Is Sugar Making You Sick?

Have you made the decision to pursue a healthier lifestyle, only to find yourself failing to give up your favorite sweets time and time again?

Have you felt powerless in the attempt to give up sugar? If so, you are not alone.

Not only is sugar a hard habit to kick, but it could be damaging your health, causing mystery symptoms, and making you sick in ways you don’t realize.

In this post, we’ll explore the dangerous reality of sugar addiction and the many debilitating health conditions influenced by excess sugar intake. You’ll be empowered with the information you need to finally eliminate sugar from your diet. I also recommend a few of my personal favorite natural sweeteners that will nourish your body and help you to give up sugar for good!

Sugar Addiction is Very Real…

Have you ever thought that your struggle to give up sugar was beyond your control? It might sound extreme to compare sugar to drugs like cocaine or heroin. However, research has shown that consumption of sugar activates the same reward center of your brain and unhealthy patterns can manifest from those “hits” of sugar.

When sparked, the reward center of the brain releases opioids and dopamine, powerful feel-good chemicals. (1)(2) This is more than simply an emotional addiction to our favorite comfort foods. It is a physical response, an addiction, and your body has learned to depend on sugar for a high. Oftentimes, this sugar-seeking drive is happening beneath our conscious awareness, so you may not even realize where the powerful urge to “splurge” on sugar is coming from.

It is probable that our bodies were designed to seek sugary foods, to encourage our ancestors to seek out sustenance high in sugar and calories for quick energy and survival in sparse conditions. (3) But in our modern world, we are bombarded with an endless supply of fast food options and highly refined sugar-laden processed snacks. Many are designed in world-class labs and carefully dosed with just the right ingredients to get us hooked.

Our easy access to high-sugar foods quickly creates a problem. The “sugar high” quickly fades as our bodies produce insulin to shuttle the excess sugar to storage. Blood sugar levels then plummet, causing more cravings, and the cycle continues. Let’s talk about the health implications of this vicious cycle…

Excess Sugar Intake Leads to Illness

Over time, the excess consumption of sugar takes a toll on our bodies. In fact, we can build up a tolerance to sugar, so we need more of it to feel the same effect in our brain’s reward center. As our sugar intake increases, so does our risk for related health issues.

Studies have shown that a diet high in added sugar is linked to (4):

• Inflammation
• Liver disease
• Obesity (increasing the risk of diabetes, sleep apnea, heart disease, and cancer)
• Insulin resistance (causing issues regulating blood sugar, diabetes, and high blood pressure)
• Leaky gut syndrome (allowing toxins the pass through the intestinal wall causing inflammation and autoimmune symptoms)
• Candida overgrowth (leading to brain fog, depression, muscle aches, numbness, skin issues, yeast infections, digestive upset, and hormonal imbalances)

The good news is: all of these issues can be improved, if not eliminated, by learning how to care for our bodies — in this case, reducing the amount of sugar we consume. One study found that reducing sugar intake improved inflammatory blood markers by almost 30% (5). It will take some adjustment and time to heal the body from the inside out, but the benefits will be lifelong!

Where Do We Go From Here?

Now that we know what a powerful substance sugar can be, how do we set ourselves up for success when it seems to be lurking in every breakroom and grocery store shelf?

Here are a few simple ideas to awaken your awareness of sugar in your life, and start taking steps in the right direction:

• Start reading labels. You will be surprised how much sugar is added to everyday items. Watch out for pre-packaged processed foods like sodas, flavored yogurts, sauces, and even “healthy” things like juices and energy bars.
• Begin your day with a balanced breakfast of protein, healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates. This will fuel your morning and satisfy your hunger with sustainable energy - keeping those sugar cravings at bay.
• Experiment with natural sugar alternatives to curb your sweet tooth without the negative side effects.

When embarking on a journey to recover health, one of the biggest hindrances is the idea that we have to give up our favorite treats. Eliminating processed sugar from the diet does not have to be a life sentence of no more sweets!

Here are three natural sweeteners I use in recipes as a healthy alternative to table sugar:

1. Chicory Root Extract (like this) - good source of fiber, calcium, and vitamin C.
2. Monkfruit Extract (like this) - anti-inflammatory, calorie free, contains antioxidants, helps control blood sugar levels.
3. Sweet Potato Nectar (like this) - nutrient dense, source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, less fructose than sweeteners like sugar or honey.

Not only do these alternatives taste good in my favorite recipes, but they have nutritious benefits to support my body and help me feel my best.

If you feel sugar may be the culprit causing your mystery illness or symptoms, I hope this information will spark the desire to learn more ways to support your body and find wellness in all areas.

You may think it’s just the body that’s suffering, but when your body is not functioning well, the mind and soul may become imbalanced too. There is ultimately more work to be done than cutting out sugar to achieve body, mind, and soul balance.

My mission is to help as many people as possible access the powerful information and natural techniques that can awaken the healer within. That is why I’ve developed an online course for anyone on the path to wholeness reconnect to healing wisdom and transform on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level.

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