Sugar - The New Age Drug

Sugar as a Drug?

A drug? OK, that’s my opinion, but allow me to explain why I’m right. First, consider the following two definitions as stated in Webster’s New American Dictionary:

Drug: A substance that can cause addiction, a marked change in mental status, or psychological dependency.

Food:  Material taken into an organism and used for growth, repair and vital processes...something that nourishes.

This is why I think of sugar as a socially acceptable drug.

But drugs are chemicals, right?

Ok, let’s consider how heroin is made. The juice is extracted from poppies, refined to opium, then morphine, and finally, heroin. How different is this process from the way sugar is made? The juice is extracted from sugar cane or beets and refined to molasses, then brown sugar and finally to sucrose (white table sugar). Sugar and heroin are both derived from a living plant. Both are capable of causing addiction, a marked change in mental status and psychological dependency. Neither supplies nutrients needed for growth, repair or vital processes.

I could rest my case here, but I won’t. Let’s take a look at more evidence that backs me up.

Step away from the candy bar and keep reading!

Can you eat 66 feet of sugar cane in one day?

OK, how about 22 teaspoons of the white stuff?

According to Forbes Magazine, on average, adult Americans consume 22 teaspoons of sugar per day. This comes out to almost a teaspoonful every hour, day and night. Since it takes 3 feet of sugar cane to make 1 teaspoon of white table sugar, if you’re an average American, you consume the equivalent of about 66 feet of sugar cane per day!

Except, of course, you aren’t consuming the whole sugar cane, or you’d be eating a lot of fiber and nutrients as well.  These nutrients and plant fibers are meant to slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, and supply nutrients for growth, repair and vital processes.  In other words, sugar cane, in its natural state, is a food.

This means that every nutrient required for its use by the body is contained within it. The problem with sugar is not the sugar itself; it’s the refining process that removes the vitamins and minerals required for burning and/or storing it, and the fiber that slows its absorption. The body will still metabolize the sugar, but it does so by taking from probably already depleted nutrient stores.

This is why I think of sugar as a negative energy food.  It only takes from the body and never gives back.

What do you say now, sticky fingers?  Still not convinced? Well, keep reading…

OK, I Just Ate Half a Cheesecake… Now What?

Since carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth, sugar is absorbed almost immediately into the bloodstream.  As sugar continues on through the digestive tract, the remainder is very quickly absorbed since there is little or no fiber to slow its absorption.  Sensing the rise in blood sugar, the pancreas begins to hyper-secrete insulin.

Think of insulin as dump trucks that pick up sugar from the bloodstream and drive it through the arteries to the liver.  The liver must separate the water molecules from the sugar and convert it into a starch for storage.  Since the liver can only store about 60-90 grams of sugar, the excess must be sent out to artery linings, organs and cells in the buttocks, thighs, hips, etc, and can even cause or contribute to NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease).  When this stored glucose is not burned for fuel, it’s converted to fat, a fact many of us have discovered the hard way.

Over time, with repeated consumption of refined carbohydrates, the pancreas begins to over-react, producing far more insulin than is needed, and the blood sugar drops too low.  Because the brain is the biggest user of blood glucose, if the drop is severe enough, the higher functions of the brain must shut down to conserve glucose for less expendable functions such as heartbeat and breathing.  This explains the mental confusion and lack of focus so often associated with low blood sugar.

Once the blood sugar level has dropped, it becomes necessary for the adrenals to secrete adrenaline to mobilize glycogen from the liver to bring blood sugar levels back up. This constant “balancing act” that the pancreas, adrenals and liver must endure when the diet is high in refined sugar understandably weakens them over time.

Once the blood sugar handling organs have weakened, blood sugar becomes chronically unstable and blood sugar begins to drop at night during sleep. Remember that when blood sugar is low, the adrenals secrete adrenaline to bring glycogen out of storage. Adrenaline is an emergency hormone that is meant for use only during emergencies to aid in the fight-or-flight mechanism. When it’s coursing through your veins at night, there’s not much hope you’ll be sleeping soundly. It’s more likely you’ll have nightmares or you’ll wake to urinate or simply wake with “mind chatter”, followed by difficulty going back to sleep. This is a state known as hypoglycemia. If not resolved, it can eventually turn into diabetes.

Ah, Sweet Poison!

There’s no arguing the connection between high sugar consumption and conditions such as elevated triglycerides, diabetes, yeast infections and cavities, but most people don’t connect sugar consumption with the myriad of other illnesses that are so prevalent in our society today. Just because you won’t keel over and die immediately after ingesting sugar doesn't mean it’s not poisonous. It’s merely a slow poison that we fool ourselves into believing is safe. If ingesting sugar robs the body of nutrients, stresses out the pancreas, adrenals and liver, and creates a psychological dependency, it can be linked to virtually every illness known.

Allow me to name just a few:

• Inflammation

• Depression

• Chronic headaches or migraines

• Bone loss

• Parasite infection

• Periodontal disease

• Poor concentration

• Ulcers

• Tumor growth

• Bloating

• Heart disease

• PMS

• Mood swings

• Arthritis

• Weakened immunity

• Fatigue

• Loose bowels

• Estrogen dominance

• Skin conditions

• Liver enlargement

• Muscle cramps

• ADD/ADHD

I think you know where I’m going with this. And I think I know what you may be thinking at this point…

What’s Life Without Sugar?

A reasonable question for most people. Maybe a better question is, “what’s life with sugar?”

Are you proud to call what you’re living right now your “life”? Is sugar worth what you wind up sacrificing in the end? If the thought of giving up sugar seems insurmountable to you, this should give you a clue as to how addicted you are. And the worse you feel when you first give up sugar, the more important it is that you give it up.

I would like to clarify, though, that I think it’s totally unrealistic to plan never to have sugar again.  However, I do believe that everyone should limit sugar to occasional treats rather than everyday snacks or desserts.  There is simply no way for the body to recover nutritionally from daily sugar intake since it robs nutrients from the body, and most of us have a diet not nutrient-dense enough to begin with.  If sugar is taken in every day, and the diet already doesn’t contain an overabundance of nutrients…you get the idea.

Some Practical Advice for Giving Up Sugar

Of course, giving up sugar is easier said than done, as I and many others have learned.

Usually, if you quit eating sugar completely for several days, the cravings greatly diminish or disappear.  If you find they don’t, here is some practical advice:

• All cravings are a sign of imbalance in the body, and sugar cravings point specifically to the pancreas. Supporting the pancreas can diminish sugar cravings and help re-establish blood sugar balance. The adrenals and liver may need a little support as well.

• From clinical observation, I’ve learned that sugar cravings are often related to a life lacking “sweetness” or joy. Recapturing the ability to enjoy life’s many pleasures may quell the desire for “comfort” food. In some cases, this means less work and a little more play or what I call “down-time”. In other cases, improving important relationships can help.

• Practice meal planning and “preparedness” to ensure that there are plenty of non-sugar items in the cupboard and refrigerator. I find it most difficult to resist sweet treats when I’m hungry and busy and there are no other convenient foods available. Since sugar lowers immunity, the worst time to eat it is when your life is hectic.

• “Sugar-proof” your kitchen. Even if you live close to a store, you’re not likely to get in your car and drive somewhere for a cookie if there are none in the house. If other family members aren’t willing to give up sugar, have them keep it out of sight. Often, if you don’t see it, you won’t think about it.

• Raw honey, stevia or maple syrup and other more healthful options are available. Take into consideration your particular health goals, and start experimenting. There may be an adjustment phase, but your body will thank you.

• When you’re first beginning a sugar-elimination diet, it may feel like there’s a spotlight on you wherever you go. Family members and friends can seem like the enemy when they pressure you into “just trying” the pie, cake or cookies that Aunt Betty brought. I personally went through this phase when I first decided to eliminate most of the sugar from my diet. Until I reached a level of conviction, social situations were when I’d usually break down. Until I could say “no thanks” without a pained expression or an agonized hesitation, people sensed my inner conflict and they set out to be sure I was thoroughly enjoying myself. Now I’m able to say “no thanks” without second thoughts or hesitation, and really mean it. I don’t offer an explanation, so there’s no room for discussion.