It's been a great contributor to some of the most debilitating diseases known to man. Diabetes, heart disorders of all types, adrenal disorders, allergy, endocrine disturbances, obesity, and brain chemistry disturbances.
Shall I go on?
To truly understand how evil that white crystal really is, you need to understand bio- chemically what happens when sugar enters the bloodstream.
For maximum efficiency of the whole body the amount of glucose in the body must balance with the amount of blood oxygen. Balancing blood sugar levels is probably the key factor in maintaining even energy levels and weight management.
When we ingest sugar the sucrose passes directly to the intestines where it becomes "predigested" glucose. This is in turn absorbed into the blood (where the glucose level has already been established in precise balance with oxygen).
This balance is suddenly destroyed. Hormones pour from the adrenals to deal with these rapidly rising levels. Insulin is rushed from the pancreas to bring down the glucose level of the blood.
Going too fast, it over shoots; the bottom drops out of the blood glucose level and a second crisis develops.
Other adrenal hormones must be produced to regulate the reversing of the chemical direction and bring the blood glucose levels up again. In less precise term, you get a short high when your blood sugar levels rise and a grumpy, confused low when it all suddenly swings south - sound familiar?
Repeated onslaughts of this kind lead to disturbance in endocrine function leading to numerous pathological conditions that I touched on in the opening paragraph.
These periods of high blood sugar sets in motion a harmful process called glycation (the bonding of amino acids to sugar molecules). These abnormal proteins are then incorporated into the lens of the eye and the myelin sheath around the nerves.
The collagen of the skin, the tendons and membranes are all further damaged by these glycated proteins. Translation: You get very old before your time.
Excess sugar is stored in the liver in the form of glucose. Since this capacity is limited, a daily intake of refined sugar soon makes the liver expand like a balloon. When the liver can take no more the excess glycogen returns to the blood in the form of fatty acids that are stored in a variety of locations, usually the gut and the butt.
These then spill into fat accumulations in your organs including your heart and kidneys, your circulatory and lymphatic systems.
Digestion of refined carbohydrates (i.e. sugar, white bread, rice/ pasta) calls on the body's own store of vitamin, minerals and enzymes for proper metabolism. When B Vitamins are absent the breakdown of carbohydrates can't take place. Most B Vitamins are removed during the refining process.
Clever. Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism results in the formation of toxic metabolites such as pyruvic acid and abnormal sugars containing 5 carbon atoms. Pyruvic acid accumulates in the brain and nervous system while the abnormal sugars accumulate in the red blood cells affecting the utilisation of oxygen to energy.
50% of our diet today composes these refined carbohydrates. Tooth decay and bone loss occur when the precise ratio of 4 parts phosphorus to 10 parts calcium. Sugar consumption causes phosphorus levels to drop and calcium to rise. The calcium rises because it is pulled from the teeth and bones.
Sugar taken every day produces a continuously over-acid condition, and more and more minerals are required form deep in the body in an attempt to rectify the imbalance.
What other things does this innocuous little crystal get up too?
- Candida albicans (thrush) - Love it as do tumours
- Good gut flora hate it
- Rich sugar diet can increase stomach acidity 20%
- High sugar diet is very taxing on the adrenal glands leading to adrenal exhaustion. Lots of professionals look at allergy and the myriad of potential allergens that surround us ie. pollen, nuts, dust mites, wheat, dairy, but I'll set you a challenge allergy sufferers. Remove sugar entirely from the diet for 6 weeks and let me know how your allergies are going at the end of that period. Trust me on this one.
- In 1973, even the US Senate described sugar as an anti-nutrient. A substance that is actually harmful since it upsets the existing balance in the body, bloodstream, and the vital organs
- In 1821, the average American consumed 10 pounds of sugar per person annually. Today that figure is 170 pounds per person - annually
Oh yeah, and before Nixon became President of the United States of America he was a lawyer for Pepsi.
Now get that donut out of your mouth and get off your arse.
<p><font face="Arial"> Brett Smith is not your average health & <a href="http://www.partner4real.com.au">online dating</a> expert. He has numerous qualifications (including a Masters from Sydney University in Herbal Medicine, Advanced Diploma in Botanical Medicine, Advanced Diploma of Naturopathy, a Diploma of Nutrition, & a Bachelor of Health Science) and a very healthy dose of scepticism. He has some intersting & controversial views on health & dating for <a href="http://www.partner4real.com.au">singles</a>, particularly on how we shouldn't always believe what we're told. See more of his articles at <a href="http://www.partner4real.com.au">www.partner4real.com.au</a>. </font></p>
