The Glycemic Index – Just Another Fad?

There are lots of food and diet fads that come and go. Perhaps you’ve heard of The Aitken’s Diet, The Soup Diet, The Fasting Diet, eating no carbs, eating lots of carbs, the list goes on! In 2002 we became aware of a new way of looking at carbohydrates and how our bodies process them through the Glycemic Index (GI). This became a household term, and it seemed everyone was talking about the GI of foods.
So, was it just a fad or does it hold some important information on how our bodies process the food we digest and the effect that has on our overall health?

The official GI website administered by the University of Sydney explains how GI is calculated:

 “The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health.”

Those foods which have a high GI raise our blood sugar levels quickly and significantly after eating them and, while ok in moderation, can play havoc with our pancreas and other vital organs if we continually rely on high GI foods for most of our nutrition.

The pancreas is responsible for the secretion of insulin, the hormone that regulates and breaks down the glucose in our cells. If there are continual dramatic spikes in our blood sugar, the pancreas struggles to produce enough insulin to meet the demand and eventually this can lead to a condition called “Insulin Resistance”. This is where the liver and the cells of your body are no longer able to respond to insulin and you face the very real possibility of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Scary stuff!

So while it may seem that following the GI of foods was a passing fad of the early 2000s, the science on which it is based cannot be denied. As society relies more and more on quick, carbohydrate-laden foods that are filling and easy to prepare, there has been a steady increase of serious diseases linked with poor management of blood glucose levels.

If you would like to know more about how fluctuations on blood sugar can affect your health or would like to check the GI of the foods you consume, you can find lots of helpful information at www.glycemicindex.com, the official website for the glycemic index and international GI database which is based in the University of Sydney.

 

 

Common Ailments - Headaches

Stress, fatigue and dehydration can make us an easy target for the odd headache. At best it is annoying and can make us feel irritable, and at worst, a debilitating pain that can stop us functioning at work or at home.

While we may be tempted to reach straight for pain medication every time a headache comes on, it’s worth knowing that treating the cause of the pain is the key to long term relief from headaches and migraine.

In a study conducted at Macquarie University, specific chiropractic adjustments to the spine significantly reduced migraines in 71% of the people surveyed. The frequency, duration, severity and amount of medication all decreased markedly*.

The Australian Chiropractors Association has a great fact sheet detailing the benefits of chiropractic care for headaches and migraine. You can download it here: http://www.chiropractors.asn.au/images/stories/Files/Chiropractic%20Fact%20Sheets/Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Headache.pdf

If you are experiencing ongoing headaches, speak to Alisa at your next appointment.

* Tuchin, P. et al. (2000). A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 23(2), 91-95.

Movement - How Much is Enough?

Exercise is essential for good health - we know that and we are aware of its benefits for both our physical and mental wellbeing. But, how can we make small changes to our routines to increase our movement? And do those small changes really make a difference?

Dr Jeremy N Morris died at the age of 99. He was the first person to demonstrate - as long ago as 1953 - that it's not so much athletic activity that benefits health, but simply the level of physical activity, even when it is just part of everyday life.

In his first study, Dr Morris compared the health of London bus conductors who worked on "flat" buses and those who worked on double deckers. The conductors all lived in comparable circumstances, with similar family backgrounds and dietary habits. He found that the conductors on the double decker buses who walked up and down 600 steps per day to check passengers' tickets, had half as many heart attacks as their colleagues!

Later, Dr Morris demonstrated similar results among postal workers, comparing those walking and those at a desk job.

Even housework counts as movement! In a study of cleaning women in Boston, researchers found that the simple effort of performing their jobs qualified as exercise and their health significantly improved after a few months. They experienced weight loss, reduction of body fat and blood pressure.

So it seems that even a little exercise has its benefits; taking the stairs instead of the escalator, walking to the station or parking a little further from the supermarket can make significant improvements to our health! Isn't that great news?

What other ways can you think of to get your body moving during your regular daily tasks? 

 

Emotions and our Eating Habits

We know that when we are stressed we could be more likely to reach for comfort foods and/or overeat if we don’t find other ways to address our emotions.

But, why do we feel like “eating our emotions” in the first place? And what can we do to break the cycle?

 

The Role of Emotions

Dr David Simon is the CEO, cofounder, and medical director of The Chopra Center in California USA. Here, he explains how important it is that we recognise the connection between emotion and our eating habits.

“Our emotions play an essential role in our eating habits. We learned early in life how putting something in our mouths soothed upset feelings. Whether it was a breast, a bottle, a pacifier, or a thumb, all of us were conditioned to associate our mouths with comfort. It's not surprising that adults under stress resort to smoking, drinking, or excessive eating. In addition, when we experience stress, our bodies release hormones that cause us to conserve energy, and recent studies have shown that disturbed sleep patterns associated with stress increase levels of hormones responsible for appetite.”

Recognising the difference between Emotional Hunger and Physical Hunger

According to the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center’s web site, these are the keys:

1.    Continue reading below...

1.    Emotional hunger comes on suddenly; physical hunger occurs gradually.

2.    When you are eating to fill a void that isn't related to an empty stomach, you crave a specific food, such as pizza or ice cream, and only that food will meet your need. When you eat because you are actually hungry, you're open to options.

3.    Emotional hunger feels like it needs to be satisfied instantly with the food you crave; physical hunger can wait.

4.    Even when you are full, if you're eating to satisfy an emotional need, you're more likely to keep eating. When you're eating because you're hungry, you're more likely to stop when you're full.

5.    Emotional eating can leave behind feelings of guilt; eating when you are physically hungry does not.

 

Becoming in Tune with our Habits

Dr Simon David goes on to suggest some ways in which we can become more in tune with our emotions and eating habits.

 

1.    Practice meditation to manage your stress.

2.    Exercise regularly.

3.    Eat the six tastes at every meal, ensuring that you have spicy and bitter foods to stimulate metabolism.

4.    Honour your appetite, eating only when you are hungry. Stop eating when you're comfortable, not when you're stuffed.

5.    Learn conscious communication skills to meet your emotional needs.

6.    Drink ginger tea before each meal.

 

What other things can you think of to minimise the stress in your life?