The Glycemic Index

Whatever healthy eating or diet program you’ve taken an interest in, if it works, it has one common denominator – low glycemic food.  In other words, sugar is the enemy here.  More specifically, the enemy is any food that raises your insulin levels.  This, by definition is the glycemic index.  While I may discuss this in terms of diet and weight gain, please understand that weight gain is merely a symptom or side effect of poor health as a result of poor lifestyle!  Understanding the glycemic index and maintaining your insulin levels is a fundamental component of health.

How does this work?  High glycemic foods are foods that are high in carbohydrate or sugar and also low in fiber.  These sugars and chains of sugars a.k.a. starches (breads, chips, pastas, cereals, potatoes) cause a spike of sugar in your blood.  This sugar has to be removed from the blood so that it doesn’t overload the glucose to the brain and other tissues.  Insulin is released to move this sugar from the blood and into your muscles.  If you are physically active or exercising enough, your muscles will use this sugar for energy and life is good.  If you are inactive and the muscles do not need this fuel, the insulin will pass the sugar to the liver where it will be converted to cholesterol and fat.  Over time, this storage system ultimately results in heart disease and weight gain.  And it doesn’t end there!  When you take in a dose of high sugar and the resulting high blood sugar causes a spike of high insulin to be released, the blood sugar is moved from the blood and into the tissue.  This drop in blood sugar will make you feel hungry.  What do you usually crave when you’re hungry from a drop in blood sugar?  More carbs and sugar!  Thus the insulin roller-coaster keeps on keeping on.  Regardless of your weight, you need to understand this process and how it is quintessential to health.  Please get yourself a chart of high/low glycemic foods and eat primarily off the low glycemic chart.  If you need this chart, email me at rivertownchiro@gmail.net and we will be happy to provide one for you!