Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and thought “What happened?” I certainly have. The human body can definitely change over the course of years.
So let’s think about the human body. Think of what it can be capable of. For instance, it can cross Niagra Falls on a tightrope, as Charles Blondin did in 1859. It can be made capable of lifting >5000 pounds, as done by Gregg Ernst on September 30, 1961 in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Now think of your own body. Think of what you can’t do now that you used to be able to do.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The next few blogs will be about just that – what happened and how to change. For many of us, what happened is the American lifestyle. But that is something we can do something about! We CAN recover at least some of what we have lost. God has made the human body with amazing restorative properties. It can recover from a lot, if treated properly.
So……
Lesson Number One………..WE ARE ALL TOO SWEET!
The average American eats about 100 pounds of sugar per year. That is about 20 teaspoons a day.
In 1700, we ate about 4 pounds of sugar yearly.
In 1800, we ate about 22 pounds of sugar yearly
In 1900, it increased to about 90 pounds per year.
NOW, we eat OVER 100 pounds of ADDED sugar yearly. In fact, in 2012, over 50% of people in America ate a half pound of sugar daily, totally up to over 180 pounds of sugar a year!!
Looking at it another way,
one 12 ounce can of coke has 9.75 tsp of sugar or 39 grams.
One 20 ounce gatorade has 9 tsp or 36 grams
one 12 ounce Mountan Dew has 11.5 tsp or 46 grams
One little Debbie Oatmeal Cake has 26 grams
Even one cup of apple juice has 27 grams of sugar (it is much better to eat a fruit than drink the juice)
Along with all that sugar comes a host of other problems, including obesity, diabetes, and many other afflictions.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
1- start by really considering what you put between your lips. Look at the sugar in the foods you eat. Only about 20% of items on grocery store shelves do not contain sugar. Begin to CUT OUT added sugars and instead substitute Stevia or Monkfruit. Increase the amount of fruits and veggies, which have some natural sugar but it is limited and combined with adequate fiber. (again, it is better to eat fruit than drink fruit juice)
2-start by making small changes and they will add up over time.
3-let me know what changes you are making and what are the results. The results are usually exciting and I would love to hear from you!
4-Remember, change will happen slowly, but it WILL happen. Having a sugary drink or treat does not make you feel bad immediately. In fact you may even get a sugar high. BUT, in the end, it is never a step in the right direction!
