Saturday, August 3, 2013

To Carb Or Not To Carb

It seems that there have been an influx of stomach-related issues with clients being referred recently.  What is going on?  Many folks have long histories of dieting, on sugar-off sugar, many medications, lots of stress. We'll talk about GMO's next time!  Can you relate?

Our digestive system is very delicate and needs a balance of nutrients, as well as an atmosphere of calm in order to properly digest, absorb and eliminate.  What does carb (short for carbohydrate) have to do with this?  The US diet is very high in carbohydrate (starches, grains, snack foods, fruits and drinks-both alcohol containing and not), and much of this carb is refined, meaning it either is in the form of sugar or turns to sugar very quickly.  This sugar in turn, upsets the insulin response or becomes food for the "ugly buglies", as I call them.

When insulin levels become elevated, our bodies hold onto body fat in the mid-region for dear life, fearing the crash and subsequent starvation.  We know that we are going to eat, but our bodies are on auto-pilot.

Carbs are also fuel for yeasts and bacteria and this is quickly becoming a more prominent problem.  There are healthy carbs and less healthy ones and keeping the portions limited will help to keep balance and less chance for these "bad bugs" to overgrow.

If you are experiencing gas and bloating, constipation/diarrhea, stomach pain or discomfort, you may want to consider consulting a health professional about these overgrowth conditions.

Here's to a happy and healthy digestive system!

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