The all too bitter pill we're swallowing every day
Posted on 8th January 2020 at 08:53
There are some topics that come up again and again with clients. And, what always strikes us, is just how creative they can be when trying to justify a less than positive choice they’ve been making. Both to themselves and to us (!).
Sometimes it’s down to a simple lack of thought.
More often there’s a rather blind eye being turned in that particular direction…
Top of the list must come diet. And, as we learnt many years ago, we never ask a client whether their diet is healthy. To date, no one has ever answered this question by saying that, perhaps, it might not be. However, a quick follow up question or two has provided a somewhat different – and often very imaginative (!) – answer…
And, regardless of what the advertising may say, baked beans don’t count as fresh fruit and vegetables. Nor is the salad in an all too popular takeaway beef burger one of your five a day. Top marks for creativity, zero points for nutritional value!
So, what are we going to focus on today?
Well, it’s one of the most harmful and addictive substances we can consume. High in calories, non-existent in terms of nutrition value. It’s estimated to be found in around 75% of processed foods, both sweet and savoury. Even worse, it hides behind many different names, which wily manufacturers have long used to disguise its presence. And, finally, it’s associated with a huge number of different health problems.
Have you guessed what it is yet? Sugar.
It’s a topic we’ve written about several times before. Asking whether Sugar really was public enemy number one? And then looking at how it’s the master of disguise, which you can find here and here.
Despite extensive media coverage about the dangers of a high sugar diet, the message still doesn’t seem to be getting through. Not only is it linked to rocketing levels of Obesity, Heart Disease and Type Diabetes, but there are many studies showing it has a detrimental effect on health in many different ways. Some of these are obvious, others less so.
So, here are 60 reasons to think twice before you reach for your favourite treat, snack or ready meal courtesy of Mercola, Take control of your Health, website. Each one is backed up by scientific research and full details can be found here.
Nutrient imbalances or deficiencies
1. Upsets the mineral relationships in the body
2. Causes chromium deficiency
3. Interferes with the absorption of calcium and magnesium
4. Increases total cholesterol, triglycerides and bad cholesterol levels
5. Decreases good cholesterol levels
6. Lowers vitamin E levels
Behavioural changes
7. Leads to addiction and intoxication, similar to alcohol
8. Increases hyperactivity and depressive symptoms
9. Causes difficulty in concentrating and drowsiness
10. Reduces learning capacity and can cause learning disorders
11. Increases the risk of antisocial behaviour
12. Decreases emotional stability
13. Increases the risk of alcoholism
Increased risk of diseases
14. Promotes cancer cell growth
15. Increases fasting levels of glucose
16. Increases blood pressure levels
17. Increases blood platelet adhesion, which could put you at risk of thrombotic conditions
18. Leads to formation of kidney stones and gallstones
19. Promotes excessive food intake through rapid sugar absorption
20. Increases the risk for obesity
21. Decreases insulin sensitivity, leading to high insulin levels and eventually diabetes
22. Causes reactive hypoglycaemia
23. Triggers dizziness and headaches, including migraines
24. Makes you more prone to gastrointestinal tract problems
25. Promotes chronic degenerative diseases
26. Causes atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases
27. Causes cataracts and near sightedness
28. May lead to autoimmune diseases like arthritis, asthma and multiple sclerosis
29. Increases the risk for lung cancer
30. Contributes to osteoporosis
31. Promotes the progression of Parkinson's disease
32. Increases the risk of Gout and Alzheimer's disease
33. Increases acidity of the saliva and causes tooth decay and periodontal diseases
34. Promotes uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infection)
35. Leads to toxaemia in pregnancy
36. Worsens symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
37. May lead to epileptic seizures
Bodily impairments
38. Impairs metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual
39. Suppresses the immune system, which increases risk of contracting infectious diseases
40. Reduces tissue elasticity and function
41. Leads to weaker eyesight
42. Accelerate aging
43. Increases advanced glycation end products where sugar molecules attach to proteins and end up damaging them
44. Impairs DNA and collagen structure
45. Alters collagen structure
46. Worsens signs of skin aging
47. Lowers the ability of your enzymes to function
48. Promotes fat accumulation in the liver
49. Increases the risk for kidney and pancreatic damage
50. Contributes to salt and fluid retention
51. Affects urinary electrolyte composition
52. Impairs normal function of the adrenal glands
53. Compromises lining of capillaries
54. Weakens your tendons
55. Can cause an increase in delta, alpha and theta brain waves, which results in the inability to think clearly
56. Causes hormonal imbalances
57. Increases free radicals and oxidative stress
58. Leads to substantial decrease in gestation, with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age infant
59. Causes dehydration among new born babies
60. Affects carbon dioxide production when given to infants
Are we trying to frighten you into better eating habits?!? Well, partly, yes.
But mainly it’s about giving you the information to make an informed decision for yourself. It really is all about the little things you do each day, usually without ever considering their possible long term effects…
As always, the choice is yours.
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