TLC IN A COLUMN - Feb 07 - Sugar facts

A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down…….

It certainly does, but at what cost?

Since I found out about the harmful effects of raw cane sugar, I have questioned why certain pharmaceutical companies cover some tablets in sugar or add it to liquid medicine for children. I know it tastes better, but each time you ingest sugar you compromise your immune system by 40%. So you are compromising your body's defence at a time when it needs most help.

Here are a few reasons to opt for healthier alternatives like maple syrup, molasses & honey :

•  Sugar can deplete calcium, magnesium, copper, vitamin E & chromium

•  Sugar increases adrenaline production, which can induce hyperactivity (including ADHD), anxiety, difficulty concentrating, emotional instability, & irritable kids.

In a juvenile rehab camp, there was a 44% drop in antisocial behaviour when they were put on a low sugar diet.

•  Sugar can cause : -raised cholesterol & blood pressure levels

-diabetes & irregular blood-sugar levels, especially if you are taking oral contraceptives.

-upset stomach & acid, indigestion, bowel disease, ulcerative colitis & Crohn's disease. It also stops your body digesting food so well, especially protein

-premature aging.

-tooth decay & gum disease

-obesity; excess amounts are turned to fat & stored

-piles & varicose veins

dermatitis etc

-atherosclerosis & heart disease

-emphysema

-fluid retention

-constipation

-headaches & migraines

-depression

-auto-immune diseases like arthritis, gout, asthma & M.S.

-hormonal imbalances resulting in PMT, painful periods, worse menopausal symptoms, increasing oestrogen in men, as well as reducing the growth hormone

-epileptic seizures

•  Sugar slumps can cause drowsiness & decreased activity in children, & low energy in adults

•  It causes allergies

•  It can contribute to skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne, dermatitis etc

•  Sugar can lead to kidney stones & gallstones

•  Sugar does not satisfy your appetite the way fat does which is one of the reasons you crave more 20-30minutes after you have had some, promoting overeating

•  Tobacco has been cured using sugar, which means you become more addicted & have a higher chance of getting lung cancer. In Japan where they didn't cure tobacco with sugar they have a much lower incidence of lung cancer.

•  Sugar dehydrates your body.

•  Sugar is addictive.

Corn syrup is another nasty sweetener to avoid for similar reasons. Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, often contribute to mental & behavioural problems as well as cause eczema, so the natural alternatives mentioned above are the best way to go. They also increase your appetite by stimulating your salivary glands, defeating their original purpose!

I suggest you check your labels when you go shopping. You'll probably be as shocked as I was at what products have it added to them. This is one of the main reasons why we now eat 20 times more sugar than we used to.

Next month, spring cleaning, naturally of course.

Nicolle Mitchell I.T.E.C., EMBODY, A.C. Registered

Holistic Health Therapist & Practice Manager

THE LITTLE MASSAGE CLINIC

THE PENVENTON HOTEL & HALF MOON SALON

TEL: 01209 203230 OR 711686

Email: nicolle@tlcinabottle.co.uk

THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH: "Happiness comes & goes. Let it come…let it go” The Little Book of Happiness.

DISCLAIMER: we do not diagnose or guarantee cures. We aim to help people make informed choices about their health. Any changes in lifestyle, diet, mediation, supplementation or remedies, should be taken with your GP's or health professional's support.