Most often than not, clients work with me because they want to lose weight. And while that is a great goal, know that extra weight is just one of many other symptoms of a deeper rooted issue. “I just can’t seem to lose weight no matter what I try” or “I’ve hit a plateau,” does that sound familiar?
Here’s one of the reasons why you may not be losing weight: BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE.
The Culprit
The amount of sugar in your diet and the type of sugars you consume can make a big difference in the health of your gut microbiome, as well as impacting your weight. A diet which consists mostly of processed foods with added sugars can be highly damaging to your gut. The added sugars contribute to the growth of bad bacteria which can “crowd out” the good bacteria. The imbalance between bad and good bacteria has been linked to increased sugar cravings.
The moderate to high use of refined sugars, especially high-fructose corn syrup which is used as a sweetener in a variety of foods such as grape jelly, ketchup, syrups, and many other processed foods have been shown to increase inflammation in the body and is very hard on the liver. High sugar levels have also recently been linked to increases in the onset of dementia (they are calling it diabetes type III) and increased inflammation throughout the body.
Hidden sugars are so prevalent (but cleverly hidden) in our current food system that you will want to familiarize yourself with this list and read your food labels.
How your body uses sugar
Sucrose, the chief component of cane or beet sugar, is used in a variety of foods and excessively in some. Your body breaks sucrose down into glucose and fructose. Glucose is the body’s preferred energy source, so the liver stores it in muscles for quick availability or as glycogen in the liver. When the body needs more glucose, the liver delivers it. The pancreas, in turn, releases insulin to reduce the amount of glucose in the blood.
Insulin, a hormone, helps deliver the glucose to the cells and also stores excess glucose in muscles, fat cells and the liver to keep your blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemia) or conversely, too low (hypoglycemia). Either extreme can be devastating.
So, how does sugar make you fat?
Excess fructose consumption causes Insulin Resistance (read on for an explanation of what insulin resistance is all about). The only part of the body that can process fructose is the liver which turns the excess into fat (or triglycerides) which is then dumped into the bloodstream.
Typically, the insulin will work to keep our sugar balance in check, but when too much insulin is released too often because of sugar over-consumption, the cells become resistant to insulin. Because of this, blood sugar levels rise and stay elevated, which leads to pre-diabetes and Diabetes Type II. The brain thinks we need to eat more for energy, so it tells us we are hungry. Of course, we eat more and get fatter.
Excess fructose has a negative impact on the hormone Leptin. Leptin is manufactured by fat cells. Its job is to help the brain monitor how much energy is stored in fat cells. When the fat cells grow bigger, they release more Leptin. The brain detects the leptin and the leptin, in turn, tells the brain that enough fat has been stored, and we don’t need to eat.
Fructose has the terrible effect of making us “leptin-resistant,” so the brain underestimates how much fat is stored. It then tells us to eat more, even directing us to eat fats to make added deposits to our energy bank. This lowers our metabolism, so we burn fewer calories and store more fats. The result is we get fatter and want to eat more because our brain thinks we are desperately in need of more fat.
Addictive Power of Sugar
Sugar can also be very addictive. Drinking several bottles of sugar-laden soda pop, fruit juices, high caffeine-sugary energy drinks or just adding too much sugar or sugared flavorings in our tea or coffee can become more than just habits. While we are overloading our bodies with sugar, we are overworking our livers, kidneys, and pancreas. You just don’t want to mess these organs up!
Studies have shown that sugar activates the opiate receptors in our brain and affects the reward center, which leads to compulsive addictive behavior, despite the negative consequences like weight gain, headaches, hormone imbalances, and more. I have definitely experienced this – no fun at all, and you don’t want to go there!
Sugar may be sweet, but too much may lead to a bitter outcome.
My advice, slowly begin to make your food choices less processed and more like the original food with fewer additives, including sugar. Baby steps. I know you can do it!
To Your Health,
Patti
