Studies about sugar and its astonishing similarities to common street drugs such as cocaine and heroin have been amazing researchers since 2008, when Princeton University first published their findings about sugar and its addictive qualities. Four years later, every media channel is being inundated with information in hopes of delivering an urgent message to a nation full of ever-fattening adults: "Leave sugar alone, it's killing you!"
One of the leading researchers on the front-line of the "sugar vs alcohol" frontier is Dr. Robert Lustig who is a pediatric endocrinologist with the University of California in San Fransico. During a seminar named "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" which was recorded in 2009, Dr. Lustig shows a room full of viewers a diagram of the molecular makeup of sugar that, when broken down to its most basic state. is identical to alcohol.
During a recent broadcast on the University of California's YouTube channel, UCTV, Dr. Lustig and his colleagues explain further how sugar is a chronic liver toxin which destroys mitochondria. What happens when mitochondria is broken down so much that is suffers a meltdown?
- Large motor delays
- Growth delays in children
- Low muscle tone
- Extreme fatigue
- Inability to regulate temperature
- Symptoms of Autism
- Muscle weakness throughout the entire body
- Difficulty waking
Sugar and alcohol share another similarity: Only the liver can break down both substances. As sugar and alcohol are metabolized, they are then made into fat. Could this be why sugar is being labeled as a liver toxin by experts? Does the word "sugar hangover" ring any bells?
The Sugar Hangover
Can you recall a time you suffered through a junk food hangover? The chances are pretty good that you have. If you are having a hard time identifying a specific experience, it could be because you are "under the influence" all the time--you just don't know it. See if any of the following conditions sound familiar:
- Excessive grogginess making it nearly impossible for you to drag yourself out of bed
- Frequent memory loss or lapses.
- Feeling lethargic even though you're sleeping adequately.
- Insomnia
- Finding it difficult to concentrate.
- Experiencing mental fog on a regular basis.
- Bouts of depression or general moodiness.
The experts lend these symptoms to sugar addiction which is very similar to alcoholism. What is their recommendation to the nation at large? Stop eating foods that contain these toxic sugars. What about sugar cravings you might ask? They also say that if you abstain from sugar long enough, your cravings won't be nearly as strong. Imagine that: A life without sugar cravings.
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