Written by: Donna de Villiers, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Sugar…The silent beastie that is in everything and a mini destroyer of goodness and health. I have an all-encompassing sweet tooth, so this is researched and said with love. If you want to prevent most diseases or are living with a condition or disease, sugar has got to be the first thing to go or be very heavily managed.
Most folk think sugar is a cheeky one because of calories and weight gain but there is a dark side to sugar that goes beyond the chubbies. The body and brain does require glucose to function so there is validity in its existence but not all sugar is created equal or serves a good purpose to our bodacious bods.
Some types of dementia form up to 30 years before there are any signs of it. Sugar has been heavily linked to this. High sugar levels damage cells. Type 2 diabetes almost doubles your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and we know that increased sugar level, even without diabetes being present, is linked to a decline in cognitive function. If you can get sugar under control, the younger the better, you reduce your chances of not just Dementia but multiple diseases.
When we scoff a mars bar or sweet of some sort, we get an instant sugar hit and a huge amount all at once. It floods our system; we produce a tonne of insulin to counter it and bring the blood glucose level back into balance. Our body has to work super hard to bring back a level of homeostasis (which is required for a healthy body). Repeat this multiple times in a day making the blood sugars yo-yo and we are asking for trouble. Unstable blood sugars are not only linked to diabetes but also Alzheimer’s disease.
Our bodies don’t like to have too much glucose or too little glucose. Neither option is sexy for your liver, kidneys, or brain. A research group in Wisconsin found that a diet full of refined sugars can allow the brain to react to sugar as if it was a virus or bacteria. This can lead to cognitive deficits which is what we are trying to avoid.
Sugar effects the following:
Attention span
Short-term memory
Creates cloudy thinking
Boost stress hormones
Effects sleep patterns
Has been linked to migraines
Poor eyesight
Autoimmune disease
Gout
Osteoporosis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sexy right? Everything we fancy from that slice of cake, and that’s not even an extensive list.
So, when we eat something like an apple, which also has a high glucose content, a slower process happens in our body because the apple is full of fibre and other goodness that slows the release of glucose. The minute you juice the apple, you have the same issue as the mars bar! When we eat whole foods, the slower release means that the pancreas isn’t working overtime to keep up and we aren’t causing havoc to our systems because of what we have nommed! It does still mean that we cannot live on fruit alone, but if you are going for the sweet stuff…better a natural glucose from whole grains, vegetables, and fruit.
3 steps to kicking the habit:
1. Identify
Time to actually read the labels and see what we are consuming. Sugar sneaks into so many products so look at what you are eating. For one week, take the time to have a food diary. Write down what you eat, the times you eat it, and if you craved the magic you consumed. After a week of observation, you can see what patterns are personal to you and look at what you would be willing to change. It’s important to just observe, without judgement, and slowly start to piece together what your habits are and go from there. Read food labels and start to see what is going into your body. Be kind, we all have wee habits that are hard to let go of, so remember to just observe first.
Working with a Naturopathic Nutritionist can be life-changing. If you would like to find one in your local area, have a wee snoop here: Natural Health Practitioners and Therapists. CNM UK: (naturopathy-uk.com)
2. Plan
Once you know your habits, it’s time to see what you would be willing to change and look into. Notice the types of foods you crave at different times. Are they habits or is there an emotional link? What do you think could change out of your observations? Is there balance and are you eating the rainbow? How often are you snacking?
What you are looking to do with your intake is balance it out with fresh whole foods that are going to give you the energy you need without the refined sugar. Remember this is looking at how to prevent disease and diet is a key feature, and sugar reduction is top of the leaderboard for changes. Get rid of all processed and junk foods!
Come up with a menu and eating plan. 3 meals a day that are colourful, full of whole foods, and packed with the good stuff. Meal prep if that makes life easier and plan out a full week’s worth at a time. Be organised! I always have a wee bag of nuts and some fruit with me so if I am hungry while out and about or between meetings and I just want to stuff my face with cake, I have options with me at all times. Find something like that for you.
3. Commit
The hard work done, now to commit to the plan. Sugar cravings can be tough, and the headache will be something else as your body gets rid of the toxins.
Because a detox of sugar can be uncomfortable for the first week or so, it’s important to come up with a plan of how you are going to manage. Ask yourself why you are doing it and make a wee list to remember when it gets tough. When the cravings strike you can also do the following:
Drink a glass of water
Go for a quick walk or get busy with something engaging
Chew gum/sugar free mints
Brush your teeth
Avoid going into a supermarket or shop
Make sure you eat proper meals with a good balance of protein (makes it easier to avoid the sugary snacks)
Think about why you are craving sugar in that moment. Is it linked to an emotion?
There will be days where the sugar sneaks in and don’t beat yourself up about it. Take a moment for yourself, figure out what happened and try again. No one is perfect but everyone is capable of epic things!
Sneaky top tip: When you start the day with a sweet breakfast, you may continue to crave sweet things all day. Give a savoury brekkie a go and see what you notice.
If you would like some help with this, you know where to find me: CONTACT US | DeVilli Well-Being
If you would like to find out some more about this, have a nosey at these additional articles:
Food for the Brain goes into more detail on how sugar impacts the brain: Sugar and Brain Health - Robert Lustig | Food for the Brain
If you would like to find out more about balancing sugars: The Importance Of Regulating Blood Sugar (brainzmagazine.com)
Kasia Dabrow-Kielan talks about wholefoods and their importance with your health: Principle Of Health ‒ Wholefoods (brainzmagazine.com)
Trying something new with a ‘Teassert’ – The ‘Teassert Technique’ How To Curb Sugar Cravings At The Holiday Dinners 2022 (brainzmagazine.com) (I didn’t know about this and absolutely love it!)
Donna de Villiers, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Donna de Villiers is a specialist Naturopathic Health Coach in Dementia delay and prevention. She has a background in Counselling and Personal Development Coaching, and whilst working in Health and Social Care decided to dedicate her expertise to Dementia. She is the CEO of DeVILLI Well-being and works closely with families, carers, and more to educate on the preventable nature of Dementia and how to live well with it. Her intention: Live better and prevent disease.
