Avoid Sugar

Skip the sweets to reduce chronic disease and promote vitality.

A sweet tooth is an evolutionary adaptation: our ancient ancestors were reliant upon sugar-rich fruits for energy and fat storage, giving us a habitual hankering for sweetness. We modern humans, however, tend to consume much more sugar than is needed for survival.

Excess sugar wreaks havoc on the body, causing inflammation that can lead to impaired blood flow, damage to the kidney’s filtration system, increased risk of heart attack, and even chronic depression. Inflammation of the joints often leads to aches and pains associated with early-onset arthritis.

When attempting to reduce sugar intake, nutritionists recommend weaning yourself off slowly. Former “sugar addicts” report that after reducing the amount of sugar in their coffee by just a teaspoon each day, they soon no longer desired the sweet taste. Remember that starches like chips, bread, and pasta are converted into simple sugars by the body, thus have the same effect as eating a candy bar.

While not necessary in the diet, a bit of sugar makes life all the more enjoyable! When searching for sweetness, opt for naturally occurring sugars as opposed to refined sugar alcohols. Seek out raw honey (local, of course!), organic maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, coconut sugar, or date paste instead of a box of white sugar. Provision your pantry with health-promoting foods.

GMO Wheat

To enhance production yields, genetically engineered wheat has magnified the damaging effects of plant proteins like gliadin and wheat germ agglutinin (a natural pesticide), exacerbating the effects of antinutrients and rancid oils in refined flours. Seek out organic wheat that has been long-fermented into sourdough.

Environmental Impacts

The production of any grain requires monocultures that displace biodiverse habitats, drain limited freshwater supplies, and contribute to erosion and topsoil loss. Each year, the soil in which the grains are grown contain fewer nutrients, slowly robbing health from future generations of terrestrial life. Additionally, most grains are used to fatten animals for human consumption. Animal feedlot practices may be stressful and concentrate manure into pollutants. The high omega-6 fatty acids from a grain-based diet accumulate in people who eat those animals, contributing to chronic disease.