Dealing With Post-Halloween Sugar Shock
Posted: Thursday, October 30, 2008
by Cynthia McMurray
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Parents beware! Just when you thought all the ghosts and goblins of Halloween were safely tucked away for another year, the real monsters are starting to appear. You know the ones. The crazy-eyed, hyped up, excessively emotional and yes, irrational beings we used to call our children. Chock full of sugar and food dyes from days of candy gorging, even the sweetest and most mild-mannered of kids can give Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a run for their money.
The first thing you need to understand is what sugar does to the body. There are many types of sugar, each with varying degrees of sweetness and toxicity. Some sugars, like those found in fruit and milk, are natural and can be healthy, but most commercial sugar, like that found in candy (and pretty much every other processed food we eat), is refined, meaning it is stripped of any nutritional value and is full of chemicals.
For years, studies have shown the effects from sugar are not so sweet after all. In fact, in 1957, researchers classified refined sugar as a poison. In an article published in Michigan Organic News, one of these researchers, Dr. William Coda, stated, " What is left [after refining sugar] consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins and minerals are present…Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism results in the formation of 'toxic metabolites' such as pyruvic acid…" Essentially, he concluded these toxins accumulate in the brain, nervous system and blood cells and interfere with cellular respiration, ultimately causing cellular death and degenerative diseases including arthritis and cancer. Yet, according to Statistics Canada, we continue to eat on average a whopping 23 teaspoons of added refined sugar every day, which doesn't include any added sugars from corn sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, the main ingredient in soda.
While you don't have to be a scientist to see the after effects of sugar on children (the term "bouncing off the walls" comes to mind), studies prove our children do become hyperactive after eating sugar. Studies published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology and the Journal of Pediatrics, both reveal children who eat sugar experience significant spikes in adrenaline, increased anxiety, hyperactivity and crankiness as well as difficulty with concentration.
Refined sugar is often referred to as "white death" simply because the list of proven side effects is truly scary. Apart from the obvious hyperactivity it causes, sugar also interferes with the body's natural ability to heal itself, a process called homeostasis. This, of course, leads to impaired immune function and leaves your child vulnerable to an array of infectious diseases. One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that within only 10 minutes of eating 100 grams of sugar, the ability of white blood cells to fight off bacteria is reduced by 50 percent, a situation shown to last up to five hours.
Studies also reveal sugar can have a rebound effect in children. Once the "high" is over and their blood sugar levels drop, they begin to feel tired, not wanting or able to do anything but sleep. We also know regular sugar consumption can lead to such things as diabetes, obesity and even depression and aggression in some children. Sugar intake is also directly related to increased calcium excretion as was reported in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition as early as 1976. In other words, it leaches the much-needed calcium from your growing child's bones and tissues.
Even more disturbing, one 2007 study published in Health Matrix, shows sugar to be as addicting as nicotine. Another study published in Nutritional Neuroscience in 2005, states, "the effects of sugar addiction, withdrawal and relapse are similar to those of drug abuse."
The most common signs your child is experiencing sugar overload are headache, hyperactivity followed by tiredness, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, inability to concentrate, dizziness and/or cold sweats.
Tips For Dealing With Halloween Sugar Shock
- If your children are old enough, try to get them to see the link between how they are feeling and sugar. If they are younger, you may need to simply take the candy away. It is often a good idea to put a time limit on how long they can have the candy. After 5 days for example, the remaining candy is thrown away.
- Make sure they eat plenty of protein, good carbohydrates including vegetables and whole grains as well as healthy fats. Ensure they get a good breakfast.
- Ensure they drink plenty of water. This will help flush out the toxins and hydrate the cells. Try to get them to drink at least 5-8 glasses/day. This should help with sugar-related headaches as well.
- Give them extra Vitamin C to enhance their immune system for a few weeks. Echinacea is also good.
- Allow them to sleep if they are tired. Too much sugar will make their bodies tired.
- If your child is irritable or agitated, try a blend of passionflower and chamomile tea to help calm their nerves. You can sweeten it with honey or stevia.
- If necessary, you can put your child on a detox program. There are plenty of safe and child-appropriate diets that can help eliminate not only excess sugar, but also other toxic build up.
- Be patient. Much of this behavior is beyond their control.
- If your children typically eat a lot of sugar, now is the time to cut back. Start them on a healthier diet using natural sweeteners such as stevia or honey.
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