The Sugar Habit: A Matter of Willpower or Brain Chemistry?

There has been a long-standing debate on the issue of addictions.  When it comes to something like a sugar habit, many researchers will theorize that individuals who suffer from a sugar habit have a brain chemistry issue, while others state that it is simply willpower.  So which is it - Willpower or an organic dysfunction in the brain?  There are many theories and some research supports both while other research supports one or the other.  The most important thing is to understand each type of sugar habit and determine which you may have.

Brain Chemistry

The human brain is made up of millions of enzymes and neural pathways.  These control our thoughts, actions and cravings.  Within the human body we are automatically prone to desire and enjoy eating things that taste good.  That is why the tongue has taste buds.  When something tastes good it is automatically registered within the brain as something we should enjoy and therefore people will continue to eat these sugary foods.

Foods that are high in sugar usually come from items that are classified as a complex carbohydrate.  These carbohydrates are metabolized within our body and into our blood to release a natural form of sugar.  Within the brain, a chemical known as adrenaline is often released upon the consumption of foods high in sugar.  Adrenaline then provides a temporary “high” of happiness and surplus energy that your body would not have normally had if it had not consumed that high sugar food.

Though delicious and providing a positive response, foods that are high in sugar provide little nutritional value to an individual’s diet and offer nothing positive to their overall health.  Even though your brain may feel a natural “high” from your sugar habit, your body’s health will ultimately begin to follow suit with the effects of sugar which means increased risk for heart disease, diabetes and excessive weight gain.

Willpower

Willpower is something that drives human beings to do just about anything.  That includes waking up in the morning, getting dressed and choosing what you do for the day.  Most of us know when something is wrong, you simply stop the behavior.  Though that is easy to say, those who are engrossed with a sugar habit may know what they are doing is wrong, but finding the willpower to stop it is another issue altogether. 

Though the human body has a physical reaction to a sugar habit and thus can become addicted, it is human willpower that can overcome that habit and remove the desire to be addicted.  This is where willpower and self-control become one and the same according to many professionals.  Though the body is physically attracted to the sugar, it is the host of that body that needs to decide that the sugar habit is a problem and take the steps to control it.

Which side is right?  There are many researchers that say if it is a brain chemistry issue, then only medication can cure it.  On the other side, however, many individuals quit sugar habits each day, even if their brain and body are chemically addicted to the sugar high.  Therefore it is easy to assume that willpower and brain chemistry both play a role in a sugar habit and ending the habits.
 

Losing Weight Made Easy With Water

You have probably already heard that drinking plenty of water each day is good for you.  What you might not realize is that it can also boost your metabolism, help you lose weight and make you feel well both physically and mentally.  Losing weight is easier when you add water to your diet. 

Simply use water to replace what you are normally drinking throughout the course of the day and you will end up losing weight.  If you are used to drinking soda, juices, energy drinks, sweetened drinks or alcohol, you will start to see the pounds come off simply by making this change.  Water can give you the energy that you seek in energy drinks and can also make you feel good, raising your endorphins and giving you the boost that you might be seeking by drinking alcohol. 

Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day and eliminate any other drinks from your diet.  You will notice the change in your weight right away.  Some people who are used to drinking soda will see it even more dramatically as most soda is loaded with sugar.  The same applies for those drinking fruit drinks.  Most fruit drinks are loaded with sugar. 

Drinking water is good for you both mentally and physically.  If you want to lose weight, you should consider switching to water instead of all other drinks.  If you take tea or coffee, you should know that they contain caffeine.  A cup a day will not do you any harm, but you should not rely on caffeine to give your immune system an artificial boost.  On top of that, coffee is very acidity and hard on the stomach.  Water will give you the same rise in energy level when you drink it enough without having the jitters.  If you do drink coffee or tea, it should be unsweetened. 

In addition to helping you lose weight, water will also flush out your digestive tract and make you healthier.  You will notice that you do not linger on to colds for a long period of time and that you feel healthier.  While you do not want to over indulge in water, 6 to 8 glasses of water each day is good for your health and will help you not only lose weight, but maintain weight as well as good physical and mental health. 

Water is the one drink that keeps you hydrated, raises your energy level, clears out your digestive tract and can aid in weight loss.  There is no reason why you should not use water as a way to lose weight.  Try it for a few weeks and you will notice a drastic difference in your weight. 

What's it like being a vegetarian

I have been on my vegetarian diet for about a four now. Well it’s not really a diet as this is a permanent lifestyle change.  So maybe we can tag it as a lifestyle transformation.   It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be to do.  Since I started studying nutrition back in June 2010 I have been all about eating healthy.  And from everything I have read and heard thus far, going with a vegetarian diet will decrease your risk of getting certain medical conditions (i.e. hypertension, diabetes, cancer) and make you feel much better - more energy, better digestion, etc.
What I have done is taken some of my old recipes that called for ground beef and now I am using a meat substitute product in its place.  For recipes that require chicken, there is a chicken strip substitute out there that works. If you like bacon, the bacon substitute is not all that bad.  The meat substitute is okay, the chicken substitute is something that you have to get used to.
 
If you would like information about how you can transform your lifestyle by becoming a vegetarian, go to the web site link below for a vegetarian starters guide:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/index.html

What's good to eat?

In reading all of the nutritional books that I have picked up over the past six months I have been picking up one recurring theme.  If you want to lose weight and feel great, if you want to help prevent preventable diseases, then you need to be on a primarily fruit, vegetable, nuts and seeds and legumes diet.  Some are advising that it is better to eat these things raw as opposed to cooked.
So, that being said, I am embarking on a new journey.  It is my plan to eliminate most animal protein from my diet.  Maybe eventually I will eliminate it all, but you need to take small steps.  I am going to include more fish, but depending on who you are reading, even fish is questionable.  As I stated, maybe eventually I can go to an all vegetarian type diet.  I guess my biggest thing right now is that I still have my 23-year-old son living with me and I still cook for him.  I know that he wouldn't be that thrilled about an all vegetarian diet.  But, as I have said to him often, he is old enough to care for himself.
But one thing that I need to emphasize is that we are all biologically unique individuals.  What works for one person will not necessarily work for the other.  You need to find what works for you.  If you sign up for my coaching program, we will go over your current diet and see what small changes we can make and then go from there.  And remember, question everything.

WHY COWS MILK IS HARMFUL TO BABIES AND CHILDREN

The proteins in cow's milk are different from human milk proteins and cause problems of digestion, intolerance, impaired absorption of other nutrients, and autoimmune reactions. Few of the proteins meant for baby cows are found naturally in human mother's milk, and none are found in any natural adult human food. Even the high protein content in cow's milk creates problems. Human babies need the saturated fats and cholesterol in mother's milk. Bovine milk fat is not appropriately composed for human babies and is only deleterious to the health of children and adults. Cow hormones are not meant for humans, and older children and adults are not meant to consume hormones. And, cows have been selectively bred over time to create high levels of these hormones—those being the cows that grow the fastest and produce the greatest amount of milk. Cows also concentrate pesticides and pollutants into their milk fat, from their high dietary food and water requirements. The high amount of drugs now given to cows adds to this chemical soup. But we need milk to build strong bones, don't we? Actually, heavy milk consumption leads to increased osteoporosis.
If there remains a desire to provide milk to a child who has no diarrhea, rashes, or other intolerance reactions, organic (organic—not raw) non-fat milk would be the best choice. In raw (unpasteurized) milk there can be many potentially dangerous microorganisms, in addition to the leukemia virus. In organic milk there are fewer antibiotic residues, no added hormones, and cows are given better feeds. Non-fat means less chemical residue and no artery-damaging saturated fat. Children can obtain fat in the form of non-hydrogenated (especially monosaturated) vegetable oils, be it in potato chips or cashews. Goat's milk is considered by many to be superior in many ways, and today low-fat versions are available. Much less documented information is available about goat's milk, but it appears that the proteins are less problematic for digestion, although allergic intolerance to these can also occur. Lactose and hormones would remain an issue although, to date, goats apparently are not injected with extra growth hormone.

Knowing and avoiding the potentially harmful effects that high dairy consumption and milk-sensitivity reactions can have on your child is just as important and loving as nursing, close bonding, and informed health care decisions. What we feed our children matters; how we parent them matters. These measures will lead to the best health, comfort and happiness available to a child. Parents have the power to create and enjoy healthier, happier children with brighter futures.

GOT MILK?

As a species, humans are the only ones to consume milk from another animal and continue to drink it past infancy.  Cows milk is meant to nourish a baby calf.  When the calf gets weaned from its mother, they're done. Cows milk is richer in protein than human milk, 3 - 4 time more.  It has 5 - 7 times the mineral content.  However it is markedly deficient in essential fatty acids.   There is a reason for this difference.
                        protein               fat             carbohydrates                     energy
cows milk           3.2                 3.7                    4.6                                   66
human milk        1.1                 4.2                    7.0                                   72
The role of milk in nature is to nourish and provide immunological protection for the young.  It is the first food that the infant gets.   All animals in nature, except for humans, only take in milk during their infancy stage.  After which they move on to solid foods with water being the only think they drink.
If you are interested in learning about the history of milk consumption go to: www.milk.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000832.
 During my next post, I will go into the effects that milk can have on our children.

Why is alkaline water better

There are 4 good reasons to drink alkaline water
1.  Increase hydration
2. Balance body pH
3. Increase energy & alertness
4. Neutralize free radicals
Dehydration can lead to:  fatigue, brain fog, develop a pessimistic attitude, lac of energy & vital spark to achieve your goals and aspirations, poor health & frequent respiratory challenges, stiffness, swelling, aches and pains.
I have joined the Life 2.0 gold membership at Next Generation Water here in San Antonio TX.  There are a lot of great benefits in these programs which include 100 gallons of free ionized drinking water per month. They are located at The Vineyard located at Blanco & 1604.  Stop by and say hi to Dirk and/or Beverly.  They are great people.