The connection between sugar consumption and cancer is real. Cancer cells by nature are designed to consume sugar. In fact, cancer cells have TWICE as many insulin receptors as healthy cells. And according to researchers at University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute, sugar literally “feeds” tumor growth.(1)
Even the technology used today to detect cancer is based on a PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography), which takes advantage of cancer cells’ voracious appetite for sugar.
Dr. Thomas Graeber, a professor of molecular and medical pharmacology, demonstrated that glucose starvation—that is, depriving cancer cells of glucose—activates a metabolic and signaling amplification loop that leads to cancer cell death.(2)
If you’re trying to recover from cancer or simply want to reduce your risks of developing a tumor, you need to first start by breaking off your sugar addiction.
Sugar Addiction: A Serious Health Risk
Although many people may find the concept of sugar addiction laughable, there is a scientific basis for it. “Food addiction seems plausible because brain pathways that evolved to respond to natural rewards are also activated by addictive drugs,” one study explains(3). “Sugar is noteworthy as a substance that releases opioids and dopamine and thus might be expected to have addictive potential.”
If you’re currently dealing with a cancer diagnosis, the risks of excessive sugar consumption are even more severe than for healthy individuals. But anyone can benefit from cutting down on excessive sugar intake, especially if you’re experiencing the following symptoms:
- Regular brain fog and forgetfulness.
- A need to consume more and more sugary foods to get the same satisfaction.
- Typical withdrawal symptoms when you don’t eat sugary foods – headaches, shakiness, and flu-like symptoms.
Addiction is classified in various ways, but typically if you have built up an increasing tolerance for a substance, spend an excessive amount of time thinking about and obtaining the substance, and experience withdrawal symptoms when you go without the substance, chances are you’re struggling with an addiction.
Cutting Down On Sugar
The best way to cut down on sugar is to go cold turkey – cutting unnecessary and refined sugars out of your diet completely. While food addiction is different from addiction to other substances in that there’s no way to completely cut out the source of the addiction – you can’t simply stop eating all food, after all! – it is possible to specifically target and remove unhealthy sugary foods and simple carbohydrates from your diet. These foods feed sugar addiction and can contribute to troubles with weight management, metabolic syndrome, and the development of type 2 diabetes.
If you’re considering going cold turkey off sugary foods, it’s best to prepare as extensively as possible first. Create a meal plan that’s rich in lean, organic proteins, fresh produce, and lots of fiber and whole grains – the less hungry you are, the easier it will be to control the impulse to give in and go for a sugary snack.
Understanding the long-term effects that sugar consumption can have on our bodies is the first step down a path towards healthier eating habits and a life unfettered by food addiction.
sources:
[1]https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090817184539.htm
[2]https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120626131854.htm
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17617461