I used to be annoyed when people talked about being "addicted" to things that aren't physically addictive. Call me the word police, but it muddies the understood definition of a word when people use that word to mean whatever they want it to mean. That said, I'm getting over it - especially when it comes to addiction.
(add knowledge and stir)
When I was in school studying psychology, I learned about a concept called a "process addiction." Simply put:
Okay, I know it's the third definition, but it sure hits the target for me and food....especially sugar....especially sugar mixed with white flour and fat. That's like a speed ball for me. This realization - along with the 20 pounds I've gained over the last six months - left me wanting to figure out:
What's up sugar?
(Spoiler alert: the following may ruin sugar for you).
It all starts out so innocently, the sugar in mother's milk and the sweet taste of fruit, the next thing you know it's pop tarts, cocoa puffs and chocolate cheesecake for breakfast. In her article "Understanding Sugar Addiction," Samantha Rufle writes:
You may be thinking, "I don't have much of a sweet tooth." Well neither do I. But here's the thing, refined carbohydrates metabolize in our bodies just the same as sugar. So all those pretzels, chips and crackers we've been munching on like crazy - it's sugar.
As far as I can tell, there is absolutely health no reason to eat refined carbohydrates at all. In fact, it seems that grains (even whole grains) are entirely optional in a healthy diet (or way of eating.) We can get all the carbohydrate energy that we need from fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
I'm not telling you how to eat, but I believe that we could all benefit from re-evaluating how much sugar and sugar-like foods we consume. Nobel Laurete, Linus Pauling says that "sugar is the most hazardous foodstuff in the American diet." Why? Sugar feeds cancer. Cancer researchers tell us that cancer cell consume sugar at a 3 to 5 fold increase over healthy cells.
Well folks, that's enough for me. I'm on day four of sugar-free living.
What about you? Let me know what you think about sugar or food addiction or whatever is on your mind.
(add knowledge and stir)
When I was in school studying psychology, I learned about a concept called a "process addiction." Simply put:
A Process Addiction is an addiction to certain mood-altering behaviors, such as eating, gambling, sex, overwork, or shopping.
ad·dic·tion (ə-dĭk'shən)
n.
- Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance: a drug used in the treatment of heroin addiction.
- An instance of this: a person with multiple chemical addictions.
- The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or or involved in something.
Okay, I know it's the third definition, but it sure hits the target for me and food....especially sugar....especially sugar mixed with white flour and fat. That's like a speed ball for me. This realization - along with the 20 pounds I've gained over the last six months - left me wanting to figure out:
What's up sugar?
(Spoiler alert: the following may ruin sugar for you).
It all starts out so innocently, the sugar in mother's milk and the sweet taste of fruit, the next thing you know it's pop tarts, cocoa puffs and chocolate cheesecake for breakfast. In her article "Understanding Sugar Addiction," Samantha Rufle writes:
When you eat a lot of sugar, your body over produces the hormone, insulin. The insulin reacts with the sugar causing your blood sugar to drop. When your blood sugar drops, you crave more sugar. This is the cycle of sugar addiction.
You may be thinking, "I don't have much of a sweet tooth." Well neither do I. But here's the thing, refined carbohydrates metabolize in our bodies just the same as sugar. So all those pretzels, chips and crackers we've been munching on like crazy - it's sugar.
As far as I can tell, there is absolutely health no reason to eat refined carbohydrates at all. In fact, it seems that grains (even whole grains) are entirely optional in a healthy diet (or way of eating.) We can get all the carbohydrate energy that we need from fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.
I'm not telling you how to eat, but I believe that we could all benefit from re-evaluating how much sugar and sugar-like foods we consume. Nobel Laurete, Linus Pauling says that "sugar is the most hazardous foodstuff in the American diet." Why? Sugar feeds cancer. Cancer researchers tell us that cancer cell consume sugar at a 3 to 5 fold increase over healthy cells.
Well folks, that's enough for me. I'm on day four of sugar-free living.
What about you? Let me know what you think about sugar or food addiction or whatever is on your mind.
