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05/30/2007: "Sweetness"
Well the Blog has been dominated lately with my bad news so I thought it was time to do a health post. As George Bernard Shaw wrote, “Caring for the world is what remains after caring for yourself.” I am feeling pretty good both physically and emotionally as I move forward. Amazing how thankful I am to be healthy enough to stay active and productive everyday. It’s a beautiful spring and these are certainly cherished days for me. Speaking of sweet...
The US has been steadily increasing its consumption of refined sugar and each person is now averaging 165 pounds a year. Cancer cells crave and live on sugar so I continue to make a huge effort to cut it out of my diet. That means someone out there is eating more than his or her share. And the health ramifications are serious with paralleled increases in obesity and diabetes. Eating simple sugars cause blood sugar levels to spike and then come down hard. And substitutes like honey, maple syrup and cane syrup contain high levels of the same substance as refined sugar. Complex sugars like those found in fruit break down and enter the bloodstream at a slower rate.
While I was in the clinic in Mexico, the kitchen used Agave Nectar as a sweetener. This is very sweet syrup derived from the tequila cactus (Ah, its many uses!). We have it in our cupboard. Other natural substitutes are not as sweet but are still a better choice than sugar. Amazake from fermented sweet rice, brown rice syrup and fig sugar are all rich in flavor, vitamins and minerals. However, the best choice may be Stevia which is many times sweeter than sugar, doesn’t effect blood sugar and contains no calories.
It wasn’t long ago that I saw two graphs set over the top of each other and looking very related. One was the average size of a fast food soda over the years (Remember when they were 8 ounces?) and the other was the growth rate of childhood obesity. High Fructose Corn Syrup is the bane of our civilized society. Federal corn supplements make it abundant and prevalent in pretty much every sweet tasting drink on the market. Check your labels.
It is so good to hear that your spirits are up. Spring is the best time ever and I hope you enjoy every minute of it. We are looking forward to one of your visits soon. How is the car?