Hi! Hope you’re doing great!
So, in Part 1 we talked about why sugar might not be such a great idea…
We can summarise it with this quote from Daniel Amen MD,
“Sugar is not your friend. One study from UC San Francisco found that sugary soda had the same negative impact on your cells as cigarettes, and was associated with accelerated aging. Robert Lustig, MD, a pediatric endocronologist from UCSF, flatly states that sugar is addictive and is the PRIMARY cause of obesity, hypertension, heart disease, cholesterol problems, and diabetes—all of which cause brain damage. He says that fructose is particularly troublesome as it is processed in the liver like alcohol. If you watch Dr. Lustig’s 90-minute You Tube video, Sugar: The Bitter Truth, you will be much less likely to ever drink fruit juice again.”
***
So, let’s dive into Part 2 of “Why I Quit Sugar”.
To start with, did you know that:
- In 2004, 66% of Americans were overweight or obese.
- We spend an exorbitant amount of money on medications and operations while virtually nothing is spent on prevention, education and holistic health.”
- Overweight people now outnumber undernourished people in the world.
- The average American now consumes more than 100 pounds of sugar and sweeteners per year. In contrast, Americans consume an average of 8 pounds of broccoli…
But… ok, let’s say we all stopped eating sugar, bad carbs & embarked on the journey of strength, mental clarity & vibrant energy… We got super willpower and we can now resist any temptation…
Then… what should we do with all this clarity, energy & strength that the researchers and experts are talking about?… Just sit around & be healthy? Or should we all just become models maybe? (I’m saying this kind of jokingly…)
I had a realisation as I was watching the documentary Joe Cross Documentary “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.” Joe interviewed a father eating at a steak house with his son somewhere in Kentucky. The father was clearly obese and as they where enjoying their meal at the restaurant, Joe asked him about how he thought about health.
The father answered: “So lets say you get 5-10 extra years in your life… So, what are you going to do with them?”
And with a nodding gesture the son agreed: “Exactly!”
The real problem is not out habits… The real, deeper problem is a crisis in meaning…
“Health is a vehicle, not a destination.”
– Joshua Rosenthal
“He who has a ‘Why’ to live can endure almost any ‘How’ to live.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche
“A large study recently published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that eating processed foods, such as refined carbohydrates, sweets, and processed meats, increased the risk of depression by about 60%. Eating a whole- food diet, on the other hand, decreased the risk of the disease by about 26%.”
– Tyler Graham and Drew Ramsey, MD
So the difficult thing here is that we eat ourselves into bad moods, which does not really help us to find meaning in our lives… But just takes deeper into the hole… Man…
“It’s very little point in having rock hard abs if you don’t love your life.”
– John Robbins, bestselling author, social activist, and humanitarian.
That’s why we first need to focus on Primary Foods, as well as Primary Wealth:
“Primary food is more than what is on your plate. Healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career and a spiritual practice can fill your soul and satisfy your hunger for life. When primary food is balanced and satiating, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary.”
– John Robbins
Primary food:
1. Exercise
2. Find work you love or love the work you find
3. Hang around with people you love, listen to them + support them
4. Connect with something bigger than yourself, a cause to serve
IT ALL STARTS WITH THE DREAM
I think it’s time to answer the poet Mary Oliver’s question:
“What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
If we lack a vision, something we’re excited about creating in our lives, what’s the point of having boundless energy, mental clarity & strength?
We might just end up distracted or depressed…
We have to have something to put our resources towards… Something that we care deeply about… Something to direct our essential resources: Time, energy & attention to…
It all has to start with a dream…
What is it that you wish to create in this life?
Who do you wish to help?
Where have you suffered and how can you use the deeper understanding you’ve gained to serve others better?
What big problem/opportunity do you care most about putting your time, energy & attention to?
Go for it!
It will motivate you to stay healthy, strong, and clear headed naturally.
I will stand here, applauding to your greatness and championing you to be your best!
***
With love.
– Daniel J. Galovan
DANIEL GALOVAN 