By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
For a senior like me, it is worrisome that people are getting sick of these chronic lifestyle diseases while they are still in their 20s. Cordillera people have not been spared of this situation. In fact, this is happening all over the world – the continuing pandemic of diabetes and hypertension, arthritis and cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that number of adults living with diabetes increased from about 200 million in 1990 to 830 million in 2022, adults with hypertension increased from about 650 million in 1990 to 1.4 BILLION (!) in 2024 and nearly 10 million deaths from cancer in 2024. In our communities, we know that people are dying from heart attack, stroke, diabetes, kidney failure, cancer, but we are not alarmed. That’s the worrisome part. But folks, we know now that these diseases are mainly caused by a combination of unhealthy diet, unhealthy attitude, physical inactivity, smoking and alcohol abuse – meaning we can prevent these diseases or at least control them.
Let us focus on just one major culprit in the unhealthy diet that we can eliminate or minimize with great results . ADDED SUGAR. Marami na ang may alam na hindi healthy ang animal fat pero kunti ang may alam na asukal ang masmatindi na kalaban. Kasi there is no strong health information campaigns regarding the bad effects of sugar. Also the food industry is adding sugar to almost all processed food- from junk food to corned beef.
Let’s see what excess sugar does to our body:
1. Tooth decay – sugar feeds the bacteria in the mouth and acid is produced corroding the enamel. We see a lot of dental caries nowadays, even in young children. Actually, this is usually the first sign that one is eating or drinking excess sugar.
2. Diabetes – refined sugar causes a spike of sugar levels in your blood which triggers the release of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin moves the sugar from the blood to the cells for them to use or store. But when blood sugar spikes are frequent because you eat sugary food and drink 5-6 times a day, everyday, then your pancreas will be tired and will no longer release insulin. So the sugar stays in your blood and your lab result will show this. This increased blood sugar is seen as a threat by the body so it creates an inflammatory reaction. This inflammation can damage all vital parts of your body, including your reproductive organs. So it could cause erectile dysfunction. Attention, men!
3. Heart disease including hypertension – Excess sugar in your body is converted into triglycerides, a form of fat, which makes your blood malapot so this could lead to hypertension and heart disease.
4. Fatty liver – excess fructose (from fruits and processed sugar) is converted into fat in the liver so you will get fatty liver. So you see, not only alcoholics get fatty liver. And daming women na ang may fatty liver and they are not alcohol drinkers.
5. Arthritis – sugar can bind to proteins and fats forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs) – these are sticky, toxic by-products that can stick to your joints and damage joint tissues and cause inflammation. You don’t like this.
6. Sugar weakens immune system and provides food for bad bacteria and even cancer cells.
7. Sugar can create addiction-like effects in the body and brain – especially refined sugars in processed foods. Refined sugars stimulate the release of dopamine in the brain’s reward center, the same area activated by drugs like cocaine or alcohol. Repeated sugar intake can alter this response and make you crave for more sugar.
Sugar is really the big culprit in the diseases today. I am referring to sugars in fruits and the added sugars in our food – white sugar, brown sugar, white bread, cookies, sugar in drinks, cakes, added sugars in milk and other processed foods. Always read the labels. So simple lang naman ang gagawin natin as an immediate move to being healthy- avoid or minimize sugar, avoid or cut back on processed foods.***
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“You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13
