PERREAULT Magazine August 2014 | Page 64

Having too little or too much glucose can alter brain function. Having little glucose signals the brain to release adrenaline to the liver, which in turn will turn excess fat into sugar. If you have too much sugar, the brain signals the pancreas to produce insulin, which stimulates cells to uptake glucose for storage. In either case the effects can cause you to be shaky, nervous or fatigued.

An article in the journal Nature, shows that too much sugar (both in the form of natural sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup) not only makes us fat, but it also affects our liver, leaving us susceptible to heart disease, diabetes and impaired brain function. In fact, having high doses of sugar while performing a challenging task, affect your stress hormone levels and impair your memory. Next time you are at home working on something important, think before you binge on some sweets. Your school paper might be affected by it!

WHAT SHOULD I EAT?

Like cocaine, sugars induce a high spike in dopamine. This activates the reward system and it gives you a rush, alters your brain state, and leaves you wanting more to the point of generating an addiction to it. This addiction in turn results in detrimental effects in your body. I am probably somewhat guilty of having a sweet addiction. I can’t help but loving candy, and at times I find myself needing it. I did however find a great solution to my craving that not only it helps me with it, but has beneficial side effects as well. FRUIT CANDY. I adopted the name from a children’s series called Lazy town. The best form of candy sugar, you can have is in fruit. I always have fruit available at my home now, bananas, strawberries, peaches, watermelon, tangerines, apples, you name it. These fruits do not only satisfy my craving, it also provides me with plenty additional nutrients like vitamins and fibers. If you do have a sugar addiction, I highly encourage you to try this.

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