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I have always loved candy, cakes, pasta, and breads of all kinds. One might ask why someone so fond of carbohydrates would choose a plan to limit them forever. For me, it is a matter of the quality of life. I will explain, here, how I came to realize that excess sugars and starches were harming me.
With each passing year, I was progressively more aggravated as I entered my walk-in closet which was crammed with clothes ranging in size from 6 to 14. I tried not to think about how much money I had wasted on all of these outfits, most of which no longer fit me. Shopping for clothing was both frustrating and time consuming as I searched for apparel that I could accept. But more importantly, I was “fed” up with the brain fog, lack of energy, and a body that was getting more and more resistant to any attempt to shed pounds. I was never hitting a plateau. In 2001, I resolved to stop “dieting”. As mentioned in my original post about my reasons for starting this blog, I realized that for me, there was no short-term program that would prevent the pounds from creeping back. I needed a life-style plan, something I could adhere to consistently for the rest of my life. I began to pray that the Lord would help me to find a sensible and effective approach that I could follow for the remainder of my days. It was then that I became interested in carbohydrate restriction. Given that sugars and starches are addictive, my first step was to drastically reduce them. I realized that if I did not control the carbs, they would continue to control me. As I read more and more about the damaging impact on my body from sugars and starches, I began to understand that I was in an abusive relationship with certain carbohydrates. I firmly resolved, then and there, to walk away from the offenders. I need to mention that I do value carbohydrates. In fact, a large portion of my diet consists of carbs in the form of vegetables, mostly non-starchy varieties. But, foods such as bread, pasta, flour, potatoes, corn, and sugar had to be eliminated. Here is my simplistic understanding of the role sugar and starch. Both sugar and starch covert to glucose in the body. Glucose’s main function is to provide the body with energy. Once glucose is in the bloodstream, the body releases insulin to process it and remove the excess glucose from the blood. Some of the glucose is burned for energy. What remains is stored in cells, mostly as fat. Here is an article explaining the role of glucose. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/glucose-diabetes#:~:text=Glucose%20comes%20from%20the%20Greek,cells%20for%20energy%20and%20storage. With a diet heavily laden with carbs, more and more insulin needs to be released. At some point, the cells stop listening to the insulin. This is called insulin resistance. It is at this point that sugar builds up in the bloodstream causing type-two diabetes. Damage to the heart, the vascular system, vision, and kidneys become ever-present concerns. Type-two diabetes is not the only problem with a high sugar, high starch diet. Here are some of the other concerns I have with glucose and related related refererences: High carb diets lead to obesity. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-a-high-carb-diet-is-sabotaging-your-health/ Proper low carb diets can help in the prevention of heart disease. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/low-carbohydrate-diets/ It has been discovered that glucose feeds cancer. For an excellent explanation, please click on the following website: https://bccancerfoundation.com/blog/june-29-2018/dr-krystal-following-diet-can-dramatically-reduce-your-cancer-risk Excess sugar can damage the brain. https://www.texasinstituteforneurologicaldisorders.com/uncategorized/effects-high-sugar-diet-brain/ https://www.vnsnychoice.org/the-link-between-carbohydrates-insulin-and-alzheimers/ Ketones are a source of fuel produced from fat, rather than from glucose, providing excellent fuel for the brain. Here are two articles explaining the role of ketones: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-ketosis https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/mental-health-sugar-brain Sugars and starches are damaging to cells. https://www.primalbody-primalmind.com/top-9-steps-balance-blood-sugar/ As mentioned earlier, glucose is addictive. There used to be a famous Lay’s potato chip ad with the slogan, “Bet you can’t eat one!” This is true of most carbohydrates. After taking a few bites, cravings for more follow. https://www.cnet.com/health/are-you-addicted-to-sugar-how-to-beat-sugar-addiction/ Healthline offers 15 easy ways to reduce your intake of carbohydrates. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-ways-to-eat-less-carbs A Basic low sugar/low starch diet that you can print is available on-line from Jennifer C. Debruler, M.D. https://www.advocatehealth.com/assets/documents/obesity/obesity-debruler-pdf.pdf I believe the benefits associated with following a sensible low carb diet, in preventing issues related to obesity, type-two diabetes, dementia, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, will positively impact the quality of my life.
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