Eat Less Refined Sugar
Eat Less Refined Sugar
As a society, we have become addicted to sugar. I think that's why we have food manufacturers adding sugar to just about every food imaginable and it's why certain burger chains put sugar in their bread rolls (6g per roll). But of course, they will deny any addictive societal tendencies as their motivation. What they cannot deny is that excessive consumption of sugar, or sucrose, has been associated with increased incidences of type 2 diabetes, obesity and tooth decay. It is also a known fact that cancer cells need sugar in the form of glucose to survive. In fact, if I were told that I had the big "C" and only months to live, I would immediately revert to a 90%-100% protein diet, effectively starving the cancer cells of their primary 'food' source.
I think one of the problems is that sugar, in it's refined format, has only been around for the last few thousand years, so our bodies have yet to really adapt to this now very plentiful supply of easy energy. Did you know that the average American consumes between 3 and 5 pounds of added sugar a week, adding up to 200+ pounds of added sugar a year per person? A 12 ounce can of regular soda alone contains 39 grams of added sugar, far exceeding the recommended DAILY limit for adults. One can a day equates to about one added stone in weight. PER YEAR. If someone develops a 'can a day' habit, then within 10 years, they will be at least TEN STONE heavier. Scary stuff.
Although the mind may experience intense feelings of pleasure from sugar, the physiology of the anatomy can be significantly altered by long-term or excessive consumption of refined sugars.
An excess intake of refined sugar eventually affects every organ in the body. Initially it is stored in the liver in the form of glucose. But the liver has a limited capacity and a continued consumption of refined sugar soon makes the liver expand. When the liver can hold no more, the excess glucose is returned to the blood in the form of fatty acids. These fatty acids are typically stored in the most inactive areas...The belly (spare tyre region), the buttocks and the thighs.
High levels of sugar in the blood, or hyperglycemia, occurs, with the possibility of diabetes and pancreatic problems arising. Bowel diseases, including cancers, constipation and excessive wind are all commonly found in those addicted to sugar along with poor dental hygiene, arthritis and obesity, including the many diseases and illnesses that can accompany this.
If you're worried about the amount of sugar you or your family are consuming there are a couple of steps that you can take:
1.Remove most or all manufactured food from your diet. Cook from fresh. It not only tastes 10 times better but you also get to control how much sugar (and salt for that matter) you add to your diet.
2.Eat less refined sugar. Don't eat the white stuff. Try Molasses or Muscovado sugar instead. It is nutritionally richer than other brown sugars or refined sugar, and retains most of the natural minerals inherent in sugar cane juice. This is an important point. Because refined dietary sugars lack minerals and vitamins, your body must draw upon the body's micro-nutrient stores in order to be metabolised into the system. If you're still not convinced, as an added bonus, molasses sugar will make your coffee taste great!
3.Don't drink soda (Coke, Fanta, Seven Up etc.).
