The Sugar Blues

"What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails, and puppy dogs tails
That's what little boys are made of!"
What are little girls made of?
"Sugar and spice and all things nice
That's what little girls are made of!"
- Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme




It all starts when we're young - the craving for sugar is created with sweet juices, candy and cookies rewards, and the famous first birthday experience nose-diving into a miniature cake.  We get a taste in our mouths for sugar, the most readily available addictive substance on the planet.  It's only within the last few thousand years that sugar became a staple in the diet.  In this day and age, sugar can be found in a wide variety of products form soda to peanut butter - we've got the sugar blues. 

The average US American consumes 22 teaspoons of
sugar per day.  1 g of sugar = 4 teaspoons.  

Past...


Thousands of years ago,  sugar cane grew naturally in the Indus-Saraswati region of India (ironically the same region of India where Yoga is from).  Cattle were the first known consumers of sugar,  as they were discovered chewing on the sugar cane.  Eventually, the people of India began to chew sugar cane as well for it's beloved sweetness.   The sugar cane was then transported over to Europe.  In Europe, they loved the sweetness but didn't enjoy having to actually chew the sugar cane itself.  So they began extracting the sweet liquid through crushing of the cane.  At this point, sugar was time consuming and difficult to extract, therefore, very expensive.  Sugar was thought of as an extreme luxury... maybe even a once in a lifetime treat.  Over time, through politics, slave labor,  and technological advances sugar became much more affordable, shelf stable, and easier to produce.  


Present...

You may love sugar... but it definitely
doesn't love you back. Unless you define
love as an expanding waist line, food
cravings, and increased risk for diabetes.   

We live in a world of ever-expanding-waistlines... where obesity and overweight is now considered an epidemic.  Now-a-days most people have sugar at every meal and all throughout the day.  Oftentimes, we're consuming sugar without even knowing it.  Sugar is found in many food items: salad dressings, condiments, processed and refined grains, sweetened beverages (soda, juice, tea), etc.    It has been scientifically proven, that there are many negative health effects that occur from the consumption of sugar, such as diabetes, elevated blood triglycerides, insulin resistance, weight gain, and heart disease, among others.   Yet people still consume sugar in catastrophic amounts.  The reason people are willing to buy sugar even though it is proven to cause a multitude of diseases is because (like cigarettes) it is a highly addictive substance.  Sugar acts like other addictive substances in the way that it affects the neurotransmitters of your brain.   Eating sugar or foods that turn into sugar (bread, pasta, crackers, juice) sends your body on a roller coaster ride of highs and lows which greatly affect how you feel and your general well-being.  


Future...


By the year 2020, it is predicted that 1 in 2 Americans will have diabetes.   It's time to make a change...

What can you do about it?


1.  Reduce and eliminate all sources of refined and processed grain products, as well as, sugary treats. 
2.  Emphasize eating healthy sources of fat, protein, fresh vegetables and fruit.
3.  Meet with a nutritionist to get a detailed nutrition plan, loose weight, and start investing yourself in a healthy lifestyle.  

Keri is an internationally Registered Yoga Teacher, Culinary Nutritionist, and Wellness Coach.  She owns and operates BAYA Wellness, LLC offering Yoga and Nutrition Services.  Keri teachers both privately and publicly around the Greenville area offering on-going classes and special events.  Her path as a nutritionist is all about making healthy living approachable... she teaches the components of healthy cooking, eating, and thinking while also offering specialized services like menu planning.  Healthy living is about the whole pictures of wellness... find your path to living well.

BAYA... Be As You Are!


Contact me for details: www.BAYAWellness.com 

BAYAWellness@gmail.com or 864-430-1275