Excess use of sugar is one of the major causes of obesity.
THE MODERN FOOD INDUSTRY has created foods that provide us with excesses and deficiencies in our diet. Our convenience foods have excesses of sugars, fats and calories and deficiencies in vitamins, minerals and fibre. These nutritional imbalances are at the root of our major health problems.
THE SUGAR PROBLEM
Sugar, in particular, is a really big issue. Jamaicans are being ravaged by an epidemic of diabetes and obesity (diabesity), two conditions that are related to the excess of sugar, especially simple sugars in our diet. The experts predict that in not many years, half the population will be overweight and have diabetes.
Many of our people are now addicted to sweet foods and are suffering the consequences. The average American consumes 150 pounds of sugar each year and we in Jamaica are not far behind.
In her book Lick The Sugar Habit, Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., documents some 75 ways in which medical researchers have shown that excess sugar can harm us. Here is a list of just 20 health hazards from excess sugar:
Sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defences against infectious disease. Sugar upsets the relationships of many minerals in your body:
Causes chromium and copper deficiencies while interfering with the absorption of calcium and magnesium.
Can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty in concentrating, and crankiness in children.
Can produce a significant rise in total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol.
Causes a loss of tissue and skin elasticity and function.
Feeds cancer cells and has been connected with the development of cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, rectum, pancreas, lung, gallbladder and stomach.
Creates imbalances in blood glucose and can cause both high and low blood sugar.
Can weaken eyesight.
May cause many problems with the gastrointestinal tract including: excess acidity, indigestion, malabsorption, increased risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Can cause premature ageing.
Can lead to alcoholism.
May cause your saliva to become acidic, causing tooth decay, and gum disease.
May contribute to osteoporosis.
Causes a decrease in your insulin sensitivity, thereby causing abnormally high insulin levels and eventually diabetes.
Can lower your vitamin E levels.
May increase your blood pressure.
Contributes to obesity.
Can cause immune system diseases such as arthritis, allergies, asthma and multiple sclerosis.
Greatly promotes the uncontrolled growth of candida, resulting in yeast infections.
Sugar can cause gall stones.
DEADLY SOLUTIONS
The food industry, therefore, created a 'solution' for the problem. They invented artificial sweeteners.
The first was saccharin. It is a sweetener that causes cancer in animals. Scientists have concluded that saccharin may also cause cancer in humans, but it took a long time for the health authorities to begin to advise the public on its negative effects.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER
Later, an American company called Montsano invented another artificial sweetener called Aspartame. It is marketed in Jamaica and the rest of the world as NutraSweet or Equal. It is the sweetener that is found in many so-called diet drinks, such as Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi. Diabetics and people who are trying to lose weight are particularly attracted to these artificial sweeteners because of their low-calorie content. Today there are over 5,000 products that contain Aspartame.
Aspartame is a dangerous and poisonous substance. It breaks down in the body and forms substances like methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid. These chemicals are very toxic to the nervous system.
Individuals with symptoms of multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia, or who suffer from spasms, shooting pains, numbness in the limbs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, head-aches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, convulsions or memory loss, may actually be suffering from the toxic effects of Aspartame in 'diet' foods and drinks. It may also cause birth defects.
Aspartame is particularly deadly in diabetic patients, who unfortunately, are the greatest users of this poison. It makes the blood sugar harder to control and worsens the damage to the nervous system.
SAFER ALTERNATIVES
STEVIA: For those who want the sweet taste, but need to consume less sugar, stevia, a plant-based substance, is a safer alternative.
Stevia is a member of the chrysanthemum family and is native to Paraguay. It has been used by the Guarani Indians since ancient times. As a sugar substitute, it is available as a concentrated liquid, a crushed leaf, or a concentrated white powder. The liquid and leaf forms have a slightly herbal taste of licorice.
The concentrated liquid is 70 times sweeter than sugar. The crushed leaf form is about 30 times as sweet as sugar, and usually comes in small tea bag-like packets. The concentrated white powder is 300 times as sweet as sugar. Stevia is now available in Jamaica.
SUCRALOSE: Another more recent artificial sweetener is sucralose, marketed as Splenda. It is manufactured by altering the chemical structure of the sugar molecule to produce a substance that is many times sweeter than sugar but without any calories. It is now widely used in many foods and beverages and so far has not been associated with any harmful side effects.
A BALANCED DIET ESSENTIAL
Of course, a natural diet made up of predominantly whole foods, full of nutrients and little refined sugar, is of critical importance. I also recommend a programme of supplements called The Cellular Nutrition Programme.
For persons on the go, who complain about not having enough time to eat or prepare proper meals, use a meal replacement item called a 'shake'. This is one of the good things that the food industry has developed. A good shake is an ideal way of having an ideal meal. Make sure you take one that is nutritionally balanced.
So, don't let a sweet tooth ruin your health!
Email Dr. Vendryes at Vendryes@mac.com, visit the website at www.anounceofprevention.org, or listen to 'An Ounce of Prevention' on Power 106 FM on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.
