Beating Sugar Addiction For Dummies
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Excess sugar has a negative effect on all your tissues, including your bones and teeth. Sugar contributes to problems with bone density and tooth decay.

Osteoporosis and osteopenia

Osteoporosis (and its precursor, osteopenia) are conditions that describe varying degrees of bone loss (also referred to as thinning of the bones).

Bone loss occurs when your body breaks down bone tissue faster than it makes new bone. When your bones are too thin, you’re at risk of dangerous and debilitating fractures — one in five hip fracture patients dies within a year of their injury!

Without getting too technical, sugar contributes to osteoporosis by raising the acidity of the blood, requiring your body to restore its acid/alkaline balance by breaking down bone tissue to flood the blood with calcium to neutralize the excess acid.

After overdosing on sugar, the resulting sugar crash causes a significant increase in your cortisol levels. Long-term elevation of cortisol can cause severe bone loss.

Diets high in grains can promote bone density problems, too, because the phytic acid in grains binds to calcium and other minerals, limiting absorption. For strong bones, eat your veggies, decrease the bread, and stay away from the sweets!

Tooth decay and bad breath

Tooth decay starts when you eat sugar, and bacteria metabolize the carbohydrates to form acids that dissolve tooth enamel. Bacteria multiply rapidly in the wet, sugary environment of the addict’s mouth, and a decayed tooth soon results.

Research shows that frequent consumption of sugar, particularly when eaten alone between meals, promotes tooth decay. Sugars and starches are less cavity-producing when ingested along with protein, fat, and water. So if you want to keep your teeth healthy, don’t snack on sugar.

The bacteria that live off the sugar stuck to your tooth enamel produce smelly byproducts that can give you bad breath. These bacteria can cause infection and inflammation of the gums, too.

About This Article

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Dan DeFigio is one of the most respected names in the fitness and nutrition industry. His articles have appeared in numerous professional journals, and his workshops have been presented in many cities across the United States. He has appeared on the Dr. Phil show and was featured in SELF Magazine, MD News, Personal Fitness Professional, and a host of other publications.

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