Sugar is the new tobacco
I woke this morning to read in the news that sugar is 'the new tobacco'. ‘Health chiefs tell food giants to slash levels by a third’. Fantastic I thought, the world is starting to wake up to the problems that sugar causes – but this isn’t news, this has been a problem for a long time.
The World Health Organisation is considering halving the amount of sugar that it recommends people should have in their diet. The typical Briton consumes 12 teaspoons of sugar a day and some adults consume as many as 46. The maximum intake recommended by the World Health Organisation is ten.
Gavin Young, Chiropractor in Grimsby is worried about hidden sugars in processed foods, such as the nine teaspoons in a standard 330ml can of Coke, the six teaspoons in a Muller Crunch Corner strawberry shortcake yoghurt, and the six in a 375g portion of Sharwood's sweet and sour chicken with rice. A serving of Kellogg's Frosties contains four teaspoons and Heinz classic tomato soup has four teaspoons in 300g.
Affects of Sugar
After you eat, various foods are broken down in your gut (intestine) into sugars. The main sugar is called glucose, which passes through your gut wall into your bloodstream. However, to remain healthy, your blood glucose level should not go too high or too low.
So, when your blood glucose level begins to rise (after you eat), the level of a hormone called insulin should also rise. Insulin works on the cells of your body and makes them take in glucose from the bloodstream. The cells for energy use some of the glucose, and some is converted into stores of energy (glycogen or fat). When the blood glucose level begins to fall (between meals), the level of insulin falls.
This is a fantastic system and works really well – but if you have constantly high blood sugars eventually your body stops listening to the insulin.
The way I describe this is just like my wife’s nagging. I have a weakness, and that is I leave my socks down the side of the bed. Now initially when I began living with my wife her nagging would result in me putting my socks straight in the wash basket, now 8 years on my response to her nagging is slower and results in louder nags. I have been considering investing in some ear defenders, and then no matter how loud she shouts I won’t have to respond.
This is what happens in the body; initially it responds to insulin quickly and efficiently, but slowly after repeated exposure it needs more to get the same job done. Eventually it doesn’t respond at all and this what we would class as diabetic.
Staying Healthy
Grimsby Chiropractor Gavin teaches patients that a healthy diet is a key component of the Chiropractic lifestyle. Changing habits of a lifetime can feel like an impossible mountain to climb, therefore at Chiropractic First we suggest making a baby step in the right direction. Maybe just start the day with a healthy breakfast or adding more fresh vegetables to your diet rather than taking away the things you love first.
If you want to make a change for the new year and not sure where to start why not call the Grimsby Chiropractic First clinic, we would love to help you make a healthy start to 2014.
