Think of your body as a machine. By definition a machine is ”an assembly of interconnected components arranged to transmit or modify force in order to perform useful work”. The human body as a machine is a constant work in progress that is being rebuilt every day regardless of origin or age of the model. If we use the analogy of the human body as a gasoline powered vehicle we can begin to understand that we are maintaining it either as a slow moving gas guzzler with chronic mechanical problems or as a fuel efficient, well maintained system of transportation.
If we compare food to fuel we know that performance is enhanced by the quality and the purity of the fuel we ingest. Engines that are run on high octane fuel are able to control the manner in which the engine burns its energy source, the less octane a fuel has the less controlled it burns leading to decreased performance (fatigue), increased wear (aging), and damage to the engine (disease).
Car enthusiasts know that if you leave a vehicle too long without driving it the bearings will seize up, the fuel can oxidize which reduces performance, and the batteries will eventually lose their charge. The human body as a machine must be exercised daily to keep synovial fluids lubricating the joints, the skeletal muscles and heart must be worked regularly to maintain their fitness, and high quality food must be ingested to provide necessary energy for efficiency and proper function of the entire system.
All analogies aside, as you maintain your body on a daily basis you have choices to make that influence energy and long term health outcomes. It’s really simple once you understand the mechanical processes.The human body is, by design, a machine that runs best on pure ingredients with little or no refining or processing. Unrefined and unprocessed ingredients are referred to as “whole” foods while “refined carbohydrates” refer to grains or fruit which have had nutrients and fiber removed to make flour and sugar. Highly processed and refined carbohydrate products include bread and pasta, all flours (even gluten free), corn syrup, white sugar, and other manufactured sweeteners.
The problem with refined carbohydrates is that they are not able to be metabolized for immediate use as energy and instead are stored by the body in fat cells. Processed products have detrimental effects on every system of the human machine. Fruit juices, sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and flours are particularly harmful as they immediately spike blood glucose when ingested, creating a dramatic sugar “high” followed by an energy crash. This cycle is dangerous when experienced daily because continuous fluctuations in blood glucose eventually leads to metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, non alcoholic fatty liver (visceral fat), kidney disease, and obesity. New research in Alzheimer’s Disease and also what is generally known as dementia (now known as Type 3 diabetes) has been linked to insulin resistance and metabolic disease.
The human brain relies on whole foods to function properly, if you eat lots of refined carbohydrates and other processed foods eventually plaque deposits in the brain and damages neural pathways disrupting normal cognition (thought processes). Excessive fat storage in the body can also lead to hormone imbalance and chemical toxicity as fat cells are a warehouse for excess hormones and harmful toxins. The greater amount of fat stored in the body the more unhealthy cravings for refined carbohydrates as your fat cells literally send signals to the brain to eat more sugar, even if the belly is full.
In contrast, after eating a meal of whole foods like vegetables, unprocessed fruit, nuts, whole grains and healthy fats the human body feels satiated, it acquires sustainable energy, and it is able to burn fuel efficiently. Whole food diets also provide all the vitamin, mineral, fat, and protein requirements without unnecessary fat storage or fluctuations in blood glucose.
You are what you eat, so think about how you want your machine to run the next time you choose a meal or snack.
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