By Dean L. Jones, C.P.M.
Still there remains a huge majority of society unacquainted or perhaps unwilling to know how consuming too much processed sugar will cause ill-effects and leave you with addictive behaviors. Well fortunately there are many professionals that have it embedded in their minds, and are vigilant in making us aware that processed sugar is our new cigarette, reminiscence to that of smoking, people are hooked and having health complications from consuming processed sugar.
The British Medical Journal regularly describes processed sugar as dangerous as tobacco and that it should be re-classified as a hard drug because it produces morphine-like chemicals in the brain that generates a natural high, making it very hard for those who eat it to resist it. Likewise, the British Journal of Psychiatry made us aware that there is a strong correlation between processed sugar consumption and schizophrenia and/or depression. The United Nation’s World Health Organization formally says processed sugar is mainly responsible for the epidemic of obesity and its associated diseases, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.
David Gillespie is a former lawyer in Australia, who battled with his weight for years, says in his book, ‘Sweet Poison,’ that after trying many diets without success, it was by eliminating processed sugar that he lost about ninety pounds. Dr. Nancy Appleton and Greg N. Jacobs are famous for their anti-sugar campaigns saying how processed sugar is more addictive than cocaine! Both have several books on the subject and co-authored ‘Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction’ and ‘Killer Colas: The Hard Truth about Soft Drinks’.
Cardiothoracic surgeon, author and television show host Doctor Mehmit Oz, says you should eliminate specific foods to avoid unnecessary aging and should avoid processed sugar at all costs. His research shows that processed sugar causes the body’s blood sugar (glucose) level to fluctuate, where initially, the blood sugar increases and consequentially heightens the insulin level. The insulin acts by carrying the sugar from your bloodstream to the different parts of your body and then your sugar level decreases again. As a result, you will feel tired and hungry, as this is better known as crashing.
In addition, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the second most important thing to avoid eating in the anti-aging campaign. Dr. Oz says that HFCS obstructs the brain from properly communicating with the use of leptin. Leptin is a hormone that sends a signal to the brain to let it know when we are energized and full. Whenever leptin cannot appropriately perform its satiety function for the brain it causes us to consume more food and consequently gain weight. Dr. Oz does suggest if you do consume added sugars to at least eat it with high fiber whole foods in order to help stabilize the sugar levels and keep from getting hungry easily.
www.SugarAlert.com
Mr. Jones is a marketing strategist with the Southland Partnership Corporation (a public benefit organization), sharing his view on mismanagement practices of processed foods & beverages.
