Sugar the Silent Killer
It’s all fun and games until you get sick, I know all too well how easy it is to get carried away when enjoy the sweet stuff. No, it’s not everyone’s weakness but it is a major problem in our diets these days, the worst part is many people have no idea that it’s the sugar in their diet that’s making them feel low, gain weight, have brain fog and be moody. Instead, people think it’s a variety of other things, run to the doctor only to get pills that don’t solve the simple issue; Simple sugars that are hiding in your diet may very well be a bigger problem than you may think.
Studies show the clear evidence of what too much sugar in your diet does to your body and mind, yet very little is said or done about it in the food industry to protect people. Instead, you have to be a savvy and aware individual to do the gymnastics to figure out the names they use to disguise sugar in almost every packaged food you buy.
You don’t need to be a scientist to see how it’s effecting people. From a largely overweight culture to disease and inflammation on the rise, you know full well there is something wrong.
You can hear a truth time and time again but if you don’t have sudden consequences you may feel that you have somehow beat the system or it won’t happen to you. The truth is that there are many factors that play in your overall health and one often plays into another. One of the biggest problems is that many people don’t know how much sugar is too much sugar and even when they try and eat healthy it seems to be a difficult task when so much of what is sold in grocery stores has added sugar. From canned soup to cereal and yogurt you may think that you are making good choices to only find out you have been duped into buying high sugar foods and thus never get to the bottom of your health issues.
Other names for sugar
When checking for sugar content on a packet, do not just search for the word ‘sugar’ as it goes by different names in different forms. Some of the common alternatives for sugar are dextrose, maltitol, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, invert sugar, malt syrup, molasses, lactose. If the list of ingredients contains any of these alternatives for sugar, then it is wise to avoid it.
There are also well known forms of natural sugar like honey, juice, brown sugar, coconut sugar.
Implications of why it’s so important to ease off the sugar
I would prefer to explain the reasons why eating healthy food at all meals and at all times is the most beneficial but I realize many people only start to look for answers once a problem has happened. So, with that said let’s just get to some of the things you may experience when you have too much sugar in your diet.
Lowering your sugar consumption could be one of the most beneficial things you could do for your health, here’s why….
- Inflammation
- Brain damage
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Skin issues
- Slow recovery
- Increased aging
- Decreased motivation
- Low overall energy
- Moody
- Brain fog
- Inability to concentrate
- Acne
- Dry skin
- Blood sugar crashes (called reactive hypoglycemia) and increased cravings for more sweet foods which makes it addictive and leads to weight gain
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
Stable and healthy blood sugar is a key component of optimal metabolic health, helping lead to things like more energy, mood stability, better sleep, lower chronic disease risk, and even clearer skin.
The process behind it: Glucose is the main sugar in the bloodstream and it mostly comes from the food you eat. Glucose triggers the pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that helps bring that glucose into your cells for energy. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver and as triglycerides in fat cells.

In a deeper look Excess glucose can lead to…
Many U.S. adults have prediabetes. Up to 64% of those people may go on to develop Type 2 diabetes. The good news is that much of this is preventable. You have a lot of control over your blood sugar—and in turn, your metabolic health—through choices around diet and lifestyle. |
Beatuy and Skin
One of the best things you can do for your beauty routine and anti-aging regiment is CUT the SUGAR. Whether you are a teenager or an adult, sugar wreaks havoc on your skin. I know, I can always see a big difference in my sin when I have been eating sugar.
Drink plenty of water and make sure you are getting lots of fruit and veggies in your diet.
Sugar and the Brain

One thing many people don’t realize is the damage sugar does on the brain. Most people spend their life trying to lose a few pounds but when it comes to energy, focus and mood they don’t realize how much what they eat plays a role in those areas. Having trouble focusing? Do you find that you procrastinate and never seem to get your list done? Are you feeling down and depressed? It may very well be what you are eating.
The biggest problem with this revelation is that you likely have an addiction if you find that you are eating sugar on the regular. That means if you have sugar in your coffee or find yourself reaching for the office treats more than you’d like to admit or you are buying treats on your regular grocery runs. These food have nothing to offer you in terms of nutrition so in that way it is very important to make adjustments in the areas of your diet that need a change. Remember, when you feed your body with garbage you won’t have what you need to repair and recover and fight illness. Each meal you eat either aids in maintaining good health or breaking it down. Don’t let compromise be your demise.
Ways to fight sugar addiction
Fighting sugar addiction can be such a battle. A few things that have worked for me over the years have been the following:
- Pray and ask God for help. He can help you to resist all temptation. God gives you a spirit of self-control.
- Be prepared for the cravings with natural alternative like fruit. Find your favourite varieties and make a ritual of enjoying the healthiest snacks.
- Add cinnamon to your diet which has shown to reduce blood sugar levels. When you do have a treat, try and pair it with fat such as nuts to slow the sugar spikes
- Find low sugar options such as dark chocolate to replace milk chocolate.
- Get more sleep.
- Drink more water.
References
www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444
Alonso-Alonso M, Woods SC, Pelchat M, et al. Food reward system: current perspectives and future research needs. Nutr Rev. 2015;73(5):296-307. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuv002
https://news.yale.edu/2016/02/25/sugar-rush-shrinks-brain-cell-powerhouse