Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Period 3 Blog 4.5 Processed Carbs

Many of you are starting to realize that your current way of eating is slanted more towards the macronutrient of carbohydrates. Even more problematic is that many of us are relying on processed carbohydrates for our meals, especially in the morning. Processed carbohydrates are foods that have had all or most of their natural nutrients and fiber removed in order to make them easier to transport and store. Pretty much anything that can sit on a shelf in a bag or a box for a long time without going bad, is a processed carbohydrate.


Why are processed carbs so bad? It's a complicated process but stick with me and I will try to make it as simple as possible. When eaten, carbohydrates are broken down into sugars and circulated through the blood for the body to use as energy. Processed carbohydrates are already partially broken down so the body converts them to sugar very quickly. Too much sugar in the blood is a bad thing, so your body produces insulin in response to a rise in blood sugar. Insulin's job is to allow glucose to enter cells to be used as energy and to store excess glucose. Constant consumption of processed carbohydrates means rapid elevation of blood sugar levels followed by a rapid release of insulin to lower the blood sugar quickly. This sequence of unstable blood sugar levels leads to a condition called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. In response to this your body craves food, especially sugar and the process repeats itself creating this vicious cycle that can eventually lead to any number of metabolic diseases.

This process created in part by the over consumption of process foods has lead to an increase in type 2 diabetes in our generation. This blog is a little bit longer and I will give you two weeks to complete it. It will count as a summative assessment towards your fourth quarter grade. I want you to spend some time reading up on type 2 diabetes and in your own words and in no more than two paragraphs, explain to me;

1. What is type 2 diabetes?
2. Why it is a concern to your generation?

Period 6 Blog 4.5 Processed Carbs

Many of you are starting to realize that your current way of eating is slanted more towards the macronutrient of carbohydrates. Even more problematic is that many of us are relying on processed carbohydrates for our meals, especially in the morning. Processed carbohydrates are foods that have had all or most of their natural nutrients and fiber removed in order to make them easier to transport and store. Pretty much anything that can sit on a shelf in a bag or a box for a long time without going bad, is a processed carbohydrate.


Why are processed carbs so bad? It's a complicated process but stick with me and I will try to make it as simple as possible. When eaten, carbohydrates are broken down into sugars and circulated through the blood for the body to use as energy. Processed carbohydrates are already partially broken down so the body converts them to sugar very quickly. Too much sugar in the blood is a bad thing, so your body produces insulin in response to a rise in blood sugar. Insulin's job is to allow glucose to enter cells to be used as energy and to store excess glucose. Constant consumption of processed carbohydrates means rapid elevation of blood sugar levels followed by a rapid release of insulin to lower the blood sugar quickly. This sequence of unstable blood sugar levels leads to a condition called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. In response to this your body craves food, especially sugar and the process repeats itself creating this vicious cycle that can eventually lead to any number of metabolic diseases.

This process created in part by the over consumption of process foods has lead to an increase in type 2 diabetes in our generation. This blog is a little bit longer and I will give you two weeks to complete it. It will count as a summative assessment towards your fourth quarter grade. I want you to spend some time reading up on type 2 diabetes and in your own words and in no more than two paragraphs, explain to me;

1. What is type 2 diabetes?

2. Why it is a concern to your generation?

Period 7 Blog 4.5 Processed Carbs

Many of you are starting to realize that your current way of eating is slanted more towards the macronutrient of carbohydrates. Even more problematic is that many of us are relying on processed carbohydrates for our meals, especially in the morning. Processed carbohydrates are foods that have had all or most of their natural nutrients and fiber removed in order to make them easier to transport and store. Pretty much anything that can sit on a shelf in a bag or a box for a long time without going bad, is a processed carbohydrate.



Why are processed carbs so bad? It's a complicated process but stick with me and I will try to make it as simple as possible. When eaten, carbohydrates are broken down into sugars and circulated through the blood for the body to use as energy. Processed carbohydrates are already partially broken down so the body converts them to sugar very quickly. Too much sugar in the blood is a bad thing, so your body produces insulin in response to a rise in blood sugar. Insulin's job is to allow glucose to enter cells to be used as energy and to store excess glucose. Constant consumption of processed carbohydrates means rapid elevation of blood sugar levels followed by a rapid release of insulin to lower the blood sugar quickly. This sequence of unstable blood sugar levels leads to a condition called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. In response to this your body craves food, especially sugar and the process repeats itself creating this vicious cycle that can eventually lead to any number of metabolic diseases.


This process created in part by the over consumption of process foods has lead to an increase in type 2 diabetes in our generation. This blog is a little bit longer and I will give you two weeks to complete it. It will count as a summative assessment towards your fourth quarter grade. I want you to spend some time reading up on type 2 diabetes and in your own words and in no more than two paragraphs, explain to me;


1. What is type 2 diabetes?


2. Why it is a concern to your generation?

Period 8 Blog 4.5 Processed Carbohydrates and You

Many of you are starting to realize that your current way of eating is slanted more towards the macronutrient of carbohydrates. Even more problematic is that many of us are relying on processed carbohydrates for our meals, especially in the morning. Processed carbohydrates are foods that have had all or most of their natural nutrients and fiber removed in order to make them easier to transport and store. Pretty much anything that can sit on a shelf in a bag or a box for a long time without going bad, is a processed carbohydrate.

Why are processed carbs so bad? It's a complicated process but stick with me and I will try to make it as simple as possible. When eaten, carbohydrates are broken down into sugars and circulated through the blood for the body to use as energy. Processed carbohydrates are already partially broken down so the body converts them to sugar very quickly. Too much sugar in the blood is a bad thing, so your body produces insulin in response to a rise in blood sugar. Insulin's job is to allow glucose to enter cells to be used as energy and to store excess glucose. Constant consumption of processed carbohydrates means rapid elevation of blood sugar levels followed by a rapid release of insulin to lower the blood sugar quickly. This sequence of unstable blood sugar levels leads to a condition called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. In response to this your body craves food, especially sugar and the process repeats itself creating this vicious cycle that can eventually lead to any number of metabolic diseases.

This process created in part by the over consumption of process foods has lead to an increase in type 2 diabetes in our generation.  This blog is a little bit longer and I will give you two weeks to complete it.  It will count as a summative assessment towards your fourth quarter grade.  I want you to spend some time reading up on type 2 diabetes and in your own words and in no more than two paragraphs,  explain to me;
1. What is type 2 diabetes?

2. Why it is a concern to your generation?

Monday, May 3, 2010

Period 3 Blog 4.4 Macronutrients

There are three Macronutrients that your body needs to get from food for energy and for survival. They are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Everything that you eat falls into one of these three categories. Your body needs all three. In order to optimize energy levels and health it is important to get all three in each meal that you eat.

Common sources of carbohydrates - starchy foods (like grain, bread, cereals and potatoes), fruits, milk, and yogurt. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and cottage cheese contain carbohydrates, but in lesser amounts.

Common Sources of proteins meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.

Common Sources of fat meat, poultry, nuts, milk products, butters and margarines, oils, lard, olive oil, avocados, nuts, and coconut oil.


After looking over your nutritional habits from the last blog, it obvious that many of us are well fueled with carbohydrates. Some of us are getting a little bit of protein and very few of us eat much fat at all. For this week blog I want you to look back at your three meal from last blog. Look at the meals you ate and see if there is a carbohydrate source, a fat source, and a protein source for each meal. Let me know if you are deficient and where.

Period 6 Blog 4.4 Macronutrients

There are three Macronutrients that your body needs to get from food for energy and for survival. They are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Everything that you eat falls into one of these three categories. Your body needs all three. In order to optimize energy levels and health it is important to get all three in each meal that you eat.

Common sources of carbohydrates - starchy foods (like grain, bread, cereals and potatoes), fruits, milk, and yogurt. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and cottage cheese contain carbohydrates, but in lesser amounts.

Common Sources of proteins meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.

Common Sources of fat meat, poultry, nuts, milk products, butters and margarines, oils, lard, olive oil, avocados, nuts, and coconut oil.


After looking over your nutritional habits from the last blog, it obvious that many of us are well fueled with carbohydrates. Some of us are getting a little bit of protein and very few of us eat much fat at all. For this week blog I want you to look back at your three meal from last blog. Look at the meals you ate and see if there is a carbohydrate source, a fat source, and a protein source for each meal. Let me know if you are deficient and where.

Period 8 Blog 4.4 Macronutrients

There are three Macronutrients that your body needs to get from food for energy and for survival. They are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Everything that you eat falls into one of these three categories. Your body needs all three. In order to optimize energy levels and health it is important to get all three in each meal that you eat.

Common sources of carbohydrates - starchy foods (like grain, bread, cereals and potatoes), fruits, milk, and yogurt. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and cottage cheese contain carbohydrates, but in lesser amounts.

Common Sources of proteins meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.

Common Sources of fat meat, poultry, nuts, milk products, butters and margarines, oils, lard, olive oil, avocados, nuts, and coconut oil.


After looking over your nutritional habits from the last blog, it obvious that many of us are well fueled with carbohydrates. Some of us are getting a little bit of protein and very few of us eat much fat at all. For this week blog I want you to look back at your three meal from last blog. Look at the meals you ate and see if there is a carbohydrate source, a fat source, and a protein source for each meal. Let me know if you are deficient and where.

Period 7 Blog 4.4 Macronutrients

There are three Macronutrients that your body needs to get from food for energy and for survival. They are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Everything that you eat falls into one of these three categories. Your body needs all three. In order to optimize energy levels and health it is important to get all three in each meal that you eat.

Common sources of carbohydrates - starchy foods (like grain, bread, cereals and potatoes), fruits, milk, and yogurt. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and cottage cheese contain carbohydrates, but in lesser amounts.

Common Sources of proteins meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.

Common Sources of fat meat, poultry, nuts, milk products, butters and margarines, oils, lard, olive oil, avocados, nuts, and coconut oil.


After looking over your nutritional habits from the last blog, it obvious that many of us are well fueled with carbohydrates. Some of us are getting a little bit of protein and very few of us eat much fat at all. For this week blog I want you to look back at your three meal from last blog. Look at the meals you ate and see if there is a carbohydrate source, a fat source, and a protein source for each meal. Let me know if you are deficient and where.