Sweet on the lips and taste buds, a little bit of sugar is fine from time to time. But too much sugar can have some very adverse effects on your health. For women's fitness issues, the obvious problem with too much sugar is an expanding waistline or widening hips. But it's the hidden damages that sugar is responsible for that you need to be aware of.
Most of us know the effects of too much sugar when it relates to our teeth. The fact that sugar can cause cavities, holes actually in our teeth is reason for pause because tooth enamel is the hardest tissue in our body. If sugar can penetrate this substance it's understandable why it can be the source of other harmful effects in our internal system.
While it is true our bodies need sugar (glucose) since this is the only fuel the brain can use, it's important to note that a fully functioning body produces enough sugar for the body through the natural digestion of whole, unprocessed foods. By eating healthy carbohydrates like fruits and whole grains you can give your body all of the glucose it needs without ever having to eat refined white or brown sugar.
Refined sugar has been stripped of all of its vitamins, minerals and fiber and therefore does not digest naturally. In order to metabolize sugar through the kidneys, the heart is forced to work extra hard. On top of that, when sugar is released in the bloodstream, it causes an influx of adrenaline, which also puts unnecessary stress on the heart. Eating sugar before going to bed makes the heart work exceptionally hard and puts your health in danger.
The average American eats 2 to 3 pounds of sugar a week. That includes table sugar used in coffee, brown sugar used in cooking, soft drinks, sweetened tea and processed foods containing sugar. It has addictive properties that make breaking the habit as hard withdrawing from some narcotics. But it is possible to get the sugar monkey off your back.
Begin by adding one extra fruit to your daily diet each week or every two weeks. For each fruit you add, subtract one teaspoon or one source of processed foods such as cookies or cake from your diet. Substituting fruit for processed sugar will change your taste buds and train them to appreciate the fructose in place of the sucrose. It may take some time, but it will be a change that you can live with for the rest of your life.
However, you may find that you can withdraw from sugar permanently by going cold turkey. If this works for you then by all means, go for it. However, remember that your body does need the complex carbohydrates found in fruits for proper brain function and digestion. One of the great side effects you will find when you eradicate refined sugar from your diet will probably be weight loss. Because sugar is so hard to digest, it takes longer to move it through the body. Substituting fruits instead, means you'll consume fewer calories for the taste while enjoying foods that move quickly and effectively through your body.
Karen Ficarelli is the founder and CEO of Fitness4Her.com, a diet, exercise program and women's fitness blog, developed especially for women. A mother of three, Karen knows how hard it is to fit everything into a busy schedule. A fitness author, personal trainer, Pilate's instructor, sports nutritionist, fitness model, wife and mom, Karen is passionate about helping other women reach their fitness goals. She knows firsthand that the desire to attain a healthy, slim and well-toned body is just as important as any other dream that a woman can have. But going a step further, Karen understands that to achieve that dream, you first must believe in it. Think it, believe it, achieve it... http://www.Fitness4Her.com ... the website for women's fitness.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Karen_Ficarelli/473298
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