You should get at least 7 hours of deep restorative sleep per night. Research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows women average just 6.3 hours of sleep per night and men sleep only 5.6 hours. In Food Sanity, I share why we’ve become so sleep deprived and give tips on how to achieve 7 to 8 hours of deep restorative sleep.
Step 3: Avoid Obesogens
While food consumption is the main focus of most diet plans, they fail to address the chemicals we’re exposed to everyday, which play a major part in the obesity epidemic. Called obesogens, or ‘endocrine disruptors,’ these chemical compounds increase the fat cells you have, decrease the calories you burn, and alter the way your body manages hunger. Obesogens also cause the liver to become insulin resistant. When this happens, the body must produce more insulin to store energy, which leads to increased fat storage. It’s a vicious cycle.
While many dieters avoid fattening, sugar-laden, and processed foods, it’s also important to be aware of the obesogens hiding inside and around your food. This includes chemicals injected into our livestock and sprayed on our fruits and veggies. Obesogens are also found in food wraps, plastic containers, canned foods, non-stick pans, plastic bottles, and grocery store receipts. Even the flame retardant chemicals inside couch cushions are obesogens! Yes, your couch could actually be one of the reasons you are struggling with your weight. This puts a totally new spin on the phrase, “couch potato.” Knowledge is power and by paying attention to labels and how your food is grown, raised, and packaged, you can live a healthier and leaner life.”
Fruit has gotten a bad rap because it contains sugar. What’s your opinion?
“Fruit contains sugar (known as fructose) and many health advocates are recommending people totally eliminate it from their diet. They believe that fruit creates a sugar overload, which can lead to obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. In my opinion, that’s taking things way too far. Fruit is an important part of the diet. Yes, it is true that fruit contains sugar, but so do vegetables. One cup of sweet potatoes contains 6 grams of sugar yet it’s the perfect food option for diabetics. One stalk of broccoli contains 2.6 grams of sugar. The reason eating sweet potatoes and broccoli won’t spike your blood sugar is because they contain a lot of fiber, which buffers out the sugar content. When deciding which fruit to eat, it’s important to look at the glycemic index (GI). A glycemic index measures how the fruit you eat will affect your blood sugar levels. The best way to keep your blood sugar in balance is to eat fruits that have higher fiber content and a lower GI.
Instead of reaching for grapes and bananas, opt for fruits high in fiber that have a lower GI, like apples and blueberries.