The Sugar Diaries- I'm OK- you're OK?

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Do you know that if we flip the word "desserts" it reads as "stressed"?! 

While we may reach out to sweet foods in need of comfort, it has detrimental effects on our bodies. New studies have found that sugar affects not only our body, but also our minds. 

Sugar is more addictive than drugs. And just like drug consumption a person may not have much control over it. But why is it so?

The reward response

In humans, sweet foods activate regions of the brain associated with the reward response and provoke more intense feelings of hunger than other foods. Foods that cause a higher elevation in blood glucose (aka sweets, fizzy drinks, energy bars, etc.) produce a larger addictive drive in the brain. A typical sweet eater's anxiety, despair, and irritability may increase if they abruptly cut out sweets from their diet. The symptoms of sugar and sweets withdrawal can be similar to those of withdrawal from other stimulants.

Mood regulation

Sugar makes dopamine(happy hormone)levels rise and decreases cortisol (stress hormone), which makes you feel good. But, the joy is short-lived. You start feeling crappy when the effect wears off. As your mood takes a nose dive, you feel the urge to eat even more sugar to restore your mood. This makes you agitated, distracted, irritable, and well..... moody. 

Not only can this see-saw in blood sugar bad for your body, but it can also mess with your head and reduce your mental capacity. 

Memory loss

A ten year long study found that higher sugar consumption led to a decline in brain function at a faster rate than normal. The memory receptors in the brain are, impacted by excess sugars. Poor blood sugar control can damage the tiny capillaries which supply oxygen to the cells that results in memory loss. It like a brain fog brought on by overeating!!

Vascular damage

High blood sugar over time damages blood vessels in the brain that carry oxygen-rich blood. The cells in your brain may die due to insufficient blood supply. Brain atrophy is a condition that affects thoughts and memory and ultimately results in vascular dementia. 

Metabolic disorders and depression

A diet high in sugar is usually imbalanced and leads to various metabolic disorders like diabetes and heart diseases. The patient may become depressed as they have to live with a chronic disease for the rest of their life. This depression again leads to poor diet management and medication compliance (or taking improper meds).

On the other hand, people who are battling depression often seek comfort in sugar and fat-laden foods. This imbalanced diet makes them prone to metabolic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure). Also, some drugs used to treat psychological disorders can cause weight gain and difficulty managing blood sugar, leading to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes.

The good news is that, this vicious cycle can be broken with the correct medication and simple lifestyle changes.

We'll talk about them in the next post. 

Till then

Be healthy, be curious.