Sugar depresses the immune system!

We have known this for decades. It was only in the 1970's that researchers found out that vitamin C was needed by white blood cells so that they could phagocytize viruses and bacteria. White blood cells require a 50 times higher concentration inside the cell as outside so they have to accumulate vitamin C.

There is something called a "phagocytic index" which tells you how rapidly a particular macrophage or lymphocyte can gobble up a virus, bacteria, or cancer cell. It was in the 1970's that Linus Pauling realized that white blood cells need a high dose of vitamin C and that is when he came up with his theory that you need high doses of vitamin C to combat the common cold.

We know that glucose and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, so what happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete for one another upon entering the cells. And the thing that mediates the entry of glucose into the cells is the same thing that mediates the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl.

Here we are getting a little bit closer to the roots of disease. It doesn't matter what disease we are talking about, whether we are talking about a common cold or about cardiovascular disease, or cancer or osteoporosis, the root is always going to be at the cellular and molecular level, and more often than not insulin is going to have its hand in it, if not totally controlling it.

The health dangers which ingesting sugar on an habitual basis creates are certain. Because sugar is devoid of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and has such a deteriorating effect on the endocrine system, major researchers and major health organizations (American Dietetic Association and American Diabetic Association) agree that sugar consumption in America is one of the 3 major causes of degenerative disease.

Of the over 4 million cancer patients being treated in the U.S. today, almost none are offered any scientifically guided nutrition therapy other than being told to "just eat good foods." Many cancer patients would have a major improvement in their conditions if they controlled the supply of cancer's preferred fuel: GLUCOSE. By slowing the cancer's growth, patients make it possible for their immune systems to catch up to the disease. Controlling one's blood-glucose levels through diet, exercise, supplements, meditation and prescription drugs - when necessary - can be one of the most crucial components to a cancer treatment program. The saying "Sugar feeds cancer" is simple.

- from the healing daily website

laughed out loudest....this the most hillarious thread here

I think this thread is the product of what happens when you try to take candy away from adults LOL

Originally Posted by Coconut

I think this thread is the product of what happens when you try to take candy away from adults LOL

lol ... I believe you are right!

I read it all...and now I'm accountable for what I know. Yikes! I do try to limit soda pop in my daughter's diet, but now I see that's sort of like limiting a death drink. Thanks, Coconut, that was a lot of research, and---ouch!--we need to know these facts.

Coconut, thank you so much for posting this information, it's wonderful! Do you feel that *any* kind of "sugar" molecule is bad, or do you feel "sugar in the cane" or from honey, such as the fructose you mentioned, is as bad as the soda's "refined" sugars, such as sucrose, or as they all use now, "high-fructose corn syrup"? Do you have any suggestions on how to sweeten teas, coffees, drinks, cereals, and other dishes we might cook, since "fake sugars" are pretty much also lousy for the human body? Do you have any good reference books we could read on the impact of these sugars on the various organs, most notably the pancreas, for example? Thank you so much, your posts are just fantastic for me and my family!

Love in Christ
CaliFlower :rose:

It has been said "Sugar is sugar is sugar...and your body will react to an excess of it." While the latter is true, natural sugars are at least fit for human consumption. You could`nt get me to eat artificial sweeteners, and still not convinced honey is good for us, tho its a food staple right out of the Bible, so i`m still researching that one...lol.
I would suggest using Sucanat (Sugar Cane) which is sugar in its most natural form, for a sweetener. You can use Sucanat anywhere you would use common white or brown sugar, and think you can find it at most health food stores. I have`nt tried it, but have heard it`s SWEET, so you can use less, which should make up for paying a little more :) Thats info my son gave me, and I hope to get to try it soon.

This is interesting to note: Sir Frederick Banting, the codiscoverer of insulin, noticed in 1929 in Panama that, among sugar plantation owners who ate large amounts of their refined stuff, diabetes was common. Among native cane-cutters, who only got to chew the raw cane, he saw no diabetes.

"Even refined sugar is made from natural ingredients. There is nothing new about that. The natural ingredients are cane and beets. But that four-letter word "from" hardly suggests that 90 per cent of the cane and beet have been removed. (which it has) Heroin, too, could be advertised as being made from natural ingredients. The opium poppy is as natural as the sugar beet. It's what man does with it that tells the story.

If you want to avoid sugar in the supermarket, there is only one sure way. Don't buy anything unless it says on the label prominently, in plain English: "No sugar added". Use of the word "carbohydrate" as a "scientific" word for sugar has become a standard defence strategy with sugar pushers and many of their medical apologists. It's their security blanket."

This is an extract from the book, Sugar Blues, by William Dufty;

I have`nt read any other actual books I can refer you too, I like to read studies, and commentaries on them.

There is a "Sugarfree Shopper's Guide " and some extensive info for starters on this website: http://www.newstarget.com/012918.html

REFINED SUGAR- Is A DRUG

Of all the foods consumed today, refined sugar is considered to be one of the most harmful.

To add more horrors to these facts ...there is a percentage of the population that consume a great deal more refined sugar than their body weight. The human body cannot tolerate this large amount of refined carbohydrates. The vital organs in the body are actually damaged by this gross intake of sugar.

...Another serious problem with sugar that is now coming to the forefront is the various levels of mental problems. Our brains are very sensitive and react to quick chemical changes within the body. As sugar [a chemical] is consumed, our cells are robbed of their B vitamin, which destroys them, and insulin production is inhibited. Low insulin production means a high sugar (glucose) level in the bloodstream, which can lead to a confused mental state or unsound mind, and has also been linked with juvenile criminal behavior.

Dr. Alexander G. Schauss, brings this solemn fact out in his book, Diet, Crime and Delinquency. Many mental ward and prison inmates are “sugarholics” and erratic emotional outbreaks often follow a sugar binge.

...If you have any doubts as to the detriments of sugar (sucrose), try leaving it out of your diet for several weeks and see if it makes a difference! You may also notice you have acquired an addiction and experience some withdrawal symptoms.

...Studies show that “sugar” is just as habit-forming as any narcotic; and its use, misuse, and abuse is our nation’s number one disaster.

It is no wonder when we consider all the products we consume daily which are loaded with sugar! The average healthy digestive system can digest and eliminate from two to four teaspoons of sugar daily, usually without noticeable problems, (that is if damage is not already present).

It is easy to see why America’s health is in serious trouble.

-excerpt
http://www.macrobiotics.co.uk/sugar.htm#drug

Sugar lurks in foods in more than 85 different forms.
Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D., the first person to receive a doctorate in addictive nutrition, says "that besides being detrimental to the immune system, the more than 100 pounds of processed sugar consumed annually by each American is responsible for "mood swings, depression, fatigue, fuzzy thinking, PMS, impulsivity ... [and] unpredictable temper." And while overdosing on the sweet stuff is a national pastime, she says her research shows indulging in sugar highs should be treated much more seriously, akin to heroin or alcohol dependency, because sugar causes spikes in the neurotransmitters serotonin and beta-dopamine just like those drugs--and can eventually wreak similar mayhem on one's health, work, and relationships."

The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program is not a quick fix; DesMaisons's plan aims to eliminate sugar cravings, requiring five days of "detox," along with building up the resolve to stick to the recommendations over time--including while out at restaurants, during social gatherings, and while traveling. Fortunately, she offers plenty of tips for those situations, and her prescription is practical and easy to follow, including seven steps as simple as making sure some protein is included with each meal. (That's not to say this is a high-protein, low-carb diet; she criticizes Dr. Robert Atkins and other fad-diet hawkers.) DesMaisons includes more than 50 recipes that cover breakfast through dinner; advice for choosing comfort foods to replace those M&Ms and sodas; and an invitation to join the support group she runs through her Web site. The Recovery Program should be of particular interest to parents and teachers, considering the way sugar-saturated foods are ruthlessly marketed to children--Coke machines are more and more commonplace in elementary schools--and that many of the behaviors DesMaisons links to sugar sensitivity are remarkably similar to those of ADHD. --Erica Jorgensen


Following in the tracks of her Potatoes Not Prozac, nutrition expert DesMaisons serves up a practical and promising dietary plan for sugar addicts, which revolves around several basic tenets: no sugar, moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates, more protein, regular meals and a nightly potato. (Eating potatoes enables tryptophan to enter the bloodstream, which increases production of the brain chemical serotonin, which, in turn, boosts optimism, creativity and the ability to concentrateAkey factors, DesMaisons avers, in maintaining a healthy diet.) Using biochemistry to alter mood and cure sugar cravings is DesMaisons's primary goal, and she maintains that the best way to redirect a sugar-sensitive makeup is to deal with the sugar addiction step by step. To that end, she offers an accessible diet that allows dairy (butter on the potato is allowed!), meat and plenty of whole grains. The book includes menus and recipes (including some creative ways to fix "Mr. Spud"), tips on what to order when dining out or when eating on the run and a list of foods containing "covert" sugar. DesMaisons guides readers graduallyAalbeit with some repetitionAthrough her plan This is a sensible approach that will surely tempt sugar lovers hoping to find a natural, long-range solution to their addiction, and ultimately change their lives. (Dec. 19)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Kathleen's website is at http://www.RadiantRecovery.com

Oh Splendid Splenda® (Surcalose) ...NOT!

This is one of the first comprehensive clear investigative reports and warnings on sucralose on the Internet.

"Make no mistake -- Splenda is not natural. It is not healthy. It is not good for you. It is dangerous. If you have any doubts about this, I urge you to read the page of testimonials about the effects of Splenda."

http://www.mercola.com/2005/oct/20/l..._aspartame.htm

"If you are reading this you now you are not in the UK, as I am forced to block all my comments regarding Splenda from the UK. Tate & Lyle has assured me they will sue me if I do not. This is largely related to the liberal libel laws in the UK. What is perfectly legal in the United States is not in the UK, as freedom of speech is severely restricted over there.

Many have been fooled by Splenda's deceptive advertising practices. But the truth of the matter is, saying Splenda is 'made from sugar so it tastes like sugar' is like saying gasoline is 'made from plant matter so it tastes like brocolli.'

By the time sugar has gone through the elaborate chemical processing, treatment, and alteration required to turn it into sucralose, it has become a far, far different substance.

Tate & Lyle don't want you to know this. They've been doing their best to keep me from telling you the truth. As this article mentioned, there are millions of people in England who are not allowed to read the factual information about Splenda presented here.

But Tate & Lyle has not gotten away with it completely. If you're reading this, you know that they can't hide the truth everywhere"