Who does not like cakes?  A good cake is very desirable.  It will tantalize the taste buds, put a smile on your face and create a party in your mouth.  Social gatherings, parties and events all have one thing in common. People gather around to chat and enjoy a slice of your favourite cake, filled with the sugary goodness.

 

It is a compelling and almost irresistible thing to watch others indulge in delicious sweets and goodies.  What’s more, when you are offered a piece it is difficult to resist.  It is also hard to resist that second piece that needs to be finished off.  If the serving size is particularly large we think to ourselves ‘just this once’, or ‘I will burn it off with exercise’, or ‘I have to be sociable/polite/gracious’ etc.  This would not be an issue of course if this were a once off treat.  If there was a very small amount of processed sugar in our overall diet our body would handle this with ease.  If it was not for the compelling impulses of our sugar addiction, we could withstand the look of this type of food without excruciating effort.

 

 

We have been seduced by our society into thinking that a little piece of cake, a little dessert or an occasional can of soft drink is ok for our body, and in ‘moderation’, it is part of a well-balanced diet.  When I was learning about the major food groups at school I must have missed the lesson where they taught that sugar should be added to EVERYTHING, and that sugar filled foods will give us more energy and vitality.

 

While the human body is incredible in its ability to utilise whatever we eat to produce energy and to live, I fear that the term ‘moderation’ is mistakenly used when referring to the  ‘excess’ of sugar we consume in our modern diet.

 

If you eat fruit, you eat sugar.  This is a natural source of sugar and good for your body.  Eat several pieces of fruit a day and enjoy the sweetness of nature.

 

If you eat processed sugar that is contained in soft drinks, deserts and lollies, then you are causing yourself problems.  There is evidenced to suggest that processed sugar negatively effects calcium metabolism, robs the body of B vitamins and has a negative impact on the body’s nervous system.  This is potentially dangerous and will cause teeth to decay, lead to diabetes, increase the risk of gout and other problems.

 

It is not just sweets and soft drinks that are loaded with sugar.  It is now in almost EVERYTHING.  If it has been processed, chances are it is loaded with sugar.  Any cereals, breads, muesli bars and many other foods contain sugar.  If it is in a box or wrapper, you can almost be sure that there is sugar thrown in.  Sugar turns to insulin and insulin turns directly to fat.  Fat then protects the body from harmful substances like more sugar, creating a buffer within the body’s system.  What I am saying is that moderation with sugar is to not eat any dessert, chocolates, ice cream or sweets.  Think about it.  You are already getting sugar from virtually anything you eat that is processed.  Just eating your main meals may already have you consuming a moderate amount of sugar.  As soon as you eat a sweet, you have moved into EXCESS.

 

In processed food we find that a magical ‘spoonful of sugar’ is in every bite.  Just as Mary Poppins described ‘Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down’.  Indeed it does, and sugar is now so plentiful in our foods and drinks, our medication and even in children’s toothpaste that we now consider sugar to be necessary.

 

I was at a Christmas party in which I had a fruit drink that was made up of watermelon and other fruits and it tasted great.  I asked about the ingredients and learned that heaps of extra sugar was added.    

 

I did some work with a woman who had a sugar addiction.  She could not moderate herself around chocolate, sweets or other goodies.  I did a process called parts integration where she was able to learn that there was a conflict in her life.  She wanted to have great tastes come into her mouth and really enjoy her food.  At the same time she wanted great health and energy. 

 

Once she understood that the highest positive value of each part really wanted the same thing, she was able to eliminate the need for sugar.  Once she understood what it was that she truly wanted, she was able to deal with the addiction. She was truly amazing in her ability to make this shift inside herself in such a short amount of time.

 

I am happy to say that it has been two months for her and the sugar addiction is completely gone.  She does not consume sugar because she has a compelling future mapped out in her mind that is more exciting for her than a momentary pleasure that would come from sugary substance.  She has also explained to me how delicious fruit and vegetables now taste.

Try something new this year!  Instead of making sugar filled goodies, think of another way to go about it.  Think outside of the box!