This is a topic that really interests me because I’m obsessed with finding the “fountain of youth”. I don’t mind aging; I just want to age gracefully. So, whatever I can do that is in my control, I’m more than happy to give it a try. So my question, in the quest of aging gracefully, was, “Can Sugar Cause Premature Aging?” Well, the “American Academy of Dermatology emphasizes that a diet high in sugar can accelerate aging; although quitting sugar may not reverse signs of aging that have already manifested, it can slow their progression.”
So how much sugar is good for daily intake? According to Dr. Peter Glidden, the average adult should consume 32 grams of sugar per day. So, what does that look like? I wanted to take this a step further and look at some of the most common snacks that we eat daily, to see how they may contribute to our over-consumption of sugar.
|
Food |
Amount of Sugar ( in grams) |
|
Banana |
14 grams |
|
1 Watermelon Wedge |
18 grams |
|
12 oz Can of coke |
39 grams |
|
Medium Sized Apple |
19 grams |
|
1 12oz can of beer |
0 grams |
|
5oz Wine |
1.2 grams |
|
1 tablespoon honey |
17 grams |
|
12 oz can Pepsi |
39 grams |
|
12 oz can Mountain dew |
46 grams |
|
12 oz can Sprite |
33 grams |
|
8 oz can of Monster energy |
27grams |
As you can see, healthy or unhealthy, the amount of sugar we consume daily without being consciously aware of it, is frightening. 1 apple and 1 watermelon wedge will cause you to exceed your daily intake of sugar.
This brings me to another point because often, people think that they can eat as much fruit as they want as a substitute for “processed sugar”. But as you can see, the sugar content in fruit is quite high. As a result, I caution my clients to limit the amount of fruit they eat daily. To help you monitor your sugar intake with fruit, below is a listing of common fruit and their sugar content.
Fruit | Amount of Sugar ( in Grams) |
Banana | 14 grams |
1 Watermelon Wedge | 18 grams |
Peach | 13 grams |
Medium Sized Apple | 19grams |
Orange | 9grams |
Mango | 46 grams |
Avocado | 1.3 grams |
Honeydew Melon (1 wedge) | 13 grams |
Strawberries (1pint) | 17 grams |
Grapes (1 cup) | 15 grams |
Pineapple ( 1 slice) | 16 grams |
Grapefruit ( 1 cup) | 16 grams |
Pear | 17 grams |
Kiwi (1 cup) | 16 grams |
Tangerine (1 large) | 17 grams |
Blueberries (1 cup) | 15 grams |
Plum | 7 grams |
Lime | 1.1 grams |
The effects of excessive sugar on your skin are something I am intimately aware of. Excessive sugar in your blood can affect someone’s skin in various ways. So, you may not experience all of these, but here are the common skin issues related to excessive sugar:
Over the years, I’ve gone to many dermatologists, but none of them explained why I had adult acne. In 2017, I decided to try a naturopathic doctor. During our consultation, I shared that I had been diagnosed with adult acne, and prescribed Accutane, but due to the price ($300 per month at that time), I couldn’t afford it.
My naturopathic physician, Dr. Peter Glidden, immediately asked me if I had high blood sugar. I replied, “I don’t know”. He suggested that I get my A-1C tested. At my next physical, I had my A-1C tested and it was elevated but I was not pre-diabetic. He explained that sugar affects people in different ways, and acne is one of them. Dr. Glidden recommended that I reduce my sugar intake and take supplements to help manage my blood sugar. He recommended I take 4 Sweet Eze per day. I would twist the capsule and empty of contents of the Sweet Eze into my vitamin smoothie.
To be honest, I didn’t notice a difference right away. I didn’t notice a difference until I paired the Sweet Eze with the 20- Day Gut Challenge. Why? I believe it’s because the 20-day Gut Challenge, completely restricts your sugar intake, and it contains collagen supplements. Collagen helps give you a youthful appearance by plumping the skin and improving your skin’s elasticity.
Sugar damage can be reversed but, in my experience, it does take quite a bit of time and dedication. How did I reverse my sugar-damaged skin? Well, let’s walk through my full recommendation from a licensed naturopathic doctor, Dr. Peter Glidden.
The 20- Day Gut Challenge is very important, because not only does it completely restrict your sugar intake, but it also promotes a healthy gut, which means you will absorb the nutrients in the food and supplements that you take.
If you are new to my blog and are unfamiliar with the 20- day Gut Challenge, it’s a 20-day program, where you are given explicit instructions on what to remove from your diet for 20 days and it includes a supplement regime, all aimed at helping to promote a healthy gut.
You can learn more about the 20-Day Gut Challenge, here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hungryfitfoodiegutchallenge/
According to Dr. Peter Glidden, there are 90 essential nutrients that your body needs for it to have the raw materials needed for you to be a “healthy” person. This is crucial because Dr. Glidden stated that he starts all his patients with the 90 essential nutrients because, in his practice, he has found that most people are nutritionally deficient. Consider the 90 essential nutrient regime as your maintenance program. Similar, to your face cleansing program. It’s something you will do every day, to gain and maintain good health from the inside out.
You can purchase the 90 essential nutrients (aka Healthy Body Start Pak) here: https://hungryfitfoodie.youngevity.com/us_en/healthy-body-start-pak-trade-2-5.html
I can’t say enough good things about collagen. Collagen is so important to improve the quality of your skin. I wish I would have known this years ago. Dr. Glidden recommended that I take collagen, but not just any collagen. Whatever collagen you take should include all 5 types of collagens. Why? Because the five main collagen types help to boost the health of your hair, skin, nails, joints, and immune system. It’s a complete system, verses fragmented nutrition.
Looking for collagen with all 5 of the main collagen types: https://hungryfitfoodie.youngevity.com/us_en/collagen-peptides.html
Certified Wellness Coaches are lifestyle professionals who are devoted to helping their clients reach their highest potential for health. Like the great coach Phil Jackson who used mindfulness and other holistic techniques to lead his teams to championships, a certified wellness coach will assist their clients in defining what wellness means to them and working with what they already have to achieve it.
Reversing skin damage is not for the faint at heart. Once I implemented the steps I mentioned previously, it still took 6 months for me to see a noticeable difference. The first area I noticed was around my eyes. The skin around my eyes felt as if someone one stretching it from the outer corner to my hairline.
The 2nd area I noticed, was a massive crater that had formed from the inside corner of my eyes, that stretched diagonally to the middle of my cheeks. After about 6 months of consistently taking all my supplements daily, I was able to visibly see that the crater had plumped up. It was exciting to know that I no longer had to fill the crater in with my Smash Box BB Cream concealer.
Acne takes by far the longest to go away. Especially, if you are prone to hyperpigmentation. For my acne to go away it took about 8 months. Afterward, it took almost 1 year for the scarring to go away. It’s important to note that I did not put any creams on my skin during this time. I only focused on food and supplementation. I washed my face with regular facial bar soap, and because I have oily skin, to this day, I do not use any moisturizers.
So, there you have it, getting your skin under control is a process. But it’s well worth it once you know how to control it and it feels great knowing that the process didn’t cost me an arm and a leg.
