I WANT SUAGAR! What are the Effects? Dare to find out
“No prescription is more valuable than knowledge” Dr. Linda Page, ND
How true those words are! I still get so excited every time I read that quote because it embodies everything that The Fountain of Health is wanting for all of you; knowledge. It is also what being a Naturopathic Doctor is about; imparting knowledge for their patients on prevention, as well as encouraging you to discover the knowledge for yourself.
I just love learning something new! So I have been taking world history this semester and wouldn’t you know; I learned something new about health along the way! Did you know that sugar was originally considered a spice!?! It originated in Asia and was used very moderately before the rest of the world got a hold of it. Sugar actually has a very troublesome past, including being a contributing and driving force in the slave trade. But as you well know, it wasn’t the sugar’s fault, but ours! As the world trade market expanded more and more, more and more people were exposed to sugar, and more and more of us became addicted.
The originations of our addiction taking place in the late 17th century and through the 18th century, and then carried on through today. In my history class, we have a text book that has documents copied from the past, mostly from letters, that shows first hand accounts of events that took place in that time. One letter I found interesting was written by a man trying to oppose an argument from a doctor, previously written, of the effects of sugar. The doctor was trying to inform the public of the side effects that were beginning to arise from the increased consumption of sugar. For example; royalty in Western Europe were some of the first privileged to sugar and it was evident in the Queen’s massive tooth decay from her well known “sweet tooth” consumption. This is the time of putting sugar in your tea; where and when it originated.
This was also a time of massive disease outbreaks in Western Europe as well as throughout the world. Now there were definite other contributors to the disease spread, such as lack of exposure in the west, but there is no doubt, in my mind, that the becoming large consumption of sugar was massively inhibiting their immune systems, making them more susceptible to disease. Another interesting point is that the beer that was made and consumed before sugar as a common beverage among the people was MORE NUTRITOUS, than the sweet teas and other drinks that were consumed after the introduction of sugar.
I believe this is what that doctor was trying to address to public of that time. What did the opposer have to say? He tried to compare sugar to that of “mother’s milk” and that every mother should give sugar to their children from infancy. This was just one of his arguments for the use of sugar. What is the hidden message? They were out for profit!!!! The author even used the wellbeing of “the sailor” that made his living from the transportation of sugar as an example of those that would suffer if sugar were taxed more or consumed less. From the very beginning of sugar’s role in global society, people’s addiction to sugar has gone hand in hand with the desire to make money from it! A side note; Money is also why sugar played a major part in the slave trade. I just never new the history of sugar in that light! Now making money is not a bad thing by any means, in fact sugar played a major role in the development of societies throughout our history and provided the means that led to the industrial revolution. But I think it’s important to note that this economical advance came at the expense of our health.
Sugar has been apart of our societies ever since and is still the MOST consumed product in the world. I could probably go on and on, but think that would make for a very, very long article. It goes back to that adage, “knowledge is power”. Discover for yourself more about sugar, or for that matter, more about the history of anything you consume on a regular basis. Where did it come from? What is it derived from? How is it made? How is it grown? In disease prevention, in disease treatment, in healthy living, “No prescription is more valuable than knowledge”.
How true those words are! I still get so excited every time I read that quote because it embodies everything that The Fountain of Health is wanting for all of you; knowledge. It is also what being a Naturopathic Doctor is about; imparting knowledge for their patients on prevention, as well as encouraging you to discover the knowledge for yourself.
I just love learning something new! So I have been taking world history this semester and wouldn’t you know; I learned something new about health along the way! Did you know that sugar was originally considered a spice!?! It originated in Asia and was used very moderately before the rest of the world got a hold of it. Sugar actually has a very troublesome past, including being a contributing and driving force in the slave trade. But as you well know, it wasn’t the sugar’s fault, but ours! As the world trade market expanded more and more, more and more people were exposed to sugar, and more and more of us became addicted.
The originations of our addiction taking place in the late 17th century and through the 18th century, and then carried on through today. In my history class, we have a text book that has documents copied from the past, mostly from letters, that shows first hand accounts of events that took place in that time. One letter I found interesting was written by a man trying to oppose an argument from a doctor, previously written, of the effects of sugar. The doctor was trying to inform the public of the side effects that were beginning to arise from the increased consumption of sugar. For example; royalty in Western Europe were some of the first privileged to sugar and it was evident in the Queen’s massive tooth decay from her well known “sweet tooth” consumption. This is the time of putting sugar in your tea; where and when it originated.
This was also a time of massive disease outbreaks in Western Europe as well as throughout the world. Now there were definite other contributors to the disease spread, such as lack of exposure in the west, but there is no doubt, in my mind, that the becoming large consumption of sugar was massively inhibiting their immune systems, making them more susceptible to disease. Another interesting point is that the beer that was made and consumed before sugar as a common beverage among the people was MORE NUTRITOUS, than the sweet teas and other drinks that were consumed after the introduction of sugar.
I believe this is what that doctor was trying to address to public of that time. What did the opposer have to say? He tried to compare sugar to that of “mother’s milk” and that every mother should give sugar to their children from infancy. This was just one of his arguments for the use of sugar. What is the hidden message? They were out for profit!!!! The author even used the wellbeing of “the sailor” that made his living from the transportation of sugar as an example of those that would suffer if sugar were taxed more or consumed less. From the very beginning of sugar’s role in global society, people’s addiction to sugar has gone hand in hand with the desire to make money from it! A side note; Money is also why sugar played a major part in the slave trade. I just never new the history of sugar in that light! Now making money is not a bad thing by any means, in fact sugar played a major role in the development of societies throughout our history and provided the means that led to the industrial revolution. But I think it’s important to note that this economical advance came at the expense of our health.
Sugar has been apart of our societies ever since and is still the MOST consumed product in the world. I could probably go on and on, but think that would make for a very, very long article. It goes back to that adage, “knowledge is power”. Discover for yourself more about sugar, or for that matter, more about the history of anything you consume on a regular basis. Where did it come from? What is it derived from? How is it made? How is it grown? In disease prevention, in disease treatment, in healthy living, “No prescription is more valuable than knowledge”.
1 Comments:
Great article Courtney! And it couldn't have come at a better time! I've just come off of a sugar binge that has left me wondering why this is still such an issue for me. It looks like it's a part of our world culture, a meme. Thanks for the knowledge transfer!
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