People of today we are consuming more sugar than ever before. Huge quantities of processed sugars are hidden in drinks, foods, sauces, condiments, breads, and numerous packaged items that are made for convenient consumption.
In TICM, certain tastes correlate to specific organ systems. The taste of sweet correlates to the Stomach and Spleen. That is why I am always recommending sweet potatoes for breakfast, the time when the Stomach is most activated.
The sugar being consumed nowadays is far from a sweet potato, it’s much more processed. This sugar ends up weakening the Spleen, Stomach, and Liver, feeding bacteria, parasites, and creating inflammation. While the body is trying to regulate itself from the highs and lows of energy dips, the immune system is compromised, leading to allergies, IBS, foggy brain, headaches, anxiety, depression and so on.
Sugar consumption has an extremely Cold (Yin) effect on the body, making the Stomach cold, and weakening the digestive fire. That is why sugar leads to weight gain, because the metabolism is compromised. Sugar also creates damp heat, when the digestive process is unable to metabolise fluids very well. This again creates weakened metabolic function and burdens the immune system. Symptoms arise such as red face, red eyes, sweating, cold sores, headaches and dizziness.
Concentrated sugar weakens the energy of the Spleen. The Spleen is the partner to the Stomach and Pancreas, the organs responsible for transforming food into nutrients and insulin, which are then transported out to the entire body, giving us strength and energy to function throughout the day.
Spleen energy refers to the entire digestive system and aspects of the circulatory system. If our Spleen energy is properly flowing, the digestive system is working well. The Spleen also governs our muscles, and the movement, agility, and health of them rely on the Spleen.
Make sure to read your labels and look for the amount of sugar. Sugar is be hidden under names that end in “ose”, as in glucose or fructose. The sugar to consume and satisfy your Stomach is found in fruits (not too much especially on cold, wet, damp days) and vegetables, nothing that contains a label.
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