Salted Caramel or S'mores?

Loaded Cinnamon Buns…..Tempting?

Seasons change, and that goes along with seasons in life. For almost nine years, I have been on a health journey that would forever change my life. During that time, I went from eating meat to becoming a vegetarian, then a vegan, back to vegetarian, then pescatarian, and now a flexitarian. If you are wondering if I was just confused, maybe I was. The biggest lesson I learned during this process was how to listen to my body…which isn’t easy to do.  It takes a lot of practice and discipline.  

Not Only Lip Service

The tongue and brain can weigh heavily on food choices, especially when it comes to sweets.  Even with all the “titles” I gave myself, the one thing I realized was sugar’s effect on my body.  Not only in the physiology (weight gain) but psychologically (brain fog, failure to recall words) as well. I also came away with a knowledge about how sugar can single handedly destroy the body’s system cell by cell. Yeah, I know it seems dramatic and extreme, but evidence supports how sugar breaks down the immune system. You see, sugar affects the way the white blood cells attack bacteria. Sugar triggers a low-grade inflammatory response in the body and grows from there. For a body that is already compromised, consuming sugar is like adding a piece of wood to the fire. It just keeps burning hotter and hotter.  

COVID-19 & Sugar

During the recent pandemic, it was noted that many of those who tested positive to COVID-19 were also diabetic. This link may indicate that people with higher levels of sugar can contract the COVID-19 virus much easier. There is also evidence demonstrating that consuming 75 to 100 grams of sugar is enough to hinder the body’s immune function. (1) That may sound like a lot, and it is, but it’s essentially two cans of soda. Even consuming a grande chai latte from your favorite coffee shop will get you half way there.  

When sugar is consumed, it temporarily tamps downs the immune system’s ability to respond to challenges. This impairment can last several hours, so if sweets are consumed throughout the day, then the immune system is at a disadvantage for most of, if not, all day. How can the body fight off bacteria or viruses or other assaults when there are no soldiers ready for battle?

Make the Change

For decades, I got two colds a year. It was usually during the spring and fall when the weather changed. However, it’s been years since I’ve had a cold or the flu. Mostly I contribute that to eating well, but I take seriously the amounts of sugar I consume. I’m not as strict as I used to be. I do indulge from time to time for a special occasion. Ironically, my body tells me pretty quickly it doesn’t like it. So, that keeps me in check. That foggy headed feeling returns along with the crash when the sugar runs out. The other thing I notice is my propensity to want more sugar. The cravings start again, and I’m reminded of the toxic relationship we once shared. I’ve worked hard to get into shape both physically and mentally, and I’m not willing to sacrifice the hard work by eating high calorie, nutrition-less sweets.

As the weather warms, exercise is easier, as well as, fresh vegetables for consumption.  Why not make a plan to quit sugar for 30 days? Find a friend to help you on your journey.  I’d be happy to work with you to devise a plan that will work with your lifestyle.

Breaking up with sugar is not easy.  It may seem like a friend that loves you, but I can assure you it does not. If you are interested in learning more about how I broke up with sugar, read more here.

1.      https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/26/11/1180/4732762

A Little Sugar

During a recent conversation, I was made aware of our lack of understanding about sugar that left my head spinning.  The person I was speaking to had dental decay and was concerned about the amount of money it was going to cost for all the repairs.  I asked him if he knew what was causing his problem?  After a short pause, he came up with not coming to the dentist for a while, then added probably that he drinks coffee.  Hmmm…

Why do you think coffee is causing your problem? I probed.  He explained that all he put in his coffee was “a little” sugar.  That was the only thing he could think of that had sugar in it. I asked how much was “a little.”  “Only a packet and a half in a medium sized cup,” he explained. He followed up with the fact he only had about two of those a day. Interesting, I thought.  Wow, that’s a lot of cavities for only “a little” sugar. 

A bit later, he told me his girlfriend has started drinking green tea, and he had been doing the same. Apparently, it helps him to replace the Coke he usually drinks while he’s a work.  WHAT??  Oh, you drink Coke?  “Oh, yes. It’s by go to drink.”  Okay, clearly there is a missing informational gap here.  It’s not a diet Coke he’s drinking either.  Full fledged sugar!  I asked him if he knew how much sugar was in those Cokes? He had no idea.  Then he followed up with the question: “Does Gatorade and Powerade have sugar too, because I drink those too?”

There is so much to learn from conversations with the ability to just stop talking and listen.  Over the course of this conversation, this person was able to better understand the cause of his problem without my having to go into a long triad of science and disease.  I simply asked questions, paused, and inquired a bit more.  Too often, we think of sugar as something WE’VE added, not what food manufactures have already put into their products.  The accumulation of sugar in our system causes disease.  Research after research has confirmed this to be the case.  One study in particular, was completed in 2009 (11 years ago) that demonstrates the role of sugar on the oral cavity even in the absence of daily oral hygiene.  This study showed that what we eat directly effects our dental health, and we know our mouth is not a separate entity from our body.  Reading this study gave me an even better understanding of how the role of sugar plays in our overall health.  By changing the foods we eat, our body will adapt to either health or disease. We get to choose.

 If we were given a jar of the amount of sugar we consume on a given day, we would look at it and say, “No way do I eat that much sugar.”  But when it’s added to other ingredients, it’s easy to lose track.  Sugar is addicting and what’s worse, is the powers in charge continue to minimize the destructive effects it has on our body.  Most people can identify diabetes as a disease affected by sugar consumption, but so is cancer, autoimmune disorders, IBS, eczema, heart disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and the list goes on.  While it’s true that people are living longer due to prescription medications, that quality of life is questionable.  

Today, why not challenge yourself to avoid eating sugar?  I suggest first, you document the amount of sugar you consume in a week.  Document what is happening during that moment when you reach for sugar.  What emotion or feeling do you have?  The next week, try to avoid added sugars all together.  It will be necessary to prepare your kitchen with fresh vegetables, proteins and healthy fat to help with the cravings.  It takes a mindset to do something so profound, however, I promise it will be worth it. I will warn you though that the withdrawal effects are not easy, but by day five, you will feel so much better. You will have more energy and a clearer mind. Sleeping improves along with mood. Let me know if you are up for the challenge.

Health Bite: Take a sugar detox to live better, longer.

The Big Breakup

Breaking up with a true love is painful. It can be emotionally and physically taxing. When breakups happen, thoughts about the loss consumes the mind. Often it feels difficult to move forward and the longings can weigh heavily on one’s spirit. Difficulty in sleeping, moodiness, and anger can occur. Divisions happen because one or both parties need to move on and continue to grow in some way. Think about the last time you had a break up. Did you lose sleep? Did it make you depressed, distant and grumpy? These are the effects of a breakup. But, once the initial pain is over, one can begin to accept the situation and move on. Taking a step back, the vision is more clear and the ability to see the trouble of the relationship and the problems it was causing.

My big break up happened nearly four years ago. It was painful at first, and my stomach and brain were really upset. I really was in denial that it was a toxic relationship because it felt so right. I looked forward to my love and made plans to spend more time with it. It made me happy and gave me energy, or so I thought. Then one day, I decided I needed to take a break. I had come to realize that this relationship was one-way, and what I was getting from it didn’t support my overall goals. That’s right. I decided it was time to break up…..with SUGAR!

Just like any break up, I tried to talk myself back into the relationship citing the positive things it brought to me. But in the end, those positive things were only temporary and the overall effect was a big negative! It took four days for those cravings to subside. Sometimes moodiness is a side effect of sugar withdrawal, but I’m not sure that was any different of another day….However, after day four, I didn’t have those cravings, and I began to feel so much better. I had more energy, and my mind was more clear. I learned to enjoy fruit and other vegetables I really never liked. You see, I was consuming empty calories from baked goods (usually from my kitchen) and not the whole food. I had no room for more nutritious food that my body really needed.

Eating real foods and whole foods, gives the body exactly what it needs. It contains vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients. All these things protect our cells and supports our immune system to stay strong and fight off diseases. Sugar breaks down the immune system, causes inflammation, and takes us on a roller coaster ride. When we hit those lows, we grab more of that white stuff and rock on. I was tired of the ride, the cravings, and calories. So how does a person successfully break up with sugar? What about alternatives?

There are alternatives to the GMO sugar found at the grocery stores. So let’s take a look at the options:

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol but not a zero calorie food. It was originally derived from the birch trees in Finland. It has a glycemic index of 7, which makes it perfect for a diabetic to use. It is used 1:1 with table sugar when cooking. Our own body makes xylitol, but if too much is consumed, bloating can be a side effect until the body gets used to having more. From a dental standpoint, xylitol cannot be metabolized by oral bacteria and does not promote tooth decay.

Coconut sugar is a derived from the coconut palm tree. It contains vitamins and minerals inducing potassium, magnesium, B3, B6, zinc and iron. It also contains a fiber called inulin, which slows glucose absorption.

Stevia is another sugar alternative that has been used for more than 1,500 years in South America. It’s natural and virtually calorie free.

Zero calorie sugar substitutes are harmful to our health. Let’s take a quick look at the three most popular and why they should NEVER, EVER be a consideration for consumption!

Aspartame (in the blue packet) is used in more than 6,000 consumer items, including soft drinks, yogurt, chewing gum, salad dressings and multivitamins. Aspartame was discovered accidentally while working on an anti-ulcer drug. Early tests showed that the consumption of high levels of aspartame produced brain tumors and produced epileptic seizures. Aspartame interferes with proper mental functions and compromises the nervous system.*

Splenda (in the yellow packet) also known as sucralose is claimed to be like “real sugar.” Nothing can be further from the truth. Before it was marketed as a sugar, it was in insecticide. Here are some of the side effects from the consumption of sucralose: brain lesions, enlarged and calcified kidneys, decreased red blood cells, increased male infertility, and spontaneous abortions.*

Saccharin (in the pink packets) commonly sold as Sweet’N Low has been a know carcinogen for decades. Yet, in spite of this information, consumers continue to use it. It is derived from coal tar and has no food value whatsoever. *

Breaking up with sugar is essential for overall health. Sugar is a known inflammatory agent that can lead to many diseases. In the mouth, the consumption of sugar can lead to gingivitis, periodontal disease, and cavities. This chronic inflammation is detremintal to a long, vigorous life. That’s not to say I NEVER have sugar, however, my relationship is a much healthier one. I’m no longer addicted and have the discipline to say no and choose wiser alternatives to meet my own health goals.

If you need help in creating change or achieving your goals, there is help available. If you are ready for a healthy change, contact me and let’s get started in creating your new, healthy life! Breaking up is hard to do, but it’s for your own good!

Health bite: Sugar is more bitter than sweet to the body!

*Information taken from FOOD SANITY by Dr. David Friedman

Is Food Connected To Mood?

Have you ever wondered why somedays we feel happy and other days grumpy? Or sad? What is our brain telling us? Could it be that we just had a really great day or maybe the stresses of life are getting us down?

Would you believe me if I told you the answer could be at the end of your fork? If you think about it, our brain is always in drive. It takes care of our thoughts, movements, heartbeat, and breathing. It’s in charge of our senses and requires a constant supply of fuel.

Have you ever put “cheap” gas into your car and it gave you trouble? Well, putting low-quality foods into your body is like using “cheap” gas; and eventually, there may be some trouble. Eating high-quality foods that contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants can nourish the brain creating an environment that fuels the body effectively. Our brain can be damaged if we ingest anything other than premium fuel. To break this down further, let’s get into what is low-quality foods and high-quality foods are.

Diets that are high in refined sugars are harmful to the brain. In addition to worsening the body’s regulation of insulin, they also promote inflammation and stress to the body. There are multiple studies that have found a correlation between a diet high in refined sugars and impaired brain function. Some of the worse symptoms are mood disorders, such as depression.

High-quality foods are those that come from as close to the source as possible. Clean eating, are foods that are recognizable and non-processed sugar laden foods, are what we should strive to consume. High quality foods also nourish the gut that affect brain health. There is a strong pathway to our gut health and our brain health. Our gut is often called our second brain. Maybe this is why we often go with our “gut” reaction.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate many things like sleep, appetite, moods and pain. Almost 95% of our serotonin is produce in the gastrointestinal tract (GI). The GI is loaded with millions of nerve cells that help guide our emotions. When the bacteria are good, we are protected with a strong barrier against toxins and “bad” bacteria. They also limit inflammation and determine how well we can absorb the nutrients from our food. One of the biggest killers of “good” bacteria is processed foods, especially sugar.

Start paying attention to how eating different foods makes you feel…not in the moment, but the next day. Try eating a “clean diet” for two or three weeks. That means no processed foods and sugar. Add fermented foods like kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, pickles, or kombucha. Sometimes going dairy free or grain free may be beneficial for two to three weeks, then slowly reintroduce the foods back into the diet and listen to what the body is saying.

You may be surprised by the side of effects of clean eating: happier, more energy, better sleep, or clearer skin. Not to mention your immune system will be all the stronger to fight off the flu and colds that winter often brings us.

If you need help with meeting your health goals, I'm here to help. Just reach out and let me know how I can help you. 

Health bite: Clean eating = Clear brain

The New Tobacco

For years, ad campaigns show consumers the negative side of tobacco use.  Taxes have increased making it more difficult to purchase tobacco products, but I have another addiction issue that is affecting more of us than tobacco.  I'll even go as far as to say it's more addicting because it's in virtually everything consumed. Sugar is the new tobacco. Words spoken over a message from a smart phone. The words ring true to me as I have been conducting an action research study about sugars and how it affects our health. I’ve written several posts relating to sugars and its addicting properties. The population is gaining more girth, while Big Food is gaining more profits.

Back in the 1970’s a call to action was made when heart disease was reaching an all time high. Scientists from all over the world where summoned to figure out why the increase in heart disease and a plan to stop it. One scientist, Ancel Keys, a professor from the University of Minnesota, announced that fat was making us fat. He proposed removing fat from our foods was the answer to a healthier heart. As a response to an ongoing call from the public to have healthier food choices, Big Food wasted no time in providing us with “low fat” and “fat free” options. Something needed to be added to the ingredient list so that the food didn’t taste like cardboard. You guessed it…sugar! And we’ve been getting fatter and fatter ever since.

The “no fat” option did not help the heart disease epidemic either; nor has it helped our waist lines. With Type II diabetes on the increase, something else must be the cause. Another voice, spoke out in opposition, John Yudkin, founder of the nutrition department at the University of London’s Queen Elizabeth College, had a different spin on the situation. Yudkin had been doing his own experiments and laid blame not on fat, but the consumption of sugar. His research in laboratory animals fed sugar and carbohydrates showed raised blood levels of tryglycerides which is considered a risk factor for heart disease. Sugar also raised insulin levels, which links it directly to type 2 diabetes. For years, we have known there is a link between oral and systemic disease. High carbohydrate intake can been seen in the oral cavity between weeks or months, however the systemic effects may take decades.

Two patients come to mind that I want you to meet. When Mr. A came into my operatory two years ago, he had a full list of health concerns: diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease to name a few. His medical doctor told him he would likely be on dialysis within four years. He was unable to walk any length of time due to being short of breath and walked with a cane. A year later, Mr. A was back to playing golf, had drastically reduced his diabetes medications while completely eliminating others. He was enjoying life once more. His oral health had also improved. So what changed? Everything! He became a vegetarian, and eats primarily beans, grains and vegetables. He will have some dairy, but very little and almost NO sugar other than honey. He says he feels better now than he has in years.

Ms. C came into my operatory recently looking thin. At first, I thought she was going to tell me had been really sick, and I guess in some way, she was. Ms. C told me she quit eating sugar thirteen months ago! What?!? I asked her what happened thirteen months ago that made her quit eating sugar. Previously, she was diagnosis with Type II diabetes. Even though she went to the gym on a regular basis, she had been unable to loose weight or control the diabetes. When the doctor told her it was time for insulin, that’s when she decided it was time to get serious. She gave up fermentable carbohydrates and lost 65 pounds. She says she feels great, but this new way of eating is difficult when going out to eat. She is determined to continue this lifestyle as she no longer takes any diabetic medications. That’s right…NONE!

What an inspiration they are to all of us. Sugar is the new tobacco. It’s killing us one spoonfull at a time. No amount of exercise will ever beat a bad diet. What we consume should feed our cells, not our tongue. Isn’t it time your took control of what you eat?

health-bite: sugar is serious stuff

My Sugar Addiction

I think I’ve been addicted to sugar all my life.  When I was little, I would sneak cookies from the cookie jar, and would frequently ask my dad to buy me a candy bar at the store check out.  When I was old enough, I started baking cookies, brownies, and cakes.  Not sure how all of this sugar stuff started, but I’ve been feeding my cravings for years.  There wasn’t a reason for me to stop the habit initially, even though I knew it wasn’t considered healthy.  For most of my life, I’ve been able to maintain my weight, did not have problems with my teeth, and have been healthy…according to my doctor.  It wasn’t until my spouse was diagnosed with cancer that I started looking into health, particularly, food.

The more I learned about systemic disease and cancer, I was convinced that sugar is a primary culprit in disease.  What I found frustrating is that my husband’s doctors did not really touch on foods to eat or avoid.  When I asked about sugars, one oncologist told me that cancer will feed on anything and that it’s not necessary to avoid sugars.  On the other hand, when a patient has a PET scan (an image to help diagnose cancer), the patient drinks sugar water prior to the scan.  Why? Because the sugar water goes directly to the cancer cells or tumor.  If cancer doesn’t consume sugar, why use sugar water?

So why stop consuming sugar?  Here a just a few reasons:

• Sugar has no nutritional value and is only adding empty calories, and empty calories mean you are hungry more often.
• Loose weight, because consuming empty calories and eating more often leads to weight gain.
• Have more energy, because instead of the highs and lows of the sugar rush, you will have sustained energy.

sugar2

According to the Web MD, between 2001-2004, Americans consumed an average of 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, amounting to a 355 calories.

It’s not easy.  So what’s the first step?  Decide you are going to cut out sugars.  You can decide how far you want to go.  Will you give up added simple sugars or will you give up starchy pastas and potatoes too?  You decide.  See now you feel is a few days.  First, though, set yourself up for success.  Remove temptation from your eyes and brain.  If you have cookies or soda in the house, get rid of it.  This may not be so easy, so be prepared.

1. Stock your pantry and refrigerator with alternatives to sugars.
2. Prepare snacks ahead of time:  celery and no-sugar added peanut butter, nuts like almonds or cashews, fruit like apples, grapes, etc. (you will enjoy fruit more once you give up the table sugars) and enjoy a fruit smoothie, hummus and veggies, and chips and salsa
3. Have meals ready to go when you get home from work or school.
4. Convince a friend or family member to do the challenge with you.
5. Keep a food journal so you can see your progress.  I like My Fitness Pal
6. Weigh yourself in the beginning of the challenge and then again in two weeks.

It’s exciting to see what progress is being made.  When you start to feel better, you'll want to continue.  Remember, moderation is key.  It's okay to have some sugar once in a while.  Just know that sugar is a treat NOT a food.

Health-bite: Feel better without sugar.