As we emerge out of our cocoon of “sheltering in place” and slowly incorporate some aspects of daily living, why not use this as an opportunity to create your new normal? A healthier, more robust and resilient you.
We have an opportunity here to make some changes that could result in a significant health boost. And it can start by revisiting our relationship to what we eat.
Let’s start by getting rid of the sugar. And not just the “white death” in the sugar bowl although that’s an excellent place to start. There’s the sugar added to processed foods and drinks, as well as, your healthy snack or flavored yogurt. That energy bar, so quick and easy, could have up to 20 grams of sugar in it which is close to 100% of the daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association if you’re an adult female (and almost twice the daily amount recommended for kids.)
Why start with sugar?
Because more than any other single ingredient we eat, sugar in all its forms, sabotages our health.
It not only contributes to weight gain via creation of unhealthy fat stores and drives the chemistry of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes but also hijacks our immune system. And a poorly regulated immune system results in runaway inflammation. And runaway, uncontrolled inflammation that manifests as many ailments from hypertension and heart disease to obesity and hormone imbalance makes us more susceptible to external threats, like viral infections.
Here’s a quick list of the effect of man-made sugars and sweeteners on our health:
Suppresses the immune cells that specialize in phagocytosis – that part of our defense system that rids the body of foreign substances like bacteria and viruses
Contributes to the development of dangerous fat stores in and around our internal organs, most specifically, the liver
Causes shift in mood and mental health as well as impacting cognitive function
For some people it is an addictive substance
Can negatively alter the gut microbiome leading to additional damage to the semipermeable lining of the small intestine causing “leaky gut”
Artificial sweeteners are no better. Initially thought to be desirable as a non-caloric sugar alternative, research indicates that they also compromise the gut microbiome and contribute to the development of glucose intolerance.
So, where to start?
Begin with the lowest-hanging fruit. Where are the most obvious places that might pack the biggest effect?
Could you cutback on the amount of sugar or sweetener that you use in your morning coffee? How about switching to plain full-fat yogurt and adding your own fruit? Instead of fruit juice that contains the sugar from several pounds of fruit, how about diluting that juice with sparkling water? Or better yet, just eat a single piece of fruit or drink some water and skip the juice.
Make your changes gradual if you’re wired that way. But for many people who find sugar to be addictive, its “cold turkey”. Complete abstinence is the only way to go.
Either way, having foods around that you can eat during your sugar reduction/removal can be really helpful. When making changes in behavior, any time we want to eliminate something negative, we’ll be more successful if we add something positive as a substitute. Make a list of what to drop and stop eating along with a list of what to have available.
For those who find encouragement and motivation by doing a deeper dive into the subject matter you might enjoy the following books and documentary -
Robert Lustig, MD Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Foods, Obesity and Disease and its companion cookbook.
Mark Hyman, MD The Blood Sugar Solution also comes with companion cookbook
Gary Taubes The Case Against Sugar
The movie, Fed Up, is a great documentary examining America’s obesity epidemic and the food industry’s role in aggravating it.
What helps you kick the sugar habit?