I have read many articles about the negative effects of excess sugars in the body. This past weekend I came across one particular article and decided to dive in like a sugar-overloaded guinea pig for the masses. Sunday was my grandmother’s (Gramms) birthday and she would probably be making and eating cake, so it was an interesting synchronicity. I thought that by increasing my own awareness of the effects sugar has on me and my body, I might as well help shed some light on what may be going on inside of you when you also consume too much sweetness.
In the interest of science, I offered to make a “KimChell Supreme” birthday cake for my Gramms. I bought baking chocolate chips from a local chocolatier and made a chocolate cake and cupcakes layered with semisweet and milk chocolate ganache. It was a maze!
The study I read reported that uneven amounts of sugar in the blood often caused mood swings, tiredness quickly, constant headaches, and the desire to eat even more sugar.
They further reported that a new dose of sugar caused only temporary relief and after only a few hours without sugar there was a strong craving for sugar and a great feeling of hunger.
The study went on to say that when you eat a piece of cake (this was actually their example) your blood sugar levels spike up and down. Simple sugars are absorbed into your bloodstream immediately, so at that point you experience a spike in blood sugar. In response, the body releases stress hormones that can cause anxiety, irritation, and sudden mood swings.
At 2pm on Sunday I did a quality control test and ate a cupcake. It was wonderful, but I immediately had a slight stomach ache from the tasty treat. This was expected as I am used to eating fairly clean. I drank some tea and it was fine. Around 8 pm I had a piece of cake, part of a cupcake, and some ice cream.
On Monday morning there was no denying that he wanted chocolate. At 10:30 am I had a piece of cake and some nibbled on some of the other pieces of cake. I then had a cookie around 11:00 am, within an hour I found myself feeling sugar hungry again. I felt overwhelmed by my cravings, spiritually disconnected, mentally scattered, and emotionally irritable. I was ready for the cravings to stop, so I ate a pear at 12:30 pm to try and get my body back in the right direction. This did not satisfy me. I grabbed a square of Ghirardelli chocolate, took a small bite, developed chocolate eater’s remorse, and threw the rest away. Soon after I got anxious and a little stressed and all I thought about was chocolate to relieve my tension. So I grabbed another square of chocolate and ate it all. I thought ok…now I’m ok. But about half an hour later I wanted more so I grabbed another square. My chocolate eater’s remorse came back and got the better of me, so after eating almost all the edges I threw it away.
At 5:30 pm I really wanted to eat… everything. But I really just wanted to feel normal again. I felt like my body’s pH balance was out of whack. So I made a mixed salad but I was still hungry. I ate a few bites of spaghetti sauce but still wasn’t satisfied. I thought maybe if I gave my body a little more sugar it would be fine. So I took a bite of another cookie and was no more satisfied than before. I ate toast and peanut butter, but was still overwhelmed with the desire to eat. I tried to drink green tea… but felt quite distracted by food cravings. I had a double green drink (it’s like a powdered vegetable drink) but still no relief from my overwhelming appetite. I made popcorn and chewed two cups, drank a couple glasses of water, and then felt too full to put anything else in my tummy. At about 8 pm I developed a mild headache that lasted for almost 1 hour.
It’s now Wednesday and I’ve been extremely cranky these last 3 days, a little more tired than usual and just out of touch. It’s amazing the effects of being offline…regardless of the reason. I have been challenged by the many articles I have queued up and have given various reasons why they are not good enough to post and have therefore avoided posting anything. I’ve noticed an increase in my negative self-talk since Sunday night, and my workouts have seemed more difficult these past few days. I have been sarcastic most of the time in my company, easily frustrated, out of patience with everything and everyone, and a bit lacking in concentration.
My mood swing or anxiety level could have had something to do with the spikes and drops in my blood sugar levels, but since I didn’t check my blood sugar, I can’t say for sure that was the cause. reason. I can say that the increase in sugar was the only change in my diet during the last 3 days.
When I had sugar on Sunday, I think it would have been okay if I had stopped with the afternoon piece of cake. But since I ate more that night besides some ice cream, what happened physiologically was that my body had been given a drug and it wanted, if it didn’t need, more of that drug (sugar) to function at a certain level on Monday. . The more sugar I ate, the more sugar I wanted, and the greater my appetite for anything. So, based on my own experience, the conclusions the study reached were spot on.
On Wednesday I really tried to clean this shit out of my body. I drank a lot of water and kept a glass of green tea with me almost constantly. When I wanted something sweet, I would have a throat tea, which has a wonderfully sweet taste. I’ve had 3 green drinks and counting and ate 4 ten ounce mixed salads today to try and bring my body back into balance. All I can say at this point is that my head is still clearing and my body is still seeping.
Can you remember a time when you experienced similar negative effects after enjoying a tasty treat? Did you find yourself feeding the resulting craving every time he pulled on you? Try to remember how you felt afterwards. Where were you focused, driven, or motivated to take action to realize another aspect of your Being, or where are you more on the opposite end of this spectrum? There is a strong correlation between what we put into our bodies, how we feel, and our overall happiness and productivity.
Once you realize the impact certain foods have on you, you can take steps to reduce or eliminate them from your diet. I am in no way advocating for a cookie free world… I am not about to start a riot. Start slowly by becoming aware of the amount of sugars in the foods you eat, and then try to keep your sugar intake within 30-50 grams or so. Between excessive soda consumption and the variety of processed foods and refined sugars so readily available, the average person consumes 285 grams of sugar per day according to Jorge Cruise. It is no wonder that the world, particularly the United States, experiences obesity as an epidemic.
I suggest keeping track of your progress. At the top of a piece of paper, write down the days of the week, and next to it, write down your daily goals for that week. Now, whatever your goals, you can add sugar intake to it. A simple “X” throughout the day will be enough to let your Self know if you were successful that day. At the same time, keep a journal about your experience so that you can reflect on it later. Just remember that journaling is only for you. It is meant to be an outpouring of your innermost thoughts and feelings and should never be shared (unless you want to); so be completely honest with yourself.
I think it takes a good 6 weeks to formulate a new habit, and I also believe that the more you do something, the easier it becomes; so stick with it!
I hope this article helps you create an awareness within yourself of how you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally after your body ingests certain foods. I also hope that it helps you formulate a plan for a cleaner mental life that works for you.
To read this article directly from the site, go to http://kimchelltalk.com/2010/09/negative-affects-of-sugar/
To be honest,
Kim Chell Haskel