by Kirsten Chesney | Nov 20, 2020 | Chronic Health Conditions
World Anti-Obesity Day is on November 26th every year. This year it just so happens to fall on our Thanksgiving Day. How fitting is that? Although it would be better fitting with elastic pants! Okay, sorry, bad pun. All joking aside though, obesity has become a global problem over the last few decades. And when we say global, we mean every part of the world except sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), obesity worldwide has nearly tripled since 1975 and increased about five times in children and adolescents. In 2016, this equated to nearly 40% of adults being overweight, and 13% classified as obese. And in 2019, 38 million children under the age of 5 were either overweight or obese. This is the same as the metro area population of Tokyo! Yet, it gets even worse: when we group adolescents older than the age of 5, we see 340 million adolescents who are either overweight or obese. And this, my fellow Americans, is more than the entire population of the United States!!! Clearly, we have a global and complex public health crisis.
How Did This Happen?
Why has obesity been on the rise throughout the world? There are several factors that contribute to obesity, both internal and external. And you might even be surprised at a few of them.
Biology:
The human body is designed to protect itself in all sorts of ways, including from starvation. This means that when there’s an opportunity, we have hardwired ways of holding onto excess body fat. Our body doesn’t know that we live in the land of plenty and errs on the side of caution that it might be several days before our next meal. How does our body increase fat storage? By telling us to eat.
There are two important hormones that come into play: leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is released by our fat cells and sends signals to the brain about on much fat is being stored. The higher our leptin levels, the more fat we are storing, and the more overweight we become. Leptin also tells us that we are full so that we (ideally) stop eating.
Once fat reserves fall and leptin levels are low, the brain starts believing that it’s starving and releases the hormone, ghrelin. This is often called the hunger hormone as it signals the feeling of hunger so that we begin eating again. In this way, our body can maintain a healthy weight.
A problem occurs when a person is overweight or obese. When a person stores fat in excess, their leptin levels remain constantly high. This should be telling our brain that we have maxed out our fat storage and to limit our calories, but that’s not the way it works. When leptin levels get too high for too long, our body develops leptin resistance. Leptin resistance is now considered one of the main contributors to obesity, biologically speaking. This is when our brain doesn’t get the message. It becomes resistant to all the leptin signals and thus resistant to feeling full. In essence, our brain doesn’t see that we’ve become fat. It signals us to eat more and reduce energy expenditure.
People with leptin resistance have a hard time keeping weight off as they are fighting against their leptin signals, essentially playing tug-of-war. The key to reversing leptin resistance is to overcome our biology with committed and long-term lifestyle and dietary changes.
Genetic Factors:
It is said that our genes account for between 40% and 70% of our likelihood of developing obesity. Through decades of genetic research, scientists have identified which genes contribute to the risk of obesity (and there are hundreds of them). Taken individually, these genes each don’t contribute much, but when a person has all these genes turned on then the collective contribution significantly increases risk. This doesn’t give us the excuse to blame our body weight on our genes, however. Our genetics are only part of the picture.
The way we interact with our environment impacts our genes far more than previously thought. All external inputs are able to switch genes on and off. A healthy diet, plenty of exercise, low stress, low toxin burden, and positive relationships can all switch off genes that increase disease risk while switching on genes that protect against disease. Amazing, huh? We are not a product of our parent’s genes as much as we are a product of our own creation.
Mental Health:
Some mental health disorders can have symptoms that lead to weight gain. Examples include decreased sleep (and excessive sleep), lethargy, and increased appetite. The reverse is also true, where weight gain can lead to mental health issues. Those who struggle with high blood sugar and insulin resistance (and thus likely to be overweight) have decreased growth of brain cells, incorrect wiring of brain cells, and increased stress hormones. These all lead to mental health disorders like depression and anxiety and cause a “chicken or egg” effect of perpetual cycling.
Furthermore, some medications meant to treat mental health disorders have actually been associated with moderate to severe weight gain.
On the genetic level, those with genes coded for high BMI are at a greater risk for having depression.
Diet:
Of all environmental inputs, the food we eat has the most impact on whether a person becomes overweight or obese. This has become increasingly more true as processed foods are now being seen across the globe as they undermine traditional diets. Processed foods are stripped of nutrients and then altered with additives and preservatives to create a product that resembles food. They are cheap to make, designed to be addictive, widely available, affordable, and heavily promoted. It is far too easy to overeat when the food you’re eating is processed. They are manufactured to have desirable tastes and textures, leading to increased appetite and high reward value. Since they are cheap to make and cheap to buy, processed foods are able to enter all communities, all incomes, and all nationalities. Oftentimes, these foods are the only options available for those living in rural or remote areas with no nearby grocery store. This explains the explosion of diabetes and obesity in Indian reservations and other remote or rural areas.
Life Events:
Environmental inputs other than diet also influence our propensity towards weight gain. Even before birth, the nutrition and health of a fetus are affected by their mother’s diet. A person can therefore be more susceptible to weight gain and obesity throughout their life if their mother had an unhealthy diet while pregnant.
It goes without saying that weight gain can result after a pregnancy. On average, women gain two pounds after the birth of each child, which then adds up with multiple children. On the other side of the spectrum, women in menopause are also more likely to gain weight (and to have it redistributed into an “apple shape,” associated with diabetes risk).
Throughout life, people fall into a comfortable routine. Statistically, this routine embraces a sedentary lifestyle, poor sleep habits, and high levels of stress. Each of these habits can cause weight gain and obesity over the years.
Several chronic diseases are either brought on by obesity or weight gain (among other factors) or can cause obesity. Examples include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, PCOS, thyroid imbalances, kidney problems, and more. Lowering your risk of chronic disease will further protect you from obesity.
Lastly, some medications can increase appetite and lead to weight gain. These include select antidepressants, mood stabilizers, diabetes drugs, steroids, beta-blockers, and allergy relief meds.
Sleep:
Poor quality sleep or not enough sleep both greatly contribute to weight gain and obesity as well as depression and cardiovascular disease risk. Sleep problems disrupt various hormones such as cortisol (stress hormone), ghrelin (hunger hormone), and leptin (satiety hormone). Imbalances of these hormones can lead to overeating and craving sugary, salty, or fatty foods. Developing healthy sleep habits and techniques to deal with stress can help increase energy, normalize appetite, cut cravings, and feel better overall.
Access to Healthcare:
Obesity is a complex and chronic disease often causing additional chronic diseases while robbing our quality of life. It is imperative to have affordable access to providers who can treat obesity using several tools at their disposal. Obesity requires individualized treatment to address the underlying causes and will always include diet modification and exercise habits. Other treatments would include behavior therapy, self-management tools, specific medications, supplements, and even surgical intervention. This comprehensive treatment approach to obesity is not readily available for many people. Factors such as clinician shortages in smaller communities, inadequate resources in low-income areas, transportation barriers, insufficient healthcare coverage, or inadequately trained clinicians, are all common issues facing those who aren’t under a doctor’s care.
When it comes to something as complex as obesity, medical schools must focus their curriculum on disease awareness, early diagnosis, underlying causes, health education during pregnancy, whole-food nutrition, appropriate exercise, and psychological support. Until such a multidisciplinary approach is offered in med schools, those with obesity must seek out the best level of care they can reach. This is often found in functional or integrative medicine physicians, holistic health coaches, or trained nutritionists.
Marketing:
Perhaps the largest factor behind obesity that most easily goes unnoticed is marketing. Marketing is seen everywhere we look. It’s the bright-colored packaging, smiling cartoons, feel-good health claims, fit and thin actors, catchy songs, flash sales, and even proper lighting. If there is money to be made, there is a marketing team at work behind the scenes.
There is significant evidence that marketing influences food consumption choices, and that those choices are part of a poor-quality diet. Why isn’t marketing associated with a healthy diet? Because there’s no money to be made there. This is why nobody can name a single song about carrots but everybody knows the Oscar-Meyer Weiner song. Songs tap into our emotions and motivate us to change. It is marketing at its best.
Another reason why processed foods seem to have the most marketing is that there are huge industries making sure their products get into our hands. The sugar industry, dairy industry, meat industry, and agricultural industry all invest in vast amounts of marketing research. They are dialed in and know how to speak to our emotions, habits, and motivations. The key is to recognize when you’re being marketed to and have the tools to distinguish between nutritious food and feel-good food. Our earlier blog on reading nutrition labels addresses exactly that. You can read it here.
Obesity has become a global problem and a public health crisis. It has reached the hard-to-reach corners, from young children to those living in rural areas. It is not bounded by social strata or education. Obesity has several underlying causes and is quite a complex disease. Some roots of obesity include biology, genetic factors, mental health, diet, life events, sleep habits, healthcare access, and clever marketing tactics. Many of these factors can be reversed and improved with lifestyle habits and increased awareness. Make it your goal to address the factors that most describe you and consciously choose to turn it around.
by Kirsten Chesney | Nov 12, 2020 | Nutrition
Breakfast has long been called the most important meal of the day. However, it is also the most commonly skipped meal of the day. Mornings can be hectic with getting ready for work, packing lunches, and dropping kids off at school or a sitters house. It’s just easier to skip breakfast and save yourself those extra 20 minutes. However, when it comes to taking care of your health, time-saving measures aren’t always the answer. Foods that can be made quickly often deliver high-calories, low nutritional value, and blood sugar spikes.
Quality Counts
While breakfast is the most important meal, not just any breakfast will do. As with any food choices, quality counts. All it takes is a perusal of the breakfast menu at your local diner to see which foods we value most. Items like bagels with jam, biscuits and gravy, hashbrowns, cinnamon rolls, breakfast burritos, pancakes, and waffles often dominate the menu. Not to mention the usual addition of orange juice, sugar packets, salt, flavored creamer, and maple syrup to top it all off. A person can easily create a blood sugar nightmare in this situation, along with robbing themselves of the nutrients they need to focus throughout the day. Let’s take a look at why breakfast is so important and what a healthy breakfast consists of.
Breakfast Benefits
Studies have long shown that eating the right breakfast has multiple benefits. In the short-term, it provides sustained energy and mental performance throughout the day. Over the long-term, a healthy breakfast helps with weight management and decreases your risk of type 2 diabetes and various cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease.
In addition, those who eat a healthy breakfast statistically consume less fat throughout the day and have higher daily intakes of calcium and fiber. They are less likely to feel “snacky” and more likely to meet daily recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption. Overall, those who eat a balanced breakfast tend to make better food choices throughout the day.
Sustained Energy:
Breakfast is the meal where you are literally breaking your fast. After 8-9 hours of sleep and around 10-12 hours since the last meal, your body is in need of steady glucose to replenish depleted energy stores. Glucose is what our body cells use to give us energy, which translates into alertness, staying awake, improved reaction time, and clearer thinking. Glucose is found in the carbohydrates we eat, although carbohydrates are not created equal.
Refined carbs, such as waffles, pancakes, white bagels, and most breakfast cereals, flood your bloodstream with glucose, causing harmful blood sugar spikes and crashes. This leads to the mid-morning reach for quick and easy snack foods in an attempt to satiate your quickly returning hunger. Complex carbs, on the other hand, provide a steady release of glucose over the span of several hours, satiating you until lunchtime. A slow release of glucose provides the sustained energy you need throughout the day. Examples of complex carbs include whole-grain hot cereal, nut butter, multi-grain bread, whole fruit, and vegetables.
Be sure to eat breakfast within 2 hours of waking up to prevent increasing hunger. You don’t want to get to the point where you grab unhealthy snacks to quickly alleviate hunger pangs.
Mental Performance:
Glucose is our bodies’ energy source, not only for our muscles but also for our brain. Adults need about 200 grams of glucose per day for healthy functioning, and two-thirds of that (about 130 grams) is sent to our brain to meet its energy needs. That’s a lot of glucose! In fact, unlike our muscles and liver, our brain cannot store glucose for later, meaning it requires a continuous supply every day. And our brain function takes priority: in times of starvation, it is programmed to limit glucose for the rest of the body making it more available for its own needs.
Energy from glucose is used to transmit nerve signals, maintain neuron health, and produce neurotransmitters (like dopamine and epinephrine). Glucose is necessary for cognitive functioning, particularly in memory and attention. Unsurprisingly, challenging mental tasks require more glucose than simpler, rote tasks. Studies show that skipping breakfast affects concentration and memory, making some tasks feel harder than usual. This is especially true for school children, who perform poorly in attention-related tasks when they don’t eat breakfast.
Sufficient Nutrients:
Eating a healthy breakfast will provide several nutrients that aren’t found in highly processed, sugary breakfasts. In fact, breakfast-eaters are more likely to meet the recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals than those who skip breakfast.
- Fiber: Healthy breakfasts usually include whole grains and fresh fruit, both of these are rich in fiber. Breakfast smoothies with fresh greens and chia seeds will increase your fiber count even further.
- Protein: This is commonly seen at the breakfast table. Eggs, yogurt, oatmeal, nut butter, and breakfast meats are all good sources of protein. From a breakfast perspective, protein helps keep you satiated for longer, preventing you from overeating or reaching for unhealthy snacks mid-day.
- Calcium: This mineral is easily gotten through a balanced breakfast. Calcium is found in yogurt, cow milk, nut milks, green leafy vegetables like spinach, and in oranges, kiwis, and blackberries. These common breakfast foods make it easy to get calcium into your diet.
- B Vitamins: Just about everything in a healthy breakfast contains B vitamins. There are eight B vitamins that we get from our diet (common examples are folate, B12, and thiamin). These vitamins are found in varying amounts in whole grains, meat, eggs, dairy products, seeds and nuts, leafy greens, and fruit.
Blood Sugar Balance:
As mentioned earlier, the importance of breakfast lies in the quality of the foods you eat. Eating processed and refined carbohydrates will spike your blood sugar. This will strain your pancreas in its attempt to keep up with the higher demand for insulin. Continuing this cycle over time will increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. These conditions, in turn, can all increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart disease.
Of course, poor quality foods can be eaten at any time of day but, as discussed earlier, skipping breakfast or eating a processed breakfast will create a cycle of hunger and blood sugar dips throughout the day. People can experience dizziness, brain fog, fatigue, and headaches, and tend to reach for sugary foods to quickly rebound them. This is the dangerous rut many people find themselves in and is the cause of high blood sugar issues. Eating a wholesome breakfast stabilizes your blood sugar and quells hunger. Furthermore, those who eat a good breakfast tend to have healthier diets overall.
Healthy Breakfast Choices
By now you might have a good idea of what constitutes a healthy breakfast. Here are some further ideas:
- Whole-grain hot cereal such as muesli, oats, or buckwheat
- Nut butter and sliced banana on toasted multi-grain or sprouted bread
- Whole fruit and raw nuts and seeds (great toppings for yogurt or hot cereal)
- Egg omelet with spinach, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, or any combination of these
- Plain yogurt with whole fruit as a topping
- Kefir
- Smoothie with leafy greens, frozen fruit, chia seeds, protein powder, and yogurt or canned coconut milk (for thickness)
- Avocado toast. Add a fried egg on top for extra yumminess!
- Organic breakfast meat that’s free of nitrates and nitrites
- Granola blends as an alternative to cereal
- Whole-grain pancakes as an occasional treat. Top with honey, fresh fruit preserves, whole berries, or pure organic maple syrup with no additives
If you’re short on time in the morning, plan ahead the night before and prepare overnight oats, baked egg muffins, or a smoothie. Better yet, get in the habit of setting your alarm 15-20 minutes earlier to give you time to eat breakfast without being rushed. Pack healthy snacks to keep at work such as nuts, granola, fresh fruit, vegetables and hummus, or a simple energy bar that has whole-food ingredients (I like the brand Lara Bar).
The power of eating a healthy breakfast cannot be understated. It provides essential nutrients and balanced blood sugar, as well as boosting energy, memory, and focus. Furthermore, wholesome breakfasts protect against type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases (they also help treat these conditions as well). The best time to take care of our health was yesterday but it’s never too late to start today. Childhood breakfast habits of cartoon cereal, pop tarts, and Lego my Eggo have set us up for poor eating habits in adulthood. Let’s break the sugar cycle, climb out of the processed food rut, and choose to start our day with the nutrition we need.
by Kirsten Chesney | Nov 5, 2020 | Chronic Health Conditions, COVID-19 Health Tips
November is National Diabetes Month. This rampant chronic disease can be debilitating and even deadly if left uncontrolled or mismanaged. In fact, about half of those with diabetes do not even know they have it! This is a dangerous place to be, and highlights the need to pay attention to risk factors and check glucose and insulin with your doctor. With diabetes affecting nearly 11% of the American population, raising awareness of this disease is critical, specifically during the COVID pandemic. As we have discussed, it is known that those with pre-existing medical conditions are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill from COVID-19, and diabetes is no exception. The CDC states that roughly 4 out of 10 people with COVID also have diabetes. This statistic should wake us up and spur us into action. We must be taking steps to prevent and even reverse type 2 diabetes while also keeping it well-managed. With a virus like COVID-19, we cannot afford to be at increased risk, especially when it is within our power to reduce that risk.
How Diabetes Increases Risk and Severity of COVID
You might be wondering how a virus is even linked to diabetes in the first place. I mean, one affects our immune system and the other affects our blood sugar. They seem like completely separate systems working independently of the other…right? Well, no. These systems are very much interconnected. Let’s find out how.
Through Chronic Inflammation:
Chronic disease of any kind (arthritis, IBS, COPD, heart disease, dementia) all have inflammation at its core. Diabetes is no different. Chronic disease leads to chronic inflammation. Inflammation is not meant to be chronic, however. It’s meant to occur quickly when there is acute injury or sickness, and this activates our immune system to jump into action and fight the threat. When inflammation is chronically activated….our immune system is also chronically activated. This puts stress on our immune system, making it hyper-responsive. This might sound like a good thing, but our bodies cannot exist in a constant hyper-responsive state. There must be an ebb and flow where body systems are activated, the threat is removed, and then body systems calm down. In essence, our immune system cannot keep up with the demand (just like insulin cannot keep up with the demand from high blood sugar). When any body system cannot keep up, it slows down. When our immune system is overworked dealing with chronic inflammation, it is slow to respond to acute threats, such as a bleeding hand or the flu. Our immune system then becomes weakened, which affects how well we can fight off viruses, including COVID.
Through High Blood Sugar:
Our immune system is not only affected by chronic inflammation. It is also affected by high blood sugar. Low and chronic inflammation damages our pancreas. The pancreas is where insulin is made and a damaged pancreas leads to decreased insulin production. With less insulin to escort glucose into our body cells, glucose now hangs out in our blood stream causing high blood sugar. Sugar molecules in our bloodstream can weaken our immune cells, making it harder to control the spread of infection. The exact mechanism of how high blood sugar weakens our immune response is still being researched, but one thing is clear: those with diabetes are more susceptible to infections.
Through Poor Blood Circulation:
Chronic inflammation and high blood sugar are enough reasons to weaken our immune system, right? Well, we have one more: narrow blood vessels. High blood sugar can stiffen blood vessels by reducing how well our vessels can dilate (called vasodilation). Stiffened blood vessels restrict blood flow and lead to poor circulation. This leads to high blood pressure, lack of oxygen in blood cells, and even cell death in our extremities (causing necrosis and amputation). Our circulatory system carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. It also carries immune cells. When we have low blood flow from narrow vessels, our immune cells cannot travel quickly or in the right numbers to the site of infection. Essentially, constricted blood vessels cause our immune fighters to not only arrive late but also to show up understaffed.
I Have Diabetes. What Can I Do To Protect Against COVID?
As we have learned, those with diabetes are put at increased risk for getting COVID for a few reasons: having chronic inflammation, elevated glucose levels, and poor blood circulation. These factors all lead to a compromised immune system. There are steps you can take to lower your risk of getting COVID, which includes addressing inflammation and high blood sugar.
Follow CDC Guidelines:
The guidelines laid out by the CDC, which we have covered before in previous blogs, are recommended for all people but are doubly important for those with diabetes and other chronic conditions. A short summary of these well-known CDC guidelines are below:
- Wash hands frequently
- Avoid touching your face
- Wear a mask when in public areas and when meeting with people
- Maintain a 6-foot distance between people when in public places
- Disinfect high-touch surfaces in your home and workplace frequently
- Avoid sharing food, utensils, towels, etc.
- Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing
- Avoid contact with anyone having respiratory symptoms, including a cough
- Avoid unnecessary travel, public transport, and large gatherings
Manage Your Diabetes:
In addition to following the above guidelines, those with diabetes should also follow specific action steps to manage their condition.
- Pay close attention to glucose levels through regular monitoring throughout the day, both before and after meals as well as upon waking up
- Stay hydrated throughout the day. Drinking plenty of water helps your kidneys flush out excess blood sugar through the urine
- Ensure you have enough insulin to carry you for a few weeks should you need to self-quarantine
- Always be prepared to quickly address sudden blood sugar drops, including while away from home or in the car
- If you live alone, alert a neighbor or nearby friend that you have diabetes and have them able to assist you if you become ill
- Keep a manageable schedule and avoid overworking and late nights
- Prioritize getting good sleep
- If you develop respiratory or flu-like symptoms, alert your doctor immediately. He or she can guide you in what to do and if you should be seen. Coughing up mucus can point to an infection and warrants immediate treatment
Get The Right Nutrition:
Choosing the right foods is the number one way to stabilize blood sugar and is a key component in managing diabetes. Additionally, the right nutrition focuses on anti-inflammatory foods, thus lowering chronic inflammation. Incorporate the following eating habits into your daily routine.
Pay attention to the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) of the carbohydrates you eat.
- Carbs that have a low GI or GL slowly release glucose into your body, resulting in a healthy, steady rise and gentle fall. High GI or GL carbs, on the other hand, release glucose quickly, giving you a quick spike and impairing glucose control.
- Eat foods on the low end of these measurements. Food with a low Glycemic Index is anything under 55, while a low Glycemic Load is any food under 10.
- Glycemic Load is a more accurate measurement to follow. Many foods have a high Glycemic Index but a low Glycemic Load. When there is disparity like this, opt for low Glycemic Load.
- Pay attention to serving sizes! Eating large servings will quickly raise a low food measurement to a high food measurement.
- See this chart for a list of foods and their associated Glycemic Index and Glycemic Loads
Prioritize green leafy vegetables! These are packed with nutrients, many of which are not found in other foods in the right amounts. Further, most people are deficient in several of these nutrients, so it’s impossible to eat too many greens!
Eat healthy fats, primarily from plant foods. Healthy fats are omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids. These fats are found in fish, nuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, avocados, olives, quinoa, and eggs. Coconut oil is also very healthy, despite its saturated fat content.
Eat lean protein. This includes fish, lean meats, eggs, and beans
Avoid eating fried foods, such as French fries, fried chicken, fried seafood, mozzarella sticks, etc. Fried foods are made using harmful seed oils that increase inflammation
Avoid high-sugar foods and anything with added sugars. Whole fruit is an exception, in moderation (2 servings per day). Be aware that some fruits have a high Glycemic Load.
Form an Exercise Routine:
Workout facilities such as gyms, sports centers, public pools, or YMCA’s may be closed or have limits on how many people can enter. This needn’t discourage you from exercising though. There are several ways to exercise without going to a gym. Those with diabetes should especially increase their physical activity, as it is an important part of diabetes management. Any physical activity that increases your breathing and heart rate will draw more glucose into your muscles (and out of your bloodstream) while also increasing insulin sensitivity. Here are several ways to get moderate-intensity exercise into your day:
- If you have a treadmill or elliptical machine at home, aim for one hour of brisk walking. This hour can be divided into three 20-minute sessions if needed. Increasing the slope on the treadmill will provide additional benefits. Brisk walking around your neighborhood or along a trail provides these same benefits
- If you have a stationary bike, aim for 30 minutes (or two 15-minute sessions) while slowly increasing the pedal resistance. Lower the resistance during the last 2 minutes as you cool down. Biking along a trail or street provides these same benefits
- Bodyweight exercises are done without any equipment. These include push-ups, crunches, sit-ups, squats, lunges, and planks
- Hand weights and bands elevate the intensity and resistance of bodyweight exercises. Lifting hand weights, using resistance bands for your legs, or securing a handled band in a doorframe are great ways to vary your exercise routine
- Stretching exercises are great for joint mobility and lower-back muscles. Common stretches work just fine, as well as following a yoga or Pilates routine
- If you have stairs in your home and are more accustomed to exercise, challenge yourself to do 5 trips up and down the stairs
The link between diabetes and the COVID-19 virus is undeniable, with about 40% of COVID cases also having diabetes. The very nature of diabetes, its causes and symptoms, cause a downward cascade of events that ends with a weakened immune system and a delayed immune response. This allows any pathogen (viral, bacterial, or fungal) to more easily overcome our defenses causing active infection and symptoms. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to help prevent the COVID virus–by following CDC guidelines, managing diabetes, and eating nutrient-rich whole foods. The link between diabetes and COVID does not mean we give up. Rather, it motivates us to develop new habits, develop healthier lifestyles, and stay one step ahead of this pandemic.
by Kirsten Chesney | Oct 29, 2020 | Gut Health
The fall season is the time when stores increase their supply of baking ingredients, pies, candy, and overall junk food. It is tempting for most of us to dig into these sugary delights, especially if we have kids or are planning a small get-together with friends. While satisfying our sweet tooth seems like an innocent indulgence, we must be careful not to overdo it. And if ever there’s a time to overdo something, the fall season and approaching holidays are a favorite excuse. Keep in mind that habitual snacking on sugary foods will negatively affect your blood sugar throughout the day (even if you have normal blood sugar). In fact, blood sugar can impact the health of our gut and microbiome, even in healthy people. The reverse is also true: people with current gut issues can experience blood sugar problems. Worse still, there are countless people out there who are unknowingly experiencing large swings in their blood sugar, thus risking their gut health. Lastly, health conditions that arise from high blood sugar (diabetes, obesity, neuropathy, and CVD) account for over 3 million deaths per year. Clearly, blood sugar issues can cause lasting health effects for all people, whether or not a person has an existing condition. Let’s dive in to see how this works.
What Causes High Blood Sugar?
Carbohydrates from our diet provide the glucose that our cells need for energy. This becomes a problem when glucose cannot enter our cells and instead hang out in our bloodstream, causing high blood sugar.
But wait, doesn’t insulin push glucose into our cells? Why would insulin not do its job? The more glucose we have in our bloodstream, the more insulin our pancreas pumps out to handle it. However, our pancreas is not a bottomless pit of insulin, and eventually, insulin production slows down. It simply cannot keep up with demand. This is insulin resistance, and as a result, excess glucose builds up in our bloodstream causing high blood sugar.
Not all carbs will spike our blood sugar, however. Processed carbs (seen in white bread and baked goods), as well as added sugars (seen in candy, pastries, snack foods, and several beverages), increase our blood sugar more rapidly than do complex carbs (seen in legumes, whole grains, and vegetables). Complex carbs increase our blood sugar slowly and steadily throughout the day, providing us with sustained energy and balanced functioning. This steady blood sugar cycle is healthy and will not disrupt our gut.
Blood Sugar and Leaky Gut
Researchers have discovered that a diet high in processed carbohydrates is associated with gut dysfunction and can lead to leaky gut. Researchers have found that excess glucose in our diet, from processed carbs and added sugars, cause damage to intestinal cells and alter our gut microbiome. This is accomplished as excessive sugar intake increases inflammation and breaks down our intestinal barrier. Amazingly, this can occur with or without high blood sugar! Commonly, a person can have normal levels of average daily blood sugar, while still experiencing spikes and dips throughout the day. Even the occasional spike in blood sugar harms our intestinal cells.
The reverse is also true. Those who already have a leaky gut or an imbalance of gut bacteria are at risk for developing high blood sugar. This is because the harmful bacteria present in these conditions release a toxin called lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS toxins damage our intestinal barrier, leak into our bloodstream, and cause insulin resistance and high blood sugar.
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Our intestine is supposed to allow nutrients from our food (vitamins and minerals) to enter our bloodstream. The tight barrier of intestinal cells only allows these microscopic nutrients to pass through while preventing larger particles from entering our bloodstream. Our intestinal barrier is said to be selectively permeable, only allowing certain compounds to pass through. However, studies show that excess sugar in our bodies breaks down this tight barrier of cells, allowing larger particles to escape our intestine and enter our circulatory system where they don’t belong. This is called increased permeability, or leaky gut.
These larger particles include bits of undigested food, harmful bacteria, and the toxins produced by bacteria. Once they all enter our blood, they wreak havoc throughout our body, causing symptoms like bloating, bowel problems, fatigue, food sensitivities, joint pain, weight gain, headaches, brain fog, skin problems, and more. These are the common symptoms of leaky gut syndrome.
Further, our immune system launches an attack on these “foreign” particles, which increases inflammation and perpetuates leaky gut. Lastly, excess sugar in our diet feeds the harmful bacteria in our gut, displacing our beneficial bacteria. This causes a microbial imbalance which further damages our gut lining, increases intestinal permeability, and increases inflammation. As you can see, compromised gut lining, increased inflammation, and microbial imbalance all play a role in the ongoing damage and progression of leaky gut syndrome.
It’s important to note that leaky gut syndrome is not only caused by diets high in sugar. This condition is also brought on by low-fiber diets, chronic stress, NSAID medications, antibiotic use, and bacteria or yeast overgrowth.
If overindulgence was a season, it would run between October and December. This is the time of year when healthy habits are set aside and poor habits are justified. However, our bodies don’t change their habits and the extra burden we place on them due to our high sugar intake compromises our gut health. As we have seen, even those with normal blood sugar can damage their gut through a high sugar diet. Further, those with existing gut issues can develop high blood sugar. This message is not just for those with blood sugar problems or diabetes, it is for everyone who overindulges on processed carbs and added sugars. This season, as we prep for the holidays, keep tabs on your snacking habits and be kind to your body.
by Kirsten Chesney | Oct 20, 2020 | Nutrition
Artificial sweeteners may sound like the magic bullet for many people. This zero-calorie option provides all the sweetness but without the sugar. This is thought to lead to weight loss and a lowered risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. What could be better, right? After all, artificial sweeteners are encouraged by conventional medical doctors around the country. They’re also incorporated into standardized hospital meals for diabetic patients. Unfortunately, these facts don’t mean that artificial sweeteners are safe nor even effective against heart disease or diabetes. Let’s dig deeper to find out why.
Artificial Sweeteners’ Effect on Weight
Despite being zero-calorie, studies have shown that artificial sweeteners may actually increase overall daily calorie intake. Here’s how:
- After eating an artificially sweetened food, your brain may send you hunger signals. This is because it’s used to eating sugar-sweetened versions of food, which contain calories. Instead, your body is getting the same sweetness it’s used to, but without the calories. Studies show that people eat more artificially sweetened food compared to their sugared varieties before they feel full.
- Artificial sweeteners are more intensely sweet than table sugar or even high-fructose corn syrup. This over-stimulates the “sweetness receptors” of your tongue, which reinforce brain messages, causing increased cravings for sugary foods. At the same time, you may find less-sweet foods to be unpalatable (like legumes or vegetables).
So, whether you’re satisfying your hunger or calming your cravings, both of the above points lead to one common side effect: reaching for more food. In other words, artificial sweeteners can encourage people to eat more artificially sweetened foods (or sugary foods) to the exclusion of healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Shunning healthy foods in favor of sweetened foods inevitably leads to weight gain and increased risk for any and all chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.
Artificial Sweeteners’ Effect on Disease
In addition to increased cravings and hunger, artificial sweeteners may actually increase your risk of developing chronic disease. However, this risk comes not through what you eat, but rather what you drink. The most common delivery method of artificial sweeteners into a person’s body arrives through diet soda. In fact, roughly 30% of American adults drink diet soda on any given day, typically to the tune of 24 ounces (or two cans) per day. Studies show that just one can of diet soda per day is associated with an 8%-13% increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Another study set that risk even higher, at 21%. Other than diabetes, diet soda has been linked to a higher risk of hypertension and heart disease. If this isn’t scary enough, drinkers of diet soda have a 36% increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol, and excess abdominal fat. Those with metabolic syndrome are at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Ironically, the most popular delivery method of artificial sweeteners leads to the very diseases that these sweeteners were supposed to protect against.
Another chronic condition brought on by diet soda is kidney disease. According to the National Kidney Foundation, those who drank more than seven cans of diet soda per week saw a doubled risk of developing kidney disease than those who consumed less than one can per week. This correlation was not seen in those who drank regular soda, leading scientists to believe that artificial sweeteners may be responsible. In fact, studies of those who drank diet soda saw a 30% reduction in kidney function over 20 years’ time compared to those who did not drink diet soda. It was further found that drinking two or more diet sodas per day caused kidney problems as opposed to drinking one can per day.
Artificial sweeteners, from any source, also damage the microbiome in our gut, killing off our good gut bacteria. This altered gut biome then leads to poor blood sugar control and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Not to mention that the health of our gut plays vital roles in our immune system, mood, mental health, hormone balance, and much more.
Artificial sweeteners have enjoyed massive popularity in recent decades, with the claim that it can help you lose weight and lower your risk for diabetes and heart disease. It was an easy sell for manufacturers since it didn’t require any huge dietary sacrifice. Furthermore, it even enhanced the sweetness of our favorite junk foods. It seemed like the miracle drug. In reality, artificial sweeteners are too good to be true. Despite the positive outcomes and health benefits found in studies funded by the artificial sweetener industry, non-industry studies show the unbiased reality of the negative effects of these sugar substitutes. Not only do they lead to weight gain and increased sugar cravings, but they also invite a higher risk of getting several chronic diseases. Your best bet is to taper off any dependence on artificial sweeteners and added sugars, replacing them with whole foods that are nutrient-dense and richly fulfilling.
