Dieticians and nutritionists from Manila Doctors Hospital’s (MDH) PROHEALTH Research and Education Center give you the truth about your addictions.
Coffee
• It’s known as a mental stimulant, which keeps us alert after some time.
• It boosts energy levels and prevents sleepiness, as the body releases adrenaline when we take it in.
• It may also help burn calories as it increases the body’s metabolism.
BUT: If you drink more than two cups a day, you may face the following:
PMS. While caffeine can decrease discomfort and that bloated feeling, it can cause a drop in blood sugar, which in effect aggravates PMS.
Cancer. Though there is no concrete evidence that caffeine alone may cause cancer, but if you love to drink coffee and smoke at the same time, then beware. Studies show that doing so may lead to cancer, particularly breast cancer.
Too much caffeine may lead to headaches, sleep problems and anxiety attack and bladder conditions as it acts as a diuretic to the body.
How to deal: If you can’t get rid of your frappes and espressos right away, try lessening your intake each day until you’re used to drinking small amounts or none at all. Substitute coffee for something healthier —nothing could be better than water.
Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate. It boosts your energy, helps sharpen memory, as glucose is the main sugar that feeds our brain cells. If taken moderately, it will help you gain weight.
BUT: This wickedly yummy treat may bring about these negative effects:
Hyperglycemia. A blood-sugar problem caused by too much sugar and improper diet.
Tooth decay. The bacteria in plaque depend on sugars to produce acids, which break down the enamel and start tooth decay.
Headaches and dizziness. Low glucose levels resulting from the severe dip after a high sugar intake tax the brain and cause headaches.
Other symptoms of too much sugar intake are great stress and fatigue, depression, anxiety, lack of mental alertness, and rapid mood swings. It may also delay wound healing, particularly for people with cancer or other disease conditions, as bacteria thrives on sugar as their immediate food source.
How to deal: Always eat your meals on time to prevent craving for sweets. Satisfy your sweet tooth by eating fruits instead.
Junk Food
Chips, packs of salted goodies, are the most convenient food-on-the-go. It is handy to eat or take anywhere, but junk food is precisely that—junk! It’s tasty (especially when it’s in your favorite flavor) but gives us nothing but empty calories (meaning we gain weight but we don’t get any nutrients from it).
BUT Junk food will never give us nutrition that our body needs. Some of its harmful effects are:
• Lack of energy
• Poor concentration
• Heart diseases
• High cholesterol
How to deal: Self-discipline is what you need to be able to swerve away from your junkie-addiction. If you’re really craving for something to munch on, the least you can do is substitute the flavored varieties with the plain-flavored ones, or better yet opt for a bag of popcorn (but not the microwaveable kind). A healthier option? Try crunching on dried or roasted unsalted nuts instead. It gives you the same comfort of chips without causing harm to your body.
Want to know more? Manila Doctors Hospital’s resident nutritionists and dieticians at the PROHEALTH Center offer diet counseling services that are tailor-fit to your lifestyle. They also offer nutrition and disease education on common medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
• PROHEALTH is open from Mondays through Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm and is located at the ground floor of Manila Doctors Hospital, 667 United Nations Ave., Ermita, Manila. You may reach them at these numbers (02) 524-3011 local 4718. For more information, you may visit http://www.maniladoctors.com.ph.
source: interaksyon.com
