Article Tags: sugar abuse
The nation’s largest drugstore chain, CVS, has announced that it is reducing space devoted to junk food and devoting more space to nutritious food and health products. As Nathan Bomey reports in USA today, CVS executives said that they would implement the new format at several hundred stores by the end of 2018, demonstrating the company’s commitment to remake itself as a beacon of healthy living rather than a place devoted primarily to treating illnesses and selling candy bars.
This is really good news given the use, overuse and abuse of sugar in the typical American lifestyle – habits that are increasingly known to be significant factors in creating poor health and disease, especially among young people. I discussed this issue extensively in my first book, Staying Healthy with the Seasons, published in 1981. I also have an entire chapter on Sugar Detoxification in The Detox Diet.
It’s a good idea to start by evaluating our sugar intake and our connection to, or need for, added sugars in our diet. Here, I don’t mean fresh fruits, but foods that are made with added sugar, such as candy, sodas, breakfast cereals, cookies and other baked or processed/packaged goods. Even foods that don’t taste sweet, like savory sauces and dressings, often have hidden sugars in them. So watch out and remember to check the labels of the foods you buy for their sugar and high fructose corn syrup content. Try replacing them with healthier or more wholesome choices.
Check out my 10 Tips on Wise Sugar Use and learn more about the dangers of too much sugar and what action to take in my next two blog posts.