By Dean L. Jones
Families across our country rarely talk about glucose level (sugar) in the body. It probably should be highlighted a lot more since glucose level or blood sugar concentration, with some exceptions, is the primary source of energy for our body’s cells. More basically, the proper glucose level is what the body regulates every second of our life to ensure that we stay in balance (metabolic homeostasis).
We should develop at an early age an understanding of just how critical processes of learning and performing at an obtainable optimal intensity result best from being in balance. In view of that, the better our body can transport glucose from our intestines or liver via the bloodstream to the body cells, the healthier our life. Likewise, the sooner we understand how our blood sugar level can affect our mood, temperament, personality, disposition, and even motivation, the easier it becomes to see the importance of suitably selecting what we eat and drink.
Usually after someone close in relationship acquires an ailment like diabetes or high blood pressure family members heighten their individual understanding about the glycemic index (GI). After that, families customarily spend time talking about eating certain carbohydrates (carbs) and keeping a good blood-sugar level. Certain foods like white bread raise blood sugar levels and other foods like beans are lower on the GI.
Pretty much everyone knows how their respective blood sugar rises immediately after drinking caffeinated coffee. Similarly, black tea, green tea, and energy drinks all have caffeine and consequently cause blood sugar on the GI to swing upward. But, not many of us engage in conversation about how sugar-free foodstuff items will raise blood sugar levels. Surprisingly, these items still have plenty of carbs from starches, plus these items use questionably dangerous sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol, and aspartame.
High-fatty foods can make our blood sugar stay up for extended periods of time. Also, being sick with a bad cold raises blood sugar levels, which is compounded from taking some medicines (pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine), such as antibiotics and the decongestants that affect blood sugar levels.
There is no discourse needed to understand how alcoholic drinks raise a person’s blood sugar level. Except what needs to be discussed more often centers on how alcohol consumption affects blood sugar levels to drop considerably for as long as 12-hours after drinking it. This is a main reason why you may hear from those who care to say if you are going to drink booze to do so with food, and keep it to one drink.
Overall, eating things containing any amount of processed sugar is the big problem as it will raise blood sugar levels more quickly when contrasted to carbs and fats. And so, maintaining a good balance means observing food information labels, while constantly living SugarAlert!
www.SugarAlert.com
Mr. Jones is a marketing strategist with the Southland Partnership Corporation (a public benefit organization), sharing his view on mismanagement practices of packaged foods & beverages.
