Studies show that Americans consume roughly 152 pounds of sugar per year. You can find sugar in everything from breakfast cereal to spaghetti sauce. It seems this bugger is sneaking into everything we eat these days. So what are the long-term effects of sugar consumption? What is sugar really doing to our bodies? Let’s take a look.

Increased Frequency and Duration of  Yeast Infections

 Yes, the dreaded yeast infection. You probably didn’t know that your sugar intake comes into play every time this hideous monster comes to call. Here’s how it works. After ovulation, your body increases its progesterone production which in turn temporarily throws off the chemical balance in a woman’s gastrointestinal tract. This imbalance makes you more susceptible to infections and when you pair that with increased sugar intake, you have created the perfect breeding ground for a yeast infection. Yeast thrives on sugar, so the less in your system the better your chances of avoiding a yeast infection.

Inflammation

Sugar causes major inflammation throughout your body. Blood sugar imbalances can cause you to have what’s called a “leaky gut”. The lining of your gut actually becomes perforated, allowing toxins to enter your blood stream and cause some serious damage. Sugar actually destroys the white cell’s ability to fight off the toxins, causing you to become even sicker. This process can also wind up damaging your thyroid.

Increases Appetite

 Sugar makes you hungry. When you are constantly taking in sugar, you in turn are constantly feeling hungry and unsatisfied. And what do you do when you’re hungry? You eat, which increases your caloric intake. Depending on what you choose to eat, this constant noshing can lead to obesity quicker than you may realize. After all, 70% of Americans are overweight. Dang you, sugar!

Sugar Makes You Look Older

We as women spend lots of time working out, using moisturizers and sun screens, drinking lots of water, and eating healthy foods all to look and feel our best, right? So why in the world would we want to put something into our bodies that ages us? Here’s the scoop. The by-products of sugar that are released into your body when sugar is digested are called Advanced Glycation End-Products [AGED]. These by-products damage the collagen and elastin in our skin, making it appear saggy and wrinkled.

Increases Risk of Depression

It has been proven that consistently high levels of sugar intake can significantly increase your risk of becoming depressed. Increased levels of sugar in your blood stream decrease the production of dopamine, a chemical that increases our feelings of happiness and well-being.

 Sugar is Highly Addictive

So we’ve talked about all of the ways in which sugar affects the body and you’re probably thinking “I am getting off this stuff  TO-DAY!” Not so fast. Statistics show that sugar is actually 8 times more addictive than cocaine! Can you believe it? Scientists even did an experiment where they offered lab rats Oreos and cocaine. The rats preferred the Oreos and, when they were taken away, the rats started to go through withdrawal symptoms such as shaking and twitching. Incredible!

So there you have it…the cold, hard truth about sugar. We’d love to hear your input! Tell us what you thought about this blog post by leaving a message in the comments below. Let’s talk!