Is this making you sick too?

The US spends two and one half times more on healthcare per capita than any other developed nation, totaling nearly $3 trillion every year.

You’d think that should translate into 319 million healthy citizens, but Americans are sicker and have shorter life spans than citizens of most other industrialized countries.

There are many factors that contribute to our poor health—overuse of medications, sedentary lifestyles, stress, toxins, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.

But the most significant factor behind our skyrocketing rates of disease is SUGAR.

Yes—when it comes to the impact it has on your health, sugar is anything BUT sweet.

Here’s what you must know about sugar and how to minimize its harmful effects on you.

Its impact is growing and so is the cost

A new study has found that 30 to 40 percent of healthcare expenditures in the US are directly related to illnesses caused by excess dietary sugar. 

Now, there are several reasons why we eat sugar by the truckload. 

First of all, it’s addictive.  It’s even been compared to cocaine in terms of addictiveness in studies.

Secondly, it’s EVERYWHERE, especially in refined foods.  Over and above the obvious sweets, snacks and cereals, sugar is hiding in many condiments as well as in “healthy” foods like yogurt.

A third reason that we eat so much sugar is that we’re unknowingly taking it in because we don’t recognize it on food labels.  Sugar has many aliases--here are 55 of them to watch out for:

Agave nectar	Barley malt	Beet sugar	Blackstrap Molasses	Brown sugar
Buttered syrup	Cane juice crystals	Cane sugar	Caramel	Carob syrup
Castor sugar	Confectioner’s sugar	Corn sugar	Corn syrup	Corn syrup solids
Crystalline fructose	Date sugar	Demerara sugar	Dextran	Dextrose
Diastatic malt	Diatase	Ethyl maltol	Evaporated cane juice	Florida crystals
Fructose	Fruit juice	Fruit juice concentrate	Galactose	Glucose
Glucose solids	Golden sugar	Golden syrup	Grape sugar	High fructose corn syrup
Honey	Icing sugar	Invert sugar	Lactose	Maltodextrin
Maltose	Malt syrup	Maple syrup	Molasses	Muscovado sugar
Panocha	Raw sugar	Refiner’s syrup	Rice syrup	Sorbitol
Sorghum syrup	Sucrose	Treacle	Turbinado sugar	Yellow sugar

The ever-growing health price we pay

Although the most obvious health concern from sugar is excess weight and obesity, here are several other serious health issues that it is a driving force behind:

• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Dementia and other mental functioning
•  Immune dysfunction

Minimize sugar’s wrath on your body

Hopefully you’ve gotten the idea that unless you desire a lifetime of sickness and disease, it would be wise to limit your consumption of sugar and minimize its dangerous effects on your body. 

Here are three steps you can take to help achieve this ever-important, possibly life-saving goal:

Keep it real

The Great Taste No Pain health system teaches you the dangers of refined sugars, plus stresses delicious REAL foods which are inherently lower in sugar.

Many of the recipes in Great Taste No Pain are made with foods like whole grains, legumes and vegetables--healthy sources of complex carbs that help give you lasting energy and nourish your friendly flora. 

You’ll likely find that once you get away from refined sugar, chances are excellent that you'll appreciate the taste and natural sweetness of REAL foods and will lose your taste for refined foods.

Also, since real foods nourish you better and keep you fuller longer, you’ll likely see excess weight drop off too!

Plus you'll learn about the dietary science of food combining, which promotes better digestion and nutrient absorption.  This can help curb gas, bloating, constipation and acid reflux, plus encourage a healthier gut wall. 

Note: If you have Celiac disease or are gluten sensitive, Great Taste No Gluten is for you instead.

Ensure your intestinal flora population is strong

The friendly bacteria in your system takes a hit from sugar, because sugar feeds the harmful microbes in your gut, and eventually they can overcome your beneficial bacteria.

Not only can this cause gas, bloating, yeast infections and reduced nutrient absorption, but it can also greatly hamper your immune system functioning and even worsen depression! 

You can help support your gut flora balance by repopulating your supply of helpful bacteria with Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula.

Super Shield contains well-studied, effective strains of 13 friendly bacteria that are can help fend off harmful microbes, support smooth digestion, beef up your immune system and curb gas and bloating! 

Find alternatives and curb your consumption

Use organic raw honey, organic cane sugar, organic real maple syrup or stevia for sweeteners in moderation.

Drink water instead of soda or sports drinks. 

Avoid refined foods and read labels to detect hidden sugar.

And if you want to indulge in something sweet now and then, that’s OK!  Just make sure it’s occasional and not a regular thing.   

It’s very likely that we’ll continue to see sugar’s health price grow and grow--but that doesn’t have to include YOU!

Minimize your consumption, make wise choices and help your body recover from any sugar onslaughts of the past, and you’ll be making significant strides to keep sugar’s deadly diseases out of your future.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia