: it cold be more than just a sweet tooth. It could be an addictive itch begging to be scratched.

Brain scans have confirmed that intermittent sugar consumption affects the brain in ways similar to certain drugs.

A highly cited study in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews found that sugar—as pervasive as it is—meets the criteria for a substance of abuse and may be addictive to those who binge on it. It does this by affecting the chemistry of the limbic system, the part of the brain that’s associated with emotional control.

The study found that “intermittent access to sugar can lead to behavioral and neurochemical changes that resemble the effects of a substance of abuse.”

It’s these findings that spurred Paul van der Velpen, head of Amsterdam's health services, to warn people that sugar is a drug, “just like alcohol and tobacco.” He wrote a column on the city’s public health website Tuesday calling for stronger government action regarding sugar. Actions he proposed included regulating the amount allowed in foods and also banning soft drinks in schools.

Sodapocalypse: Is There Room for Reason in the Soda Debate?

“This may seem exaggerated and far-fetched, but sugar is the most dangerous drug of this time and can still be easily acquired everywhere,” he wrote.

Dr. David Sack, CEO of Elements Behavioral Health, which operates Promises Treatment Centers, echoed these comments. Sack said that the prevalence and promotion of sugary foods and beverages, coupled with how it affects our brains, make addiction an issue.

“The truth is that not every one exposed to high-sugar foods is going to become addicted and seek it out regularly. The same is true with drugs like cocaine or alcohol,” he told Healthline. “The difference is that we don’t sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 21, but you can buy high-sugar content foods at any age.”

Are We, As a Whole, Addicted to Sugar?

U.S. health officials have been less hyperbolic in their messaging than van der Velpen, but many feel equally concerned.

Earlier this year, the American Heart Association cited research that shows sugary soft drinks are responsible for 180,000 deaths worldwide each year. They recommend that adults consume no more than 450 calories per week from sugar-sweetened beverages. This translates to just under two 20-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola.

The latest numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show the average American gets about 13 percent of his or her daily caloric intake from added sugars. Men, on average, get an additional 335 calories per day from added sugars, while women get about 239 extra calories per day.

While sodas are the easy culprit to blame, there are many other places where sugar sneaks into a person’s diet, often without his or her knowledge.

The CDC’s research shows that people consume excess sugars not only in beverages but also in foods they eat at home.

10 Healthy Habits Parents Should Teach Their Kids

Relying on packaged or processed foods is a quick way to stack up the sugar cubes, even if they have healthy sounding names. Sugar is a common ingredient in many foods people assume are healthy.

For example, a jar of Newman’s Own Tomato & Basil spaghetti sauce contains 9 grams of sugar, or about four sugar cubes. Eight ounces of V8 Fusion Vegetable & Fruit Juice contains more than 11 cubes of sugar. Yoplait Original 99% Fat Free yogurt contains between 11 and 13 sugar cubes, depending on the flavor.

How Do You Kick the Habit? Curbing Your Addiction Before It Begins

The messages telling us to crave sugar begin at an early age, Sack says. Children’s TV programming is often wrapped in advertising featuring brightly colored cartoon characters selling processed foods with high sugar content.

“Food scientists have learned to manufacture food to make it more rewarding,” he said. “Then they use the media, such as advertising, so they’re dangling it in front of us.”

Sack says that not enough parents are educating their children about healthy nutrition, and that the parents may be reinforcing bad eating habits. This is made worse when working parents are short on time to focus on meal planning.

“The biggest problem we’ve seen is that parents who are overweight or obese themselves feed these foods to their kids and don’t see it as abnormal,” he said. “Right now, parents aren’t told what’s appropriate nutrition for children. Unless we educate parents on what’s appropriate height and weight, and what’s proper nutrition, it’s very hard for kids to have a proper respect for food.”

7 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids

Parents shouldn’t stock their pantry shelves with sugary foods, should read nutrition labels on packaged foods, and should educate their children about healthy food choices, Sack said. 

“We have to recognize this is a very deep problem,” he said.

Get Skinny Fiber Now!!: Eat Apples, Lose Weight

Get Skinny Fiber Now!!: Eat Apples, Lose Weight: By Liz Vaccariello Sep 19, 2013 Summer's end may have you feeling a bit down, but if you're anything like me, it's a co...

Eat Apples, Lose Weight

By Liz Vaccariello
Sep 19, 2013

Summer's end may have you feeling a bit down, but if you're anything like me, it's a comfort to know that the treasures of fall — Halloween, the leaves turning color, and apples (and apple picking!) — are just around the corner. We all know that apples help keep the doctor away, but I was fascinated to learn just how healthy my favorite fall fruits really are. Here, incredibly healthy reasons to go bananas for apples:

1. Apples Help You Lose Weight.

Apples are packed with fiber (with over 4 grams per medium apple) and water, so your stomach will stay satisfied longer and want less food. Studies out of Brazil have shown that people who eat at least three apples or pears a day lose weight. In one study, groups were given either oat cookies, apples or pears three times a day. The group given oat cookies did not lose weight while those that ate either the apples or the pears lost an average of nearly three pounds over the course of twelve weeks. What's more, the fruit-munching group had lower blood glucose levels.

2. Apples stabilize blood sugar.

Around one gram of apples' fiber is the soluble kind, which slows the digestion of food and the entry of glucose into the bloodstream, which prevents spikes of sugar and insulin that can lead to type 2 diabetes. One group of researchers discovered that women who ate at least one apple a day were 28 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who ate none.

3. Apples fight high cholesterol.

Apples are low in calories (only 95 per medium fruit) and high in the soluble fiber pectin, which helps lower artery-damaging LDL blood cholesterol levels. A study publisehd in the Journal of Functional Foods found that an apple a day lowered study participants' LDL by 40% compared to people taking a placebo. Since high cholesterol can harden arteries (which can lead to a heart attack or stroke), lowering cholesterol levels is a key step to maintain a healthy heart.

4. Apples prevent high blood pressure.

Adults who eat apples are 37 percent less likely to have hypertension, according to a recent food database analysis. Scientists believe antioxidants found in the skin may contribute to keeping blood pressure in check, so don't ditch that peel!

Add these healthy tips to your skinny fiber routine and move closer to your weight loss goals. 

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6 Things Your Body's Trying to Tell You

Here are six other things your body's trying to tell you. 

1. When you're dehydrated 
Over the course of a lifetime, our kidneys, which transport water to our tissues, gradually lose a bit of their efficiency. Also, nerves that signal thirst gradually decline. The combination means that you may be unaware of the fact that you're not getting adequate hydration. 

Listen to your body: Sip throughout the day. While there's no reason to torture yourself with eight 8-ounce glasses if you don't like it, make a habit of consuming enough fluids every day. Not an H2O fan? Try adding herbal tea at each meal. (Also try these 25 simple Sassy Water recipes.) 

2. When to go easy on dessert 
 From early adulthood to late middle age, our metabolic rates fall by an average of 10%. "That's because people tend to become more sedentary as they age," says Barbara Bushman, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology at Missouri State University, "and that inactivity reduces muscle mass, in turn lowering metabolism. The metabolic drop is also due to a decline in cellular activity, so even women who maintain a consistent level of fitness find that they need fewer calories to maintain the same weight." 

Listen to your body: Think of the metabolic slowdown as your body's way of getting you to be more mindful of what's on your fork or spoon. Instead of an ice cream sundae, think: healthier fruit parfait. Learn how to eat thoughtfully with 16 Ways To Curb Mindless Munching. 

3. When to hit the hay 
 "My body can no longer handle being awake until 2 am and then getting up at 6," says Riconda Solis Lamb, 44, a mom of two teens who has long relied on the midnight hours to catch up on everything from reading to cleaning to exercise. "Now if I'm up late, it's like I have narcolepsy at the office the next day." The National Sleep Foundation says that's because the architecture of sleep changes as we age; we spend more time in light stages of sleep and less in those that are deeper and more restful. Combine this with the fact that most of us don't get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, and a late night really hurts. 

Listen to your body: Get more sleep than you think you need-always at least 7 hours. Switch off phones, computers, and the television an hour earlier, and turn to these 20 Ways To Sleep Better Every Night before you turn in. 

4. When you need to stretch  Even as our body wisdom increases, our flexibility declines. Lamb, who lives in Rogers City, MI, says she's made peace with feeling like Oz's Tin Man after a rainstorm. "I used to jump out of the car after a 2-hour drive and feel fine," she says. Now it takes a little effort to unfold her legs. By our mid-40s, most of us have lost between 3 and 4 inches in the sit-and-reach test. "The elasticity of tendons, ligaments, and joints decreases," increasing the potential for injuries, says Bushman. New evidence also links poorer flexibility to heart disease: Japanese researchers found that middle-aged and older people who do poorly on the sit-and-reach test have stiffer arteries than more flexible people. (Taking a long drive? These 3 yoga poses for car trips will make you feel better fast.) 

Listen to your body: Do more activities like yoga and tai chi, which boost both flexibility and balance. And after any workout, take time to stretch, holding each pose for 15 to 20 seconds while breathing deeply. 

5. When to drop a grudge 
Psychologists have known for some time that people tend to become more forgiving the older they get. Researchers at the City University of Hong Kong have a new explanation for this phenomenon: Our sense of the future becomes more constrained and regulating our emotions becomes more important, so we are motivated to kiss and make up. 

Listen to your body: Cultivate a kinder heart. A recent study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that cardiac patients who undergo forgiveness counseling--they learn to work though and overcome hostile feelings, and thus grudges, they hold toward others--have significantly fewer heart symptoms, such as angina, than those who don't get the counseling. (That means forgiving yourself, too. Here are 12 ways to extend that forgiveness inward.) 

6. When to skip that extra glass of wine 
A moderate amount of booze eases stress and anxiety and may protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and stroke. Alas, aging seems to reduce women's ability to tolerate alcohol. Why? The body retains less water, so alcohol becomes more concentrated, and therefore more potent. Drinking even a little more than usual increases the risk of tipsy mishaps, including falls. 

Listen to your body: A little vino now and then is a good idea, but stick to no more than one glass at a time, and don't exceed seven servings per week. (Think you're overdoing it? Check out thesesneaky signs you drink too much.) 

By Sarah Mahoney, Prevention 

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