Join us in February for our defeat sweets challenge!
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2014, more than 2 in 3 American adults were overweight, and 1 in 13 were obese. (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
We can contribute those statistics to our overwhelming addiction to sugar. What does your daily consumption look like? You may be surprised to find how much sugar is hidden in the things you consume almost daily. That grande vanilla latte – 34 grams of sugar – that’s over 2 Tablespoons. Add a blueberry scone to the order and you’re passing 50 grams of sugar and it’s not even 9am!
Obviously there’s a considerable amount of sugar in things like doughnuts and candy bars – but most of us are consuming sugar hiding in our processed foods and condiments. Did you know ketchup has about 3g of sugar in each Tablespoon?
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the maximum amount of added sugars you should eat in a day are (7Trusted Source):
- Men: 150 calories per day (37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons)
- Women: 100 calories per day (25 grams or 6 teaspoons)
Why is decreasing sugar important?
Most of us are motivated to limit sugar to help decrease our waistline but there are many other reasons to cut it out of your life. Your ability to fight infection is directly correlated with your sugar consumption. Those glucose molecules fight Vitamin C for receptor space on your cells. That Vitamin C can’t help you fight infection if all the seats at the table are taken up by sugar – that’s part of the reason we’re all more susceptible to disease around the holidays. We’re too stressed and we’re consuming too much sugar.
Sugar is known to suppress the immune system. Consuming just 100 grams of sugar (similar amount found in a medium soft drink) can already suppress white blood cells functioning by 40% for at least 5 hours. (Daily Mail)
A longitudinal clinical study that spanned over 10 years found that individuals with high blood sugar had a much faster cognitive decline rate than individuals with normal blood sugar range. Those who suffered from type 2 diabetes at the beginning of the study were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than healthy individuals. (The Atlantic)
Have you seen Alzheimer’s disease referred to as Type 3 Diabetes? It is. This results from insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. One of the best things you can do for your brain is balance your blood sugar – both for short term functioning as well as avoiding chronic disease.
What can you do about it?
Honestly – go cold turkey and see how you feel. It’s really not as hard as it sounds. Replace your sugary drinks with non sugar counterparts – or better yet WATER. Do some structured meal planning and travel with snacks so you aren’t pressed to plan what to eat when hungry and tired.
Stay tuned for access to our 5 Day Sugar Detox! An incredible self guided program that will help you kick sugar to the curb for good!
Don’t want to do it alone? Join us for our Defeat Sweets Challenge! We start on Monday, February 21, 2022! Receive Daily Guidance from Drs. Jordan and Jade, a step by step guide, meal plan, recipes, shopping list and MORE!! Registration is open today! Defeat Sweets Challenge Registration
Try cutting out sugar for 5 days and I guarantee you’ll feel like a new person. You’ll look and feel better than you have in years.
Learn more at Leasure Life!
*This post was sponsored by North Shore Pro-Active Health