Tackle Sugar in 2024!
Welcome back for more Whole Body Health, Fitness, and Nutrition with Bill DeHoog!
As we head into peak holiday sweet season, it’s time to dig into our next Inflammatory 5 ingredient…SUGAR. While we all want to enjoy the highlights of the holidays, read on below for great insight and plan ahead for your health and fitness in 2024 with Bill’s great info and tips!
Sugar sure is sweet…but the consequences of eating it, certainly aren’t. Excessive sugar consumption has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and dental issues, as well as a wide range of organ, hormone and metabolic disruption.
Sugar:
Suppresses immune systems
Causes fatty liver
Increases risk of insomnia, cancers, vitamin & mineral deficiencies
Reduces testosterone and growth hormone
Negatively affects cognitive function
Is linked with depression
Increases rate of cell aging
Feeds overgrowth of certain bacteria and fungus
“A high-sugar diet can lead to the accumulation of body fat, especially visceral fat. Scientists recognize that the role of fat goes beyond energy storage; it acts as a highly active endocrine organ capable of secreting various substances, including hormones. Excessive fat can lead to an imbalance of these substances, contributing to cancer development.
A comprehensive review published in Cancers in 2023 indicated that about 48 percent of cancer cases are attributed to obesity. Obesity is linked to 13 types of cancer, including breast, colorectal, endometrial, liver, stomach, and thyroid.”
So SUGAR is really bad news…what can we do about it?
It all starts with AWARENESS in our diets.
Processed and packaged foods often contain added sugars for flavour enhancement - so right off the bat, we know processed foods won’t be wise choices for our meal planning.
Plan ahead mindfully to eat well with minimized sugars, paying careful attention to your snacks, cereals, sauces, and even seemingly savoury items.
Use this FREE MEAL PLANNER to help plan your mindful eating, while helping to identify and eliminate excess sugar from your diet.
Watch Out for Hidden Sugars:
Some sugars are "hidden" in our food labels under different names, such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, maltose, and others. Keep an eye out for anything ending in, “ose” - it’s likely off limits for those aiming to avoid sugar.
You’ll find reading ingredient lists will help you quickly identify sources of added sugars, including the following:
Bill’s Best Alternatives to SUGAR:
Stevia (not with added maltodextrin)
Monk fruit
Yacon syrup
Raw organic honey Maple syrup
Erythritol
Xylitol
What about Artificial Sweeteners?
Most sugar alternatives and artificial sweeteners spike insulin just like sugar does and it’s also an excitotoxin for the brain nerve cells creating cell damage or death…therefore they have the same negative effect on the body like sugar does, if not more because it's artificial!
If Sugar is so bad for us, why is it such a consistent ingredient in our food?
Knowing the negative health impacts, some countries and regions have now implemented initiatives to reduce sugar consumption, such as sugar taxes on sugary beverages, and public awareness campaigns. Mexico has made it a requirement for food manufacturers to label the amount of added sugars on nutrition labels, which increases awareness of the health impacts of sugar and has led to more scrutiny of food products.
Do you think Canada should do the same?
Where to Start?
As we know from our last blog, Bill’s best advice for starting to make improvements was to start tracking your food with our last freebie printable Food Tracker to see where the Inflammatory 5 are appearing in your regular routine and eating habits.
Now that we’ve identified the difficult foods in our diet, it’s time to use our newest printable and make a weekly Food Plan that will help us to start with one small removal or replacement with a healthy alternative at a time!
Bill’s Pro Tip: Sugary beverages, including sodas and fruit drinks, are often the easiest to identify and start eliminating or replacing within your eating habits. Check your favourite drinks for high amounts of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup or other sweeteners and start your progress today towards a healthier you in 2024 with Bill DeHoog Whole Body Fitness!
Supplement Spotlight!
A great supplement to assist with muscle building and cognitive brain function is creatine!
Check out the latest podcast from JJ Virgin where she busts myths and breaks down the research that shows why creatine is the most important supplement you're probably not taking.
Ready to start your Whole Body Fitness training with Bill DeHoog? Reach out today to schedule your FREE assessment and explore our online training schedules!