healthy organs – The Skinny Gene Project https://www.skinnygeneproject.org Educate. Empower. Prevent Diabetes Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:48:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 133158330 Healthy From the Inside Out https://www.skinnygeneproject.org/healthy-from-inside-out/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=healthy-from-inside-out https://www.skinnygeneproject.org/healthy-from-inside-out/#respond Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:48:49 +0000 http://skinnygeneproject.dreamhosters.com/?p=1716 Read More]]> Quick… when I say “food,” what is the first organ in your body that you think of?

If you’re like most, the first organ to come to mind is the stomach.  Which would make sense, because we generally think about food, in relation to our body, when we are hungry or full.

Well, here’s some food for thought…. When we feed our bodies, the biggest user of the nutrients we consume is – our brain!  

In fact, your brain cells needs 2x the amount of fuel (from food) than the other cells and organs in the body. And it’s preferred form of fuel is sugar.  Now, before you start scarfing down buckets of Halloween candy, please know that your brain does not believe all carbs (sugar) are equal.   

The brain knows what it wants – sugar from fruits, dairy, and complex carbohydrates, and when it wants it.  When you eat complex carbohydrates, it helps your brain avoid a “sugar rush”, because the sugar (glucose) is slowly released into the bloodstream. This makes it easier for the brain to regulate its own sugar supply and receive the right amount of sugar, right when it’s needed.

 

BEING HEALTHY FROM THE INSIDE OUT

True health comes from the inside out. Just like the brain, our other organs also require  nutrients to be healthy; and organ health is vital to our overall health and well being.

When it comes to being healthy, outward appearances (i.e weight) matter less than what is happening on the inside.

CONSIDER THIS… A person can be considered “thin” on the outside, but in actuality have a great deal of internal fat surrounding vital organs like the heart, liver or pancreas. This fat is invisible to the naked eye, but it could be as dangerous as the more obvious external fat that bulges underneath the skin.

 

Where weight is a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity; the foods we put in our bodies become a reflection of our health.

 

If we fail to provide our bodies with the right foods, in the right amount, then over time we give our bodies little choice but to begin failing us. When the health of our organs starts to decline, so can our quality of life. Which is why, it is so important to strive to eat well, so we can be healthy, from the inside out.

Below are a few examples of how eating too much, too little, or the right amount of these foods and nutrients can affect organ health.

Too Much:

Cholesterol, saturated fat – clogs the heart and it’s channels

Sodium (salt) – increases blood pressure and stresses the heart and kidneys

Simple sugars – burn out the pancreas

Protein – can lead to dehydration, stress on kidneys, and result in weight gain

 

Too Little:

Vitamin D and Calcium – weak bones

Iron – low energy level, lowered immune system

 

 The Right Amount:

Essential fatty acids – protect the heart and decreases inflammation (i.e. arthritis)

Dairy – reduces fat around the belly, resulting in additional protection of the heart

Fruits and vegetables – keep your liver and other cells healthy, reducing risk of cancers

Fiber – reduces the risk of colon cancer and type 2 diabetes

Complex carbohydrates – fuel the brain

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