Why Should I Quit Sugar?

Do you struggle with sugar?

Have you suffered from constant brain fog?

Do you have inflammation in your body that causes your knees, back and feet to hurt?

If you said yes to either of the above, you may be suffering from a sugar addiction.

There are three types of sugar, that when consumed are broken down in our bodies to produce glucose. Glucose can either be used immediately or stored in our body for later.

Blood sugar is sugar that is carried to cells in the bloodstream for energy. Blood sugar levels rise after consuming meals with carbohydrates, especially those full of simple sugars, which are digested and absorbed quickly.

The body works continuously to adjust and regulate blood sugar levels through hormone signaling. Continually elevated blood sugar levels may contribute to weight gain, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. It can also damage a variety of body organs and systems.

Repeated excessive sugar intake can affect health in many ways, including:

Obesity - when there is excess sugar in the body, the body stores the excess sugar as fat.

Type 2 Diabetes - the constant bombardment of sugar and elevation of insulin in the body eventually causes our insulin receptors to burn out. Long-term complications of diabetes include vision damage, kidney dysfunction, heart disease, and poor healing of wounds, which can lead to amputation of limbs.

Cancer - sugar levels feed cancerous cells, it also impedes the function of the immune system, which would otherwise identify and destroy potentially mutated and harmful cells in the body.

As you can see, an over consumption of sugar has many harmful side effects to our bodies. Decreasing and / or eliminating sugar is key to becoming a healthier you.

Here are three things that I did to quit sugar:

1. I determined and continually remind myself of my "why" - knowing why I was quitting sugar and remembering that why was so important when I decided that sugar was no longer an option for me. Giving up sugar, like any change we make in life was not easy. However, I knew if I did not get the sugar out of my diet, I may end up with a bigger, more aggressive type of cancer.
2. I began reading labels, every label - there were products that you would never dream of having sugar, like milk, mustard, and pickles. Sugar is in everything and there are so many different names of sugar that I had to learn about. Sugar makes food taste better. It just does. But sugar is addictive, so when you eat a little bit of sugar, you just want more. Foods that are processed or pre-packaged are foods that contain the most sugar, and those are what you want to avoid.
3. I found foods that would cure my sweet tooth - It was tough, but there are foods out there that will help with your sweet tooth. I looked for foods with natural sugars, that also contained the vitamins and minerals that my body needs. I chose foods like sweet fruits and sweet vegetables. I even found some foods that were quick go-to snacks that contained natural ingredients without added sugar. One of the best ways to give up sugar and not feel deprived is to make your own sweet concoctions. There are so many recipes out there that can help you do that.

Changing habits is not easy, but if I can do it, I know you can do it too. Don't wait like I did until quitting sugar is no longer an option, but a must!

The first step to making any major change in your life is always awareness. Notice where you are including sugar in your diet, so you can change it and put your diet in alignment with where you are headed.

I can help!

Join me for the Sugar Vice Workshop on Tuesday, September 6th from 11:00 - 12:00pm CST.  Use this link to register: The Sugar Vice Workshop

Always...Take Care of You!