Why Sugar? I’m Addicted.

Okay, as I said yesterday, I’m giving up sugar. Why sugar?  Because I have a personal addiction to sugar in many different forms, but mostly in the form of cookies, cakes and pies, oh, and brownies.  Now, all sugar is not created equal.  Refined processed white sugar is the worst.  I will be eating some forms of sugar which I will tell you about before the week is out.  I just know traditional desserts have got to go!  I have played around with limiting my intake but have never really been serious.  Previously, I always approached it from a weight-loss perspective, but now there are other reasons for me to do this.  I have proven in the past that I can personally lose body fat while still incorporating sugar, just not in the form of baked goods.  But now I want to approach this from a health perspective.  I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, or if it’s because I’ve been feeling really yucky, but now is the time.  Here are 70 reasons why I’m giving up sugar:

Sugar can suppress the immune system.
Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function.
Sugar leads to cancer of the ovaries.
Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
Sugar can weaken eyesight.
Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
Sugar can produce an acidic digestive tract.
Sugar can cause premature aging.
Sugar can cause tooth decay.
Sugar contributes to obesity.
Sugar can cause arthritis.
Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).
Sugar can cause heart disease.
Sugar can cause multiple sclerosis.
Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
Sugar can cause varicose veins.
Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
Sugar can lower the amount of Vitamin E (alpha-Tocopherol)  in the blood.
Sugar can decrease growth hormone.
Sugar can increase cholesterol.
Sugar can increase the systolic blood pressure.
Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein.
Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
Sugar can change the structure of protein.
Sugar can make our skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
Sugar can cause cataracts.
Sugar can cause emphysema.
Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in the body.
Sugar lowers the enzymes ability to function.
Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Sugar can increase the size of the liver by making the liver cells divide.
Sugar can increase the amount of liver fat.
Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
Sugar can damage the pancreas.
Sugar can increase the body’s fluid retention.
Sugar is enemy #1 of the bowel movement.
Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
Sugar can make the tendons more brittle.
Sugar can cause headaches, including migraine.
Sugar plays a role in pancreatic cancer in women.
Sugar can cause depression.
Sugar increases the risk of gastric cancer.
Sugar can increase your risk of getting gout.
Sugar can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance; some hormones become under-active and others become overactive.
Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
Diets high in sugar can cause free radicals and oxidative stress.
Sugar feeds cancer.
Sugar slows food’s travel time through the gastrointestinal tract.
Sugar can be a risk factor of gallbladder cancer.
Sugar can exacerbate PMS.
Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.
Sugar may induce cell death.
Sugar can cause low birth weight babies.
Sweet food items increase the risk of breast cancer.
Sugar is a risk factor in cancer of the small intestine.
Sugar may contribute to mild memory loss.
Sugar causes constipation.
Sugar causes varicose veins.
Sugar can increase the risk of stomach cancer.
Sugar ingestion by pregnant women increases neural tube defects in embryos.
The higher the sugar consumption the more chances of getting irritable bowel syndrome.
Sugar can cause cancer of the rectum.
Sugar can cause endometrial cancer.
Sugar can cause liver tumors.

Information source:  Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., author of “Lick the Sugar Habit”

Tags: Nutrition