Say No To Sugar
05th May 2023 • 04 Min and 32 Sec
Transcript
We are all mortals who want to improve our health and well-being with simple things without any hassle, but what is the right advice? Is it singing out loud? Or is it going out in the sun? Or standing on one leg? Welcome to the Optimists podcast, I’m Dr Priyanka, and this is “One Simple Thing.” Here you will learn just one thing to improve your health in ways you might not expect.
In today’s episode, the one thing I will tell you about is not something you add to your life but rather one thing you should avoid. It is Sugar.
Although sugar might seem pretty harmless, it is really not good for your body.
Most people have sugar on a daily basis, either as a form of chocolate and candies or as a part of regular coffee, tea or other beverages.
Saying no to sugar might not be a very easy thing to do, especially because it is a very addictive ingredient. Eating sugar causes a release of opioids and dopamine in our bodies.
Dopamine is associated with the reward system of the brain. When doing a particular thing causes the release of dopamine, you are likely to do it again; it becomes repetitive, thus making you get addicted to it.
Eating sugar every day causes large amount of calorie intake, which eventually leads to weight gain, which increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain type of cancers.
High-glycemic foods, i.e. foods with high sugary substances and processed sugar, are likely to cause increased androgen secretion, oil production, and inflammation which makes your skin prone to acne development.
Excess sugar intake also increases your risk of fatty liver and fat storage in the body.
In terms of mental health, studies show that too much sugar intake has been linked with depression.
Now that you know how bad sugar is to your health and well-being, here are some tips on how to cut down sugar in your daily life.
Most processed meals and beverages have added sugars and artificial sweeteners. But by relying on whole, home-cooked and unprocessed foods, you can automatically decrease your sugar intake.
You can swap sodas, juices and other beverages with water or unsweetened drinks. Eat whole fruits instead of fruit juices and smoothies with added sugars.
Look for the ingredients in ketchup, Nutella and other readymade spreads. Make sure to buy the ones which have zero added sugars.
Try and switch breakfast cereals with oatmeal and other healthy alternatives. As for your regular coffee or tea, try drinking it black, or you could add maple syrup or honey instead of sugar.
By switching sugar with other substances and cutting down on it, you get a stronger immune system and improved gut health.
It contributes to improved sleep, better energy levels, and overall physical and mental well-being.
Though it is quite the task, follow the above tips and eat a healthy diet based on whole foods, fruits and vegetables. Before you know it, your sugar cravings will be a thing of the past.
So if this is not one thing you are already doing, then do give it a try! Your skin, mind and body could get benefitted.
That’s one thing to include in your daily routine for improving your body and life. Join me next time on “One simple thing” for a better tomorrow.