Sugar and Disease

Everyone is aware that sugar causes cavities, makes their children hyper, induces cravings and will eventually make you crash. Unfortunately, sugar is so pervasive in our food supply that most of the time we don’t realize that we are eating it. And for that reason we are relatively unaware of the degree to which sugar can affect our health. Sugar has been linked in studies posted in well-known medical journals to everything from depression to arthritis. There is even empirical evidence that sugar may be a contributing factor to the growth of cancerous tumors.

The following case studies represent the effects of sugar on our lives and our health:

Case Study #1

Patient: Female in her mid-forties.

Symptoms: Complains of aching joints during movement or exercise.

What she tried: Anti-inflammatory drugs.

What resulted: Minimal decrease in joint pain.

Alternative approach: A Naturopathic physician had the client eliminate sugar and grains from her diet; supplementation of fish oil.

What resulted: Complete alleviation of presented symptoms; elimination of abdominal bloating.

Case Study #2

Patient: 10 year old boy

Symptoms: Hyperactivity/ADD/ADHD traits

What they tried: Ritalin

What resulted: Temporary decrease in symptoms; dependency on drug to maintain behavior

Alternative approach: A Naturopathic physician had the patient eliminate sugar and white flour to balance blood sugar; supplementation of magnesium and calcium to correct deficiencies; introduction of healthy bacteria to correct intestinal dysbiosis from previous use of antibiotics

What resulted: Behavior showed improvements immediately and continued to improve with diligent attention to diet and loving care.

That has sugar in it?

To reiterate the point, the number of processed foods that food manufacturers manage to stick some form of sugar in is astounding. Take a look at this list of commonly consumed foods and their % of sugar content:

Wrigley's Spearmint Chewing Gum

•62.8% sugar

Pillsbury Instant Breakfast

•47.5% sugar

Heinz Sweet Gherkins

•21.9% sugar

St. Joseph Cough Syrup

•40.6% sugar

Heinz Tomato Ketchup

•28.9% sugar

Hamburger Helper

•23% sugar

Shake n Bake Barbecue

•50.9% sugar

Mostly due to lack of awareness many people don’t pay attention to the ingredients in their foods. And also due to lack of awareness people don’t notice the immediate physical effects of sugar in their food. The immediate effects of sugar on the body are noticeable and your body does send you signals but it’s difficult to read them when the body is flooded with food additives, trans fatty acids and other unrecognizable chemical compounds. For instance, that headache that you had last night may very well have been a signal from your body that the Weight Watcher’s® Boston Crème Pie was not the right thing to eat.  It is very important to start to listen to these signals from your body in order to get your health on track. The long-term effects may be much more alarming and eye opening than the short-term signals. The following diseases have been linked to the consumption of sugar:

·       Diabetes

·       Kidney Disease

·       Liver Disease

·       Atherosclerosis

·       ADD

·       Candida Albicans

·       Osteoporosis

·       Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

·       Colon Cancer

·       Diseases of malnutrition

It should be clear at this point that sugar’s negative effects are much more far reaching than most believe it to be. It’s not just about the fact that you might get a cavity or you might need a nap after the bowl of ice cream. It is about your health and your family’s health. The short term satisfaction of eating something sweet seems insignificant when you realize that ten or twenty years from now you could suffer from a serious medical condition that could have been prevented by better choices. And since you always do have a choice, the following are some choices that you can make to dramatically influence your health tomorrow and years beyond.

Instead of CHOCOLATE

•Raw Nuts

•Seeds and Fruits

Instead of WHITE BREAD or WHITE RICE

•Sprouted grain breads

•Wild or Brown Rice

Instead of Processed CEREAL

•Raw Steel-cut Oats

Instead of MANGOS or PAPAYAS

•Green Apple

Instead of CANDY or DESSERT

•Sweet Potato

•Butternut Squash

 (Choose organic meats and produce when possible because nutrient deficiencies often contribute to sweet cravings; organic produce contains far greater quantities of important nutrients such as Magnesium and Calcium)

*Disclaimer: The preceding is intended to inform as to the effects of sugar in a persons diet. Always consult a physician if you have a medical condition or if you want to make any changes to your diet. This information does not necessarily represent the opinion of Own Health and is not intended to be medical advice.