The NOT So Missing Link: Sugar and Depression

A Quick Preamble:

If you've been following me for a while then you'll know and have likely already seen a previous article i wrote about the dangers of modern day, heavily refined, chemically processed sugar - and of course you'll have also seen this from me on numerous occasions:

"Fat Doesn't Make You Fat, Sugar Does"

Well, there's even more bad news for anyone who is habitually consuming this highly addictive, physical-health destroying poison that Big-Pharma and Big-Sugar love... it also has very-much-proven disastrous effects on your mind, in more ways than one, with soul-destroying depression at the top of the misery list..!

It's truly insidious ...sugar is absolutely everywhere and it's just downright sneaky as it hides in a lot of foods that many people simply don't recognise as sugar-laden i.e. a standard loaf of bread can contain up to 9 or more teaspoons of sugar, depending which country you call home...and sauces like tomato ketchup typically have a teaspoon of sugar in every tablespoon.

Cutting To The Chase:

Amazingly, even with all the current information available, it's estimated that a typical adult will consume somewhere between 14 and 20 teaspoons of sugar EVERYDAY...get outa town...that's somewhere between 55-60 pounds per year or up to more than 27kg...incredible...and in some countries that figure is considerably higher - and obvious as obesity , diabetes, depression and many other health issues continue to rise..!!

And what about our kids..?

While we all generally know without any doubt that there's plenty of sugar in cakes, cookies, desserts, candies and cool-drinks or soda-pops...which we give to our kids in ever-increasing amounts but dammit, what about all those foods that turn to sugar AFTER consumption - burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and dishes of macaroni-cheese..!?!..think about it...

I found this from Mark Hyman MD , who wrote a bestseller called " The Ultramind Solution ":

"There is no scientific controversy here. The evidence is in. Sugar causes inflammation. The insulin-resistant fat cells you pack on when you eat too much sugar produces nasty inflammatory messages (cytokines) ... spreading their damage to the brain. In fact, researchers have suggested calling depression "metabolic syndrome Type II" because instead of just having a fat swollen belly, you also get a fat swollen (and depressed) brain. And psychiatrists are starting to treat depression and psychiatric disorders with anti-diabetic drugs like Actos! These drugs lower blood sugar, lower insulin, and reduce inflammation."

Studies and Technical Stuff...

A fairly recent study that was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry held that two groups made up of 3,500 participants were given either a diet of healthy, wholesome foods or a diet of processed, dessert and grain laden foods for 5 years...the processed food group showed a 58% INCREASED risk for depression, while the healthy food group had a significantly DECREASED risk for depression of 26%...that's pretty telling, don't ya think..?

This actually proves what has generally already been known for a while now, that apart from the obvious blood-sugar problems that arise from the consumption of heavily processed and refined carb's and sugars, our bodily vitamin B quota, which is needed to keep us cheerful, also gets destroyed.

Depression Isn't The Only Result of Sugar Consumption...

This from an article written by the Brain Bio Center , a non-profit clinic that helps with mental health problems via lifestyle, nutrition and diet advice/guidance:

"Eating lots of sugar is going to give you sudden peaks and troughs in the amount of glucose in your blood; symptoms that this is going on include fatigue,irritability, dizziness, insomnia, excessive sweating (especially at night), poor concentration and forgetfulness, excessive thirst, depression and crying spells, digestive disturbances and blurred vision . Since the brain depends on an even supply of glucose it is no surprise to find that sugar has been implicated in aggressive behaviour, anxiety , and depression, and fatigue."

Just to top it all off, sugar also messes with your thyroid...thyroid hormones regulate your metabolism, your growth and development and your body temperature...and guess what, they're critical for that all-important mood-balancing act for your brain.

Really..?!..is there no end to the dangers that this poison is introducing into our systems - and the systems of our nearest-and-dearest..!?

Nope - here's a few more:

* Increases destruction of your GOOD gut flora - creating gut problems

* Increases cancer risk i.e. breast, colon and prostate cancers specifically

* Increases the risk of fatty liver disease

* Increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease

* Increases the risk of heart disease

* Increases the risk of toxemia during pregnancy

* Speeds up the ageing process

* Causes tooth decay

* Causes heavy migraines

A Couple of Tips to Help Quit a Depressive Sugar Habit...

# 1. The most obvious and most important - avoid all processed sugar in all forms as much as you possibly can...you know where they are, you know what foods contain sugar or turns to sugar after you consume them so just don't do it...if you need to sweeten some of your foods, there are healthier alternatives such as stevia, a drop of honey or agave nectar...what about cranberries, chopped dates or some cinnamon - they all work just great.

ALSO AVOID ALL ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS LIKE THE PLAGUE - if it isn't NATURAL, then how can it possibly do you any good..right..?

# 2. Eat regularly, eat balanced, eat wholesome - it isn't only what you eat - i think that's obvious now, the timing is also important for keeping your blood-sugar balance just right...you know the old story - at least 3 nutritious/balanced meals every day.

Eating every 3 to 4 hours or so at the same general times is a massive help for your insulin levels, your thyroid health and your moods - chaotic, scattered and irregular meals just won't cut it..!

A Final Anecdote:

As i've said on numerous occasions, a little bit of what you like won't hurt you...BUT...

...the daily habit of consuming sugar and/or foods that change into sugar after eating them is a definite no-no if you want to retain your good health, live to a ripe old age and remain always happy...just check the labels...raw sugar, cane sugar, sucrose, corn syrup, maple syrup - don't do it ...modern processed foods i.e. flour, bread, pasta, rice, cereals and chips - don't do it .

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Here's something from Mitchell Pavao ...there's ALWAYS something positive to cling to...

Your beauty intoxicates all you encounter,
Yet you fail to notice,
This is your blunder,
You've had a rough time,
Though now it is over,
But yet you continue clinging to what is left over,
And in doing this your depression grows deeper,
Pulling you apart at the seams,
Causing you to unravel and fall to you knees,
Pondering desperately: "How much worse can it be? "
To ease your mind of your terrible burden,
You bargain with Satan (as if he cares),
Giving you a release, in turn for your soul:
That you believe tarnished and not worth much at all,
When all of your friends have been with you till now,
But here comes the crossroads up ahead,
They give you a choice: "Stand tall or fall down."
You have your beauty and charm,
Your intelligence and grace,
Good friends and your health,
What more does it take for you?

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