I was Reading this online, and thought that it was interesting and worth sharing. I struggle sometimes with the whole carbs thing, I have my "I am giving up Carbs" Moments every now and then. Which is silly, because really i just need to eat good carbs.
Simple carbs versus complex carbs
Simple carbs are comprised of one or two sugar molecules. They're broken down VERY quickly by your body and absorbed directly into your bloodstream, creating a tidal wave of glucose flooding your veins.
Examples include table sugar, raw sugar, honey and maple syrup.
Fruit is also considered a simple carbohydrate, but the sugar in fruit (fructose) is metabolized by your liver before it gets to the bloodstream, so it raises your blood glucose level MUCH slower.
Plus fresh fruit also has the added health benefits of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and fiber.
Complex carbs, on the other hand, are made up of long strains of sugar molecules, otherwise known as starches. It takes your body MUCH longer to digest complex carbs, so they provide a slow, even, steady supply of glucose to your bloodstream.
Examples of complex carbs include whole grains, vegetables and legumes.
And the hybrid -- refined carbs
Thanks to food manufacturers, we now have a "hybrid" carb to deal with--refined carbs. They include white flour and all products made with it (white bread, cookies, pastries, pasta, donuts, bagels, etc.)
Refined carbs start out as complex carbs (in this case, a grain of wheat), but the processing strips away most of the vitamins, enzymes, minerals and fiber that were in the original grain.
Once the grain is "stripped" of all its beneficial components, you're basically left with...sugar. So refined carbs act just like simple carbs, flooding your bloodstream with glucose.
The health cost of too many simple and refined carbs
Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), type II diabetes and obesity are the most common results of eating too many simple and refined carbs.
What happens is this:
When your bloodstream gets flooded with glucose, your body sends an SOS to the pancreas. Then the pancreas releases insulin which tells your cells to "take in" the glucose, thereby bringing your blood glucose level back to where it should be.
But when your bloodstream is flooded with glucose repeatedly, day in and day out, your pancreas gets overworked. Eventually it can get to the point where it can't keep up with your insulin needs anymore and/or your cells become resistant to the insulin (they "ignore" the signal to take in the glucose).
This causes a buildup of glucose in your blood...otherwise known as hyperglycemia and eventually if it continues, type II diabetes.
Plus, obesity results because your cells can only "take in" so much glucose when the insulin comes a-knocking...and the excess over and above what they need is stored as FAT.
Here's the flip side -- HYPOglycemia
Although it's not as common of a problem as HYPERglycemia, eating too many simple and refined carbs can also lead to the flip side--low blood sugar (or HYPOglycemia).
Here's how:
When your bloodstream is consistently flooded with glucose like I described above, sometimes the pancreas can OVERreact and release waaay too MUCH insulin.
This causes your blood sugar level to plummet through the floor!
When this happens, that sounds the alarm for your adrenal glands to tell your body to pull out some of its stored glucose and put it back into the bloodstream.
But if your adrenal glands don't react quickly enough, or are stressed from this scenario playing out day in and day out, your body goes into a state of emergency because it needs glucose FAST.
And you CRAVE carbs as a result! Cookies, chips, chocolate, bread, crackers--whatever you can get your hands on!
But what happens then?
You guessed it--your bloodstream gets flooded with glucose AGAIN.
If your pancreas overreacts again and releases too much insulin, your blood sugar falls through the floor again.
And the cycle repeats itself.
Is hypoglycemia affecting YOU?
If you suspect hypoglycemia may be affecting you, here's a simple quiz to check.
For each question, rate yourself using the following score range based upon how severe each symptom is for you:
0 = Never; none
1 = Mild
2 = Moderate
3 = Severe
Do you have:
1) Intense cravings for sweets?
2) A tired or weak feeling if a meal is skipped?
3) Irritability if a meal is skipped?
4) Dizziness when you stand up quickly or suddenly?
5) Frequent headaches or migraines?
6) Heart palpitations/rapid heartbeat?
7) Depression or mood swings?
8) Anxiety, nervousness or jitteriness?
9) Afternoon fatigue?
10) Excess weight?
11) Occasional blurry vision?
Your score: _______________
Score interpretation:
Less than 5: Hypoglycemia is probably not an issue for you
Between 6 and 12: Hypoglycemia may possibly be an issue for you
Over 12: Hypoglycemia is probably an issue for you
What to do
If you suspect you are suffering the health effects of too many refined carbs, in addition to seeing your doctor if necessary, it's absolutely VITAL to change your diet to include more complex carbs and fewer simple and refined carbs.
This can make gas, bloating, constipation, acid reflux and excess weight a thing of the past for you for good.
Remember those flora
A longstanding diet of refined and simple carbs can result in harmful bacteria overgrowth in your intestinal tract. Sugar is food for harmful bacteria and they chow down on it with glee, multiply like rabbits and crowd out your beneficial bacteria.
Not having enough friendly bacteria can hamper your digestion and weaken your immune system, making you susceptible to viruses, repeated infections and even diseases like cancer.
Super Shield's 13 strains of potent, friendly bacteria can help beef up your flora population and bring your balance to a more health-enhancing level, and help you"recover" from a long history of being a "carb-o-holic."
You need them--in the right form
Remember that your body MUST have carbs--without them, you would be permanently horizontal very soon.
What your body does NOT need is too many simple carbs (especially sugar) and any refined carbs.
But what it DOES need is complex carbs--those that come from vegetables and whole grains.
So the next time you hear someone say, "I've cut out all carbs from my diet" that's not really true...and now you know why.
Knowing how the various types of carbs affect your health is crucial to maintaining your blood sugar levels, and keeping type II diabetes, obesity and hyper/hypoglycemia far away from YOU!
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
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