The War on Sugar

A story surfaced in the news today about how some U.S. researchers want to put a tax on products containing sugar (such as beverages, cereals, etc).  I know it's a bit of a controversial viewpoint, but I actually completely agree with this.  If you had asked me a few months ago, I wouldn't.  But ever since I've adopted a primal lifestyle, I've realized how pervasive sugar actually is in our lives.

Here's the thing.  Until you really start to look at food labels, you don't actually realize how much sugar you consume on a daily basis.  I would be totally fine with it, if I was consciously choosing to eat sugar, like a cupcake or a chocolate bar as a treat.  But the fact is, in our society, sugar is hiding in nearly EVERY. SINGLE. THING. that isn't harvested from the ground (and even then, if you pick up a package of "dry roasted almonds" or some canned/frozen vegetables, which are cheaper than fresh,... they'll usually have sugar in them! What's up with that?!) 

Grocery shopping is a frustrating thing for me these days.  I mostly just stick to the perimeter of the store now, because every time I go into the aisles, I am shocked to find sugar (or one of its counterparts: aspertame, high fructose corn syrup and so on) hiding even in healthy foods, or places you wouldn't expect it (anything from tomato sauce to so-called "healthy" whole wheat crackers or power bars).  Now, I don't think anyone should be forced to eat a certain way - do whatever you like.  BUT, I do think it should be a lot clearer when you're consuming something that you may think is "healthy" but actually has horrible ingredients.  And I think mass manufacturers of food have gotten away with hiding sugar for far too long.

By buying and consuming convenience foods throughout the years, these mass manufacturers have managed to change our tastebuds.  "Real" foods don't taste good anymore.  We need everything to be sweeter.  And then they wonder why the diabetes rates are higher today than they have ever been in history.  And then, instead of educating and preventing... we have high profile celebrities who promote drugs as the solution!  Excuse me as I stand on my soapbox, but really... What kind of society do we live in?!

So YES, I think we should TAX the sugar, and give even higher taxes to the companies that are destroying the health of the population!  Make people think about what they put in their mouths, and make companies foot the bill for the diabetes and other diseases that they are (in part) causing.  Teach people how to prepare their own food, and make "convenience" food that is not only affordable, but is ACTUALLY healthy, for the times that people just can't prepare their own snacks and meals.  And teach people how horrible the processed food they've been consuming for years and years - and hopefully steer people away from that direction.

Is it too much to hope for a world where real food lines the shelves, sugar is only available in treats (and in moderation), and I can shop in a grocery store without having to spend 2 hours, because I'm reading every single label (or conversely, shopping in a high-end "crunchy granola" store, and having to spend $200 for a week's groceries?) 

What do you think?  Would you support a tax on sugar - or is it just another case of government interfering too much in our daily choices?

Detox, the natural way!

If you look in any health food store, you'll see a whole aisle dedicated to cleansing and detoxing.  It can be overwhelming to learn about cleansing, but hopefully this post answers those pressing questions. 

Cleansing and detoxing is a great way to kick start your body. Feeling a little sluggish? Try cleansing! A little flabby around the middle? Try detoxing! 

You can purchase a multitude of products that are designed to clean out your liver, blood, and colon, and get rid of parasites and candida, but you don't necessarily have to spend all your hard earned money to feel rejuvenated. For one thing, any "natural" medicine is still a drug - if it affects your body in any way, its a drug, whether or not its herbal. This means that it is bound to have side effects, and these can range from intestinal cramping, headaches, and a flu-like feeling. Some say these side effects are just the body detoxing, but the jury is still out on that one, as no valid, unbiased, and scientific studies have proven otherwise.

If you are not sure about purchasing products to clean out your system and give your body a fresh start, you can cleanse the old-fashioned way: by clean eating! Your body has an amazing ability to clean out toxins - your kidneys and liver work around the clock to make sure what circulates in your blood is squeaky clean. Also, the cells in your intestines work extra hard to make sure everything you eat is absorbed (which also means that you should be careful what you put into your mouth!) Cells regenerate all the time, so this helps increase the body's natural state of wholesome goodness.

Some things you can do to cleanse with diet:

- drink lots of water: two liters, minimum, per day
- for each caffeinated beverage: drink another two glasses of water, as caffeine is very dehydrating
- better yet, switch to green tea
- up your vegetable intake: raw is best!
- cut out all natural/unnatural sweeteners: no table sugar, no honey, no aspartame, no splenda
- cut out all alcohol
- no smoking allowed while cleansing!
- try to buy everything organic: meat, veggies, fruit, grains
- try to eat something "alive" with each meal: fruit/veggies
- if you can, switch to whole grain everything (otherwise cut down or out grain products)
- avoid dairy while cleansing
- switch to organic almond/nut butter instead of Kraft peanut butter (technically, a legume)
- buy dark chocolate instead of your usual chocolatey treats
- if you are craving sweets, hit up your local farmers market: fresh fruit is in season!

Some things you can do to cleanse physically and mentally:

- exercise for at least half an hour every day, even if its just a walk around the block
- do core work like plank while watching tv or during commercials
- stretch daily
- try out a yoga class
- pick up a meditation CD from the bookstore or library (my favourite is Aimee Shea's chakra healing, available on itunes)
- take epsom salt baths (hint: adding lavender oil makes your bath that much more luxurious!)
- turn off the tv, laptop, and smart phones at least half an hour before bedtime
- make sure your room is dark, quiet, clean, and cool so you can maximize your sleep time
- try to get 8 hours of natural sleep each night (studies show that sleeping aids do not provide for a restful sleep, and sleep is when your body heals itself from the assaults of daily living)
- do one nice thing for yourself each day
- tell your friends or family how much you appreciate them, as often as you can

Try this cleanse for as long as you want: you can totally make a lifestyle out of it! But if you can only make it three days, then thats all you need to get the ball rolling. Vow to yourself that for the next cleanse, you'll go an extra day or two, and set a date for when you'll start. Try it out with a friend (feel free to share our blog with others!), and set a prize for who "cheats" the least. And if you do mess up, thats ok! Don't think of a cleanse in terms of days - its moment by moment, just like life. If you end up having a bagel in the morning because you're short on time, then continue on with a healthy lunch and dinner. Mistakes happen, but your body will appreciate your effort.

Good luck!