Top 5 Reasons to Eliminate Simple Sugar

We all love sugar. Sweets make us happy; have you ever seen anyone frowning while eating a hot fudge sundae? Sugar is in all the cookies, cakes, and pies that we devour with friends and family during holidays and celebrations. Wherever something fun is happening, sugar is close by ready to provide a short boost of energy.
The problem lies in the quantity and frequency in which most people consume sugar. Humans are well equipped to deal with an infrequent surge of sugar; we don’t do well when it becomes a part of our daily food intake. A little bit of sugar is actually bad for you; a lot of sugar is really bad and will shorten your lifespan.
Here are my top 5 reasons why you should eliminate sugar from your daily menu.

1.  Increased activity of a protein called, B-catenin, is a major factor in the development of many cancers. Research shows that high blood sugar levels (caused by ingestion of simple sugars) promote the accumulation of B-catenin; this may have a direct impact on the production of cancer cells. So, the more sugar you consume, the greater your risk of developing diseases such as cancer.
2. Elevated insulin is a cause of premature aging. High sugar consumption increases insulin secretion; repeated exposure to high insulin levels creates havoc within the cells and causes premature cell damage and aging. Lower insulin levels are associated with youth.
3. Research shows that high insulin is directly correlated to low testosterone. Low testosterone in males is NOT a good thing. A study presented at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting, showed that a glucose solution (75 grams of glucose) decreased testosterone levels by 25% in all 74 of the male participants. It did not matter if the men had diabetes, pre-diabetes or normal glucose tolerance; they all experienced a drop in testosterone. Think about this the next time you reach for a sugary sports drink.
4. Evidence indicates that men with a fasting glucose levels above 85 mg/dL have a 40% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. According to the Life Extension Foundation, the optimal fasting glucose range is between 70-85 mg/dL.
5. Excess blood glucose is a cause of systemic inflammation. Everything from joint pain to heart disease is exacerbated by inflammation. A low carbohydrate diet not only accelerates fat loss, it often decreases joint pain.

The best way to defend yourself from these issues is to eliminate bread, flour, most grains, all sugars and sweeteners from your daily menu. Limit desserts and sweets to once per week and/or special occasions.

madrimasd (2013, February 1). Excess sugar linked to cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2013/02/130201100149.htm

Three Things I like about Vegans and Vegetarians

1) If the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle catches on, it may reduce the price of grass-fed beef due to decreased demand. This will save me an ass-load of money and I’m all for saving money.

2) Whenever a new pro-vegan/vegetarian study is published, it decreases my wait time at the meat counter (I don’t even have to take a number). Awesome!!!

3) If by lucky chance I happen to be amongst a pack of vegan males, I feel like a freaking superhero because I have well-defined muscles and they don’t.

GO VEGANS