Is Sugar Killing You?

Is sugar toxic? Consider that the average American swallows a whopping 130 pounds of added sugars a year. That’s about 22 teaspoons a day, way over the max set by the American Heart Association in 2009. New science shows that this overload of sugar, often stemming from hard-to-detect hidden added sugars, are affecting your body in all sorts of strange ways.

Did you know:

Because sugar causes a large release of dopamine in the brain, it can cause addiction in a lot of people. The “everything in moderation” message may be a bad idea for people who are addicted to junk food… because the only thing that works for true addiction is abstinence.

Research shows that eating sugar doesn’t necessarily lead to cancer. It’s what sugar does to your waistline that can lead to cancer. Being overweight or obese puts you at a higher risk for cancer and other diseases. Look for hidden sugars. Read your labels and get some exercise.
Consuming large amounts of fructose from added sugars get turned into fat in the liver. Eating lots of sugar leads to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), a growing problem in Western countries that is strongly associated with metabolic diseases.
Added sugar in the diet, particularly fructose, increases appetite. The signals that usually let your brain know that you are full do not work properly, which can lead to overeating and weight gain. Conversely, a diet low in added sugar but high in protein and fat has the opposite effect, reducing hunger and food intake. That means that low fat diet foods can make you hungry, making harder to lose weight. (A 4-ounce (113-gram) serving of low-fat vanilla yogurt contains 4 teaspoons (16 grams) of sugar and 96 calories. Low-fat foods may contain more sugar and calories than full-fat versions. It is often better to choose full-fat versions when you’re trying to reduce your sugar intake).
One feature of the metabolic dysfunction that is caused by the Western diet, is that insulin stops working as it should. The cells become “resistant” to it. This is also known as insulin resistance, which is believed to be a leading driver of many diseases… including metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular disease and especially type II diabetes.
A lack of sleep causes people to favor high-calorie, sweet and salty foods over healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Get a good night’s sleep to help you eat less sugar.
Try acupuncture to help balance your body so you can get more sleep, reduce your cravings and stress. Acupuncture also helps with digestion and hormone balance. It can lower your pain so you can be more active and detox your body.

Be Healthy and Live Happy!