Tuesday's Table For Two - God and You: You Are What You Eat

"Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body."

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20

Of course, we've all heard this before: "You are what you eat." And it is true - what we eat plays a huge role in how we feel, how we look, even how we act.  But, what are some of the things we consume specifically doing to our bodies?

Let's take a look at what I like to call the 3 S's to avoid:  
Sugar, Saturated Fats, Sodium.

Sugar can suppress the immune system and contribute to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.  Because the chemical structure of glucose is similar to vitamin C, it actually competes to enter your cells, slowing your immune system down to a crawl.

Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.  Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.

Sugar can contribute to breast cancer by causing a quick increase in insulin levels.  High insulin levels are one of the biggest risk factors and promoters of breast cancer. Women with high insulin levels have a 283 percent greater risk of breast cancer.

Sugar can cause varicose veins due to slowing of blood circulation.  Too much sugar can fill your blood with fat.  Your body can't metabolize a sweet snack as fast as you can eat it.  So your liver puts some of the snack's glucose into your bloodstream or stores it for later use.  But, if your liver's tank is full, it converts the excess to fat.

Sugar can change the structure of protein causing interference with protein absorption.

Sugar can contribute to type 2 diabetes.  Diabetes means your body can't clear glucose from your blood.   The negative effect of eating a lot of sugar is a rise in glucose.  When glucose isn't processed quickly enough, it destroys tissue.

Sugar can cause damage to the blood-filtering units of the kidneys that keep protein inside the body.  Your body needs this protein to stay healthy.

Saturated Fats – The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fats to 16 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Saturated fat is one of the biggest causes of cardiovascular disease.

Saturated fat raises the level of cholesterol in your blood.  High levels of blood cholesterol increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Sodium – The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that healthy adults eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.  This amount of sodium is equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt.

Sodium can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart and vascular problems, stroke, and kidney disease.

Sodium can cause water retention, which is actually sodium ions trapped under the skin.

It pays to educate yourself. Read labels, search the internet, find out if the food you're eating is lining up with your health goals.  You are what you eat!  If you want to be healthy, you have to eat healthy.