Antoaneta Sawyer, PhD
The overconsumption of sugar can be compared with one of the most frequent addictions seen later in life. Simple sugar is what our cells painfully crave to be used as fuel for energy supply. Some of this sugar is stored in the liver as glycogen for future use, while the excess of it is stored as fat, in order to be used in periods of starvation and famine.
The Western medicine claims that turning to sugar is similar to material rewarding or spiritual nurturing, while the Traditional Eastern (Chinese and Ayurvedic) medicine compaires the craving for sugar, as a craving for mother love, material security and spiritual comfort or the so called "Yin energy". Nowadays, many nutritional authorities believe that chronic overconsumption of sugar is building the road to the most modern chronic degenerative diseases of the last century- obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer. Nancy Appleton PhD numbered the 146 reasons why sugar is ruining your health and wrote her books "Lick the sugar habit" and "Lick the sugar habit sugar counter."(Source, Rheumatic)
Sugar especially in case if consumed in excess can compromise your immunity or your ability to fight illness in a long run. In a number of studies it was found a positive correlation between daily consumption of sugar and several cancers- colon, pancreas, prostate, kidney, ovary and brain.(Source, NH-WC "Beyond Holistic") As dietitian Edith Hogan claims many people consume 450 calories a day through sugary drinks. (Source, USAToday)
Despite of the heated debate between the lobby of modern nutritionists and the one of sugar industry, the U.S. Government now refers to minimal elevations of glucose, known as "prediabetes"- the stage of impaired fasting glucose. Thus, anyone at high risk, with a sibling or parent with diabetes, excess weight, and abdominal obesity is advised to be tested annually for fasting glucose. Glucose levels below the threshold for diabetes- 126 mg/dl- used to be admitted as normal in past. Nowadays, even a level of 100-125 mg/dl can raise a significant risk of developing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer, and certain cancers. (Source, ADA and Wiki)
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently made a scientific statement published in Circulation (2006, June 15) saying that "Hyperglycemia and the often-associated insulin resistance are related to numerous cardiovascular complications, including CHD, stroke, cardiomyopathy, peripheral vascular disease, and heart failure (p.85) and it recommended that a) women consume no more than 100 calories a day, or about 6½ teaspoons, from added sugars; b) men, no more than 150 calories, or about 9½ teaspoons. You should know that the above recommended amount includes table sugar, brown sugar, HFCS, honey, molasses, brown rice syrup, agave syrup and other caloric sweeteners.
What most of the metabolic syndrome patients fail to recognize is the rapid preliminary "aging" effect of sugar. The bottom line is that blood sugar frequent spikes known as "hypoglycemia," can make anyone excessively hungry, and prematurely older than his generation. The explanation behind this statement is that when excess blood sugar reacts with proteins in the blood, advanced glycosylation end- products (AGEs) are formed what is leading to rapid reaction of glycation. As a dangerous process, reaction of glycation impairs biomolecular, cellular, organ and tissue functions leading not only to premature aging but also to rapid degenerative decline. Hence, a good blood sugar control is considered of a paramount importance for longevity and anti-aging as well as for metabolic syndrome prevention. (Source, Wiki)
Metabolic syndrome dietary recommendations are generally not different than those for managing type 2 diabetes. The carbohydrate intake should include whole grains, fibers, fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk. The total amount of carbohydrate consumed, rather than the type or source of the carbohydrate, determines the glycemic effect-sucrose does not increase glycemia any more than isocaloric amount of starch. Although very high carbohydrate diets may exacerbate existing levels of dyslipidemia, it has not been proven that substituting unsaturated fats in place of some carbohydrates will improve the lipid profile. Saturated fats should be also reduced as stated by ADA in the article Dietary Approaches to Prevent the Metabolic Syndrome" (Diabetes Care) and an active lifestyle with daily exercise should be followed as per the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (JOPERD, 2006).
The Western medicine claims that turning to sugar is similar to material rewarding or spiritual nurturing, while the Traditional Eastern (Chinese and Ayurvedic) medicine compaires the craving for sugar, as a craving for mother love, material security and spiritual comfort or the so called "Yin energy". Nowadays, many nutritional authorities believe that chronic overconsumption of sugar is building the road to the most modern chronic degenerative diseases of the last century- obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer. Nancy Appleton PhD numbered the 146 reasons why sugar is ruining your health and wrote her books "Lick the sugar habit" and "Lick the sugar habit sugar counter."(Source, Rheumatic)
Sugar especially in case if consumed in excess can compromise your immunity or your ability to fight illness in a long run. In a number of studies it was found a positive correlation between daily consumption of sugar and several cancers- colon, pancreas, prostate, kidney, ovary and brain.(Source, NH-WC "Beyond Holistic") As dietitian Edith Hogan claims many people consume 450 calories a day through sugary drinks. (Source, USAToday)
Despite of the heated debate between the lobby of modern nutritionists and the one of sugar industry, the U.S. Government now refers to minimal elevations of glucose, known as "prediabetes"- the stage of impaired fasting glucose. Thus, anyone at high risk, with a sibling or parent with diabetes, excess weight, and abdominal obesity is advised to be tested annually for fasting glucose. Glucose levels below the threshold for diabetes- 126 mg/dl- used to be admitted as normal in past. Nowadays, even a level of 100-125 mg/dl can raise a significant risk of developing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer, and certain cancers. (Source, ADA and Wiki)
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently made a scientific statement published in Circulation (2006, June 15) saying that "Hyperglycemia and the often-associated insulin resistance are related to numerous cardiovascular complications, including CHD, stroke, cardiomyopathy, peripheral vascular disease, and heart failure (p.85) and it recommended that a) women consume no more than 100 calories a day, or about 6½ teaspoons, from added sugars; b) men, no more than 150 calories, or about 9½ teaspoons. You should know that the above recommended amount includes table sugar, brown sugar, HFCS, honey, molasses, brown rice syrup, agave syrup and other caloric sweeteners.
What most of the metabolic syndrome patients fail to recognize is the rapid preliminary "aging" effect of sugar. The bottom line is that blood sugar frequent spikes known as "hypoglycemia," can make anyone excessively hungry, and prematurely older than his generation. The explanation behind this statement is that when excess blood sugar reacts with proteins in the blood, advanced glycosylation end- products (AGEs) are formed what is leading to rapid reaction of glycation. As a dangerous process, reaction of glycation impairs biomolecular, cellular, organ and tissue functions leading not only to premature aging but also to rapid degenerative decline. Hence, a good blood sugar control is considered of a paramount importance for longevity and anti-aging as well as for metabolic syndrome prevention. (Source, Wiki)
Metabolic syndrome dietary recommendations are generally not different than those for managing type 2 diabetes. The carbohydrate intake should include whole grains, fibers, fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk. The total amount of carbohydrate consumed, rather than the type or source of the carbohydrate, determines the glycemic effect-sucrose does not increase glycemia any more than isocaloric amount of starch. Although very high carbohydrate diets may exacerbate existing levels of dyslipidemia, it has not been proven that substituting unsaturated fats in place of some carbohydrates will improve the lipid profile. Saturated fats should be also reduced as stated by ADA in the article Dietary Approaches to Prevent the Metabolic Syndrome" (Diabetes Care) and an active lifestyle with daily exercise should be followed as per the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (JOPERD, 2006).
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