Sugar may be sweeter than we think. Here, surprising truths you haven’t heard about sugar and your sweetener-of-choice.
#1: It Doesn’t Make You Fat
Sugar doesn’t go straight to your thighs, but it may make you eat more. Sugary foods tend to be high-calorie and cause a spike in blood sugar, followed by a sudden drop that can leave you feeling depleted and hungry.
#2: Not All Sugars Are Created Equal
Your body responds to various sugars in slightly different ways.
#3: It May Improve Your Workout
A pre-workout snack that contains dextrose, such as whole-grain toast with peanut butter and honey, might help you go farther or faster.
#4: It Wreaks Havoc on Your Skin
Eating a lot of sugary foods can trigger chronic, low-level inflammation throughout your body, which sends the aging process into overdrive.
#5: Shocking Sugar Fact: It Doesn’t Cause Diabetes
The exact trigger for diabetes isn’t well understood, but genetic and lifestyle factors — such as being overweight and sedentary — appear to play key roles.
#6: You Can Get Addicted to It
A recent study by New Zealand researchers suggests that sugary cereals and baked goods have qualities that are similar to those of addictive drugs.
#7: It Can Make You Catch a Cold
Eating too many sweets can suppress your white blood cells, meaning you’re more susceptible to infectious illnesses like colds and flu
#8: Artificial Sweeteners May Actually Cause Weight Gain
The theory: Because these sweeteners taste like sugar but aren’t the real thing, your body keeps craving it.
#9: Some Sugar Contains Antioxidants
Research in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that dark and blackstrap molasses contain the most antioxidants, followed by honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup
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The difficulty with self-diagnosis is that some symptoms of serious health problems are seemingly innocuous. Here are some signs that women over 40 shouldn’t ignore:
Symptom: Pain and swelling in your calf
Likely cause: Pulled muscle
Worst-case scenario: Blood clot in the legSymptom: Flu-like feelings (fatigue, nausea, sweating, chills)
Likely cause: Virus
Worst-case scenario: Heart attackSymptom: Burning, tingling, or numbness in your feet
Likely cause: A tight-fitting pair of shoes
Worst-case scenario: Prediabetes (elevated blood sugar levels)Symptom: Bloating and pelvic pain
Likely cause: Gastrointestinal bug
Worst-case scenario: Ovarian cancerSymptom: Persistent cough
Likely cause: A cold
Worst-case scenario: Adult-onset asthma, a condition that can worsen as women enter midlifeSymptom: No matter how much you sleep, you don’t feel well-rested
Likely cause: The flu
Worst-case scenario: Sleep disorderSymptom: Trouble finding the right words
Likely cause: Sleep deprivation
Worst-case scenario: StrokeSymptom: A new mole
Likely cause: Harmless skin growth
Worst-case scenario: Skin cancer
Everyone blames stress as the cause for their grey hairs, but research may have proven that it’s linked more to your age than your high pressure job.
“Given that graying hair results from an absence of pigment, it occurred to the scientists that hydrogen peroxide and catalase might play a critical role in the process. Every hair cell makes a little hydrogen peroxide, but over time the amount builds up. The European team discovered that this buildup ended up blocking the normal synthesis of melanin, the natural pigment in hair.
Our hair, it turns out, bleaches itself from the inside out. And by identifying the chemicals involved, researchers may be closer to understanding if the graying is influenced by stress.”
Dr. Marie Savard appeared on “Good Morning America” today to talk about the five vaccinations every adult should have. While important, that is only half of the list compiled by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. Read below for the full list, courtesy of the CDC. Click here for the CDC’s full vaccination chart.
Continue reading for the top five vaccines that we all adults should have.
After the age of 40, a man’s risk of heart disease, cancer and strokes, as well as other health issues, increases. However, research shows that with age, men tend to exercise less, meaning they are more susceptible to these problems. Barack Obama can be a beacon to men who feel they lack the necessary time to get or stay in shape, as he is obviously a very busy man. Read more about Obama’s health regime…
In an attempt to stay young, the Japanese have started eating collagen. Well, collagen-rich foods (like pig’s feet, above). Restaurants have been popping up that bill themselves as “beauty” restaurants, which serve dishes high in collagen. However, some scientists claim that eating collagen has no noticeable effects on aging. Read more…
Getting the flu shot does not make you invincible, according to a recent Group Health study. The study of 3, 500 people found that those who got the vaccine had the same risk of getting pneumonia as those who weren’t vaccinated.
This made researchers question whether the flu shot is as good as it was thought to be or that pneumonia does not stem from the flu.
Scientists have discovered that a popular epilepsy drug can slow and reverse symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. The drug, valproic acid, halts damage to the brain and actually improves memory. Read more…
People are living longer now than ever before. Here are a few surprising signs that you may live longer than you expect:
- Your Mom Had You Young
- You’re a Tea Lover
- You’d Rather Walk
- You Skip Soda (Even Diet)
- You Have Strong Legs
- You Eat Purple Food
- You Were a Healthy-Weight Teen
- You Don’t Like Burgers
- You’ve Been a College Freshman
- You Really Like Your Friends …
- … and They’re Healthy
- You Don’t Have a Housekeeper
- You’re a Flourisher
What ageing really looks like… Marty McFly’s got nothing on this guy, who took a picture of himself every day for 17 years and then streamed it into a two-minute video.
17 Years In 2 Minutes - Watch more free videos
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