Cookies, pies, cakes, pastries – are all plentiful this time of year. Whether it is a part at the office, church or home yummy sweats seem to abound. Of course, this is to be expected as the holidays affords many opportunities to celebrate. The question is what does all this celebrating do to our health. Have you ever noticed that just after Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Year’s that so many people have runny noses, colds and flus? How did you feel last week after the Thanksgiving weekend? Did you, your wife. friends, co-workers, parents, siblings or children have some sort of a cold? The immune system isn’t a single organ, it’s actually millions of tiny cells and organisms that help to protect your body. It’s a HUGE system that spans your entire body.
1. Sugar impacts your white blood cells by competing for space in those cells with Vitamin C.
When Linus Pauling did research in the 1970s to find out how the body uses Vitamin C. He discovered that white blood cells need Vitamin C to destroy bacteria and viruses. Sugar and Vitamin C are similar in their chemical structure. When you eat sugar, it directly competes for space in your immune cells with Vitamin C! The more sugar in your system, the less Vitamin C can get into your white blood cells. Ok, maybe you know the damaging effects sugar has on the immune system but take a look all the other negative side effects from sugar that can be found in those delicious cookies, pies, cakes and donuts?
- Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body.
- Sugar can cause juvenile delinquency in children.
- Sugar eaten during pregnancy and lactation can influence muscle force production in offspring which can affect an individual’s ability to exercise.
- Sugar intake is associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease.
- Sugar can cause two blood proteins – albumin and lipoproteins – to function less effectively which may reduce the body’s ability to handle fat and cholesterol.
- Sugar can increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can damage cells and tissues.
- Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, inability to concentrate and crankiness in children.
- Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
- Sugar reduces the body’s ability to defend against bacterial infection.
- Sugar causes a decline in tissue elasticity and function – the more sugar you eat, the more elasticity and function you lose.
- Sugar reduces high-density lipoproteins (HDL).
- Sugar can lead to chromium deficiency.
- Sugar can lead to ovarian cancer.
- Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose.
- Sugar causes copper deficiency.
- Sugar interferes with the body’s absorption of calcium and magnesium.
- Sugar may make eyes more vulnerable to age-related macular degeneration.
- Sugar raises the level of neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
- Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
- Sugar can lead to an acidic digestive tract.
- Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children.
- Sugar is frequently malabsorbed in patients with functional bowel disease.
- Sugar can cause premature aging.
- Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
- Sugar can cause tooth decay.
- Sugar can lead to obesity.
- Sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Sugar can cause gastric or duodenal ulcers.
- Sugar can cause arthritis.
- Sugar can cause learning disorders in school children.
- Sugar assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).
- Sugar can cause gallstones.
How about making a difference at the Christmas parties and dinners this year by bringing desserts that might enhance the immune system rather than something that will contribute to the colds and flus people will experience when January comes around. Click here for some health dessert ideas. Try making some Christmas Fudge for your next Christmas event.
Source: Excerpted from Suicide by Sugar by Nancy Appleton, PhD and G.N. Jacobs. Used with permission.
