One of the hardest things I struggle with is truly understanding the language of my body. What do I mean by that? Well sometimes I am craving really bad foods like cookies, pastries, bread with butter slathered all over it, etc. I feel like they speak to me. After eating these things, I feel tired and lethargic and depressed. Later I find myself craving these things all over again.... it's a cycle that never ends.
I found an article in a Christian magazine that was written by a Christian doctor on the physiological affects of food on your body. This article was so easy to understand and it makes it extremely clear as to what happens with certain foods in relation to gaining weight and losing it. I will reprint it below for you to read as well. My hope is that if you understand why you should or shouldn't eat certain foods, you will be able to make educated decisions when choosing your next meal. You can win the battle of the bulge and learn to speak your bodies most effective language.
The Battle of the Bulge... A War You Can Win
by Don Colbert, M.D.
If you've struggled with obesity all your life, you may not even be able to imagine yourself free from the bondage of unwanted fat. But God can. The God who created the entire universe is able to help you overcome all of your personal bondages, including being overweight.
A Deadly Problem
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. Approximately one in every three adults is now considered obese. Anyone that is more than 20% above their ideal weight for their height is considered obese. Judging by this standard, one in five children in the U.S. is also considered obese. Tragically, an estimated 300,000 deaths each year are attributed to this problem!
Bring Glory To God In Your Body
The way you eat, drink and care for your body can and should bring glory to God. If you've been struggling with excess weight your whole life, you probably realize you need more help than a good diet plan. You need the strength and discipline it takes to change a lifetime of poor eating habits and stick with it. Gaining new power in your battle against obesity must begin with gaining fresh understanding of the the things that cause it.
Why We Bulge
Being overweight has many causes. Some are biological. For instance, you might be predisposed to obesity through genetics and a slow metabolism. Another significant factor contributing to excess weight in America is our sedentary lifestyle- a daily routine involving mainly sitting and very little exercise. In many cases emotional dependence on food is the cause of obesity. In other words, obesity is a result of depending on food for comfort in times of stress, crisis, loneliness and a host of other unhealthy emotions.
I believe one of the greatest causes for the epidemic of obesity in America is our high intake of refined sugars and starches. Increased consumption of white bread, sugar processed cereals and pasta is largely responsible for the epidemic proportions of diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and obesity.
Sugar And Your Body
Overconsumption of carbohydrates, starches and sugars stimulates your body's production of insulin- the body's fat storage hormone. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels when they are too high by causing the body to store fat. For example, when you eat foods high in carbohydrates, such as breads, pasta, potatoes, corn and rice, the insulin levels in your body increase. The carbohydrate is then changed into blood sugar. In the presence of insulin the blood sugar is converted into blood fat by the liver. The fat in the blood is then stored away in fat cells.
If you consume a lot of starch and sugar, your insulin levels remain high, and fat is then locked into your fat cells. This makes it very easy to gain weight and extremely difficult to lose it. Elevated insulin levels prevent the body from burning stored body fat for energy.
Eating too many refined sugars and starches results in secreting so much insulin that you then develop low blood sugar within a few hours, causing shakiness, irritability, headaches and fatigue. Your body then responds with an extreme craving for more sugar and starch to raise blood sugar levels- it becomes a vicious cycle.
The Way Out
In order to break free of this cycle, the first thing you must do is decrease the number of times you consume sugar and starches each day. By doing this you can lower your insulin levels and turn off the main trigger that is telling the body to store fat and not release it.
The next important thing to do is learn to eat the correct amount of protein in a meal, along with the proper balance of fats and carbohydrates. This will stimulate the release of glucagon in your body. Glucagon is another hormone that works totally opposite of insulin. While insulin is a fat-storing hormone, glucagon is a fat-releasing hormone. It enables you to release stored body fat to use as energy.
When the level of insulin is high in the body, the level of glucagon is low. When the level of glucagon is high, insulin is low. If you eat a lot of sugar and starch, you raise your insulin level and lower your glucagon level, thus preventing fat from being released to be used as fuel. But when you stabilize your blood sugar, you can keep your glucagon level elevated, enabling your body to burn off the extra fat. Thus, you'll begin to realize a more energetic, slimmer you!
The Glycemic Index
The rate at which carbohydrates are absorbed into the bloodstream is called the glycemic index. It measures how quickly foods will raise blood sugar levels. The lower the number is the better. A low glycemic index indicates that your body will have more time to handle the sugar in your bloodstream.
The long-term results of eating too many high glycemic foods can be devastating to your health. The consequences are much graver than mere obesity. They can actually lead to diabetes and heart disease. As a doctor, I have watched too many people suffer the painful effects of these diseases. The saddest part is that the pain and suffering are needless.
By combining small amounts of high glycemic foods, such as breads, pasta and potatoes, with balanced portions of proteins and fats, you enable your body to absorb the carbohydrates slowly. At the same time, you are maximizing the use of stored fat for energy, resulting in the decrease of body fat. The end result is not just a loss of weight but a healthier body, which is well worth any effort it takes. With God's help you can make the decision to triumph in you battle of the bulge and begin eating right today!
