Wednesday, August 5, 2009

One lump or two? What sugar does to the body:

If you want to know how healthy you truly are, take a look at your skin. Skin can be a tell tale sign of your health. A balanced, healthy diet will produce a glow on your skin like no other.

But if you are consuming great amounts of refined sugar, your skin will betray you and quickly. Blemishes on the skin are indicative of a diet heavy in sugar. Yes, it is true that genetics and hormones do play a part, but if you are not fueling your body with the proper ingredients, your system cannot keep genetics and hormones in balance. A proper diet can actually control hormonal imbalances which promote blemishes.

A proper diet will also keep the bacteria on the skin at bay. Bacteria on the skin is another major cause of blemishes. Sugar can fuel the production of bacteria within the gut, which in turn, can fuel the production of bacteria of the skin. So no matter what you are putting on your skin, without a proper diet, blemishes will still return, only because of what you are putting in your body.

Sodas are the worst offenders, even diet sodas. So instead of fizzy drinks, drink water. Excessive amounts of sugar in the diet will cause the body to retain water, making you look and feel bloated. This goes for most carbohydrates. Think about it: if you place a piece of bread in water, what does it do? It expands and absorbs the water like a sponge. It does the same within the body. Drinking soda not only supplies the body with excessive amounts of sugar, it will cause the body to retain the water that is in the drink. The result: you retain water, become bloated and can quickly put on weight.

I have tried it. I weighed myself, then drank 2 20 oz sodas. Within a 24 hour period, I had put on 5 pounds. Just from drinking 2 sodas. So water is a better choice. An average man should drink about 3 liters, and a woman 2.2 liters of any sort of healthy fluid (juice, water, herbal tea, anything without refined sugars), but most people will remember the 8x8 rule better: that is, 8 8-oz cups of fluid a day.

So the next time you reach for the sugar bowl, that candy bar or a soda, think about what sugar can do to your body.

Is it worth dull, lifeless, blemished skin? A bloated, heavy feeling in the body? Excessive weight gain?

And think, how much more time in the gym will you need to burn off that soda or candy bar?

Are you willing to put in more time sweating just for a candy bar?

Is it worth it?

Well is it?

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