20 Ways Sugar Affects Your Health
You know, it’s kind of scary that we have become so dependent on a five-letter word.
S-U-G-A-R
Just about everything we buy at the grocery store has some kind of sugar; certainly the vast majority of canned foods. But have you considered fresh poultry? Check the label next time you go to the store for chicken breasts; there’s a good chance you’ll find sugar.
Nancy Appelton, Ph.D. wrote a book called Lick the Sugar Habit. In the book, she details numerous ways that sugar affects our bodies — and not for the better, I’m afraid.
Now this book was originally written in 1988, but you know what? It could have been written yesterday, because we (as a nation) just aren’t listening to the message!
So without any further ado, here are…
…20 Ways Sugar Affects Your Health
Sugar…
Suppresses your immune system and impair your defenses against infectious disease.
Upsets the mineral relationships in your body: causes chromium and copper deficiencies and interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium. (Not good news for ladies of a certain age who are struggling with getting enough calcium.)
Can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children. (I don’t guess that’s news to most mothers.)
Can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.
Causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function. (Once you hit 30, your skin really starts losing elasticity as it is…we don’t need to lose any more!)
Feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, biliary tract, lung, gallbladder and stomach.
Can increase fasting levels of glucose and can cause reactive hypoglycemia. (No news to anyone who has type 2 diabetes or suffers from Syndrome X.)
Can weaken eyesight.
Can cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: an acidic digestive tract, indigestion, malabsorption in patients with functional bowel disease, increased risk of Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Can cause premature aging. (We’re aging fast enough, thank you, without any help from sugar!)
Sugar can lead to alcoholism. (Did you realize that alcohol is a sugar, chemically speaking?)
Can cause your saliva to become acidic, tooth decay, and periodontal disease. (Drink green tea — minus the sugar — to help offset this effect. Of course cutting out the sugar itself would be better…)
Contributes to obesity. (No news here!)
Can cause autoimmune diseases such as: arthritis, asthma, multiple sclerosis.
Greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).
Can cause gallstones.
Can cause appendicitis.
Can cause hemorrhoids.
Can cause varicose veins. (Ugh!)
Can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users. (Oh-oh.)
Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis. (Not good at all…not only does it interfere with our calcium uptake, but also attacks our bones in other ways.)
Today I Will…
Look at the labels on food so I am aware of just how much hidden sugar I eat on a daily basis!
Once I know how much I eat, I can take steps to cut it back. Way back.
What about you?
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