Don’t be Mistaken…Sugar is a DRUG & is ADDICTING
THERE IS NO sugar-coating the truth about the 200 lbs of sweet stuff each American consumes each year. The truth is that sugar lights up the brain (the nucleus accumbens) just like cocaine or heroine. The flood of dopamine (the feel-good neurotransmitter) that dumps into this hyper-sensitive part of the brain keeps us coming back for more…making Sugar the Drug-of-Choice for most Americans.
THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL predicts 1 in 3 Caucasian children born after 2000 will become diabetic; For Hispanics and African Americans, the number drops even lower to 1 in 2. Some predictions suggest that Diabetes will bankrupt the healthcare system over the next decade.
Addictions to sugar and carbohydrates in industrialized countries are clearly due to lack of physical exercise, high-caloric, processed foods coupled with a cultural phobia of dietary fat. Dietary choices, physical activity, meal portions and meal composition all influence how our physiology responds to glucose.
Clinical Dysglycemia versus Functional Dysglycemia
When it comes to a clinical assessment of blood sugar issues, the conventional medical system is primarily concerned with Diabetes and Hypoglycemia. In other words, fasting glucose scores that fall below 65 or above 127 warrants you a medical diagnosis and its relevant medication.
The truth is that, in our model, we are primarily concerned when your blood sugar scores fall out of the functional range – below 85 & and above 99 (see the difference between laboratory & functional markers).
Ninety percent of the people that come to see me in my practice have some sort of functional blood sugar issue going on. Their blood sugar is either too low, too high, or spiking up & down leading to both reactive hypoglycemia and insulin resistance.
Rules for Blood Sugar Balance
Here are some basic steps to follow when blood sugar issues have you crashing all day long.
- Eat high-quality protein and fat for breakfast. Lay off the carbs first thing in the morning. This meal doesn’t have to be big, but protein and fat will keep your blood sugar stable through out your day.
- Find your carb tolerance and stick to it. If you feel tired or crave sugar after you eat, you’ve surpassed your carbohydrate tolerance. Try eating smaller meals more often, and back off the carbs.
- Do not skip meals. Many people find eating a small amount every two to three hours helps stabilize their blood sugar. As your blood sugar becomes more stable you can extend time between eating.
- Avoid all fruit juices and carrot juice. Some can be more sugary than soda.
- Take nutrients that help cells regain insulin sensitivity: These include chromium, the mineral vanadium, alpha lipoic acid, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E), magnesium, biotin, zinc, inositol, and gymnema sylvestre.
- Choose foods that feed your brain. This is a whole foods diet that is vegetable-based, high in omega 3s, and with sufficient protein and fat.
- Avoid high-allergen inflammatory foods. You may want to try our Start Fresh – 28 Day Cleanse to find out which foods are triggers for you.
