By K. Wagner

How much sugar do you use everyday? You may use more than you realize or pay attention to. If you eat any packaged or processed foods, it most likely contains some kind of sugar. Sweetener in your coffee, tea, sodas ("natural" ones included!) baked items (even bread),

crackers,cereals, "energy" bars and drinks, dressings, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, packaged sauces, frozen and microwave meals, protein powders, even products labeled as "natural" and "organic" often contain substantial evaporated cane juice. Some products contain genetically engineered sugars and are not required to be labeled as such. Sugar is hidden everywhere and it's no surprise that there are such high rates of diabetes, obesity and depression in this and other countries where sugar has become a regular part of most diets. Some research says that the average American consumes 2-3 pounds of sugar per week – that's outrageous!

There are many problems with sugar, especially highly refined ones, such as sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar) and high-fructose corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup is so highly processed and chemicalized, it cannot even be considered food, more like poison! (see the movie "King Corn".) It and other processed sugars are quickly metabolized in the body, blood glucose rises rapidly and the pancreas in turn produces insulin to compensate and try to drop blood sugar levels. The rapid fluctuations in blood sugar are a great stress to the body, among other deleterious effects of sugar.

Sugar actually suppresses the immune system by raising insulin levels, which inhibits the release of growth hormones. And in that glucose and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, they actually compete with one another on a cellular level; the more glucose in the system, the less vitamin C is allowed into the cells. In fact, insulin plays a part in the root of most disease.

Processed sugar is not actually a food and totally lacks any vitamins or minerals, thus the body must pull from it's own stores of micro-nutrients to metabolize it. This causes metabolism of cholesterol and fatty acids to be impeded and leads to higher blood serum triglycerides (chemical form of fats) which is then stored in tissue and promotes high cholesterol levels and excess weight. This deficit of any nutritional value also has a negative effect on the endocrine system leading to hormonal imbalance.
Many researchers, and even the American Dietetic Association and American Diabetic Association have stated that sugar consumption is one of the 3 major causes of degenerative disease in the U.S!

There is no dispute that using sugar on a regular or habitual basis is destructive to health and can lead to disease. Simple sugars can cause mood swings, mental illness, diabetes, contribute to heart disease, nervous disorders, aggravate the liver, kidney and adrenals, cause gallstones, create hypertension, arthritis, fatigue and the list goes on. In it's most "natural" form, too much sugar can be hard on the body; even fruit sugar and juice in excess can have a detrimental effect on your system.

You may have also heard that sugar feeds cancer-glucose is actually used by cancer cells as fuel and creates lactic acid as a by-product. The conversion of glucose to lactic acid is essentially translated as a low, acidic pH and perpetuates the perfect anaerobic (lacking oxygen) environment for cancer cells and many pathogens to thrive. By eliminating the fuel for cancer cells' survival-glucose, many cancer patients would begin to improve by slowing starving the cancer's growth and allowing the immune system to become stronger. This can again be translated to creating an alkaline terrain so that disease will not be able to subsist in the body. Self-love, forgiveness, exercise, stress reduction and loving thoughts all contribute to an environment which will not support cancer or disease.

From David Wolfe, author, researcher and nutritionist:

"Cancer cells have as many as 6 to 17 times as many receptor sites for insulin. Insulin delivers sugar to the cells. Cancer¹s sugar hunger indicates that it is best to be on a low-sugar diet. That means no starchy food, soda, candy bars, refined sugar of any kind, no carrot or beet juice, and no sweet fruit. This is the most basic dietary approach to cancer. Another important element to consider is Dr. Otto Warburg¹s Nobel prize-winning discovery that cancer is anaerobic. Healthy cells require oxygen. Cancer cells must have a low or no oxygen environment. Any food or exercise that increases oxygenation is good because it helps decrease the reproduction of cancer cells. From these two starting points: low sugar, high oxygen we can develop an entire anti-cancer program"

Keep in mind that most uncontrollable or patterned cravings for sweets come from a metabolism which is not functioning properly, a need for some form of protein, or low serotonin. Sugar can also be tied to deep, buried emotions from childhood...if we face the difficult emotions and feed the body with proper nutrition, we can begin to dissipate the cravings and give the body what it needs and find other ways to nourish ourselves. When you have healthy nutrition, exercise and address internalized issues, you'll find your cravings will disappear.
Processed sugar is acidic, toxic and can be a very addictive drug! If you feel you must use sugar and sweeteners, stick with unprocessed, complex sugars, which still contain nutrients, are more slowly metabolized and don't cause a rise and fall in blood glucose. Many sweeteners are touted as being natural, but actually are high glycemic and again create an unhealthy rise and fall in blood glucose.

• • There are arguments for and against the following sweetners, but these are considered to be lower carb and healthy alternatives to processed sugar.
  • Stevia
  • Agave nectar –
  • Yacon root syrup
  • Unsulphured blackstrap molasses
  • Unpasteurized, raw, organic honey
  • Fruit Juice

There are many other "natural" sweeteners out there, but we personally would not recommend them-many, such as maple syrup will cause the blood sugar to rise, just like sugar.

A good website to begin with to do your own investigation into healthy alternatives to sugar;

http://www.sweetsavvy.com

For programs to conquer diabetes and blood sugar issues naturally;

Dr. Gabriel Cousins – http://www.treeoflife.nu/home

Dr. Robert O. Young – http://www.phmiracleliving.com/sanoviv.htm

Do Not Use These Sugar Products

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If you wish to be healthful and alkaline, you should not use these sugar products;
• Sucrose, or Table Sugar, from sugar cane or sugar beets consists of two simple sugars, glucose and fructose. It is about 99.9 percent pure and sold in either granulated or powdered form.
• Raw Sugar consists of coarse, granulated crystals formed from the evaporation of sugar cane juice. Raw sugar contains impurities and cannot be sold in grocery stores due to FDA regulations.
• Brown Sugar consists of sugar crystals contained in a molasses syrup with natural flavor and color. Some refiners make brown sugar by adding syrup to refined white sugar. It is 91 to 96 % sucrose.
• Turbinado Sugar is raw sugar that goes through a refining process to remove impurities and most of the molasses. It is edible if processed under proper conditions; however, some samples in the past contained trace contaminants.
• Invert Sugar is a mixture of glucose and fructose. Invert sugar is formed by splitting sucrose in a process called inversion. This sugar prevents crystallization of cane sugar in candy making.
• Confectioner's Sugar, or Powdered Sugar, consists of finely ground sucrose crystals mixed with a small amount of corn starch.
• Honey is an invert sugar formed by an enzyme from nectar gathered by bees. Honey contains fructose, glucose, maltose, and sucrose. Honey contains only trace amounts of vitamins and minerals. One would have to eat large quantities before any nutritional benefit would be received.
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener made from corn starch. The amounts of fructose vary with the manufacturer. An enzyme-linked process increases the fructose content, thus making HFCS sweeter than regular corn syrup.
• Corn Syrups, produced by the action of enzymes and/or acids on corn starch, are the result of splitting starch. Three major producers'producers'contain 42%, 55%, and 90% fructose. Dextrose comprises most of the remainder.
• Levulose, or Fructose, is a commercial sugar much sweeter than sucrose. Its sweetness actually depends on its physical form and how it's used in cooking. Fructose, known as a fruit sugar, occurs naturally in many fruits.
• Dextrose, or Glucose, is also known as corn sugar. It's commercially made from starch by the action of heat and acids, or enzymes. It is sold blended with regular sugar.
• Lactose, or milk sugar, is made from whey and skim milk for commercial purposes. It occurs in the milk of mammals. The pharmaceutical industry is a primary user of prepared lactose.
• Sorbitol, Mannitol, Malitol, and Xylitol are sugar alcohols or polyols. They occur naturally in fruits and are produced commercially from such sources as dextrose. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol made from a part of birch trees. Sorbitol, mannitol, and malitol are about half as sweet as sucrose. Xylitol has a sweetness equal to sucrose.
• Artificial Sweeteners of any kind are determental to your health!