We all love our treats ~ and apparently McDonald’s Shamrock Shake is quite popular.  The above description of actually what it contains is quite disturbing.  I think I prefer the one on the right!

So why are we attracted to this stuff?  “Sugar is a deep, deep ancient craving,” said Daniel Lieberman, an evolutionary biologist at Harvard University and author of  The Story of the Human Body:  Evolution, Health, and Disease.  “For millions of years, our cravings and digestive systems were exquisitely balanced because sugar was rare,” Lieberman wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times. “Apart from honey, most of the foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate were no sweeter than a carrot. The invention of farming made starchy foods more abundant, but it wasn’t until very recently that technology made pure sugar bountiful.”

With the average daily sugar intake in the U.S. 22 teaspoons per person, four times the amount that the World Health Organization suggests as healthy, it is not surprising that the above shake is so popular.     “We need to realize that our bodies are not adapted to the amount of sugar that we are pouring into them and it’s making us sick,” said Lieberman.

So do we blame our ancestors for all this?  In the past (I am speaking of millions of years!) there was a balance with our cravings because sugar was so rare.  And that sugar provided the energy that was so needed to survive.  But with sugar just a soft drink away (and super-sized as well) we are in trouble as our bodies have evolved to rapidly convert digested sugar in the bloodstream into fat and two-thirds of Americans are now either overweight or obese.  (Just one 12-ounce can of regular soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar — and no nutritional benefit).

I just read an article by Dr. Frank Lipman that brought up another discussion that so many us are convinced of…..”it’s in your genes.”  He states, “Most of us were raised to believe that the genes we were born with are our destiny, and that the diseases that “run in the family” are most likely coming for us too. The good news is that these “fixed” genes make up only about 2 percent of the total. The other 98 percent can be turned on or off.

So with the knowledge that our genes do not necessarily determine our fate,  Dr. Lipman advocates paying attention to what we eat, how we exercise,  working on being stress-free, getting those 8 hours of sleep and making sure we meet our nutrient needs with supplements, so that we might actually avoid so many of those age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.

Since I am always interested in improving my health, when I was introduced to a health-building cleansing program, I decided to go for it.  This program is a two-part system, beginning with a 7-day comprehensive cleanse, followed by a 4 week “restore and rebuild your health” program using live foods, quality cleansing supplements, optimal fluid intake, adequate rest, and moderate exercise.  Sound inviting?  I would love to have you join me!  Connect with me and I can send you a packet of information so you can decide if this is for you.  Ask me about a brief video that explains the program.

Nedra Sahr, MS, CNS, IN, author of The Fresh Cleansing Program, suggests that there is only one disease ~ Cellular Malfunction ~  Caused by two factors ~ Deficiency and Toxicity.  Here are some benefits you can receive by taking this program:

  • A boost in energy ~ usually by the third day
  • Better focus and clarity ~ usually by the third day
  • Improved Digestion
  • Craving for sugar, caffeine, fats and nicotine REDUCED
  • Healthier immune system
  • True appetite appropriate for you
  • An ongoing CRAVING for vegetables
  • Kick-start weight loss, if desired
  • General health building cleanse for everyone, ideal weight or overweight

Interested?  Connect with me ~ would love to have you join me! Meanwhile, let’s all avoid that toxic Shamrock Shake and try the above healthier version pictured above!

 

Facebook Comments