Carbohydrates: The Facts About Starches & Sugars by Shelton C.D

Author:Shelton, C.D. [Shelton, C.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Choice PH
Published: 2013-03-05T18:30:00+00:00

Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain that has a variety of functions. One of the most important functions is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system. A number of releasing factors from the hypothalamus influence the master gland of our body, the pituitary. The hypothalamus controls a number of fundamental metabolic functions including the following:

*Body temperature

*Aspects of parenting

*Attachment behavior

*Thirst

*Fatigue

*Sleep

*Circadian cycles

HUNGER

The hypothalamus helps us establish a “set” point. This set point helps us maintain our weight at a certain level. It is influenced by two hormones leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is produced by fat cells. It’s role is to inform the hypothalamus that the body has adequate food and would tend to inhibit eating. Ghrelin is produced in a number of body locations including the lining of the stomach. Ghrelin influences the hypothalamus to produce hunger pangs. It creates appetite.

It would be nice if we could flip some brain switch that kept leptin as our only hormone that influenced hunger. But the truth of the matter is there is a continual battle waged between leptin and ghrelin as to which hormone will win influence over the hypothalamus and either we feel hunger or we feel satiated.

The foods we eat can increase or decrease the effects of leptin and ghrelin. For example fructose, found in high fructose corn syrup and found in most soft drinks can cause your sensors in the hypothalamus to not respond to leptin. That’s because many of these processed foods we see in our diet today are “imposter” foods and the body does not recognize them as real food. So leptin is not produced to slow down the appetite.

The answer is simple, EAT REAL FOODS! Foods like nuts, vegetables, whole grains, and lean animal protein. Your brain will issue an order…”STOP EATING”…this one’s had enough, at this point the body will be responding to an elevated serotonin level. That’s what eating causes, the release of the “feel good hormone’ serotonin. There are some tricks your body will respond to and release serotonin. They are:

*Chew a stick of sugarless gum (within a few minutes your serotonin level will rise by 30%). This information was released by a recent Japanese study.

*Try eating a banana, one a day, it will stimulate your body to produce more serotonin.

*In general, foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan will stimulate the production of serotonin. The presence of serotonin will help curb your appetite. The amino acid tryptophan is converted directly into this brain hormone.

Foods rich in Tryptophan

1) Cottage Cheese (use non-fat)

2) Dairy Products (use non-fat dairy)

3) Yogurt (use non-fat)

4) Cheese (use low-fat)

5) Asparagus (use steamed)

Weight Determined by Sibling Order?

A new study finding was recently released about being overweight. The study looked at sibling order, the researchers found:

*That boys and girls who were only children were 44% more likely to be overweight.

*They also found the youngest sibling in a family of several children was more likely to be overweight.

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