About: Cascade Yoga Studio -- Articles

LIVE WELL WITH LAURA

The not-so-sweet side of sugar

by Laura Burkett-Holstine, HHC

Laura Burkett, HHC For many of us, sugar takes on many roles: a source of sweetness; an energy-booster; a source of comfort, pleasure, or entitlement; or an unconscious habit.

Sweet tasting foods can certainly be a part of a balanced diet. But the abundance of low-quality (not to mention hidden) sweeteners as well as the large quantity of processed and refined carbohydrates available on our supermarket shelving, makes eating wisely an art form.

Elson Haas, author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition, writes, “It has been estimated that about 19% of our total caloric intake – about 380 calories – comes from white flour. For processed sugars dumped into the daily diet, this number averages about 320 more calories, bringing the grand total for these two nutritionally bankrupt foods to about 700 out of 2,000 calories a day or 30% of everything we eat.”

It certainly is much easier to consume sugar than it is to avoid it. But by making the effort to limit sugar intake now, you may be able to avoid not only a widening mid-section, but some of the following health implications.

Immune Problems

Sugar can break down the body and can weaken immunity. If one’s immune system is compromised, chances for catching a virus or infection increase. Recovery time may also take much longer if one’s diet remains high in sugar and refined foods.

Mood Swings

Sugar is a powerful mood-altering substance. Many of our mood swings are due to instable blood sugar in the body. When people lose the ability to maintain a steady blood sugar level, the entire human organism is affected. The breakdown of blood sugar regulation can lead to the breakdown of other systems, until the entire organism is out of whack.

An Overly Acidic Body

A diet rich in sugar, processed carbohydrates, dairy, and animal meat creates an excessively acidic environment in the body. Well-known naturopath Paavo Airola says in his book How to Get Well that acidosis, or over-acidity in the body tissues, is one of the basic causes of diseases, especially the arthritic and rheumatic diseases. Healing happens when the body is in an alkaline state, not a chronically stressed acidic state.

Sugar Dependence

As with any habit, sugar can be used to ease any sort of emotional or physical discomfort, whether it’s loneliness, sadness, confusion, or elation. Sugar can act as a numbing agent, a temporary mood and energy enhancer, and can fuel the brain with a surge of feel-good neurotransmitters. Over time, one can learn that sugar can make everything feel better and creates a difficult habit to break.

Protect your health now and choose to:

Increase Alkaline-Forming Foods

Fuel the body with foods such as greens, vegetables, fruits, almonds, and millet to help the body maintain balance. Green juices or smoothies are a great way to flood the body with nutrition.

Create a Rhythmic Eating Schedule

Our bodies and blood sugar thrive off of rhythmic eating. Re-regulating the body’s blood sugar may look like eating frequent high-quality meals. Others may feel more supported with a traditional 3-meals-a-day approach. Find what works best for your body.

Eat a Sufficient Amount Nutrient-Dense Carbohydrates

Many of my clients report sugar cravings or sugar binges when they are not getting an adequate amount of carbohydrates in their diet to support their lifestyle. By adding in nutrient-rich carbohydrates like brown rice, quinoa, and steel cut oatmeal, insatiable sugar cravings can be kept at bay.

Eat More Naturally Occurring Sweet Foods

As human beings, we naturally crave sweet foods. By adding in sweet nutrient-dense foods, sugar cravings may decrease naturally. Try adding cooked onions, carrots, and sweet potatoes into the diet frequently, and enjoy fruit. There is certainly a place for high-quality organic dark chocolate (70% or greater.)

Make Sure You're Eating Enough to Support your Lifestyle

Consuming too low of calories can equal some serious dips in energy as can too little sleep. Enter sugar, caffeine, and carbohydrates. Make sure you're eating enough to fuel your body and your workouts. Instead of focusing on cutting calories, eat real food. Hunger levels should regulate as the body begins to get all the nutrition it needs.

Sleep

Frequently skimping on sleep will lead one to craving anything that gives the body quick energy.

Put All Foods on Your Menu of Possibility

Vowing to never eat a morsel of sugar again can backfire and lead to over consumption. Everyone has a different tolerance for sugar. Again, a simple step is moving towards crowding out processed sugars with naturally occurring ones.

Visit Laura at www.RealFoodWellness.com