I’ve had some more insight into the Covid-19 virus through typing Respiratory clinic letters. Some of these letters are on patients who are suffering breathlessness months after recovering from Coronavirus. There’s a pattern emerging, as these patients often have diabetes as a co-morbidity, and are often overweight and not young.
Being overweight and not young seems to be a common denominator in all the departmental letters I’ve typed; Pain Medicine (painful, stiff joints), Cardiology (heart disease/hypertension), Dermatology (cellulitis and oedema), Ophthalmology (diabetes due to being overweight can cause many eye problems), and now Respiratory. The body cannae tek it, Jim.
And still we have adverts for high sugar and high fat foods. When I eschew biscuits that are passed around in the office I’m looked on as a tad strange. Factories are churning out millions of chocolate bars and sugary pap to satisfy the sweet tooth of the nation, and the NHS has to deal with all the problems this type of foodstuff causes.
More sugar in the diet causes more sugar receptors to form in the brain, causing a never ending craving for chocolate and the like. Just 4 – 6 weeks on a sugar-free diet can change a person’s life around if they do it early enough. The sugar receptors die away, and anything sugary eaten after around 4 – 6 weeks’ later tastes revoltingly sweet. However, in the meantime come the sugar withdrawal symptoms of headache and fatigue to name but two, and anybody without will-power could most likely crumble and run for a Mars Bar.
It’s tough coming off sugar, and it comes down to mind over matter. The ones who succeed are able to stop feeling deprived because they can’t eat anything sweet, and they’re usually also the ones who can tolerate the headaches without reaching for the aforementioned Mars Bar. It’s all about not taking the easy option, but it’s worth it in the end, especially when Covid-19 is still rife. Losing weight helps our chances of not catching the virus and overwhelming the NHS.
I look on sugar as poison. This way of thinking certainly helps when you’re offered a biscuit!
Mazoli IC said:
Such a great post. I really need to lower my sugar intake not just an effort to avoid susceptibility to COVID but to just be healthier! Thanks.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for your comment. Yes, sugar is at the heart of many diseases. Just consider it as poison, and you’ll soon not want to eat the stuff!
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Mazoli IC said:
Stevie, thank you for the info. I need to take it one day at a time.
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Marje @ Kyrosmagica said:
I’m trying to eat more healthily thanks for the heads up on sugar and covid Stevie. 🙂
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Stevie Turner said:
You’re welcome.
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dgkaye said:
Wow, a harsh warning for sure. Thanks for sharing your findings on who has what in the Covid files. Stay safe and masked! 🙂 x
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Stevie Turner said:
You too Debby. New cases are increasing slightly over here each day, although there are only a few deaths.
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dgkaye said:
Same here Stevie. Thankfully new cases in my province are low 🙂 x
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Pingback: Sugar and Covid. – Frank Parker's author site
franklparker said:
Reblogged and added: “Here is a warning from someone in a position of inside knowledge. I am fortunate in having been born with a fast metabolism which ensures that I have rarely been above 60kg/9stone (125lbs). I do like sigar in tea and in coffee, though I don’t drink huge quantities of either. I also like my wife’s baking, puddings and home made jams. However, if you or your loved ones are less fortunate, do please heed Stevie’s warnings and reject the blandishments of advertisers.”
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for your comment, Frank, and for re-blogging.
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robertawrites235681907 said:
I agree that sugar has become a big problem in society, Stevie. People just eat way to much. I subscribe to the concept of moderation in all things.
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Stevie Turner said:
If only everyone did!
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AnnPete said:
From when I remember my mother had her coffee without sugar so when I started drinking coffee I too stuck to no sugar. I just can’t drink coffee with sugar now, makes me wanna throw up! We can definitely cut down so much of this white poison from our lives if we just have the will and tried!
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Stevie Turner said:
Absolutely!
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Darlene said:
I agree. My rule is I only eat a pastry/cake if I made it as I cut the sugar right down. Bought stuff is just too sweet to my liking and I always feel yukky of I do eat it.
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Stevie Turner said:
Too true. I haven’t bought cakes for months now, and I don’t bake them. I remember visiting somebody who was an in-patient in a cardiac ward some time ago to have stents fitted. The nurses bought around a cream cake as a treat! I couldn’t believe my eyes… in a cardiac ward?
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franklparker said:
That is mind bogglingly stupid, coming from a nurse.
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Stevie Turner said:
Absolutely.
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