SUGAR
Average American eats 150 lbs of sugar a year. Diabetes is on the rise. A Carbohydrate (sugar) enters the small intestine and is broken down into glucose a simple sugar, that can enter the bloodstream and fuel brain and body. Any increase in blood glucose causes the pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that helps our cells to absorb sugar. When we consume too much and burn too little , glucose builds up in the bloodstream, and causes damage to tissues and organs. Insulin is usually released after a meal . Eventually with diabetes the muscles and cells refuse to absorb glucose from the blood, this is known as insulin resistance and the pancreas keeps pumping insulin to no avail. Other organs are also affected. Many times the person dies from other organ failure even before they have been diagnosed as diabetic. 30% of Adults report no physical activity.
1- Sugar also suppresses the immune system, some studies say for up to 3 hours after eating it.
2- It interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium
3- It increases risk of coronary heart failure
4- It can cause arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, duodenal ulcers, yeast infections, asthma , tonsillitis, sinus and mucous conditions
5- It can change the structure of protein causing problems with its absorption by body.
6- It can cause a rise in triglycerides
7- It can cause hypoglycemia
8- It causes tooth and bone loss
9- It can cause food allergies
10- It can increase the body’s fluid retention
11- It increases risk of blood clots
12- It can cause hormonal imbalances
13- It causes hyperactivity , anxiety, etc
Swedish Bitters before meals helps cut down on sweet cravings. Also there are some excellent Chinese herbs and acupuncture which can dry up the damp condition of candida and diminish sweet cravings.
SUGAR:
Amercans average 20 teaspoons of sugar a day. Since 1983 consumption of sugary snacks has risen 30%. 16% of our daily calories come from added sugars. Sugar is acidifying, and upsets the immue system by depressing the action of phagocytes (cells that clear out the foreign invaders in our blood). In 2001 a study found that it also decreased lymphocytes ( a type of white blood cell that fights viruses). As little as one teaspoon of sugar inactivates our NK (natural Killer cells, a first line of defense for viruses and bacteria) for up to 6 hours. As we get older the sugar we eat tends to bind abnormally with protein to produce glycated protein or advanced glycation end product (AGE) which reacts with other proteins to form substances tha reduce tissue elasticity and impede cellular function. This toxicity compromises cell function which damages the body and results in an exhausted immune system. It is also partially responsibe for overgrowth of candida that can cause many illnesses and is linked to parasites. In case you think artificial sweeteners is an option saccharin causes cancer and Aspartame, well, here’s the scoop on that.
Read Sugar Blues by Duffy. It will fill you in on the history and politics of sugar which will just further convince you how bad it is for you and the world.
