The Sugar Solution

Eating too much sugar may have serious health consequences including diabetes, obesity, heart disease, mood swings, some cancers, insomnia , fatigue and inflammation. The average american eats around 85 grams of sugar a day. Sugar has crept into our food supplies. Even if you avoid sweets and soft drinks, there will be sugar found in almost anything that comes in a package. Sugar, being a cheap food and good preserver and also tasting good ends up in seemingly innocent foods. Just go in the supermarket ang walk down the isles, checking the ingredients in the various containers. They almost all have sugar. If you stop eating processed food, that will cut most of your intake out of your diet. Swap the flavored yogurt for plain yogurt. If the taste is too tart, cut up some fruit like mangoes and mix it in. There are lots of good alternatives out there, you just have to do it. There are nutrition apps like My Fitness Pal to track your sugar intake.

Sugar is almost addictive, which makes it hard to go off of. Sugar can lead to a buildup of fat in the liver causing liver disease. Sugar is bad for the gut. The bad bacteria in the gut feed off of sugar, throwing the microbiome out of place. This can result in digestive issues and higher chances of getting sick. Sugar is easily released in the bloodstream causing insulin spikes. This rollercoaster pattern can result in diabetes. Sugar can contribute to inflammation causing pain in the muscles and joints. 

 To change your diet and minimize your sugar intake the first step is change your surroundings. If your pantry is full of sugar-laden foods, chances are you will snack on it sooner or later. Throw it out, or give it away. If you can't let yourself trow the food out, at least commit to not buying more. Get rid of those sugary yogurts, cereals, salad dressings, candies, cookies, sauces and the whole list. When necessary, take better alternatives like maple syrup, honey, stevia, monk fruit or molasses. These should also be limited, but they are better than refined table sugar. 

  Make sure you get adequate sleep. Many people snack on sugary foods when they are tired and need an energy boost. If you get a good night's sleep you wont fall into that trap. Some people find that eating healthy fats help curb their cravings for sugar. Protein also, especially meat protein works for many people to curb their sugar cravings and leave them with a full feeling. Protein may also stabilize your blood sugar. Try detoxing from the sugar in your body. Drink lots of water, move around and sweat. A sauna may help you sweat out those toxins and waste in your body. Happy Chow.