Refined Flour and Baked Goods
Refined Flour is any type of flour that has had their germ or bran removed. This yields white flour that is devoid of all naturally present nutrients. The list of nutrients lost in the processing of grains is enormous and includes B vitamins, many minerals, fibre, essential fatty acids and other vitamins.
The body must rely on nutrients present in other foods or rob its own stores of nutrients to be able to digest, assimilate and utilise refined flour.
Regular consumption of products containing refined flour will play havoc on blood sugar regulation. The refined flour is quickly broken down into sugar, which causes a rapid increase in blood sugar.
The body responds to high blood sugar by secreting insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels. Often the large amount of insulin released causes the blood sugar to fall too low. A reaction called reactive hypoglycaemia. If this happens on a regular basis a ricochet effect of high blood sugar and low blood sugar begins to occur, leading to insulin resistance and a pre diabetic state.
Some causes of Disease
Bran: The hard outer layer, containing fiber, minerals and antioxidants.
Germ: The nutrient-rich core, containing carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant compounds.
Endosperm: The middle layer, containing mostly carbs and small amounts of protein.
(Image from SkinnyChef).
The bran and germ are the most nutritious parts of whole grains.
They contain high amounts of many nutrients, such as fiber, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and selenium.
Hydrogenated Fats
The presence of hydrogenated fats in almost every commercially prepared baked food is a major health concerns. Hydrogenated fats are full of trans fats – which is a type of man made fat that has been linked with an increased risk of cancer, coronary heart disease, increased pain and inflammation (expand on the affects of inflammation and the damage caused to the body) and an inability to properly metabolise essential fatty acids (these will be covered later)
The regular use of refined flour or baked goods can have a strong impact on your brain chemistry. Refined sugars, flours, and baked goods, and other substances such as candy and other sweets, alcohol and certain drugs, will interfere with the receptors in the brain for neurotransmitter.
The brain identifies that the receptor for a certain neurotransmitter is already filled, so it reduces the amount of neurotransmitters it produces. As the levels of neurotransmitters drop, you begin to crave alcohol or refined sugars to fill newly emptied receptors in the brain.
At this point you will begin to experience mood swings and even more intense craving for alcohol or refined sugars.
Craving of refined flours is often a sign of wheat sensitivity and allergy.
There are ways to naturally correct these imbalances which will be addressed in a future episode.
Some Good Carbohydrate
Eating a lot of refined carbs can have many negative health effects. However, not all carbs are bad.
Some carbohydrate-rich, whole foods are extremely healthy. These are great sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals and various beneficial plant compounds.
Healthy carb-rich foods include vegetables, fruit, legumes, root vegetables and whole grains, such as oats and barley.
Unless you are following a carb-restricted diet, there is absolutely NO reason to avoid these foods just because they contain carbs.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common non-communicable disease in Guyana. The main causes of the increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases are modifiable risk factors (e.g. obesity, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, unhealthy dietary patterns) and non-modifiable risk factors (e.g. age and genetics).
Among Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, CVD is the primary cause of death. Some of the risk factors includes obesity, smoking, alcohol, physical activity and diet in Guyana.
Over the next few weeks I would be discussing some of these issues that are plaguing our society. I will also be discussing preventative measures to keep you and your family healthy.
I would like to start by addressing one of the main problems in our society todayl
Cardiovascular Disease is ultimately a result of inflammation from fatty material and other substances forming a build-up of plaque that accumulates within the walls of your arteries. Because these arteries have the crucial role of bringing blood and oxygen to your heart, reduced blood flow can slow down or stop your heartbeat, causing “cardiac arrest.”
For this reason, medical professionals use a combination of lifestyle changes, medicines and medical procedures to slow, stop or reverse the build-up of plaque. This can help lower the risk of blood clots forming and a heart attack taking place because it widens clogged arteries.
What are some risk factors for developing coronary heart disease?
High amounts of free radical damage (also called oxidative stress) and low antioxidant levels in the body. When antioxidant levels are lower than those of free radicals due to poor nutrition and other lifestyle factors, oxidation wreaks havoc in the body — damaging cells, breaking down tissue, mutating DNA and overloading the immune system.
Being a male, since men develop CHD more other than women (although it affects both sexes)
Being over the age of 65
High consumption of alcohol
Smoking
Eating a poor diet with unhealthy fats and processed foods
Family history of coronary heart disease, stroke or peripheral arterial disease
Menopause in women
Having high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol levels
Lack of physical activity or exercise
Obesity
Sleep deprivation
Exposure to environmental pollutants and toxic chemicals
Next time we will begin to cover some of the issues associated with CVD!!
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