Cutting sugar from our daily diets

Type 2 diabetes does not have to be a prison sentence. Itâ??s not a situation where life has no light at the end of the tunnel.Over many years I have helped countless people with early stages of diabetes or who have type 2 diabetes get back their lives, lose weight, lower blood pressure, retain fluid, lower cholesterol, and deal with arthritis and joint pain, just to name a few symptoms. Yes, eating habits need to change. Iâ??m not one for diets that last two weeks or 12 weeks. I believe for good health we need a lifestyle change -- a change in lifestyle that in conducive to good health, one that keeps the body in an environment free of cancer and disease, so we never have symptoms of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is where the pancreas is not producing enough insulin to regulate our blood sugar. Type 1 is where the body no longer produces insulin and we cannot regulate our own blood sugar. The human body is designed to have one teaspoon of sugar a day. Yes, only one teaspoon a day. Modern humans have a classic high-sugar, low-fats, low-protein diet. Ancient humans had a high-fat, moderate protein, no-sugar, very low carbohydrate diet. Our genome was designed anywhere between 20,000 years ago to 2.5 million years ago. And back then we ate animals, animal fat, grasses and berries. We have only been cultivating grains for the last 10,000 years and so we have not lived long enough to digest grains as in breads and pastas, all in which get converted into sugar. Even 150 years ago fruit was seasonal, so we are not meant to eat it every day. Now we have access to freezers and with warmer climates all around the world, we can grow and pick fruit and send it to other countries, making fruit accessible all year round. People need to understand that five different pieces of fruit can equate up to 30 teaspoons of sugar. One slice of bread equates to six teaspoons of sugar. Yes, low-fat milk is low in fat (I will write at another time why there is nothing wrong with fat) but itâ??s very high in sugar. Then we go and have some cereal with our low-fat milk -- cereal is full of sugar. Any wonder why we get diabetes and other health issues? And donâ??t get me started on soda. More than 150 years ago, humans would consume one pound of sugar per year. Todayâ??s human takes in 30-40 pounds, enough to fill a wheelbarrow. When we cut the sugar from our diets we start getting our health back, lose weight, and decrease the risk and symptoms of diabetes and related health issues. Benjamin Artz is a health and wellness professional devoted to changing lives by educating others about healthy lifestyle choices. Follow his daily messages on Facebook at ARTZ FIT by Benjamin Artz.

********** Published: July 25, 2013 - Volume 12 - Issue 15