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Sugar, Diabetes
And Hypoglycemia
In this article we consider
sugar as a causative factor in the development of diabetes and hypoglycemia. We
urge the reader to also consider
sugar as a cause of immune
dysfunction.
Some would have us believe that
refined sugar is a wonder food, that it is not fattening or harmful, and that it
is a marvelous source of natural energy that can be used without restraint.
Others tell us that . . .
`White sugar is the curse of the civilized world.' (Dr. Michael Sharon, Complete Nutrition, p.29)
Dr Boris Chaitow, founding
director of the internationally renowned High Rustenburg Hydro, tells us that . . .
`[Refined] sugar by its very
nature and its function in the system, constitutes one of the most damaging
of the so-called foods modern society imposes on itself. It is highly
concentrated, taken out of its context, and above all inflicts on the poor
pancreas a burden which is eventually responsible for two of society's serious
physical stresses, namely diabetes and hypoglycemia.' (Dr. Boris Chaitow, My
Healing Secrets, p.67)
Well - what is the `sweet truth?'
In order to find out, all we have to do is to consider how the body reacts every
time we ingest refined sugar - and the truth will speak for itself.
First of all, we need to remind
ourselves that blood sugar is the body's fuel and, without it, the brain, the
nervous system and the tissues in the body could not function.
Then, having some appreciation of
the importance of blood sugar, we will appreciate why it is that the body has
been so well equipped to keep our blood sugar at optimum levels.
The two glands that play the most
significant role in the regulation of our blood-sugar levels include . . .
(1) The Pancreas which releases
insulin into the blood stream and, through various processes, brings about a
lowering in the level of blood sugar.
(2) The Adrenal Glands which
secrete adrenalin into the blood stream and, through various processes, brings
about an elevation in blood sugar levels.
Now, realizing the vital role
that blood sugar plays, and having a very basic understanding of our primary
blood sugar regulating mechanisms, we need to recognize that there is a vast
difference between the sugar that is presented to us in the sweet fruits of
nature, and that which commerce presents to us in the form of refined white
sugar - and this includes those brands of "brown" sugar that amount to little
more than brown-coloured white sugar.
These facts alone are enough to
convince us that refined sugar, deprived as it is of fibre, and lacking as it is
in ALL essential nutrients, cannot possibly contribute to our health. In fact, as
the following will confirm, refined white sugar, when used on a regular basis,
can represent a very serious threat to our health - especially when it is used
in abundance as most people use it today. (One report tells us that the average
American ingests plus/minus 43 teaspoons of sugar daily - little wonder,
therefore, that the American people are more prone to illness and to obesity
than most other nationalities).
When we ingest sugar that has
been refined, there is no associated fiber to absorb the sugar and to facilitate
its slow release into the bloodstream, and there are no nutrients that need to
be digested and assimilated. As a result, the bulk of the ingested refined sugar
is taken directly and almost immediately into the bloodstream - resulting in a
profound and totally unnatural elevation in blood sugar levels. This boost in
the blood sugar level makes us feel more energetic - but only for a while, - and
at tremendous cost.
When the blood sugar level rises
so dramatically, an urgent message is sent to the pancreas, "Quick! This is an
emergency! We need plenty of insulin in order to lower blood sugar levels." (See
Curve A on the graph below.)
The problem now is that in order
to meet the crisis, the ever-willing pancreas pours out so much insulin that
blood-sugar levels soon plummet to way below the level of normal (See curve (B)
on the graph above.)
This, in turn, results in an
urgent message being relayed to the adrenal glands. "Quick! This is an
emergency! We need adrenalin in order to raise blood sugar levels back to
normal."
And this is what happens every
time we take a sugary cold drink or a cup of tea that has been sweetened with
refined sugar, and this is what happens every time that we eat cakes, sweets,
chocolates etcetera that have been sweetened with refined sugar and that have
been produced from refined white flour (which is turned to sugar in the process
of digestion).
For the average person today, the
digestive emergency that is described above - which is depicted in the dark blue
curve on the accompanying graph - takes place anything from five to fifteen or
more times per day. This means, in turn, that the pancreas and the adrenal
glands are being whipped into desperate and unnatural action at least five to
fifteen times per day. And if the life is stressful, and filled with stimulating
`adrenalin rush' type movies and activities, the poor old adrenals are whipped
into action many more times than this in the course of the average day.
Eventually, either or both of the following can
result, . . .
1) The adrenal glands become
"worn-out," and the body loses the ability to raise blood sugar levels when they
are low. This contributes to a condition known as hypoglycemia or low blood
sugar - with its long list of dreadful symptoms - including anxiety, weakness,
rapid heart rate, extreme hunger, dizziness, poor vision, headache,
irritability, irrational behavior, poor memory, and digestive problems.
2) The pancreas becomes "worn
out," and the body loses the ability to lower blood sugar levels when they are
high. And suddenly, out of the blue, we are diagnosed as being diabetic. Now, as
a diabetic, we will most probably have to refrain from eating refined sugar for
the rest of our lives. More than this, because the body has lost its ability to
produce sufficient insulin, we will have to get this precious hormone via daily
injection - which, in turn, could make us far more susceptible to heart disease,
kidney disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, strokes, cataracts, gangrenous
infections, loss of hearing, blindness and even early death.
As a confirmed diabetic, some
will suggest that our ailment could be hereditary, or that it was caused by some
or other nebulous factor over which we had no control and, being typically
human, we will be inclined to believe them. Others again will tell us that
disease never comes without a cause, and that our excessive use of refined white
sugar was most probably the cause. Either way, we will find ourselves wishing
that we had understood "the sweet truth" and that we had taken appropriate
action long before it was too late to do so.
And so, while it is true that
refined sugar may produce a short-lived energy-boost, it only ever does so at a
price that could be far more costly than the price of any sugar alternative?
While it is true that refined sugar does taste good, there are natural
alternatives that taste just as good and that do not have the same deleterious
effects upon the human body. See Alternative Sweeteners.
Just as there is no wisdom in
whipping tired horses, so there is no wisdom in forever "whipping" our pancreas
and our adrenal glands for, sooner of later, the tired horse will refuse to move
and, though life will continue, the journey will be most difficult - and it will
most certainly be sugar-free.
While there is much more to the
subject of blood sugar than is presented in this simplified explanation, the
above should be sufficient to convince anyone that it would be wise to look for
better alternatives.
(As mentioned above, it should be remembered that
refined carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice and white pasta products
are converted into simple sugars in the digestive tract and that excessive usage
of these products can also place a similar burden on the system as sugar does -
with the same disastrous end-results - Ed).
As a follow-up to this article,
please see Alternative Sweeteners.
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