This year I am trying to treat my 63 year old frame a little better. Indulging in a sugar binge in front of a screen (always one of my favorite things) didn’t seem to affect me as much when I was a young thing. Now, I wish I had not practiced that bad habit so much. But, of course, I did not know the damage I was doing.
I am wiser now. I am OLDER now. The first I like. The second, not so much. Anyway, I have learned of the detrimental effects of sugar on the human body. In small amounts, it can sweeten life. But we don’t use it is small amounts, do we?
HOW DOES SUGAR DESTROY YOU? Let me count the ways……….
- First I will state the obvious. Sugar makes us fat! Even our children. About 1/3 of adolescents and children in the United States are now considered overweight. Obesity tripled from the 1970s to 2000.
- With the obesity that follows high sugar consumption, there is an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
- Obesity is an underlying cause for joint disease. It has been said that for every pound gained, there is an added 5 pounds of pressure on your knees. WHAT A PAIN!
- Obesity increases your risk of certain cancers
THEN THERE ARE SOME LESSER KNOWN RISKS……
OBESITY is associated with a 1.5 fold increase in your risk of developing ALZHEIMERS. It seems that this risk is most closely associated with midlife obesity. That spare tire in middle age hurts more than just your golf game!
Finally, SUGAR CAN HURT YOU BEFORE YOU ARE BORN! In one study, sugary beverages consumed by the mother were associated with increased weight in their school-aged children. For every serving of a sugary drink consumed during the second trimester in this study, there was a 0.15 kg/m2 increase in fat mass. Even that BUN IN THE OVEN is not safe.
So needless to say, many of us need less sugar in our diet. Sugar is an ADDICTIVE ENEMY, so it may be best to try to avoid it completely for about 6 weeks to lessen the craving for it.
It is a challenge, but one well worth it. Take it and let me know how you feel afterward!
