October 27, 2016 In SWB

Scare away Sugar this Halloween!

It’s almost Halloween. Obviously the kids (and many adults!) are gonna indulge. It’s too hard not to resist. (Unless you’re in my Autumn Detox Program which motivates and helps you abstain through Halloween and develop better strategies for sweet cravings!)
 
As a health coach, I’m naturally tempted to tell you about all the Spooky Ingredients in candy. But I can hear you! “Oh come on, Linda, lighten up! It’s Halloween! Don’t take all the fun out of it!”
 
Hey, I get it!  I want you to enjoy a treat, but NOT sink into the sugar swamp. The reality is that Halloween kicks off the entire season of holidays, which may not end until Valentine’s Day!

I got an email recently from a client saying, “I was feeling anxious, so I ripped open the big bag of Halloween candy and it’s been downhill from there. I can’t stop. I feel awful and I know I need to get a handle on this before I wake up in a sugar coma on New Year’s Eve. Help!”  
 
Sometimes applying the brakes is as easy as just ‘noticing’.

Here are some facts to consider before you mindlessly indulge: (this is where I would cut to the blog post)

  • Sugar Overload – The average American consumes 143 grams of added sugar per day. This is nearly six times the recommended daily limit of 25 grams! This is above the sugars that occur naturally in fruits, milk, and other whole foods. Do an experiment one day (with your kids if you’re motivated!) and count the added sugar grams you consume in a day. It will be marked on the food packaging labels. You’ll be much more aware that sugar is everywhere, and you’ll see how quickly you can get to 100 g without even having a treat that is a sweet!
  • Sugar and Wrinkles – An unkind Trick: sugar may encourage wrinkles via a process called glycation, in which excess blood sugar binds to collagen in the skin, making it less elastic.
  • Sugar and Cancer – Excess sugar consumption has been linked to cancer production. Studies have found that high sugar intake negatively affects the survival rates in both breast cancer patients and colon cancer patients. This is due to sugar promoting an acidic environment in the body.
  • Sugar and Alcohol – Sugar and alcohol have similar toxic effects on the liver. Liver damage can occur even without excess calories or seeing an obvious weight gain.
  • Sugar and Disease – Sugar is associated with several other conditions too, including type 2 diabetes, arthritis, acne, heart disease, depression, thrush/yeast infections, and cancer.

Yes, sugar does have some pretty scary side effects. The goal is to consume in moderation, read your labels and keep the added sugar under 25 grams per day. When you give up added sugar, or manage to keep it down to the maximum 25g daily limit – here’s how you’ll be treated:

  • Your heart will thank you! Added sugar chronically raises insulin levels, which activates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. Cut it out and you’ll see those healthy numbers improve.
  • Your skin will clear up! You’ll get fewer inflammatory sugar-triggered breakouts.
  • Your memory will improve and your moods will brighten! Sugar suppresses activity of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which promotes the health of your brain neurons. BDNF levels are critically low in both depression and schizophrenia, which animal models suggest might actually be causative.
  • You’ll get a better night’s rest. Sugar highs are always followed by a crash, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish during the day. Sugar also triggers the release of cortisol, which can interfere with sleep cycles.
  • You’ll have less aches and pains. Since you’re cutting back, the body has less of an inflammatory response from the added sugar.
  • Your gut microbiome will be healthier. Without sugar, bad bacteria start to starve, and gut health – the foundation of good health overall –  improves.

Michael Pollan says, “Treat treats as treats” … once sugary sweets become expected, needed, and every day, they’re no longer a treat.

Okay, Healthy Living Linda is done talking. Now Healthy Mom Linda needs to go supervise the pumpkin carving!