Pink Prescriptions

Get into good nutrition! Find out why it is important to eat healthier, not skip meals, and health affects that are caused by fast foods and sugar.

How do you define an addiction to sugar, fast food, and carbs? I wouldn't necessarily define an addiction to any foods with the possible exception of carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates can produce chemical changes in the brain similar to those produced by certain anti-depressants. When we think of "comfort foods," they usually contain simple carbohydrates in some form. Once we eat simple carbohydrates, we get a "sugar rush" from the elevation of blood sugar, which occurs pretty quickly since carbs are quickly and easily absorbed. Not long after that our blood sugar goes down in response to insulin, which is secreted to keep our blood sugar levels normal. The dirty little secret is that human beings are built so that the insulin response always makes us get hypoglycemic before other hormones boost our blood sugar. The average person on the street will start to get hungry when their blood sugar starts to drop and go get another cookie-which starts the cycle all over again.

Harold Kent, MD, FACS, ASBS- Bariatric and General Surgery, Georgia Coast Surgical, Brunswick

How can I get my child eating a wider range of healthy foods? Be a good role model. The real problem most often lies with the parents, not the children. Educate yourself first and then practice what you preach. Don't fill the pantry and refrigerator with prepared or processed foods. Keep healthy snacks available, including low-fat yogurt, fruits, vegetables, popcorn, and nuts.

Include children in the kitchen. They will be more likely to eat new foods including fruits and vegetables. They love to eat the food they create. 

Holly Mlodzinski, MS,RD,LD, Health Promotions Coordinator, Hilton Head Hospital

I have a big-time sweet tooth, especially candy and soft drinks. Will this hurt my teeth? Candy, soft drinks and any other foods that contain sugars have the potential to cause decay.  Plaque, which is the soft coating that builds up on your teeth when you don't brush, is actually an accumulation of about 1000 species of bacteria. Those bacteria digest sugars that we eat and drink and create an acid that is strong enough to erode the minerals from your teeth, thereby creating cavities (holes) in teeth.  Some soft drinks are very acidic and have as much as one teaspoon of sugar per ounce.  Sour candies not only have sugar, but also have high levels of acid, which make the tooth demineralization worse than sugar alone.

So, should we stop eating all candy and drinking all soft drinks? Not necessarily. What must be controlled is the frequency at which sugars are consumed.  If you drink one soft drink per day by consuming it over a period of a few minutes, the sugars and acids are neutralized by your saliva within an hour or two, allowing plenty of time for your teeth to remineralize. However, if you drink just one soft drink per day by slowly sipping it over a period of many hours, your teeth will not have time to remineralize and therefore cavities are more likely to develop. And of course, plaque must be removed from teeth with proper daily brushing and flossing techniques to preserve their health.

Dr. Timothy Gross, D.M.D., HHI

What are 5 nutritional changes I can make to get back on the road to better health?
1. Eat breakfast. Refuel your engine to jumpstart metabolism and improve concentration.
2. Don't skip meals. Try to eat small meals every 3 to 4 hours to moderate blood sugar levels.
3.  Eat a variety of foods including lean protein, high fiber carbohydrates, and fruits/vegetables at every meal.
4. Drink water.  8 glasses of water is recommended each day.
5. Moderation not deprivation. Be flexible: balance having a treat with healthy foods.

Holly Mlodzinski, MS,RD,LD, Health Promotions Coordinator, Hilton Head Hospital

Why should I not skip meals? Skipping meals is not a good idea. When a meal is missed, a person's Basal Metabolic Rate drops, causing a drop in blood sugar. In addition, the body's need for energy will be taken from muscle cells because the body believes it's in a state of starvation due to the skipped meal. Most people skip meals to reduce calories and speed up weight loss. The bottom line is skipping meals can actually lead to weight gain and decrease your metabolism.

Jakkie Pidanick, Personal Trainer & Nutrition Advisor