Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients in the human diet, along with protein and fat. These molecules contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Carbohydrates play an important role in the human body. They act as an energy source, help control blood glucose and insulin metabolism, participate in cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism, and help with fermentation. The digestive tract begins to break down carbohydrates into glucose, which is used for energy, upon consumption. Any extra glucose in the bloodstream is stored in the liver and muscle tissue until further energy is needed. Carbohydrates is an umbrella term that encompasses sugar, fruits, vegetables, fibers, and legumes. While there are numerous divisions of carbohydrates, the human diet benefits mostly from a certain subset.

Structures

Monosaccharide: The most basic, fundamental unit of a carbohydrate. These are simple sugars with the general chemical structure of C6H12O6.

Examples: glucose, galactose, fructose
Disaccharide: Compound sugars containing two monosaccharides with the elimination of a water molecule with the general chemical structure C12H22O11

Examples: sucrose, lactose
Oligosaccharide: The polymer contains three to ten monosaccharides

Examples: maltodextrins, raffinose
Polysaccharides: Polymers containing long chains of monosaccharides connected through glycosidic bonds

Examples: amylose, cellulose
Types

Simple Carbohydrates: One or two sugars (monosaccharides or disaccharides) combined in a simple chemical structure. These easily are utilized for energy, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin secretion from the pancreas.

Examples: fructose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, glucose, galactose, ribose
Foods: candy, carbonated beverages, corn syrup, fruit juice, honey, table sugar
Complex Carbohydrates: Three or more sugars (oligosaccharides or polysaccharides) bonded together in a more complex chemical structure. These take longer to digest and therefore have a more gradual effect on the increase in blood sugar.

Examples: cellobiose, rutinulose, amylose, cellulose, dextrin
Foods: apples, broccoli, lentils, spinach, unrefined whole grains, brown rice
Starches: Complex carbohydrates contain a large number of glucose molecules. Plants produce these polysaccharides.

Examples include potatoes, chickpeas, pasta, and wheat.
Fiber: Non-digestible complex carbohydrates that encourage healthy bacterial growth in the colon and act as a bulking agent, easing defecation. The main components include cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin.

Insoluble: Absorbs water in the intestines, thereby softening and bulking stool. Benefits include regularity of bowel movements and a decreased risk of diverticulosis.
Examples: brans, seeds, vegetables, brown rice, potato skins.
Soluble: Helps decrease blood cholesterol and LDL levels, reduces straining with defecation, and blunts postprandial blood glucose levels.
Examples are fleshy fruit, oats, broccoli, and dried beans.
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Issues of Concern
Carbohydrates are associated with dental caries. Eating large amounts of sugary foods is known to lead to plaque formation, tooth decay, and cavities. The worst carbohydrate for dental decay is sucrose. On the other hand, fructose serves as an energy source for oral cavity bacteria.

Many people falsely believe that that diets high in carbohydrates lead to the development of type 2 diabetes when, in fact, the opposite is true. Data show that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is lowered as the amount of calories from carbohydrates is increased. Diets that are high in carbohydrates tend to increase the sensitivity of insulin. Thus, today, healthcare providers usually recommend that type 2 diabetics eat a high carbohydrate diet. An additional benefit of a high carbohydrate diet for type 2 diabetics is that it lowers the risk of heart disease.

Individuals who eat high fiber diets also tend to have low serum cholesterol and high HDL levels than people who consume a low fiber diet; the lowering of cholesterol also decreases the risk of heart disease.

In many parts of Africa, people who eat high fiber diets tend to have a very low risk of intestinal cancer. But the exact amount of fiber to eat to prevent colon cancer remains unknown.

Anecdotal reports maintain that eating fiber may lower blood pressure, lower the incidence of gallstones, and decrease blood sugars.

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Cellular
Metabolism

Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth where salivary amylase starts the breakdown. After breaking down throughout the digestive system, monosaccharides are absorbed into the bloodstream. As carbohydrates are consumed, the blood sugar levels increase, stimulating the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin signals the body’s cells to absorb the glucose for energy or storage. If blood glucose falls, the pancreas makes glucagon, stimulating the liver to release stored glucose.

The body is not able to digest fiber, and therefore fiber does not provide calories or energy. It has a variety of health benefits including bulking stool for easier excretion preventing constipation, prebiotic properties, satiety, and intestinal issues.

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Function
Nutrition

Carbohydrates are an important part of a nutritional diet. The healthiest sources include complex carbohydrates because of their blunted effects on blood glucose. These options include unprocessed whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. While simple carbohydrates are acceptable in small amounts, white bread, sodas, pastries, and other highly processed foods are less nutritious and cause a sharp increase in blood glucose. Healthy adult diets should include 45% to 65% carbohydrates as part of the daily intake, equaling about 200 g to 300 g per day. Carbohydrates contain about 4 kcal/ gram (17 kJ/g). Fiber is an important carbohydrate as well. Healthy adults should consume about 30 g per day of fiber, as it is found to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes, and digestive issues.

A glycemic index is a tool used to track carbohydrates and their individual effects on blood sugar. This scale ranks carbohydrates from 0 to 100 based on how rapidly a rise in blood glucose occurs upon consumption. Low glycemic foods (55 or less) produce a gradual increase in blood sugar. These foods include steel cut oatmeal, oat bran, muesli, sweet potatoes, peas, legumes, most fruits, non-starchy vegetables. Medium glycemic foods (56 to 69) include quick oats, brown rice, and whole wheat bread. High glycemic foods (70 to 100) increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and ovulatory infertility. These foods include white bread, corn flakes, white potatoes, pretzels, rice cakes, and popcorn.

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Clinical Significance
Two things that constantly affect the body include physical activity and diet. A diet needs to be nutritionally balanced, including the proper type and amount of carbohydrates. An increase or decrease in carbohydrates beyond the desired amount can affect both physiological and metabolic processes. An increase in simple carbohydrates may contribute to obesity, a disease that puts individuals at an even greater risk for further disorders such as cardiovascular disease. Carbohydrate intake also contributes to non-insulin dependent diabetes (type 2 diabetes), a growing epidemic. However, foods rich in non-starch polysaccharides and low-glycemic foods protect against diabetes. Increased sugar consumption also contributes to the development of dental caries.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459280/

Calisthenics is a form of exercise consisting of a variety of movements which exercise large muscle groups (gross motor movements), such as running, standing, grasping, pushing, etc. These exercises are often performed rhythmically and with minimal equipment, as bodyweight exercises. They are intended to increase strength, fitness and flexibility, through movements such as pulling, pushing, bending, jumping, or swinging, using one’s bodyweight for resistance. Calisthenics can provide the benefits of muscular and aerobic conditioning, in addition to improving psychomotor skills such as balance, agility and coordination.

Urban calisthenics are a form of street workout; calisthenics groups perform exercise routines in urban areas. Individuals and groups train to perform advanced calisthenics skills such as muscle-ups, levers, and various freestyle moves such as spins and flips.

Sports teams and military units often perform leader-directed group calisthenics as a form of synchronized physical training (often including a customized “call and response” routine) to increase group cohesion and discipline. Calisthenics are also popular as a component of physical education in primary and secondary schools over much

Astrocytes (Astro from Greek astron = star and cyte from Greek “kytos” = cavity but also means cell), also known collectively as astroglia, are characteristic star-shaped glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. The proportion of astrocytes in the brain is not well defined. Depending on the counting technique used, studies have found that the astrocyte proportion varies by region and ranges from 20% to 40% of all glia.^[1] Overall, astrocytes outnumber neurons by over fivefold.^[2] They perform many functions, including biochemical support of endothelial cells that form the blood–brain barrier, provision of nutrients to the nervous tissue, maintenance of extracellular ion balance, and a role in the repair and scarring process of the brain and spinal cord following traumatic injuries.

Research since the mid-1990s has shown that astrocytes propagate intercellular Ca²⁺ waves over long distances in response to stimulation, and, similar to neurons, release transmitters (called gliotransmitters) in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner.^[3] Data suggest that astrocytes also signal to neurons through Ca²⁺-dependent release of glutamate.

• Exercise and nutrition can influence brain development.
• Exercise and nutrition can slow down and reverse cognitive decline in the elderly.
• Exercise and nutrition influence brain health through several mechanisms to stimulate nerve cell generation or neurogenesis.
• Polyphenols have the potential to stimulate neurogenesis.
• Polyphenols improve memory, learning and general cognitive ability.
• Fruits, berries and vegetables are rich in antioxidants and bioactive compounds that may reduce disease risk stemming from reactive oxygen species and are also associated with cognitive benefits.
  Note: The accumulation of bioactive compounds is highly dependent on the plant species.

Nutrition

Nutrition has a specific role in providing energy and building material for the body. The ability of nutrients to prevent and protect against diseases is starting to be recognized. Physical activity has also been associated with the reduction of a number of physical and mental disorders. Therefore, both nutrition and exercise are used as interventions to stimulate health. Recent data indicates that not only general health, but also brain functioning is influenced through exercise and nutritional interventions (Gomez-Pinilla, 2011). This Sports Science Exchange will describe how exercise and nutrition can influence neurogenesis or the generation of new nerve cells, and therefore have a neuroprotective effect.

NEUROGENESIS AND NEUROPLASTICITY

Neurogenesis is the process of generating new nerve cells, including neurons, astrocytes, glia and others. Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain and the central nervous system (CNS) to adapt to environmental change, respond to injury and to acquire novel information by modifying neural connectivity and function. Neurotrophins are molecules that support neuroplasticity and in particular, are capable of signaling neurons to survive, differentiate or grow (Knaepen et al., 2010). Therefore, neurotrophins have gained increasing attention in research for the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative and, more recently, metabolic diseases. Neurotrophic factors not only play a role in neurobiology, but also in central and peripheral energy metabolism. Their effect on synaptic plasticity in the CNS involves elements of cellular energy metabolism, and in the periphery, they take part in metabolic processes such as enhancing skeletal muscle lipid oxidation via activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Neuroplasticity is an “activity-dependent” process and therefore nutrition and physical activity (exercise and training) appear to be key interventions that trigger the processes through which neurotrophins mediate energy metabolism and in turn neuroplasticity (Knaepen et al., 2010). Of all the neurotrophins, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) seems to be the most sensitive to regulation by exercise and physical activity.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR (BDNF)

BDNF is most abundant in brain areas that are associated with cognitive and metabolic regulation: the hippocampus and the hypothalamus. Hypothalamic BDNF appears to inhibit food intake and increase energy expenditure, leading to a negative energy balance. In the hippocampus, the involvement of BDNF in neural plasticity and neurogenesis is important to learning and memory. BDNF stimulates the development and differentiation of new neurons and promotes long-term potentiation (LTP), which is widely considered to be one of the major mechanisms underlying memory acquisition, consolidation and storage in the brain. It is also known to be controlled at the molecular level by the activation of a number of neuronal signaling pathways.

My doctor said I should cough when I encounter fast heart beat again. My client with lung disease has mastered the art of breathing, he is still alive for 2 years even when the doctor said that he has 6 months to live.

When I have difficulty sleeping, I do deep inhaling thru my nose (belly out) and breathing out thru my mouth (belly in) many times until I go to sleep.

Connie

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As I visit seniors in their homes, I find canned foods in the kitchen and a lot of frozen processed and meat.

Since my mother died, I have been researching and observing what was practiced in the kitchen that can contribute to her liver cancer. In a study about stomach cancer in 2500 Hongkong men, it was observed that dried salted fish have some bacteria in them.

We also use salted small shrimp that fermented for many years and a fish sauce. Growing up, we have ingested 3-day old rice in the absence of adequate refrigeration. Aflatoxin in 3-day old rice was the culprit why liver cancer is the highest in the world in China.

Tips

• Do not eat 3-day old rice, with pink molds.
• Do not eat dried salted fish that maybe too old and was not properly handled and prepared.
• Do cook fresh veggies washed with water with vinegar or salt.
• Cook your raw foods well especially meat.
• Avoid pork if you can, since the bacteria or other microbes in it multiply more compared to other meat.

Share your lessons in the kitchen here , motherhealth@gmail.com

• Vitamins and minerals. This will vary depending on the type of animal source you use, but for this broth recipe, you’ll find loads of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus, Vitamin A, K2, and minerals like zinc, iron, boron, manganese, and selenium.
• Glucosamine and chondroitin. Natural compounds found in connective tissue which supports joint health.
• Collagen. And lots of it. This turns into gelatin that, when cooked, yields several important amino acids.
• Helps maintain digestive health. Bone broth is not only easy to digest, but it may also help in the digestion of other food. Gelatin binds to the water in your digestive tract, helping food move through your gut easier. It is also believed to help with a condition called “leaky gut” or other inflammatory bowel diseases.

Tips:

• Do buy beef bones with bone marrow, white matter in the middle of the bone.
• Do cook with ginger, onions (1 or 2 whole onions, diced thinly), garlic, celery, carrots, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, corn, parsely, green onions, asparagus and other sulfur-rich greens
• Cook in low heat for a long time, one hour or more.
• You can also add, all the excess cuttings of veggies you have frozen.
• Root crops like sweet potatoes and even plantain can be added later for fiber and more nutrition.
• Serve beef bone broth when someone is sick or as added broth when making other dishes for flavor and nutrition.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut oil (used for cooking spinach and the final dish)
1 pound spinach (sliced in 1 inch length, cooked separately in medium heat)
1 onion (diced thinly, cooked separately until light brown)
1 clove garlic
1 cup coconut milk (boil separately)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
5 large eggs
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch of turmeric powder
Pinch of ginger powder

Saute garlic, add cooked onions, pour boiled coconut milk, add mustard, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, nutmeg, salt and pepper. When the mixture thinkens slightly, add spinach and then top the mix with eggs (breaking them on top). Cook in low heat (15 min), sprinkle the rest of spices and serve.

Other variations of the above recipe:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• 1 small red onion–peeled, halved and thinly sliced.
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced.
• One ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced.
• 8 cups spinach.
• 1 cup coconut milk.
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
• ½ teaspoon curry powder.

Martha’s Omani-inspired creamed spinach spices things up with coconut milk, fresh ginger, cumin, and a touch of jalapeno. … Stir in flour, cumin, and sugar and cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in coconut milk. … Stir chopped spinach into coconut mixture and season with salt and

Bitter spinach, sweet coconut milk, and yellow curry, combine to create a winning dish! Garnish with fruit or nuts to add another flavor or texture dimension.

And another way:

• Two 10-ounce bags spinach, thick stems discarded, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 large shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thickly sliced
• 2 medium shallots, very thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 large jalapeño, seeded and minced
• One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Share your no-bake Keto or other healthy recipe here. Email motherhealth@gmail.com