SUGAR!! It's time to go!
We all love to have a little sugar - however, it's important to understand the very real health implications of too much sugar as well as refined carbohydrates.
Diabetes, heart disease, weight gain and hormonal imbalance are all directly linked to excessive sugar intake. Your body can manage small amounts of sugar. But in larger amounts, sugar can quickly become a poison.
The body’s entire endocrine system is interconnected. When one gland, the pancreas for example is over-stimulated, then other glands are forced to compensate. In this case, the pancreas, the thyroid gland becomes suppressed. It should be no surprise then, the current epidemic of thyroid deficiency and obesity. When the thyroid is suppressed then the hormonal balance is affected, and the reproductive glands are suppressed.
Sugar is highly addictive
If you consume something sweet one day, then your body creates a physiological response to the sugar. If sugar is consumed regularly, then the body will automatically reduce blood sugar levels in anticipation of the sugar high. This essentially is the sugar cravings people experience.
Like any drug, the body requires more and more to obtain the same high. This is how a sugar addiction is created with a large percentage of society silently suffering from this addiction.
Elevated blood sugar levels then damage a range of organs & the circulatory system, leading to the characteristic signs of diabetes, obesity and heart disease.
This epidemic is a symptom of food manufacturing processes - where sugar is added to almost all processed foods. The problem has become so large today, that genetic weakness has developed in the children of diabetic parents, creating a strong family history of blood sugar disorders.
Resistance to insulin
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control the amount of sugar in the blood. It helps move glucose from the blood into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy.
Insulin resistance means the body’s tissues are resistant to the effects of insulin. The body, therefore, has to produce additional insulin to compensate.
High levels of insulin cause the ovaries to produce too much testosterone, which interferes with the development of the follicles (the sacs in the ovaries where eggs develop) and prevents normal ovulation.
Insulin resistance then also leads to weight gain, which can make hormonal imbalance symptoms worse - because having excess fat causes the body to produce even more insulin...
Hormone imbalances
The level of refined sugars consumed in the diet has a direct effect on hormone imbalance, due to the association of the pancreas with the other glands in the body - especially the ovaries, adrenals and thyroid. Every reaction of one gland effects another. Most women with hormonal imbalances report sugar and carbohydrate cravings, and it's well known that a lot of women crave sweet foods premenstrually.
Here are some tips to cut down on your sugar intake which could save your life:
Make sure you have well balanced meals so that you won't feel hungry between meals. Missing meals and trying to ‘diet’ will cause you to crave sweet foods. This is where I can help you, healthy balanced meal plans and recipes available NOW!
Choose brown cereals rather than refined white ones. Brown bread and rice take longer to digest causing the blood sugar to not rise. (LOW G.I)
Sleep early. Late nights are often when people snack on sweets. A good night’s sleep also prevents low energy and sugar cravings the next day.
Sugar is highly addictive. If you eat sugar one day, your body will crave it the next. Avoid giving in to the sugar cravings and the body will adapt in a healthy way and soon the sugar craving will stop.
Snack on a mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruits as a way to avoid sweet cravings. Dried fruits contain sugar - however, it is much less harmful than refined sugar, since the body can digest it better.
Cut down on tea and coffee if you have too much sugar. Use a natural honey as a sweetener instead of white sugar.
Exercise. Regular exercise helps to reduce blood sugar levels and encourages healthy sleep and natural weight control.
Reduce stress. Stress causes a rise in blood sugar, resulting in sugar cravings.
If you have sugar cravings eat or drink something sour or bitter such as lemon or lime juice in water.
Increase the amounts of healthy fats such as avocado, with meals, as this can help to keep you fuller for longer, hence reducing the number of cravings.
Consume fermented foods regularly. Healthy gut bacteria reduce yeasts such as candida and other bacteria which feed on sugar. This reduces your sugar cravings.
It’s time to reduce your the intake of sugar. And with my help YES you can.
Tonya xx
