Sugar, Oh Sweet Sugar

One of the components I have focused on in achieving ideal health as naturally as possible is to reduce the amount of sugar that myself and my family consumes. Now taking away sugar from children who have always had a love for it has not been easy. Please keep in mind I'm not eliminating anything, just reducing in practical amounts. Sugar is in everything they like it seems. In fact sometimes there is a look in their eyes that translates into something like the need to inflict bodily harm on me. But I still push forward, brave in my quest to get us healthy. Even if they hate me. At least I have more quiet, "me" time while they think they are punishing me. Everyone wins, right? I have had some success, the youngest with the largest sugar dependency now compares cereal boxes and chooses the one with the least amount of sugar...baby steps but we are going in the right direction. The oldest has almost eliminated soda and "energy drinks" from his diet and he was an addict, however his choice is because his football coach told him to, not his all knowing mother......sigh, I guess whatever works.

Here are just a few of the effects sugar has on our bodies. It is devoid of minerals and vitamins and interferes with the absorption of calcium and magnesium. It raises insulin levels, depresses the immune system, provokes mood swings, feeds nervous disorders, contributes to weight gain, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and can help bring on depression. It has the power to aggravate asthma, and is a major contributor in bringing on diabetes and heart disease. And these are just a few of it's favorite things......

Here’s what happens in your body when you assault it with a Coke, the epitome of sugar intake:

Within the first 10 minutes, 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. This is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake, and the only reason you don’t vomit as a result of the overwhelming sweetness is because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

Within 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes, caffeine absorption is complete; your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

Around 45 minutes, your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain – a physically identical response to that of heroin, by the way.

After 60 minutes, you’ll start to have a sugar crash.

Sources:
Nutrition Research Center October 24, 2007

Wow. Let's face it, sugar is a real bad guy who invades our lives and health more and more. I recently read where twenty years ago the average American consumed approximately 26lbs of sugar per year. The amount of sugar consumed now has risen to 135 lbs per year.

I salute and applaud those of you who eat completely healthy. You are the leaders, the setters of the standard I hope to live up to one day. But what about those of us who are evolving from a certain degree of unhealthy to becoming better at managing our health? Do we pull the plug on our bad habits and switch it up overnight? I don't know about you, but I would be somewhere between a mutiny and a full blown strike in my house. I guess it all comes back to the Balance.

For myself and my family that means no more soda, buying healthier cereal while reading boxes for sugar content, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and eating less processed and boxed foods. Will I give up my homemade brownies and cheesecake? Never!