Unless you have been living under a rock for the last 50 years, you will have probably heard that sugar is bad for you. Here is an article that explains why sugar is such bad news for your body (it really, really is!) AND tips on how to kick it: Sugar Detox: Why and How to Quit the Sweet Stuff.
Clicked it yet??? No??? OK, so here is my bullet point summary of the article, just because I really want you to know this stuff!
- Sugar will contribute to weight gain, raise risk of diabetes and decrease energy levels.
- Sugar + inactivity = weight gain.
- Not all sugars are equal, (refined white sugar vs fructose from an apple).
- Whole fruit = natural sugar + fibre = Good.
- Chocolate bar = refined sugar + nothing else useful = Bad.
- Sugar is added to so many products now that even if you are active it can be hard to burn off all the sugar you consume.
- Sugar affects the body’s metabolism and hormones.
- Sugar slows metabolism down, increasing risk of weight gain.
- Anything that affects your body’s hormonal system is seriously bad news! In particular, sugar is bad for the thyroid, which has the function of controlling metabolism and can affect basic body function and how you feel.
To top it off … the cherry on top (not on top of a cake, of course) … sugar feeds cancer cells!
For tips on how to lower the amount or even stop consuming sugar, read the rest of this article: Sugar Detox: Why and How to Quit the Sweet Stuff.
You will also find great tips in my wife’s weekly “experiment” blog posts where she has given up sugar, gluten and dairy – cold turkey.
Enough doom and gloom. Here’s a funny clip of “Bricktop” the gangster from the movie Snatch, leading by perfect example:
Stock photo at the top of the post by Angela Waye.