As I explained last week, the brain and the body are programmed in a certain way that keeps them interconnected. When their connective mechanics are respected, they function like a clock. It is important to remember they operate according to a biological clock, which is influenced by the brain, the hormones serotonin and melatonin, and systems, which regulate certain functions. The slightest imbalance creates instability in all the systems: sleep and mood get disturbed; the appetite and weight get out of control and obesity sets in; digestive functions become irregular; energy decreases; and the person becomes agitated or energy-depleted. Unless we respect body and brain schedules, needs and lifestyles, our physiological and psychological health gets disrupted, making us lose la joie de vivre, missing on the joys of life. Let us see how to maintain body balance as per Dr Daniel Amen’s seven recommendations.

In Part 1 and 2, I discussed Rule # 1, emphasizing nutrient-dense foods; Rule # 2, drinking plenty of unsweetened water and avoiding caloric drinks; and Rule # 3, eating high-quality lean proteins to make the necessary neurotransmitters for the brain and give the required fuel. Now, I shall go through Rule # 4, which is avoiding high glycemic, refined, low fiber carbohydrates. Let me explain that.

As carbohydrates enter the digestive tract, they turn into sugar (glucose), raising the hormone insulin, which metabolizes it. Refined grains and sugar elevate blood sugar sharply, triggering an equal spike in insulin, leaving the person quite depleted. Hence, they score high on the glycemic index (GI). Because unrefined carbs do not elevate blood sugar or insulin due to their fiber content, they score lower on the GI. The index has a scale of 1 to 100 or more.

All carbs are not the same. Healthier low-glycemic foods rate lower than 55 (whole fruits, vegetables, and grains), maintaining stable blood sugar and insulin. High-glycemic foods above 69 (refined sugar and carbs, starchy veggies) elevate blood sugar, creating an unhealthy cycle. High blood sugar and insulin put stress on the body and brain. A recent study indicates that sugar leaves a gooey substance on the brain similar to Alzheimer’s effect.

When eating, you need to make intelligent choices that feed the brain and body without creating rollercoaster effects that lead to stress, inflammation, obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic syndromes, which result in a cocktail of diseases. That is when your brain is needed to make healthy choices.

To start with, avoid refined sugar and carbs (pasta, white rice and bread), soda and sweetened soft drinks (10-12 lumps of sugar), oversized fruit juices, syrupy pastries, milkshakes, Frappuccinos (close to 700 calories), and large portions of ice cream. Avoid any food or drink that is oversized!

For alternatives, Dr. Amen suggests low calorie, non-starchy vegetables, which are your safest bet. Leafy greens, artichokes, asparagus, cabbage family, celery, squashes, peppers, okra, snow peas, sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplant score only 15 on the GI scale. You can munch and crunch on them all you want. Raw carrots come next, followed by cooked ones and peas. Potatoes (86) and sweet potatoes (70) rate high (frying increases their GI).

Whole fruits vary on the GI due to their different amounts of fructose. The lowest on the index are cherries followed by grapefruit, peaches, apricots, apples, pears, plums, berries, oranges, under-ripe bananas and grapes. Ripe bananas, mangoes, kiwis, raisins, and cantaloupe are of medium GI. Pineapple, watermelon, and dried dates (100) are the highest on the scale.

Whole grains, not overcooked and starchy ones, are reasonable on the scale. Pearled barley (25), pumpernickel bread (41), and quinoa (53) are fine to have, but avoid refined overcooked grains. Toasting whole grain bread (Arabic bread) can lower its GI. Muffins, scones, waffles, pancakes, processed cereals rate high on the scale. Bran cereal (38) and steel-cut oatmeal (52) are acceptable. The way you cook them also determines their GI.

Legumes and nuts are healthy and filling foods to eat and add to meals, sustaining energy and curbing hunger. Nuts provide healthy fatty acids, too. Both rate low on the GI. These include lentils, kidney beans, soya beans, and raw nuts, keeping blood sugar and insulin stable and under control. They can be added to salads, stews, rice and grain side dishes, providing extra proteins and important nutrients. A handful of nuts makes a nourishing, energizing, delicious, and filling snack when mixed with dried apricots, a little dark raisins or a low glycemic fruit. Hummus, yogurt, and eggplant dips are very low on the GI scale (8). High glycemic foods increase appetite, cravings, addictions, and weight as well as the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic syndromes.

As for fresh juices and soda and soft drinks, they should be approached with caution in a brain healthy diet. They contain high amounts of sugar and caffeine. I strongly advise against artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, saccharin) for their long term damaging effects on the brain and health in general. They are neurotoxins. They also cause a backlash by increasing appetite, sugar cravings, and thus weight gain. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in most soft drinks and packaged foods is also harmful to health.

HFCS is not any better than table sugar, if not worse. According to Princeton University researchers, two groups of rats were made to drink the same amounts of calories: one group drank water sweetened with sugar and the other sweetened with HFCS. Those, who were on HFCS, gained more weight, especially around the waist, becoming obese and developing metabolic syndromes after six months.

Most soda and soft drinks and packaged bakery goods are sweetened with HFCS. Pure sugar and HFCS never existed in nature before the age of refinement and processing. Even isolated fructose powder is not recommended. Here is Dr Amen’s advice, “The less sugar in your life the better your life will be. Reach for a banana or apple instead.”

The food and beverage industry loves to fool you with such food label words as sorbitol, maltose, maltodextrin, galactose, and other names for sugar, discouraging you to read. Most processed foods (ketchup, salad dressings, barbecue sauce) contain some form of sugar to please your palate and get you addicted, which leads to weight gain. You should become a smart consumer for your own good!

As for beverages such as tomato juice and skimmed milk (31,32), they are low on the GI scale, which is followed by full fat milk (42). Low fat yogurt is also within this range. Dark chocolate (without cream or milk) is around 25 on the GI scale. Apple juice is 41 and orange is 50 (dilute to reduce calories). Ice-cream is around 65.

Next week, Insh Allah, I will conclude Rule # 4 by discussing the importance of fiber in a healthy nutrition in order to recover the equilibrium of the gut hormones leptin and ghrelin to regulate appetite and control weight gain, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, heart disease, and cancer. According to professor Stephen Bloom (Part 1) of Imperial College, gut hormone disruption leads to overconsumption of refined sugars and carbs and fats, causing inflammation and obesity, which thrive on such imbalances. Body fat secretes inflammatory substances, which provoke disease and premature death.

References:

Use Your Brain to Change your Age, Daniel Amen, M.D.

N.B.:

Individuals with medical conditions or on medication should consult their physicians when they decide to introduce anything new in their diet even if it is natural.

The previous Health Solutions articles are located at www.arabnews.com

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