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Nutritional Product Watch

Nutritional Product Watch .. SUGAR TAX

Campaign for health giving food products.

FIGHT THE SUGAR HABIT

Sugar Tax .. to have or not to have that is the question ..  

Sugar seems to be on everyone's mind, which I think is a good thing. Sugar has always been recognised as a major health interfering culprit.

My first printed patient Diet-outline in 1981 had a strong anti-sugar message, I posted it online... check > Stop using Sugar.

There is nothing new with the anti-sugar message, Natural Therapists have been outspoken against sugar for ever, not only about the direct physical effect sugar has on our metabolism and health, but also about sugars "Addictive-Like" action, including behaviour changes.

Unfortunately, with governments and the medical establishment constantly on the warpath against Naturopathic Principles, sensible recommendations still haven't been implemented.

BUT now the good news, sugar and it's many associated topics have hit the media, and a "Sugar Tax" is discussed.

Can you guess who would be against a sugar tax? Without trying to be cynical, but I know the answer is too easy; apparently, the Food and Beverage Industry has "evidence" that a sugar tax will not work, and in addition, to cause a bit of fear in the general public, they pronounced it will cause "Job Losses".

Who do we believe; sensible health professionals, Doctors and Naturopaths, or the Soft drink Industry Advisors :-) ... ?

What do the Government or Lobby Groups need to do?

1. Policies may need to be delivered to regulate marketing to children, so that the appropriate regulatory bodies can regulate youth-targeted marketing.

2. Strong rules have to be established, requiring the labeling of added sugar in nutrition labels, as well as all other additives.

3. Federal, state, and local health agencies should develop aggressive public information campaigns to emphasize the scientific evidence demonstrating sugar, salt and additives negative health impacts and counter the misinformation from food manufacturers and sugar interests.

4. If misinformation can not be regulated by legislation, than successful positive marketing has to be introduces, federally, state ad local.

5. A sugar tax should be introduced, money raised by that tax should be used to either rise the General Health Budget, or specifically for education on health within the education system and on media directed marketing.

Not much more can be said about sugar, all has been said before.

Just let me highlight some "sugary" points:

1. Sugar is harmful to our system, it can be likened to the scenario of a fireplace:
   Add some slow burning hardwood to your fireplace, and you will be rewarded with comfortable warmth for a long sustained time without damage to the surrounding structure.
   Now, add Petrol instead of Hardwood. Yes, lots of heat, unfortunately only short term and with massive destruction to your fireplace and lateral damage has probably burnt down your house.
   Sugar is to your body, what Petrol is to your fireplace.
   

2. Sugar has addictive qualities, in fact, it could be argued, if sugar would be invented today, it wouldn't be allowed to be consumed without a "prescription", yes, Sugar is a drug, it give instant gratification, feeling high, with a subsequent breakdown, which is "remedied" with another load of sugar.
   .. and the cure? Cold Turkey! ( double meaning)
   

3. Sugar is used in marketing for the purpose of selling more sugary ( non-nutritional) products.

4. Sugar is causing sugar cravings. Because sugar is a Carbohydrate, eating sugar will cause cravings for more sugar and generally for more "refined" carbohydrates. The result is; people eat too much, eating to stop there cravings, "like a dog chasing it's tail".
   The immediate result of "dog chasing it's tail" type of consumption is: becoming overweight, and the secondary result, the developing of various chronic diseases.
   

5. Most sugar you consume is hidden in refined and processed food.
   This is one of my main reason to campaign against eating "refined foods". Isn't it ironical, that the term"refined", should have a positive meaning?
   
   

Who is brave enough to stop this vicious health destructive, enormously costly sugar addiction cycle?

1. Politicians? ... don't kid yourself .. they are too afraid to lose an election or commercial support for their party, unless of course, consumer's sentiment becomes that strong and loud, that politicians can use a "Sugar Tax" as a winning election strategy.
   

2. The Food Industry? ... don't kid yourself .. they are too afraid to lose marketing control, shareholders, their jobs. They invent products, no one needs, without nutritional benefits, just to have something to sell.
   Will people lose jobs because of a sugar tax? No, The food Industry simply provides what the consumers will buy. If they notice a shift towards better health, guess what, they will react swiftly with more nutritional offerings.
   HINT: Vote with your feet, it achieves the best results. This is actually the reason, why we have now more organic and health products on the market, the food industry will always provide what is asked for, and stop if something is not asked for and can't be sold anymore, because ... YOU stopped buying it!
   

3. The Sugar Cane Growers? .. obviously not, but they have my support. I would like to see some of the money raised by a sugar tax to be provided to farmers to establish different crops, or use their sugar crop for other purposes.
   In Utopia, sugar cane growers would be allowed to cultivate "Hemp" for it's nutritional values and it's fibers, or to grow Cannabis for medical purposes.

Are you brave enough to stop this vicious health destructive consumption cycle?

... YES, fantastic ... STOP EATING SUGAR NOW ... STOP EATING REFINED AND PROCESSED FOOD

Article by:

Dieter Luske N.D.-D.C.H.-D.M.H.-D.H
Holistic Therapy Consultant - Gold Coast

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