There’s no question that our diet influences not only our physical wellbeing, but our mental health as well. Research has shown that eating lots of fried foods from fast food restaurants has been linked to anxiety and depression, in addition to weight gain. When it comes to recovery, the food we eat is important because it is what fuels us while we are getting back into clarity and making room for learning and growth. Sugar has been an important topic for discussion because many people who recover from addiction crave sweets.
Healthline, a website that provides information on all things health-related, has noted several reasons why too much sugar is bad for you: 1) it can damage your teeth, 2) it can damage your liver, 3) it can cause insulin resistance and lead to Type 1 diabetes, 4) it can progress to Type 2 diabetes, 5) it can lead to cancer, 6) it can promote weight gain because it doesn’t hold nutritional value or give a “full” effect, 7) it can be highly addictive because of the rush of dopamine it gives, 8) it can lead to obesity, 9) it raises your cholesterol levels, and more. As you can see, there are several health consequences that eating too much sugar can cause on your body.
Dr. Zachary Bloomgarden, a professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City told Live Science Magazine,
“Sugar is bad for you because it has calories, and because if you have diabetes or a diabetes-related condition – let’s say high blood fat levels – then having sugar will increase your blood sugar and your triglycerides, which is a risk factor for heart disease”.
This doesn’t mean that if you don’t have a diabetes-related condition that you can never eat sugar, however. A little bit every now and then should be fine, but you will want to speak with a doctor to get exact directions that fit your health situation. If you’re in recovery, consider speaking with a nutritional therapist so that you can have more control over your diet. What you eat holds great weight to how your mind and body function throughout the day and, when it comes to recovery, you want them to be working optimally.
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