Link Between Sugar Rich Daily Diet And Stress Resistance

By Mirko Albrecht

Sugar and other carbohydrates are important for the energy metabolism. Our brain also needs at least 125 to 150 grams of glucose (sugar!) per day to function. But too much sugar in our daily foods is bad. Americans consumes between 2 to 3 pounds of sugar every week. Sugar is being processed in so many foods which we eat such as sweets, soft drinks, fast food, pudding/crèmes, dressing to salad, bread, ketchup, mayonnaise, dips or peanut butter.

People all over the world enjoy ice cream, chocolate and other sweets. But too much sugar rich diet can be bad for your Stress resistance. In this article, we discuss about how sugar rich diet can decrease your body's overall stress resistance.

Too Much Sugar-rich Diet Can Suppress Your Immune System

Our immune system is of great importance for all detox related functions in the body. Because this very sensible system is faced daily with environmental chemical substances and pollutants, artificial colors and preservatives and so on, it causes stress reactions in the immune system with all their consequences. Your daily nutrition with too much sugar can suppress our immune system (f.e. can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by 40 %). This immune-suppressing effect of sugar starts less than thirty minutes after ingestion and may last for five hours. The intestine gut flora and his friendly bacteria are an important part of the immune system and have positive effects on our health. If your daily amount of general sugar is too high then the bacterial fermentation in the colon may increase and this can weaken your own natural immune power.

Stevia a Possible Sugar Substitute

Stevia is available in several forms f.e. Stevia extracts, liquid concentrates (with alcohol basis and without any alcohol), syrups or powder of dried leafes. I prefer Steviosid. This is a white powdered extract of the sweet glycosides (natural sweetening plant molecules) in the Stevia leaf. In this special form it is approximately at least 200-300 times sweeter (or higher) than sugar.

Preparation for Natural Homemade Stevia Liquid

You can have your own fresh natural liquid sweetener without any other ingredients any time you want. The preparation is easy. Add 1 cup boil hot water for at least 1 tsp. (or more) dried Stevia rebaudina leafes steep it for at least 10 minutes.

Possible Alternative to Stevia

You can add the Sweet Tea, also known as Chinese Blackberry Tea (Rubus Suavissimus S. Lee) as well. This sweet tea contains a natural sweetener, known as Rubusoside. Cool up your homemade sweetener liquid and you can add 3 to 5 tsp. or more to sweet all your meals and drinks.

Please Note: All these natural sweetener (made from plants) are ideal for people with diabetes mellitus and other blood sugar problems. Classic sugar, honey etc. is bad for the blood sugar balance. I do not have diabetes, but I add natural sweeteners especially Stevia/Steviosid in my daily meals and drinks.

High Consumption of Sugar Causes Several Nutrition Deficiencies of Following Vitamins/Minerals

Vitamin-B-complex: When the body does not have enough vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 owns stress resistance decreases. Consequently negative effects of stress cause stronger and very considerable reactions. As result of this the body lacks of more vitamins. We turn round in a circle and find no way out.

Best Sources of Vitamin-B-Complex: milk, dadhi such as yoghurt etc., egg, cheese, fish, all algae to food and dietary supplements such as Spirulina, bee pollen. Vitamin C: This vitamin is the base of all another nutritions. Vitamin C works together with a lot of stress related vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, a natural immune support and it is an important factor to produce stresshormons such as adrenaline, nor-adrenaline.

Best Food Sources of Vitamin C: all fruits and vegetables, especially orange, lemon, fresh kiwi, dried kiwi, broccoli, spices such as green pepper, red pepper, mango, papaya, guava.

Choline/Lecithin: Lecithin also known as phosphatidycholine/choline has many positive effects on the body. Lecithin also is an absorption-support of fat-soluble vitamins. Lecithin has important liver properties and prevents toxin-induced stress.

Best Food Sources of Choline/Lecithin: soybeans, soymilk, generally nuts, avocado, legumes or oily fish. One the most common sources of lecithin in form of a dietary supplement is isolated from soybeans. But sunflower or egg yolk lecithin is an good alternative to lecithin derived from soy.

Inositol: It is a fatty lipid that is needed by the body for cell membrane formation. Inositol is produced in small amounts by the body. Although deficiencies are rare, exposure to environmental toxins and other external stressors may increase the rate at which Inositol is depleted in the body. An Inositol deficiency may have a link to memory loss, anxiety, sleep phases.

Best Food Sources of Inositol: Beans, Nuts, Oranges, Wheat, Wheat Bran, vegetables, bananas, brown rice, wheat germ, unrefined molasses, and raisins.

Chromium: Low level of chromium may decrease the body’s production of DHEA (generally know as the mother of all hormones) and correspondingly getting more chromium can result in higher DHEA production levels. DHEA (dehydroeplandrosterone) is a "Anti-Aging" hormone and it is produced by the adrenal glands. DHEA modulates f.e. the stress response. Also is chromium helpful to prevent stress induced blood sugar imbalance.

Best Food Sources of Chromium: molasses, brewers yeast (nutritional yeast), dried fruits, some nuts, cereals.

Molybdenum: This trace mineral regulates the magnesium (it is a stress burner) metabolism. Molybdenum prevent toxin-induced stress, because it is required for the activity of some enzymes that are involved f.e. in sulfites detoxification.

Best Food Sources of Molybdenum: peas (fresh and more in dried) and other legumes such as beans, lentils, mung dal, rice (more in brown rice), dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, cereal grains, whole grains, Spirulina.

Copper: It stimulates the immune system to fight infections (immune stress !), helps to neutralize free radicals. Copper is helpful in control of acute stress situations. Learn more to acute and chronic stress and read the article Difference to Chronic and Acute Stress.

Best Food Sources of Copper: nutritional yeast, legumes, all mushrooms, fish and sea fruits, some nuts, dried fruits.

Cobalt: A deficiency of cobalt is equivalent to a deficiency of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is f.e. very important for the calcium metabolism.

Best Food Sources of Cobalt: All green leafy vegetables, various fruits, vegetables and herbs, mushrooms.

Manganese: This trace mineral is found i.a. in the adrenal glands and is helpful to prevent acute stress relief. Also Manganese is an important component of super oxid dismutase enzyme and has antioxidant properties. Manganese is important as well i.a. to building of antibodies. Therefore it is an immune support and a possible help for immune stress. Learn more about Antioxidants and stress and read the article How to Improve Low Antioxidant Potential.

Best Food Sources of Manganese: nutritional yeast, peas, potato, nuts, legumes, dried apricots, rice (more it is in brown rice).

Magnesium: It is a base mineral in relation to stress balancing. Magnesium is for short and long term stress important. Magnesium is a part of vitamin B6 resorption and it has a calming effect on your heart and muscles. This mineral is helpful for people who have stress related trouble sleeping. Magnesium is important to produce enough energy.

Best Food Sources of Magnesium: dried fruits f.e. apricots, bananas, figs, brown rice, cashew, almonds, brazil nuts, cereals, green leafy vegetables, peas and other legumes (f.e. mung dal), wholemeal bread, chapati (flat wheat bread), carob, yoghurt.

Potassium: It is an important part in the electrolyte balance of the human body and is involved in physical and/or mental stress related processes.

Best Food Sources of Potassium: fresh fruits/dried fruits, potatoes, fresh orange juice, almonds.

Calcium: This mineral works together with magnesium. Calcium is involved in several hormone related functions f.e. Cortisol, catecholamines such as adrenaline, nor-adrenaline.

Best Food Sources of Calcium: yoghurt and other milk products such as cheese, broccoli, green vegetables f.e. kale, watercress, dried apricots, figs, almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, fish, chapati (flat wheat bread).

Selenium: The body produces more free radicals as normal under any types of stress. Antioxidants are generally helpful because they neutralize too much free radicals (scavengers of free-radicals).

Best Food Sources of Selenium: nuts f.e. brazil nuts, walnuts, peanuts, fish such as tuna, soybeans, legumes, wheat flour, whole grain, Spirulina.

Note: But taking too much of the essential trace mineral selenium (as dietary supplement) can increase cholesterol.

Silicium: It is important to resorption calcium and magnesium in the organism. Silicium is also needed for the synthesizing of Vitamin B1 in our body. Vitamin B1 is important for immune system, central nervous system, brain function and stress resistance.

Best Food Sources of Silicium: fruits f.e. Apples, oranges, almonds, peanuts, whole grains, any kind of cabbage sorts, onion, pumpkin.

Zinc: It helps to produce catecholamines (stress related substances) and important for several functions of the immune system (immune-stress balance).

Best Food Sources of Zinc: legumes (f.e. mung dal), carob, peanuts, peanut butter, nutritional yeast, rice (more in brown rice), wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, whole grains, almonds, milk, yoghurt, fish & sea fruits, egg.

Anti-Stress Fruit Confection on Base of Fresh Fruits, Sweet Cashews Crème and Finely Shredded Coconut

Ingredients:

  • Some fresh banana (thick slices)
  • Some fresh mango (thick dices)
  • Shashlik sticks (for our fruit-sticks)
  • Cashews crème (made from raw cashews flour and a little water)
  • Fine shredded fresh or dried coconut
  • Natural sweetener

Making your own raw Cashew flour for this recipe:

You can have your own fresh and raw cashews flour/powder without any other ingredients any time you want. You can grind up raw cashews in a grinder or spice/coffee mill.

Method:

Mix 10 tsp. (or more) raw cashews flour with a little water in a blender together till it has "thick" consistence. Give a little water step by step in the blender. This is very important for this recipe. If necessary add some cashews flour. If you prefer you can add natural Stevia powder (made from Stevia leaf) or a couple of fresh/dried Stevia leafes, white Stevia extract powder or Chinese Blackberry extract Rubusoside. You can use my homemade Stevia or Chinese blackberry tea liquid instead of water than you need no Stevia powder or leafes. Then give the nut crème in the refrigerator at least for 1 hour. Add the banana and the mango on the Shashlik sticks. Brush or coat fruit sticks with a little cashews crème. Now roll fruit sticks in fine shredded coconut.

Recipe Benefits:

  • Healthy Stress Support (acute/chronic stress)
  • Helpful to prevent Toxin-induced Stress
  • Immune Support (prevent to immune stress)
  • Natural Sugar for Energy
  • Rich of Antioxidants and several Nutritions
  • It contains stress related trace elements f.e. manganese, molybdenum, zinc

Please Note: You must not live without any kind of sugar and candies/sweets. But it is very important, really to have a healthy balance in all your food.

Nutritional expert Mirko Albrecht, Dipl.- Nutrition Consultant, writes on natural medicine, nutritional supplements and healthy recipes on his website: www.healingrecipes.ws. He also offers consulations through e-mail.

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