Preventing health risks in future

MEKENZIE MCCANN H/S Editor

Did you know that the food you eat actually affects your brain and your body? According to Kaiser Permanente, “healthy eating is essential for memory, mood, and focus - the brain uses more than 20% of our [body’s] caloric needs.”

However, “many foods commonly consumed in the American diet contain[s] processed grains, high levels of refined sugars, salad, processed oils and fats, chemical additives, and preservatives, many of which are harmful to both our brain and body,” says Kaiser Permanente Drinks such as sodas, sports drinks, fruit juice, and specialty coffee beverages, “often contain high fructose corn syrup, with a high glycemic index. This means that the sugar is rapidly absorbed by the gut, causing the body to produce a surge of insulin,” according to Kaiser Permanente.

Kaiser Permanente also states that most of the sugars that we eat “are not used immediately by the body as fuel, but instead are stored as glycogen or converted into body fat. Repeated consumption of excessive sugars can contribute to obesity and, over time, the body may lose its ability to produce enough insulin, leading to diabetes.”

Also, the excess sugar in the body’s bloodstream “interacts with proteins to form harmful compounds known as AGE’s, or advanced glycation end products, that contribute to inflammation of blood vessels and other body tissues. Over time chronic inflammation leads to cardiovascular disease, stroke,