This month I’d like to cover the topic of chromium. Chromium is a trace element necessary in small amounts for the human body and its biochemical processes.
Chromium was found to be lacking in the American diet as early as the late 1970’s. The ever growing list of manufactured ‘foods’, refined ‘foods’, junk ‘foods’, fast ‘foods’, alongside the ever expanding companies providing ‘soft’ drinks, energy drinks, flavored waters, coffee houses/bars, and so forth all contribute to the mass deficiency of chromium.
The refining process that takes place in the production of the above, alongside the high doses of sugar, making both food and drink ‘hyperpalatable’ (as in sending off a cascade of biochemical processes within the brain and raising the endorphin level both quickly and to the point the individual ‘can’t eat just one’, or stay away from drinks loaded with caffeine and/or sugar), robs the human body of chromium, zinc, magnesium, and B Vitamins to mention just a few of the vital resources that are affected by the process of refinement.
Maintaining a habit of consumption of these type of foods will eventually lead to nutritional deficiencies, for some more quickly than others, depending on the food and/or drink of choice and how often it is consumed.
Studies found children suffering from both hyper and hypo-glycemia were both relieved of symptoms by taking oral doses of chromium. Perhaps, one of the greatest challenges of our time is keeping excess sugar out of our children’s diets.
Both chromium and zinc are needed by the body to prevent many diseases, particularly concerning is the link found between heart attacks and hardening of the arteries, as the American diet is currently found to be 80% refined foods. Shocking, right? Chromium and zinc are lost in the refining process and unless the lack is made up somewhere else that the body can actually assimilate, one will evenly become deficient.
You see, chromium is an essential element in the human body and plays a major role when combining insulin and the cellular membrane, it allows glucose to move cross the membranes. Why is this important? When chromium and insulin are lacking, glucoses effectiveness to transport from the blood into the body’s cells is greatly diminished… and this is when the first signs of diabetes appears.
“Today, in the United States, diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the nation, accounting for more than 80,000 deaths every year. It also contributes to other health conditions such as heart disease, which is the leading cause of death and stroke, which is the fifth leading and the leading cause of death.”
The advised amount of daily chromium is:
- Men: 35 mcg’s
- Women: 25 mcg’s
Best eaten with niacin (B3) rich foods:
- tuna
- chicken
- turkey’
- peanuts
- beef
- mushrooms
- peas and Vitamin C rich foods:
- oranges
- grapefruit
- strawberries
- papaya
- spring greens
- bell peppers
Food sources of chromium:
- cloves
- whole grains
- clams
- meat
- Brewer’s yeast
- mushrooms
- broccoli
- chicken
Be sure you’re getting enough chromium in your daily diet, you’ll have more energy, burn fat more efficiently, help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and lessen your risk for diabetes, heart attack, stroke and arteriosclerosis.
Have a wonderful week!!
Jill
Know anyone who could use some guidance with their Health & Fitness? Contact me today! www.jillnix.com
No comments:
Post a Comment