Sugar...the Slow Poison!

Well, Ladies (and Gents!) Here are the cold, hard facts! Our bodies really were not made to handle white, refined sugar! Pre-civilized man did not consume it! Our upper intestines are not able to handle it, where sugars are supposed to be digested, so it gets passed on to the lower intestines, where it really wreaks havoc. No wonder it is being linked to colon cancer. We also know that sugar causes cavities, obesity, acne, diabetes, gall bladder disease, arteriosclerosis, and heart disease! It supresses the immune system- in fact, the amount of sugar in a soda and a candy bar is enough to "knock out" our infection-fighting capabilities for 24 hours. (No wonder our kids used to get sick after I would give in and let them go out trick-or-treating, and they binged on candy for several days.) So, why do we consume it in such great quantities? Because it tastes SSOOO good, and the sugar industry spends a fortune advertising its many products. In the late 1800's, the average American consumed 5 lbs. of sugar a year. Do you want to take a guess at what it is today? It is up to 2-3 lbs a week, which translates into 100-150 lbs a year! Childhood obesity has doubled (from 20% to 40%!) in the last ten years- all of this occurring while we are continually being warned about our diets! Another huge problem is that every event we attend and every holiday has its own unique "sweets," and to deprive ourselves or our children of these delicious treats seems downright cruel! (Ask yourself this question: If someone gave you a vial filled with a white granular substance labeled "Poison" would you eat it? Worse yet- would you feed it to your children?) So, what's a mother to do? Making your own sweets using pure, raw honey or unrefined cane sugar is one solution. At the same time, try switching yourself and your kids over to fruits and vegetables for snacks. I have found that my kids are not generally going to go to the frig, get out an apple or orange and cut it up. But if I cut up apples, oranges, or pineapple and bring it to them in a bowl, they will gladly gobble them up! Bananas, cherries, and strawberries are even easier, as they require no preparation.(except washing the berries) Keeping zip-loc bags with washed and cut celery, carrots, and even broccoli can make it more probable that your kids will choose them. (Of course, ridding your home of "Little Debbie" snack cakes and candy will greatly increase your chances of getting your children- and yourself!- to make healthier choices.) Then, when it comes around to Thanksgiving and Christmas, it won't be such a big deal to splurge and enjoy some homemade cookies and pies!... This is certainly not an exhaustive treatment of a very unpopular subject (ridding your diet of refined sugar!), but I hope it helps!