5 Reasons to Break Your Sugar Addiction

Last Updated on December 5, 2023 by Cathy

There’s been a lot of news lately about multiple sclerosis (MS) and gut bacteria. Researchers discovered people with MS have higher levels of bacteria that cause inflammation. So why is the gut bacteria different for people with MS? The exact reason is unknown but it could be from your diet and sugar addiction.

Many things could cause an unbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. The number one cause is antibiotics. They not only kill bad bacteria but they kill the good bacteria too. And if you’re not taking probiotics at the same time as the antibiotics problems begin to happen. Such as yeast overgrowth (Candida) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Both of these feed on sugar they even feed on blood sugar caused by stress. But, you can do something about this starting today! Eat a nutrient-dense diet, reduce stress, and remove your sugar addiction.

The standard American diet is very bad for gut health. Processed foods have hidden sugar. Conventional meats have antibiotics that kill the good bacteria. And, “fermented” foods have preservatives that kill any healthy living bacteria. Sugar feeds the bad bacteria and lessens the growth of good bacteria.

I believe this is what triggered my MS. My DNA showed I have a three times higher risk for MS. Then I’ve been on many rounds of antibiotics starting from when I was a small child. I ate the typical standard American diet. Which includes processed foods, refined sugar, and refined carbohydrates. Plus, I never took a probiotic or ate real fermented foods. (Processed yogurt doesn’t count.) No wonder I didn’t have a healthy gut flora.

Triggers to MS

Taking probiotics and eating fermented foods will feed your gut with good bacteria. But, there’s one big mistake many people make that slows down their healing process.

That one thing is sugar. We are a country that’s addicted to sugar, I was one of them. It’s in practically everything we eat and drink, it’s even in our supplements. Unfortunately, when people start eating natural foods they eat too many natural sugars. There are many “healthy” recipes online for desserts or recipes with lots of sugar. Which feed infections including parasites.

Chronic inflammation is the cause of MS which includes:

• Poor Diet
• Infections (bacteria, parasites, viruses, and yeast overgrowth)
• Environmental toxins (heavy metals, mold, pesticides, etc.)
• Chronic stress
• Hormones (adrenaline, cortisol, etc.)

When I first changed my diet I fell into this trap. I ate a lot of fruit and foods high in carbohydrates. It wasn’t until later that I realized I was also suffering from systemic Candida overgrowth. When I started a Candida diet, it was very hard cutting out most fruits and lowering my carbohydrate intake. I didn’t eat a lot of natural sugars like honey but I loved to eat lots of fruit. But, as I cut out sugar, this became my turning point in reversing my old MS symptoms.

Five Reasons to Cut Out Sugar

1. Too much sugar causes inflammation

Sugar causes inflammation in the body and chronic inflammation causes MS. For your body to heal you need to stop eating foods that cause inflammation. It sets you up for Candida overgrowth, SIBO, insulin resistance, and heart disease. Even cancer feeds on sugar.

Instead, eat a nutrient-dense diet. One that is anti-inflammatory and high in essential nutrients and vitamins. Include colorful organic vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. Proteins such as wild-caught fish, organic grass-fed meat, and poultry. Avoid conventional meats that have hormones, antibiotics, and toxins.

2. Refined Sugar Isn’t Nutrient-Dense

Yes, sugar tastes good but too much sugar is bad for our bodies. Eating a nutrient-dense diet gives your body the vitamins and minerals needed to thrive. Include healthy fats, vegetables, and fruits such as berries, avocados, lemons, and limes.

3. Sugar Spikes in Blood Sugar

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, it regulates the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. After eating the digestive system breaks down the food into sugar and enters the blood. The more sugar/carbohydrates a person eats the higher their blood sugar levels. Candida and SIBO feed off these sugars.

There’s a simple test called Hemoglobin A1c. It measures the glucose level over the past three months. Our son is a type 1 diabetic (T1D) and gets a urine test every three months, he had a blood test when first diagnosed. His doctor wants him to be 6.5-7 percent but he’s diabetic. I had a blood test a blood test from a local lab.

• Normal, less than 5.7 percent
• Prediabetes, between 5.7 and 6.4 percent
• Diabetes, higher than 6.5 percent

I recently had my A1c tested and since I had already been on a combination Candida/Wahls diet I was expecting to be below 5. But, as you can see in the photo below it showed 5.3. My functional medical provider said that it was a good result but I’d still like to be lower since I’m fighting Candida.

In the book The Wahls Protocol by Dr. Terry Wahls, she recommends people with MS to be below 5.2. It’s best to eat no more than one cup of fruit per day (berries preferred) and no more than two cups of starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes or squash twice a week. I’d like to get to 5.2 or lower, so I’m decreasing my carbohydrates (starchy vegetables) a little and increasing my healthy fats to keep from losing too much weight. We’ll see what happens on my next A1c test. I created a carbohydrate tracker to help me keep better track, you can learn more at the bottom of this post.

4. Sugar Lowers Your Immune System

Sugar lowers your body’s immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses. The higher your blood sugar the less your body can fight. If your blood sugar is constantly high it can cause damage to your nerves, blood vessels, and organs. It’s particularly important to keep your blood sugar low for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Researchers discovered MS and type 1 diabetes are closely linked. They also share the same environmental risk factors including vitamin D deficiency.

There’s an easy way for you to keep track of your blood sugar from home. With a prick of your finger, a dot of blood can let you know what your blood sugar level is at that moment. Since our son is a T1D we have many different types of meters in our household. It’s not so much the cost of the meter you need to watch for, it’s the cost of the strips that go with the meter that gets expensive. It’s like buying ink for your home printer the printer is cheap the ink is expensive.

My son has to count carbs and prick his finger at every meal, it’s no fun. Instead, I keep track of how much fruit I eat each day or starchy vegetables I eat each week. To help you keep track of your carbohydrates, I’ve created a Carbohydrate Tracker (not counting carbs) for your convenience. I’ve included how you can get this chart at the bottom of this post.

5. Sugar Harms Your Brain

Sugar triggers a reward sensation in your brain causing your body to crave more. Your brain recognizes sugar much like a drug. When you consume sugar it activates hormones such as dopamine, it’s the brain’s “feel good” center. Every time you take a bite of something sweet your body craves more. If you’re always eating sweets, especially fructose, your brain is always overloaded by the constant high levels of insulin.

Insulin regulates blood sugar levels but it also plays a role in the brain. Constant high levels of blood sugar cause problems such as brain fog and shrinkage. Brain shrinkage is associated with sugar and MS, having an A1c higher than 5.2 puts you at a higher risk for shrinkage. Plus, insulin resistance can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. As you can see, sugar causes all kinds of problems throughout your entire body.

Natural Blood Sugar Supplement

Berberine helps maintain a healthy blood sugar metabolism. It lowers blood sugar, decreases insulin resistance, and improves your heart health. It also fights infection and increases the beneficial gut bacteria. It’s known to be as effective as a pharmaceutical drug.

Autoimmune Diseases

If you’ve ever experienced a sugar crash after eating lots of sugar, you probably have felt the effects it has. It causes you to feel tired, depressed, irritable, moody, and poor concentration. It causes you to crave more sugar, I’m sure you’ve heard people say they need that “afternoon boost” meaning sugar. It’s a vicious cycle.

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise around the world and women are more than twice as likely to get one as men. Researchers are linking poor gut bacteria with more autoimmune diseases. Instead of waiting for more studies to come out, take action now!

Remove refined sugar and refined carbohydrates, and reduce natural sugars and natural carbohydrates. Eat a nutrient-dense diet with lots of colorful organic vegetables. Learn to manage stress, get plenty of sleep, take a probiotic, stay positive, and keep moving!

My Carbohydrate Tracking Log

Get the password for the library with my Carbohydrate Tracker log here by filling out this form:

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