So Sweet.

"It only goes down after 40" is how the saying goes and I was living proof. Back in 2017, my running took a hit as I struggled with high inflammation leaving excess water in my hip joints. I thought for sure I was on my way to a hip replacement as I was saddened to think my running days were behind me. It turned out to be my diet and the amount of sugar and processed food I was consuming. Hidden sugar is everywhere.

Not only is it bad for your waistline, excessive sugar is directly linked to Diabetes, Dementia, Alzheimer's (with and without Diabetes) and growing evidence that excess sugar feeds cancer.

The idea that sugar feeds cancer was first presented by Otto Warburg who won The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1931 when he discovered cancer cells fueled their growth by swallowing up enormous amounts of glucose (blood sugar) and breaking it down without oxygen. Warburg tested additional tumors, including ones from humans and saw the same effect every time. The cancer cells were ravenous for glucose.

Warburg’s discovery, later named the Warburg effect, is estimated to occur in up to 80% of cancers. It is so fundamental to most cancers that a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, which has emerged as an important tool in the staging and diagnosis of cancer, works simply by revealing the places in the body where cells are consuming extra glucose. In many cases, the more glucose a tumor consumes, the worse a patient’s prognosis.

Today, the?average American consumes 152lbs of sugar a year, up from 40 pounds in 1900 and 100 pounds in 2005. and once upon a time, I was no different; I often joked I was powered by Gummy Bears and it took deep work to get me through this addiction. And the addiction is serious, many doctors compare the dangers of sugar to drugs and alcohol. The brain responds to sugar the same way as it does to any other addiction.

I had and still do have a sweet tooth that I continue to monitor carefully. I have discovered my sugar cravings are significantly less when I don't consume refined sugar or corn syrup. I even cook primarily with?honey?and?maple syrup.?

If interested, here are my go-to foods and drinks that have worked for me in keeping my sweet tooth under control.

I eat dark chocolate almost daily but carefully monitor the brands I buy from to minimize refined sugar and corn syrup. My favorite go-to brands are:

Hu Dark Chocolate:?This?organic non-GMO dark chocolate bar?has 360 calories and 18 grams of sugar. The complete ingredient list is Organic Cacao, organic unrefined coconut sugar, and organic fair-trade cocoa butter.

Alter Eco Classic Black Out:?This?organic non-GMO dark chocolate bar?has 510 calories and 11 grams of sugar. The complete ingredient list is organic cacao, organic raw cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, and organic vanilla beans.

XO No Sugar Added Dark Chocolate:??My favorite is the?Almonds & Sea Salt in 60% Dark Chocolate.?These non-GMO bars are sweetened with chicory root fiber. Chicory root fiber is derived from a plant that?belongs to the dandelion family?and is primarily composed of inulin. The complete ingredient list is?Dark Chocolate?(Cocoa Liquor**, Chicory Root Fiber, Isomalt, Cocoa Butter**, Soy Lecithin and/or Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla),?Almonds,?Sea Salt. ** 100% of the Cocoa in this Product comes from Rainforest Alliance Certified? Farms. The full bar will set you back 420 calories and three grams of sugar with NO added sugar.

I love?organic dried fruit. My favorites include:

Sprouts brand Organic Coconut Date Rolls.?One-piece has 100 calories with 19 grams of sugar, NONE of it added. The complete ingredient list is Dates and Coconut.

Sun-Maid Organic Raisins:?A 1/4 cup of these?raisins?has 120 calories and 26 grams of sugar, NONE of it added. The complete ingredient list is California Organic Raisins.

Always look at the ingredients of the dried fruit you purchase and check for added sugar! Dried fruit is sweet enough on its' own.

I love Popsicles. My favorite is the?GoodPop Watermelon Popsicle. The complete ingredient list is: Watermelon Juice, Filtered Water, Fair Trade Organic Cane Sugar, Fair Trade Organic Agave Nectar, Organic Guar Gum. One?popsicle?will set you back 40 calories with a total of 9 grams of sugar, 6 of which are added.

Mushroom Hot Cocoa?is my favorite way to wind down in the evening.?Functional mushrooms?have been traditionally used for thousands of years, and numerous published research articles have established the health benefits of these unique and powerful mushrooms.?

Highlights of this superfood include:

Mushrooms are an excellent source of 12+ vitamins and minerals, including?three different B vitamins?that help provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

The grocery aisle's only?natural form of Vitamin D

Naturally rich in Selenium, a mineral that helps the?immune system?function properly.

My favorite go-to brands include:

Laird Superfood?Hot Chocolate with Functional Mushrooms. One serving has 150 calories with 10 grams of sugar, 9 of which are added. The complete ingredient list includes Organic Coconut Milk, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Chaga, Maitake Mushroom Extract, Reishi Mushrooms, Organic Coconut Sugar, and seaweed-derived calcium.

Four Sigmatic?Mushroom Cocoa with Reishi. One serving of this functional hot chocolate will set you back 25 calories and 2 grams of sugar. The complete ingredient list includes Organic Reishi Mushrooms, Organic Cacao Powder, Organic Coconut Palm Sugar, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Cardamom, and Organic Stevia.

Om Mushroom?Hot Chocolate Blend. One cup has 25 calories and 2 grams of added sugar. The complete ingredient list includes Certified Organic Proprietary Mushroom Blend, 100mg of Organic Ashwagandha, Organic Maple Sugar Powder, Organic Chocolate Flavors with other Flavors, Organic Gum Acacia, Sea Salt, Organic Vanilla Flavor, Organic Monk Fruit Extract, Organic Myceliated Oats.

I eat a lot of fresh fruit. Apples, oranges, and pears are always in my fridge.

Are you in need of healthy desserts this season? A recipe that caught my attention is the "Air Fried Almond Milk Nog Bread Balls" with 3 grams of sugar per serving posted by Kevin Curry of FitMenCook.

And as far as running goes, at 44 years old I am faster and fitter than ever, having run 1,800+ miles in 2021 alone, a nearly 500 mile lift from 2020 and 600 mile lift over 2019... with rotated bones, hair cutoff and other extreme adversity I have been facing for over two years. And I rarely touch pain medication. Food is powerful stuff!

Cheers to good health,

Ilana