Wow! American Heart Association issues first-ever guidelines for daily added sugar

I saw this article on www.cnn.com today and I celebrated! Here are some of the important points:

"If you're like most Americans, you will consume 22 teaspoons of added sugar today. Now, the American Heart Association would like you to cut back dramatically.

For the first time, the group has issued guidelines that say women should consume no more then 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar daily, and men no more than 9 teaspoons (37.5 grams)."

I have talked about added sugars versus natural sugars with you guys before. Natural sugars are the good guys and these are not to be limited to 6-9 teaspoons per day! Limit the crappy, added sugars that fill you up with empty calories taking the place of nutrient rich calories that you could be eating instead.

"Some of the most common added sugars are corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, sucrose, and syrup.

In contrast, the most common naturally occurring sugars are fructose and lactose, found in fruit and dairy products, respectively. Foods with naturally occurring sugars deliver nutrients while still satisfying our craving for sweetness. For example, fruits have essential vitamins and minerals as well as protective agents known as phytonutrients, such as carotenoids and polyphenols; dairy products contain calcium, protein, vitamin D, and more."

So look at what you eat with a close eye. Added sugar is associated with heart disease risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure and high levels of triglycerides. Limit processed foods, sodas and fruit drinks. Opt for as many fresh, whole, unpackaged, and unprocessed foods as you can, such as fruits (100% fruit juices), veggies, grains, nuts, and seeds.
"Elisa Zied, a registered dietitian and ADA spokesperson, says staying away from heavily refined foods means 'you'll not only save yourself from too much sugar, but you'll also reduce the risk of overloading on sodium and fat and calories in general.' "

Moving = Crosstraining

For the last two-three weeks I have done very little else besides move in to our new house across town. With the military moving us, a move can be a little bit tiring, but we moved ourselves for the first time in 15 years. Holy exhaustion! It was smart for me to stay out of the gym since each day has been like a boot camp workout. Climbing and descending stairs in the rental house, loading the truck, climbing and descending stairs in the new house; my body was drained and I slept like a baby!

As the move approached, I was kind of concerned with how my muscles would feel since I just hit that big forty landmark. I was preparing myself for a really sore and achy body. I was pleasantly suprised that, although I felt heavy and thoroughly tired at the end of each day, nothing was sore including my lower back. Hooray! I feel like all of my exercising and eating well paid off when it was put to the test, day after day, in this long and grueling event. I am so grateful for my healthy body that can move heavy objects with little recovery time. I feel like I was a real contributor when it came to hauling the furniture; we didn't have to always wait for one of Brian's buddies to come help so things ended up getting done faster. I was proud of my strength and proud that it accomplished something other than lifting dumbbells in the gym.

So I guess this is kind of a bragging post from me but it is important for you to realize that (1) not all workouts are found in the gym and (2) your strength and power will carry you through life, allowing you to take part in more activities and accomplish more goals. Continuing to take care of your body as you age prolongs your youth and energy. There is nothing more important than maintaining the vessel that carries you along your way.