Sunday, November 19, 2017

NUTRITION KNOW-HOW: BRAIN GAMES

In last week’s POST, the major types, functions and forms of sugar were covered.  Pairing this information with the science of sugar metabolism presented in the FIRST post, I trust you are becoming a talented sugar sleuth! Now that you have a foundation on some of the most important concepts surrounding the sweet stuff, its time to take a dive into the fascinating world of sugar addiction! From the powers it has on our brains hard-wiring, neurotransmitters, and emotions, to the toxic effects that constant “hits” can cause on our brains and body’s, lets place a magnifying glass on the true grit surrounding our can’t-kick-it sugar habits.


           
DELICIOUSLY DECEPTIVE:
Out of evolutionary need, our ancestors were instilled to seek and destroy (by mouth) sources of high energy. Due to a lack of available resources and extreme environments, any chance they got their hands on nutrient dense foods, a feast day would commence. This “seek and find” mechanism was essential for the survival of our species, and thus, complex brain networks were “paved,” in efforts to continue the survival of humankind. Fast-forward a few hundred of thousands of years, and in the age of the 21st century, humans no longer have issues getting their hands on energy-dense foods. From grocery stores stocked to the gills with every food imaginable, online meal delivery services, and uncanny places, such as hardware and office supply stores (yes, Lowes and Staples now sell more than just candy,) humans and the food manufacturers have upped the availability of highly addictive substances, chock full of hidden sugars.
Although we are far more advanced in terms of technology, food supply, and intelligence, our ancestral brains have never erased those “sugar-seeking” habits. In terms of neuroscience, the pathway that still resides in each and every one of us is deemed the “mesolimbic pathway.” In laments terms, it is the system responsible for deciphering between the onset of pleasure versus pain, and it is this same pathway that is activated in cases including drug addiction, sugar/food addiction, and other compulsive behaviors.

DRUGGED BY DOPAMINE:

When we participate in a behavior that results in a pleasurable experience- sex, drugs, eating a donut- brain cells (neurons) located in our midbrains send surges of the neurotransmitter DOPAMINE to the pre-frontal cortex (front portion of the brain.) The pre-frontal cortex is a component of the frontal lobe of the brain, and is responsible for personality, decision-making, expression, and both social/cognitive behavior. It is also responsible for our motor movement, as in, “that chocolate chip cookie was really good, let me reach for another one.”  Stimulation of the pre-frontal cortex also stimulates the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory. When we eat something delicious, of course we want to remember it, and so, a memory of the deliciousness that was that cookie is permanently embedded into your mind.
So lets get back to that DOPAMINE molecule. This neurotransmitter (brain-signaling chemical) helps to fuel human drive and desire. Our desire for sweet, pleasurable food, and our drive to seek, find, devour, and repeat. Dopamine is after all deemed the “pleasure” hormone, and who doesn’t like to feel pleasure over pain? The problem with excessive dopamine secretion is that eventually the initial impact (happiness, joy, elation, etc) you get from that bite of chocolate chip cookie is dampened. Soon, we require more and more of the initial hit, as in a full cookie, then perhaps a handful, and eventually an entire sleeve of chips ahoy- all to get that same feel-good sensation. This is what we call ADDICTION.



SUGARY SLUDGE:
With the average American consuming approximately 32 teaspoons of sugar per day, our minds and body’s are being overworked, and our lovely livers are getting full. Remember how I spoke all about how the liver is the “it” organ for all things sugar metabolism? Well, when our liver’s start to overflow with an abundance of the sweet stuff (everything from snickers bars to Italian bread) can cause an array of detriments to your health (metabolic dysfunctioning being only one of them:)

⭓ LUGGED UP LIVER: You may have heard of a “fatty liver,” often associated with alcoholism. Did you know there is such thing as “non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?” Fat deposits form in your liver once your cells convert excess sugars (glucose) into fatty acids. These stored fats, clog up your liver, causing it to slow down its normal bodily processing, eventually contributing to increased cholesterol (LDL) levels and metabolic syndrome.

⭓ HUNGER & SATIETY: When an overflow of insulin (that pancreatic hormone which rids your body of excess blood sugar,) is constantly streaming through your blood, your cells eventually become resistant to its effects. Problem with insulin resistance is that it goes hand it hand with LEPTIN resistance. A hormone secreted by fat cells to signal feelings of satiety, leptin works synergistically with insulin, and one isn’t working, the other isn’t either. This allows the hunger hormone, GHRELIN to run rampant, causing more food cravings and more over-eating.

⭓ A.G.E. WOES: Sugar in the blood is just like sugar in water, it’s sticky. The sugar molecules attach themselves to our healthy cells and form molecules known as Advanced Glycolic End-products or AGEs. These molecules degrade cell health (oxidation and inflammation,) well as the fiber matrices of collagen.


SAYONARA SWEET TOOTH:
So you’ve read the blog posts, you understand the effects that sugar has on both our brain chemistry and cell health, but are still unsure how to kick the habit to the curb? While carbohydrates (sugars) are essential for providing our bodies with energy, other nutrients can play a vital role in your sweet tooth “withdraw.” HEALTHY FATS help to signal the satiety center of the brain, triggering the sensation that you are full and satisfied, while also slowing down the rate at which you digest food. So, if you do have a higher sugar food, such as a piece of whole grain toast or roasted sweet potato, pairing said foods with a schmear of rich avocado or grass-fed organic butter will help counteract some of the sugars effects on the body. IN addition, PROTEIN also helps to stimulate that same satiety center in the brain, while also requiring more energy to break down. When you pair those three musketeers (no, not the candy bar!) together: HEALTHY FAT + QUALITY PROTEIN + FIBROUS CARBOHYDRATE, you get slow and steady blood sugar, cell healing fats and proteins, and a dampened impact on your brain chemistry- causing those dopamine surges your so accustomed to to tamper down and regain balance.


*Still lost, confused, or looking for assistance? I’m here for you! From one-on-one nutrition consults, personalized meal plans, cooking classes, or shopping tours, I am here to help! Feel free to contact me at the email below, or join me for one of my monthly cooking classes!


           
DECEMBER TRUE KITCHEN COOKING CLASS

EATING FOR IMMUNITY
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13TH
6:00-7:30PM
$35.00 (pre-paid) OR $40 (at door)*

With the holiday season in full-swing, chronic to-do lists, gift shopping, and entertaining take hold. On top of that, the cold & flu season is revving up and many of us find ourselves bed-ridden with a box of tissues! A combination of high stress, confined spaces, and increased illness, the season of giving can also equate to the season of getting sick! In this class, Genevieve will cover how our immune and adrenal systems work in tandem, ingredients, herbs, and spices that naturally combat illness, and show you how to cook up some delicious recipes so you can strengthen your resilience this Holiday season!


* Cost of class includes colorful informative handout, all of the recipes prepared in the class, and of course tasty plates of the food she whips up!



PHONE: 267-308-0777



Genevieve – “G”
Certified Plant Based Nutritionist | CHHC| Culinary Nutritionist
True Wellness Biological Health




No comments: