4 Ways to Practice Nutritional Self-Care
1. Limit Sugar
I’m positive that this is not the first time you’ve heard this advice. More and more research is beginning to come to light regarding the dangerous effects that sugar consumption has on the body. One of the most propelling pieces on the subject was a book published by Gary Taubes called The Case Against Sugar. Taubes writes, “sugar’s rapid rise to prominence in the Western diet, starting in the mid-19th century, … coincided with a sudden outbreak of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.”
The science is a bit more complicated. In short, added sugars — as well as unstable vegetable oils that are present in almost all processed food items — have the ability to destroy the nutritional “code” on lipoproteins. You’ve most likely heard of lipoproteins, but you probably don’t know just how important these structures are.
Lipoproteins are vessels that carry cholesterol and “other molecules, such as triglycerides (fats), phospholipids and fat-soluble vitamins” through the bloodstream and get these essential nutrients where they are most needed in the body. Basically, lipoproteins are the coordinators for nutrients once they’ve been consumed and broken down. Along with many other negative health effects — unwanted weight gain, increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and even increased cellular aging and skin aging — sugar helps destroy the code that gets these essential lipoprotein packages where they need to be.
Instead of reaching for that cookie, opt for a dark-chocolate and/or berry-rich treats such as these Homemade Chocolate Chips, Hazelnut Chocolate Parfait, and Peanut Butter and Jelly Cups. Dark chocolate (70 percent or higher) is filled with antioxidants and is low in sugar making it an excellent plant-based sweet-treat alternative! Berries are low on the glycemic index meaning they offer a slower release of natural sugar. They won’t make your blood sugar spike and yet they are still a sweet treat!
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