Let me ask you...how often do you feel compelled to drive into Starbucks? How often do you reach for bread, crackers, pasta or cereal throughout your day? Do you think that sugar only exists in candy, cake or cookies? Think again.
Most people will insist, "I'm not addicted to sugar. I can quit eating sugar anytime I want." Really? Prove it! See if you can go sugar-free for just ten days. That's a real eye-opener for most people, because even if they have the determination to attempt such an experiment, most soon find themselves crawling back to the pantry, desperately seeking a soda beverage loaded with high-fructose corn syrup (liquid sugar) to end their withdrawal symptoms.
You may not realize it, but you are addicted to sugar.
The truth is, most of us are so addicted to sugar that we deny our addictions in the same way that a crack or heroin addict might. And yet, when it comes down to it, sugar controls our behavior. If we don't have our sugar in the morning (in our Starbucks, pancakes, muffins or donuts or cereals), sugar at lunch (in the salad dressing, pasta sauce, lunch meat, sandwich bread soda and cookie for dessert) and sugar at dinner (there's sugar in pizza, ketchup and BBQ sauce, frozen and low-fat meals….plus virtually all restaurant foods and fast foods), then we suffer serious withdrawal symptoms and go crazy with moodiness and irritability. Sometimes we are cheerful, charming, funny and delightful. Other times you can be a royal pain in the butt and even the people who love you stay out of your way. We start blaming everyone around them for silly things, and they may even become sweaty and light-headed if we don’t get our fix. Sound familiar?
You are a sugar addict.
If you don't believe me, just put a spoonful on your tongue. How does it instantly make you feel?? You get a warm, comfortable, incredibly pleasurable feeling that makes you feel safe and happy. When we eat sugar, we feel happy.
I know. I used to be a sugar addict – I used to think sugar was harmless and now I am speaking out to let you know that sugar addiction is real and it wreaks havoc on our health. I had acne and bloating. I wanted to sleep after meals. I had mood swings and depression. I was irritable. I could not go a day without some form of sugar or flour. My only saving grace was that I exercised a lot because I was an aerobic instructor -- but sugar was devastating my health slowly.
You may not think it is possible to be addicted to something so ''harmless'' as sugar. Most people wouldn’t consider a sugar addiction as serious as a cigarette or an alcohol addiction. After all, how dangerous can a chocolate chip cookie really be?
But refined white sugar is a pleasure drug -- a legalized recreational drug that's socially acceptable to consume.
That’s because, when we eat sugar, our brain releases natural chemicals called opioids, which give the body a feeling of intense pleasure and we begin to crave more of it. Drugs like heroin and morphine also activate the brain to release opioids. Rats that are fed sugar and then completely denied of it will go through withdrawal symptoms such as teeth-chattering and the shakes – and they repeated press the lever that once dispensed the sugar solution.
Research shows that sugar contributes to as much illness and suffering as other legal addictions, but suffers none of their social ostracism. Smokers huddle outside. Alcoholics have their own support groups. Sugar addicts ... well, it’s everywhere – in the grocery store, at the birthday party, in those little dishes at the bank, at grandma’s house and someone at work is always bringing in sugary treats.
Sugar is far worse than “empty calories.” It is actually an anti-food. It steals nutrients. People live longer on nothing than they do eating sugar. (This fact was first discovered with marooned sailors in 1806 and later verified by laboratory experiments.)
This applies to refined carbs as well as sugar. Refined wheat has protein, fiber and a dozen nutrients removed. Many sugarholics and others consuming lots of processed food live in a constant state of nutrient depletion.
Refined flour products, such as breads, bagels, tortillas, pasta, muffins and cereals are often our primary food source in this fast-paced, microwave, working-mom society we live in. The problem is that eating these refined carbohydrates daily in significant quantity causes our bodies to metabolize them just like sugar. Basically, refined carbohydrates release sugar into the blood stream faster than we’ve evolved to handle it. This challenges the cells’ energy-producing systems, throws hormones out of balance, increases inflammation, severely impairs our immune response and triggers the release of numerous harmful compounds – in addition to making us fat, feel lazy and sick all over.
When sugar or flour is our main source of food, our body literally becomes addicted to it like a drug. Our body metabolizes flour and sugar immediately after it is eaten. Our pancreas dumps a huge surge of insulin into our system, which uses up the sugar very quickly, causing us to crave even more sugar. We then crave our “drug” fix to make up for the energy we lose by the lack of nutrients in these foods. The short-term burst of energy that sugar and refined flour products provide needs to be replenished quickly by more sugar intake in order to continue to satisfy our body’s cravings! Like drug addicts, we continually turn to soft drinks, sugary energy bars, bread, pasta and other forms of sugary, refined food products in order to satisfy our cravings. Sadly, we crave the very thing that is killing us.
When we bombard our bodies daily with refined food products, eventually we get fat. Our body is being forced to use sugar for fuel, instead of fat, eventually damaging our ability to break down fats properly. When that happens, our body will store extra proteins, carbohydrates and fats all as fats. Even farmers know that to fatten up livestock before they are slaughtered, feed them lots of grains instead of healthier grasses!!
To avoid becoming a sugar addict, start transitioning your diet to REAL food. Whole foods that grow in the ground or from a tree, rather than refined flour or sugar products. Whole foods retain their nutrient value, allowing our body to recognize them and metabolize them slowly and properly. We are truly nourished from them. Choose whole fruit instead sugary treats; sprouted breads rather than breads made from flour, and avoid foods in boxes, wrappers, packages and cans. Need some help? Grab a copy of my e-book, Cleanse Your Way to Health, Beauty and Longevity at http://www.ginareneelac.com/
And remember, as the famous author Michael Pollan quotes: “If it comes from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don’t.” Pretty simple advice. Whole foods nourish us, free us from disease, slow the aging process, and give us energy and vitality ~ just like God intended.
Most people will insist, "I'm not addicted to sugar. I can quit eating sugar anytime I want." Really? Prove it! See if you can go sugar-free for just ten days. That's a real eye-opener for most people, because even if they have the determination to attempt such an experiment, most soon find themselves crawling back to the pantry, desperately seeking a soda beverage loaded with high-fructose corn syrup (liquid sugar) to end their withdrawal symptoms.
You may not realize it, but you are addicted to sugar.
The truth is, most of us are so addicted to sugar that we deny our addictions in the same way that a crack or heroin addict might. And yet, when it comes down to it, sugar controls our behavior. If we don't have our sugar in the morning (in our Starbucks, pancakes, muffins or donuts or cereals), sugar at lunch (in the salad dressing, pasta sauce, lunch meat, sandwich bread soda and cookie for dessert) and sugar at dinner (there's sugar in pizza, ketchup and BBQ sauce, frozen and low-fat meals….plus virtually all restaurant foods and fast foods), then we suffer serious withdrawal symptoms and go crazy with moodiness and irritability. Sometimes we are cheerful, charming, funny and delightful. Other times you can be a royal pain in the butt and even the people who love you stay out of your way. We start blaming everyone around them for silly things, and they may even become sweaty and light-headed if we don’t get our fix. Sound familiar?
You are a sugar addict.
If you don't believe me, just put a spoonful on your tongue. How does it instantly make you feel?? You get a warm, comfortable, incredibly pleasurable feeling that makes you feel safe and happy. When we eat sugar, we feel happy.
I know. I used to be a sugar addict – I used to think sugar was harmless and now I am speaking out to let you know that sugar addiction is real and it wreaks havoc on our health. I had acne and bloating. I wanted to sleep after meals. I had mood swings and depression. I was irritable. I could not go a day without some form of sugar or flour. My only saving grace was that I exercised a lot because I was an aerobic instructor -- but sugar was devastating my health slowly.
You may not think it is possible to be addicted to something so ''harmless'' as sugar. Most people wouldn’t consider a sugar addiction as serious as a cigarette or an alcohol addiction. After all, how dangerous can a chocolate chip cookie really be?
But refined white sugar is a pleasure drug -- a legalized recreational drug that's socially acceptable to consume.
That’s because, when we eat sugar, our brain releases natural chemicals called opioids, which give the body a feeling of intense pleasure and we begin to crave more of it. Drugs like heroin and morphine also activate the brain to release opioids. Rats that are fed sugar and then completely denied of it will go through withdrawal symptoms such as teeth-chattering and the shakes – and they repeated press the lever that once dispensed the sugar solution.
Research shows that sugar contributes to as much illness and suffering as other legal addictions, but suffers none of their social ostracism. Smokers huddle outside. Alcoholics have their own support groups. Sugar addicts ... well, it’s everywhere – in the grocery store, at the birthday party, in those little dishes at the bank, at grandma’s house and someone at work is always bringing in sugary treats.
Sugar is far worse than “empty calories.” It is actually an anti-food. It steals nutrients. People live longer on nothing than they do eating sugar. (This fact was first discovered with marooned sailors in 1806 and later verified by laboratory experiments.)
This applies to refined carbs as well as sugar. Refined wheat has protein, fiber and a dozen nutrients removed. Many sugarholics and others consuming lots of processed food live in a constant state of nutrient depletion.
Refined flour products, such as breads, bagels, tortillas, pasta, muffins and cereals are often our primary food source in this fast-paced, microwave, working-mom society we live in. The problem is that eating these refined carbohydrates daily in significant quantity causes our bodies to metabolize them just like sugar. Basically, refined carbohydrates release sugar into the blood stream faster than we’ve evolved to handle it. This challenges the cells’ energy-producing systems, throws hormones out of balance, increases inflammation, severely impairs our immune response and triggers the release of numerous harmful compounds – in addition to making us fat, feel lazy and sick all over.
When sugar or flour is our main source of food, our body literally becomes addicted to it like a drug. Our body metabolizes flour and sugar immediately after it is eaten. Our pancreas dumps a huge surge of insulin into our system, which uses up the sugar very quickly, causing us to crave even more sugar. We then crave our “drug” fix to make up for the energy we lose by the lack of nutrients in these foods. The short-term burst of energy that sugar and refined flour products provide needs to be replenished quickly by more sugar intake in order to continue to satisfy our body’s cravings! Like drug addicts, we continually turn to soft drinks, sugary energy bars, bread, pasta and other forms of sugary, refined food products in order to satisfy our cravings. Sadly, we crave the very thing that is killing us.
When we bombard our bodies daily with refined food products, eventually we get fat. Our body is being forced to use sugar for fuel, instead of fat, eventually damaging our ability to break down fats properly. When that happens, our body will store extra proteins, carbohydrates and fats all as fats. Even farmers know that to fatten up livestock before they are slaughtered, feed them lots of grains instead of healthier grasses!!
To avoid becoming a sugar addict, start transitioning your diet to REAL food. Whole foods that grow in the ground or from a tree, rather than refined flour or sugar products. Whole foods retain their nutrient value, allowing our body to recognize them and metabolize them slowly and properly. We are truly nourished from them. Choose whole fruit instead sugary treats; sprouted breads rather than breads made from flour, and avoid foods in boxes, wrappers, packages and cans. Need some help? Grab a copy of my e-book, Cleanse Your Way to Health, Beauty and Longevity at http://www.ginareneelac.com/
And remember, as the famous author Michael Pollan quotes: “If it comes from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don’t.” Pretty simple advice. Whole foods nourish us, free us from disease, slow the aging process, and give us energy and vitality ~ just like God intended.
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