Your
Energy System
An
Excerpt from Nourish Yourself
by Joan Sotkin Because
blood sugar is the basic fuel used by your body-mind to power
all of the chemical reactions that take place in your cells, and
because an imbalance in this system can lead to so many disorders,
I am going to briefly explain how the system works so that you
can better understand it. If you understand the relationship
between the food you eat and how you feel, you may be more apt
to use the foods your body-mind needs to restore and maintain
health.
YOU NEED GLUCOSE Your body-mind needs certain nutrients in order to function
properly including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids,
hormones and water. One of the most important nutrients that
it needs is glucose, or blood sugar,
which is the basic source of fuel for energy for your body-mind.
Without glucose, none of the reactions within your cells can
take place.
Because all of
your cells need glucose to power all of their chemical reactions,
when there is not enough glucose, there is not enough energy
for your life. Your body-mind will still work, but the
reactions in the cells will be incomplete and, as a result,
you might feel tired or lethargic or you might notice that
certain body-mind functions just are not quite right.
For example, you
may not be able to concentrate or make decisions, or your
memory may not be sharp because your brain cells are not receiving
enough fuel. Or, perhaps, you may feel weak or dizzy or shaky
inside.
It might seem
logical to say that if your cells need glucose, perhaps you
should eat more sugar. Actually, this will provide your
body-mind with glucose. That is why, after eating sugar, you feel a spurt of energy as the sugar is used by your cells.
However, as you will see, the long term
use of sugar can cause a severe strain on the delicate glands
that regulate blood sugar levels and, in the long run, can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate erratically.
When this happens,
the results can be disastrous. Because the health of your
entire being is determined by the health of your cells, if
your cells are not functioning properly, neither can you.
When cells do not function properly over
a long period of time, this can lead to a breakdown in the cellular structure which allows for the invasion of foreign organisms, such as viruses and bacteria, and for the proliferation of mutant
cells such as cancer cells.
Also, because
glucose is used in every body-mind process, if there is not
enough glucose, the body-mind's self-repair system also cannot
function efficiently. It becomes more difficult to resist
disease or to repair damages such as cuts, bruises, or broken bones.
It would be simplistic
to say that a malfunctioning blood sugar system is the only
cause for discomfort or dis-ease. However, if the blood
sugar system is not functioning efficiently, then nothing
else can work properly either.Therefore, if, like most people, you have stressed your blood sugar system, then by focusing
on regulating your blood sugar levels, you can help yourself
to better health, both physically and emotionally.
PARTS OF THE SYSTEM
First I will describe the different
parts of your blood sugar system and how they interact to
regulate your body-mind's energy supply. Then, we will look
at what can go wrong. I hope this will help you understand
why sugar, caffeine, alcohol, refined carbohydrates, and nicotine
can have such a devastating effect on your health.
There are four
glands which, along with your liver, regulate blood sugar
levels. They are:The hypothalamus, pituitary, pancreas and
adrenal glands.
THE HYPOTHALAMUS
The hypothalamus is a small portion of your brain that acts
as the body-mind's laboratory, measuring all of the body-mind's
functions on a 24 hour basis. When anything is out of balance,
the hypothalamus sends a nerve message to the pituitary gland,
signaling the pituitary as to what needs correcting.
THE PITUITARY
Touch the bridge of your nose. Behind this, in your mid-brain,
is your pituitary gland. This amazing gland is only about
the size of a pea, yet it affects more functions than any
other gland. It is called "the master gland" because it helps
regulate all of the other glands.
When the hypothalamus
sends its nerve message to the pituitary, the pituitary alters
this nerve message into a chemical message, i.e. a hormone,
which is sent to the gland or organ that can correct the condition
that is out of balance.
When blood sugar
levels are too high or too low, the hormonal message is sent
either to the pancreas or to the adrenal glands.
THE PANCREAS
Put your hand on the center of your abdomen just above your
navel. Right about there, towards the back of your abdominal
cavity is your pancreas.
The pancreas is shaped
like a bunch of grapes on its side. Enzymes which are used
in the digestion of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, as
well as insulin, which is used for many metabolic processes, are produced in the pancreas. Scattered throughout the gland and concentrated in its tip, are a group of cells called the Islets
of Langerhans. These are the cells that secrete insulin.
Insulin has many
functions and one of them is to carry glucose across the cell
membrane into the cell where it can be used for fuel. This,
in effect, lowers blood sugar levels because the glucose is
taken from the blood into the cell.
Whenever there is
an excess of glucose in the blood, insulin is secreted and
whatever glucose can be utilized is taken into the cells by
the insulin. Then, whatever excess glucose remains is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles. When blood sugar
levels fall too low, the glycogen is converted back to glucose
and sent into the blood stream. Insulin is used for the glucose
to glycogen and glycogen to glucose conversions.
The cells of your
body-mind only need about two teaspoons of glucose at any
one time in order to perform all of the body-mind's functions.
Imagine how hard the pancreas must work to balance the system
when two or three times the amount needed is brought into
the blood stream.
When refined carbohydrates
are eaten, sugar is rapidly released into the blood stream
and it must be used immediately or stored as glycogen. A
chocolate bar contains about 6 teaspoons, and a piece of chocolate
layer cake about 15 teaspoons of sugar. Each time foods
such as these are eaten, the pancreas is stimulated to produce
more insulin.
THE ADRENALS
Place your hands on the small of your back on each side of
your spine. Your kidneys are here and perched on top of each
kidney is a small gland called the adrenal. The gland is divided
into two parts: the outer portion is called the cortex and
the inner portion is called the medulla.
The adrenals produce
many hormones which affect body-mind functions, such as cortisone,
aldosterone, and cortisol, but the hormone that most affects
blood sugar levels is adrenaline, which is produced in the
adrenal medulla.
Adrenaline is known
as the fight or flight hormone because it is secreted whenever
there is a stress reaction or whenever negative emotions such
as guilt, anger, or worry are experienced. Stress reactions
can be either emotional, such as coping with job pressures, or physical, such as pain or injury. Caffeine and nicotine also stimulate adrenaline production.
When adrenaline is
secreted, it signals the liver to convert glycogen, the stored
form of blood sugar, into glucose, which is then sent into
the blood stream, thus raising blood sugar levels.
THE LIVER
Your liver is located on the right side of your body-mind,
under your rib cage. It is the largest organ by weight and
is responsible for many body-mind processes. The liver acts
as a metabolic factory, converting foods into glucose, glucose
into glycogen, and glycogen back to glucose. The liver also
filters the blood, produces bile, and causes important changes
in many of the substances contained in the blood.
A HEALTHY SYSTEM When everything in the blood sugar system is working smoothly,
there is a steady supply of fuel for the cells. This fuel,
glucose, is produced from food sources and from the glycogen
which is stored in the liver and muscles.
The hypothalamus
monitors the system and when blood sugar levels are too high
or too low, a nerve message is sent to the pituitary gland
which then sends a hormonal message to either the adrenal
glands or the pancreas.
If blood sugar levels
are too low, the adrenal glands send out adrenaline which
triggers the liver to convert some of its glycogen (stored
glucose) into glucose. Then, with the help of insulin from the pancreas, the glucose is taken into the cells where it is used.
If blood sugar levels
are too high, the pancreas secretes insulin which carries
the excess glucose into the cells where it is used. Whatever
glucose can not be used is converted into glycogen and stored
in the liver and muscles.
THE UPS AND DOWNS Blood sugar levels are lowered when glucose that is in
the blood stream is taken into the cells and utilized.
Any life activity requires glucose, so just being alive uses
up the glucose.
Blood sugar levels
drop too low when too much insulin is secreted, thus removing
too much glucose from the blood stream, or when not enough
glycogen is available to replace the glucose that is used.
Blood sugar levels
are raised every time you eat and the food is converted into
glucose or when the liver releases some of its glycogen and
it is converted into glucose.
When you eat protein
or fats, the blood sugar enters the blood stream at a slow
and steady pace because these foods are digested slowly. Carbohydrate
foods, on the other hand, are digested more rapidly and the
glucose is sent out more quickly.
Fruits, vegetables,
grains, and legumes have varying amounts of carbohydrates
in different forms. Grapes and watermelon, for example, contain
more sucrose (which is like table sugar) than apples or lettuce,
and potatoes and beans contain more starch than broccoli or
peaches. However, all carbohydrates from whole, natural foods, i.e. complex carbohydrates, are contained in a matrix, such as cellulose,
which must be removed before the sugar or starch can be sent
out into the blood stream.
On
the other hand, refined, processed foods which contain sugar or starch, are converted rapidly into blood sugar. Candy, desserts, ice-cream, sugar and other sugar foods cause a flooding of the blood
stream with sugar as it passes right through the wall of the
small intestine into the blood stream, dramatically raising
blood sugar levels. Most Group 4 Foods [junk food, sweets....]
cause this reaction.
Blood sugar levels
are also raised every time the body-mind is put on alert or
under stress, causing the release of adrenaline. Caffeine
and nicotine also stimulate adrenaline production, thus raising
blood sugar levels.
IT CAN MALFUNCTION Because the body-mind only needs about two teaspoons of
glucose at any one time, each time you eat a food that is
high in sugar or starch, the body-mind must take dramatic
steps to remove the excess sugar. A large supply of insulin
is released allowing the sugar to be taken to the cells and
used, which is why you get a spurt of energy from high carbohydrate
foods.
It is important
to understand that many natural foods, such as rice, beans,
and potatoes, that are considered complex carbohydrates contain
enough sugar and starch to overburden some blood sugar systems.
If extra sugar
come into the body-mind only once a day or on rare occasions,
the system could handle the overload without any strain. However,
because of the constant onslaught of sugar and high carbohydrate foods that most people consume, the pancreas is overworked and oversensitized
and sends out erratic or insufficient amounts of insulin.
As a result, you
might experience ups and downs during the day as blood sugar
levels fluctuate erratically. A spurt of energy can be followed
by a let-down a few hours later because the pancreas is sending
out too much insulin. Or, you may experience fatigue, irritability,
weakness, or other symptoms because your cells are not receiving
adequate fuel. When your cells do not have enough energy,
neither do you.
A malfunction in
the liver can also adversely affect blood sugar levels. Such
a malfunction can be created when excessive amounts of chemical
residues must be filtered from the blood. Excess residues
can become lodged in the tissues of the liver, thus interfering with glucose and glycogen production. The offending chemicals can come from foods, drugs, and environmental pollutants.
Your adrenal glands
can also become exhausted, thus creating an imbalance in the
blood sugar system. As you have seen, adrenaline is sent out
every time the body-mind is put on alert and every time a
negative emotion is experienced. Because of the nature of our society, adrenaline is constantly being secreted and the average person who has to drive in traffic, work under any kind of pressure,
deal with the pressures of family life, and who smokes, drinks
coffee, eats refined carbohydrates, and drinks alcohol places
his or her glands under a tremendous amount of stress and
strain.
When the adrenal
glands are overworked, they produce insufficient or erratic
amounts of adrenaline and other important hormones. This can
cause many disorders including fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, and some "itis" disorders.
YOU CAN FIX IT
As you can see, if you have eaten Group 4 Foods for long periods
of time and if, like most people, you are subjected to stress,
your blood sugar system is probably somewhat out of balance.
Group 4 Foods and stress also affect other body-mind systems
which is why they cause such a wide range of symptoms.
But, blood sugar
levels can be regulated and cellular chemistry can be brought
back into balance by resting the glands and giving them a
chance to heal. This can be done by eliminating the cause of the problem, i.e., Group 4 Foods and stress reactions.
However, it takes
time to establish a healthy communication with your body-mind.
It also takes time to develop the discipline that is needed
to replace destructive eating habits with those that will
help your body-mind repair itself.
The suggestions offered
in this Nourish Yourself are meant to help you point
yourself in a new direction and to give you a basic plan of
action concerning changes you can make in order to create
a more comfortable life for yourself. I hope you find something here that stimulates you to begin to develop an awareness about how you nourish yourself and the quality of fuel that you use
to power your life.
Sugar
"Sugar is without question one of the most dangerous substances on the food market today.
What we are talking about here is sucrose, the white crystalline sugar refined from cane or beet juice by stripping
away all its vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, water, and other
synergists.
White sugar is an industrially processed chemical not
found in nature, and it is not fit for human consumption.
Other sugars such as fructose (in fruit and honey), lactose (in milk), and maltose (in grains) are natural substances with
nutritional value.
Raw sugar is a coarse, brown, sticky variety made by
simply boiling down whole cane juice and it too is a wholesome
food, but it is very difficult to find in the Western world.
The so called 'brown sugar' sold in supermarkets is nothing more than refined white sugar with some molasses spun back into
it for color and flavor. It is not a 'health food'.
Sugar suppresses the immune system by causing the pancreas to secrete abnormally large quantities of insulin, which is required
to break it down.
Insulin remains in circulation in the bloodstream long after sugar has been metabolized, and one of its main side effects
is to suppress the release of growth hormone in the pituitary
gland.
Growth hormone is a primary regulator of the immune system, so anyone who eats a lot of sugar every day is going to experience
critical growth hormone deficiency and consequent immune deficiency
caused by the constant presence of insulin in the bloodstream.
Furthermore, refined white sugar is treated as a toxic foreign agent by the immune system, owing to its unnatural chemical
structure as well as the industrial contaminants it retains from
the refining process.
Sugar thus triggers an unnecessary immune response while simultaneously suppressing immune function, thereby debilitating
the immune system with a double edged sword.
Sugar is the chief culprit in many diseases and degenerative conditions.
It can easily cause diabetes and is a major factor in candidacies, both of which are epidemic in the industrialized
Western world.
Since sugar is 'nutritionally naked', the body must 'borrow' the missing vitamins, minerals and other synergistic
nutrients required to metabolize sugar from its own tissues.
Heavy sugar consumption therefore causes a constant siphoning of nutrients from the body. Recent evidence suggests
that sugar causes dental problems not so much by contact with
the teeth but rather by leaching the teeth of calcium from within.
Sugar also depletes the body of potassium and magnesium,
which are required for proper cardiac function, and is therefore
a major factor in heart disease.
The nutritional leaching caused by sugar can give rise
to intense food cravings and eating binges, as the body seeks
to replenish the nutrients 'stolen' from it by sugar.
Most people consume far more sugar than their bodies
can possibly use for energy. When this happens, the liver converts
the extra sugar into molecules called triglycerides and stores
it as fat, or else produces cholesterol from the by-products
of sugar and deposits it in veins and arteries. Sugar is thus a major factor in obesity and arteriosclerosis as well.
Sugar is an addictive substance. In Sugar Blues, William Dufty writes; 'The difference between sugar addiction and narcotic
addiction is largely one of degree.'
Abruptly giving up sugar invariably brings on the sort
of withdrawal symptoms associated with narcotic drugs- fatigue,
lassitude, depression, moodiness, headaches, aching limbs.
Its addictive nature is also reflected in current per capita consumption in the USA- an average of 130 pounds of sugar
per person per year, or about 1/3 pound daily. That qualifies
as 'substance abuse'. Most people don't even realize how much
sugar they're taking every day because much of it is hidden in other foods.
A 12-ounce can of a typical soft drink, for example, contains about nine teaspoons of refined white sugar.
Sugar consumption in the USA is so high that it has also caused a social problem through its deleterious effects on behavior,
especially in children, who are displaying increasingly severe
behavioral disorders and learning disabilities.
In a recent study conducted by Dr. C. Keith Connors
of the Children's Hospital in Washington, DC, a 'deadly' link
was established between the consumption of sugar with carbohydrates
(such as breakfast cereal, cake, and biscuits) and violent behavior,
hypertension, and learning impediments.
In other studies, chronic violence in prisons
was remarkably reduced simply by eliminating refined sugar and starch from
prison diets. Singapore in 1991 banned sugary soft drink sales
from all schools and youth centers, citing the danger that sugar
poses to the mental and physical health of children.
If you or your children have a sweet tooth,
you can easily satisfy it by concocting treats with honey, molasses,
and barley malt, which are not only sweet but also nutritious
and therapeutically beneficial."
Source: Daniel Reid.
From: Endocrinology Health Guide
The Pituitary Gland
Anatomy of the pituitary gland:
The pituitary gland is sometimes called the "master" gland of the endocrine
system, because it controls the functions of the other endocrine glands. The
pituitary gland is no larger than a pea, and is located at the base of the
brain. The gland is attached to the hypothalumus (a part of the brain that
affects the pituitary gland) by nerve fibers. The pituitary gland itself consists
of three sections:
* the anterior lobe
* the intermediate lobe
* the posterior lobe
Functions of the pituitary gland:
Each lobe of the pituitary gland produces certain hormones.
anterior lobe:
* growth hormone
* prolactin - to stimulate milk production after giving
birth
* ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) - to stimulate the
adrenal glands
* TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) - to stimulate the
thyroid gland
* FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) - to stimulate the
ovaries and testes
* LH (luteinizing hormone) - to stimulate the ovaries
or testes
intermediate lobe:
* melanocyte-stimulating hormone - to control skin pigmentation
posterior lobe:
* ADH (antidiuretic hormone) - to increase absorption
of water into the blood
by the kidneys
* oxytocin - to contract the uterus during childbirth
and stimulate milk production
This content was last reviewed by a University of Maryland Medicine expert
on
May 14, 2003
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: ALL AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDINGS, WRITINGS, COMPILATION, AND OTHER WORKS BY REZA GANJAVI ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT LAWS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
By clicking on these ads you support this website. (We do not endorse these offerings).
