Is Your Sugar Consumption Prematurely Aging You?

Have you ever wondered what makes us age? There are actually many factors that contribute to old age (free radical damage, hormonal changes, etc.), but of
all of the things that make us "old," two things stand out because until now, they have been so untouchable. In today's health tip, we're going to shed
light on one aging factor known as the glycation of proteins.

Glycation is the uncontrolled reaction of sugars with proteins. It's kind of like what happens to sugars when you heat them and they caramelize. In effect,
glycation is what happens when excess sugars caramelize the proteins in your body. It's a major factor in the aging process - and it's particularly
devastating to diabetics. The process is referred to as Advanced Glycosylation End-products or AGEs for short.

To explain a little further, your body is mostly made up of proteins. In fact, proteins are the substances most responsible for the daily functioning of
your body. That's why anything that causes protein deterioration has such a dramatic impact on the body's function and appearance.

For instance, collagen and elastin are made up of some of the most important protein molecules in your body. These two substances, located in the lower
layers of your skin, are what give your skin its firmness and elasticity. After time, the over production of these "sugar-coated" proteins (AGEs) can give
skin a duller complexion and cause early wrinkling.

In fact, thanks largely to the destructive effect of Sugar and aldehydes, the protein in our bodies tends to undergo destructive changes as we age. This
destruction is a prime factor, not only in the aging process itself, but also in the familiar signs of aging such as wrinkling skin, cataracts, and the
destruction of our nervous system - particularly our brains.

The bottom line here is that the less AGEs, in your body, the younger you are. However, the real question is can you reverse this aging process? The answer
is yes. To gain some ground, the obvious start is to eliminate sugar, more specifically refined sugar, from your diet as much as possible. The other less
obvious solution is best addressed in