The Effects of Sugar on Your Brain

Have you ever wondered why you can eat one taste of a sweet, and all the sudden, you need more? In this video, Nicole AVena does a great job of showing you why.

When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or nicotine -- an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more.


You can start today by taking these simple steps to minimize your sugar intake (listed in order of importance):

1. Soft drinks: Sugar-sweetened and Artificially sweetened beverages are simply not good for you and should be avoided.
2. Fruit juices: This may surprise you, but fruit juices are high in sugars, sometimes as much as a soft drink! Dilute juices with water when drinking them.
3. Candies and sweets
4. Baked goods: Cookies, cakes, etc. These tend to be very high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
5. Fruits canned in syrup: Choose fresh fruits instead.
6. Low-Fat or Diet Foods: Foods that have had the fat removed from them are often very high in sugar.
7. Dried fruits: Avoid dried fruits as much as possible.
8. Drink water instead of soda or juices and don’t add sugar to your coffee or tea. Instead of sugar in recipes, you can try things like stevia, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract, vanilla, ginger or lemon.

You can eat an endless variety of amazing foods without increasing your sugar intake.

Weight Loss Series - Step 1: Understand the Problem

Understanding The Problem

The first step to understanding how to lose weight begins with understanding the problem. One of the challenges with long term weight concerns is Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome. Syndrome X. It is the existence of at least two of the following:

• Central Obesity. Here we are referring to that weight gain around the middle. This is the most dangerous place to gain and carry weight as it has been determined to cause heart problems and predisposes us to diabetes.
• Insulin Resistance
• High Cholesterol
• High Blood Pressure

We call this Syndrome X because these issues are linked together. For example if you have central weight gain, you are most likely pre-diabetic.

In 2005, people with diabetes were estimated to account for 7% of the US population, or approximately 20.8 million people.3 Of these 20.8 million people, 14.6 million have a diagnosis of diabetes, and diabetes is undiagnosed in another 6.2 million. Approximately 5-10% have type 1 diabetes, 90-95% have type 2 diabetes, and 1-5% have other types. Additionally, an estimated 54 million people have pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes, as defined by the American Diabetes Association, is that state in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It is presumed that most persons with elevated glucose levels approaching the level needed for the diagnosis of diabetes will subsequently progress to diabetes.

Where are we  headed?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that because of this  epidemic our current generation is the first one in history predicted to have a shorter life expectancy than the previous generation.This is true! And scary! But what can be done? Help is available with sound proven, medically supervised protocols. 

For more information contact Advanced Health Clinic