The Culprit: Sugar

Book Review – The New Sugar Busters!: Cut Sugar to Trim Fat by H. Leighton Steward, Sam Andrews (M.D.), Morrison Bethea (M.D.), and Luis Balart (M.D.)

This book unveils a truth that our modern society desperately needs to hear--sugar and refined grains are the culprits to many of our modern health dilemmas. (Disclaimer: I’m not saying sugar/refined grains are the only problem, but a big piece of the puzzle)

The fact is that health and medicine in the 21st century deals with chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease as well as cancer (and how many cancers are linked to obesity?!) These chronic diseases have skyrocketed just as our sugar intake has skyrocketed. Some interesting statistics from the U.S. department of agriculture reveal that in 1997 the average consumption of refined sugar was 154 pounds per person per year! (that’s just under ½ pound per day). To put that into perspective, in the early 1900’s the average refined sugar consumption was less than 20 pounds person per year.

This book takes a look at how eating sugar and refined grains causes one’s blood sugar to spike and then plummet and explains the role of insulin in an easy-to-understand way. To summarize, insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar. So, when you eat a meal that causes your blood sugar to rise significantly, insulin kicks in and stores the glucose (sugar) into a chain called glycogen. Insulin also prevents the breakdown of fats. The problem arises when we are constantly refined foods, our blood sugar and insulin levels are elevated thus storing fat and not allowing the breakdown of fat in the body. This can also lead to insulin resistance or diabetes.

The Sugar Busters book uses the glycemic index (GI) which gives a numeric value to foods to indicate how they will affect one’s blood sugar. The Sugar Busters lifestyle advocates a diet composed of low-glycemic carbohydrates, such as high fibre vegetables and whole grains along with fat and protein. They suggest avoiding any refined sugar (includes many processed items), and white starches such as rice, bread, potatoes, flour, pasta and corn products. The idea is to keep your insulin levels on an even keel so you body can use up its stored fat.

One word of caution with this book is that it does not provide a thorough look at fats and oils to include in your diet. In fact, I believe it is misleading to some degree as they advise the use of canola oil (a genetically engineered oil). Canola oil has been marketed at a heart-healthy oil, but buyer-beware—it is far from that. As well they also do not give a thorough look at saturated fats, which are not the “bad fat” they are often made out to be. So all in all, look to another resource for advice on fats and oils (see my recommended book list).

Overall, the book is a good read for learning about the harmful effects of sugar and refined grains and will help you know how to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. It also contains recipes at the back for you to get started on your low-glycemic diet, not to be confused with a low-carb diet.

Stressed Out? Burned Out?

Book Review - Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome by James L. Wilson, N.D., D.C., Ph.D.

This book caught my eye because I experienced a significant burnout in the fall of 2009 and I wanted to learn more about the physiological side of it. It addresses a common health issue that modern medicine and doctors don’t accept, except in extreme cases. Wilson gives an estimate that up to 80% of adult Americans will suffer with adrenal fatigue in their lifetime, however it is extremely under-diagnosed. Your doc might just say you need more sleep, your too stressed or your depressed.

The adrenal glands are located on top of your kidneys at the bottom of your ribcage. They are considered the “glands of stress” and allow your body to deal with stress, including physical, emotional, psychological, infectious and environmental. However, when you are under too much stress for too long a period of time, it weakens your adrenal glands. If you have a handful of the following symptoms you might suffer from adrenal fatigue:
o You have difficulty getting out of bed and are still tired
o You don’t have energy or enjoyment with life or are mildly depressed
o You aren’t as interested in sex
o It takes you a long time to recover from an injury or illness
o You get light headed when you stand up quickly
o You have increased PMS and probably chocolate cravings
o You get worse when you skip meals or you drive yourself with coffee, cola or snacks – sweet or salty
o Your thoughts are fuzzy or your memory suffering
o You have decreased productivity and ability to handle stress

Wilson’s book includes a comprehensive look at how to recover from adrenal fatigue naturally. It requires a lifestyle change not a medication. Nutrition is a big part of the recovery equation. He recommends eating a balanced diet of whole grains, plenty of vegetables, a small amount of fruit, a combination of protein from plants and animals along with appropriate oils and fats (eg. butter, coconut, olive and essential oils). He recommends cutting sugar and white flour products because they are nutritionally void and cause blood sugar to spike and plummet, which aggravates adrenal fatigue. Also avoid the foods you are addicted to (or crave often) and any foods you are allergic or sensitive to. Other elements of recovery that he addresses are exercise, sleep, proper supplementation, coping with stress through reframing and removing “energy robbers” from your life.

If you think you are way too stressed out (and have been for a while) I highly recommend picking up a copy of “Adrenal Fatigue.” You can also visit his website at www.adrenalfatigue.org for more information. His book is easy to read and includes a lot of helpful diagrams, a questionnaire and some at-home tests for a self-diagnosis. This book will empower you with the knowledge and tools to improve your adrenal health and get the most out of life.