The spooky facts on sugar…
Hallelujah—my 12 day Wild Rose Cleanse is complete for another season. It usually takes about three days for the all-consuming carb and chocolate cravings to subside. Until then, my moods swing from being agitated to cranky. I have even been known to sneak my children’s zylitol-sweetened vitamins for ‘dessert’!
You may be questioning why sugar’s such a big deal, after all, it’s a natural substance right? Agreeably cane sugar has been around as long as humanity, and in Ayurvedic medicine it’s even used as a rejuvenative tool.
What many of us don’t realize though is how detrimental this seemingly harmless sweet flavor can be on our health. Simply put, too much sugar and refined carbohydrates in our diets can lead to low energy, frequent colds, sluggish metabolism, hormonal imbalance, constipation, bone loss, depression and mental fog just to name a few.
What’s more, our consumption of sugar has increased a whopping 45% from just 30 years ago, which has lead to our global crisis in obesity and type 2 diabetes (in case you’re wondering, over 400 million people live with type 2 diabetes and 4.5 million die from it each year).
What causes sugar cravings? Some of the most common causes are sleep deprivation, emotional stress, protein deficiency and dehydration.
As a mom, I am struck by sugars key involvement in virtually every celebration and holiday we have. Ever notice that the candy section in stores is always at children’s eye level? I have taken the route of educating my girls on the drawbacks of sugar, like the fact that sugar compromises their immunity for up to 8 hours after consumption!
In our house, we avoid refined sugars like cane and corn syrup and bake with natural sweeteners like stevia or zylitol that don’t jack up blood sugars. We also enjoy low glycemic fruits like apples, berries and cherries.
I challenge you tomorrow to indulge in a few favorite Halloween treats and then toss the rest in the bin. And why does a treat have to be a candy? You can use your imagination here
Jenny