The effects of sugar
Eliminate it from your diet
Lets begins with the most powerful of habits. I cannot think of any other habit having the guarantee of an immediate impact on your heath than this one. I call it the re-adaptation of the palette. In short it is the desensitizing of the taste bud for highly palatable foods.
The excess weight that plagues us is no surprise when you take a look at our modern diets. We live in the times of more. We have access to our foods faster, at a higher caloric density and in varying tastes. Never before had our food been so rich and palatable.
To desensitize our tastes bud to this highly addictive food is the key to long term success in our journey to weight loss. In my experience it took about three months from quitting the sugar before I saw my cravings for it disappear. This is the first step I have my followers begin with; the addiction began with a byte and by the same process it must be treated.
And the First Commandment is, quit the sugar immediately.
Let’s have a look at some of the effects of sugar on our health.
Ageing
Sugar can give you wrinkles and adds age to your face. Scientists from Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands measured the blood sugar levels of 600 men and women aged between 50 and 70. They then showed the photographs of these people to 60 other different participants and found that those with higher blood sugar appeared older than those with lower blood sugar levels. In fact for every one millimeter per litre increase in blood sugar the perceived age of that person rose by five months.
Skin
Sugar is associated with acne. Foods ranked high on the glycemic index such as sugar and refined carbs have been associated with greater amounts of acne on the face and body according to the latest research. A study of Australian men showed that those who ate a diet with low glycemic load saw a great reduction in overall acne. It was a small study with only 23 men but it is still food for thought.
Diabetes
Sugary drinks causes 83% increased risk in developing type 2 diabetes. In one study of 91249 women showed that those who consumed one sugar sweetened beverage a day had an 83% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those that only had one a month. And yeah that did include the breakfast hot beverages as not just the sodas.
Cancer
Sugar intake increases the risk of developing certain types of cancers. There has been a direct link seen between breast and colon cancer with sugar consumption. This is likely due to the fact that insulin is one of the key factors behind the growth and multiplication of cells and sugar spikes insulin to abnormally high levels.
Teeth
Sugar ruins teeth. A study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that sugar destroys the healthy bacteria in the mouth. This can cause tooth erosions and may dim that bright smile.
Weight gain and all its complications
What about sugar and weight gain? Here are reasons why sugar will cause you to gain weight:
Sugar is the premiere definition of empty calories. It has no real nutritional value, no nutrients, no minerals, no proteins and no fiber. Because of this lack of nutrients sugar makes you feel hungry. In a study done by Yale University those that consume sugar had an increased appetite and desire for more. So not only does sugar fill you up with empty calories it makes you want more of those calories. This process happens when sugar interferes with hormone levels in the body which leads to blocking leptin and raises insulin to supernatural levels. Leptin is a hormone in charge of telling us that we’re full and that we need to stop eating. It also tells us that we have energy and should go out and use that energy. Sugar consumption blocks this hormone from doing its job and from reaching the brain.
Sugar also spikes insulin making it very hard for the body to access and burn the stored fat on our bodies.
Sugar causes belly fat. Numerous studies have shown direct links from sugar to the increased accumulation of belly fat. This is the worst kind of fat because it is the one associated with all kinds of diseases including the world’s number one killer, heart disease.
Addiction
Despite knowing all of this, it is hard to stop eating sugar because sugar is addictive.
Similar to drugs like cocaine, scientists have shown that sugar causes a very similar dopamine release in the brain. Studies on neuroplasticity have shown that drug users had very similar behavioral addictions to those addicted to sugar. Sugar is addicting and it comes without the immediate social repercussions of frequent drug use. That’s why it’s so hard to stop eating it.
How much should you eat per day? None. There is no reason to be including this food in your diet.
Natural sugar is still sugar
What about fruit? Fruit has fiber, vitamins, minerals, water and tons of nutrients that refine sugar does not have. This is why when studies compare diets with refined sugar to fruit sugar, the negative effects are not the same. That being said you will want to pay attention to fruit sugar in your journey to weight loss. Things like fruit smoothies are not good for your weight loss goals as they still have sugars even though those sugars are natural. Sticking to whole sources like apples oranges and berries are a much better option.
Some medical practitioners may advise towards of avoidance of sugar and chose to have it once in a while as treat. The flaw in this thinking is like saying that heroine is fine as long as you have it on rare occasions like your birthday or Christmas time. The most dangerous aspect of the food is its addictive level. To create a reasoning where there is a place for this food in our diet, is like putting gasoline onto the fire of our addiction.
The M commandments forbids sugar completely. The program is not for weak willed and half heart individuals. The desire for your health and weight loss must be of such an extent that there is nothing you wouldn’t do to achieve it. You must be willing to make sacrifices and efforts that others are not willing to make to be a winner. Or else we would all be fit and healthy wouldn’t we?
How bad do you want it? How far are you willing to go? Those are some of the questions you should answer to yourself with undoubted certainty.
