Sugar Wants To Kill You

Dramatic, but true. I know you realize that sugar is bad for you - but sometimes a little reminder is a good thing. High levels of dietary sugar will erode your quality of life. It will age you prematurely, both inside and out, and put you on a path to numerous health issues. Sugar is hidden in products we use everyday. It has created generations of unknowing addicts that have suffered physically and emotionally as it has taken hold and become a major part of our diets.

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The "No Added Sugar" LIE

Pasta Sauces Often Hide Sugar Content

I read the label on everything I buy. I have noticed that some products are trying to hide added sugar by labeling the ingredient as another form of sugar such as fructose. To be perfectly clear, this fruit derived sugar is sugar. In nature, we are meant to eat an orange or an apple, not have some factory extraction process delivering us the juice without the fibrous material inherent to the fruit itself. So, when you see products with "no added sugar", look to see if they have simply added a sugar analog. It's a dirty trick that harms your health. Sugar can even sneak in to seemingly innocent  products like taco seasoning and almond milk. Stay informed, read labels, and make good choices.

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Do You Have A Wine Gut?

Let's be honest - no one is a fan of the beer belly. Wine will do the same thing. I do enjoy a very occasional glass of wine (and by glass I don't mean bottle) - but I partake with the caveat that I'm going to pay for it the next day in the form of additional cardio. I think of an alcoholic drink as a glass of sugar, because it is. Alcohol places your metabolism in low gear, and leaves it there until you work it out of your system. It also erodes your will power. How many of us have over eaten as a result of having a couple of drinks? All of us. Also, the terrible sleep you will have on nights you drink is due to the alcohol and the sugar being processed out at different rates.  Be aware that a serving of wine is 5 ounces. Many restaurants will pour a 10 ounce double serving. So if you have two glasses of wine, you have had four servings. No one has ever stopped drinking and gotten less attractive. If you want to drop your wine gut, drop the wine. It's fine occasionally - which means on occasion - the daily arrival of 5:30 doesn't qualify. 

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The Sugar Emotional Roller Coaster

Sugar is a jerk. The more you eat it, the more you want it. It gives you amazing highs only to drop the bottom out with  soul crushing lows. It's a major player in depression, mood imbalances, attention disorders, and completely sends your hormones into a spin trying to regulate your levels. If you aren't quite feeling yourself, maybe all you need is to reduce your sugar intake and reassess. Sugar depresses immunity, making you vulnerable to colds and flu, not to mention diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease, and, new research shows Alzheimer's can be linked to the damages caused by this sweet little creep. 

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Completely eliminating sugar is very, very hard. Reducing it is an attainable goal that can be done today. Read your labels, make good choices, and show your body the respect it deserves. Sugar is a tough one - but you are tougher.

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