Chronic inflammation can cause many serious health complications and diseases. Over time, it can lead to the development of many fatal diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and many more. One ingredient that is frequently consumed that can cause inflammation is sugar and reducing it may help you live longer.
Because of the more than 100 diseases that can be started by inflammation, it is so important to reduce as many possible causes as possible. While slight injuries, such as a cut or bruise, will lead to some inflammation, this type is not a problem. It is normal and is usually relatively brief.
The kind of inflammation that is a problem is chronic inflammation. It is there much of the time. The human body works better when it is a little more alkaline on the pH scale. Eating more natural foods like fruits and vegetables helps it maintain the desired alkaline balance.
When foods that contain a lot of sugar are consumed, this can throw off the body’s healthy balance and make it slightly acidic. Sugar is acidic, not alkaline. When you eat sugar, it enters the bloodstream quickly, and it can cause your blood sugar levels to spike (if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic).
The higher levels of sugar in the blood will also produce more inflammation. Once there is more inflammation, it also triggers the stress response system.
When you eat certain types of food, such as those that are processed or cooked in high heat, you may be consuming advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). When present in food, AGEs can also be formed when the blood sugar levels are high. At the same time, AGEs are also responsible for causing inflammation – more than what the body can usually handle on its own. This leads to an accumulation of AGEs in the body, which increases inflammation.
Today’s diet is often too high in sugar. Most people do not realize how much sugar they are consuming daily. Many drinks, such as specialty coffees, teas, soft drinks, and fruit juice drinks are loaded with sugar – often having as much as nine teaspoons of it in a single drink. Then, add to that the carbs consumed from fast foods, desserts, yogurt, and snacks eaten through the day, and it adds up to way more sugar than is recommended – and more inflammation than you want. You will also want to remember that many condiments such as salad dressings, ketchup, and sauces, also contain a lot of sugar.
Too much sugar can also lead to weight gain, which often creates insulin resistance. Whether or not you gain weight or become obese, the excess sugar will cause more inflammation.
Inflammation is often revealed by various types of pain – particularly in the joints. Pain may be especially felt in your knees, back, and other joints.
One more problem that is caused by consuming too much sugar is called gut permeability. Besides causing an imbalance in your gut bacteria, it can also make the walls of your intestines more permeable, which can allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream and body, potentially causing health problems.
One important factor of living longer is to reduce your inflammation, which will also reduce the likelihood of getting many diseases – including cancer. Cutting out excess sugar and substituting much of it for natural foods could be a powerful step toward increasing your longevity.
