IS SUGAR A DRUG?

ɪz ˈʃʊgər ə drʌg ?
What would you say if someone told you most of your friends were addicted to drugs? It might sound ridiculous , but according to many
wʌt wʊd ju seɪ ɪf ˈsʌmˌwʌn toʊld ju moʊst ʌv jʊər frɛndz wɜr əˈdɪktəd tu drʌgz ? ɪt maɪt saʊnd rɪˈdɪkjələs, bʌt əˈkɔrdɪŋ tu ˈmɛni
scientists , most people in the world are addicted to drugs, maybe even you. When they talk about drugs, they aren't talking about the
ˈsaɪəntɪsts, moʊst ˈpipəl ɪn ðə wɜrld ɑr əˈdɪktəd tu drʌgz , ˈmeɪbi ˈivɪn ju . wɛn ðeɪ tɔk əˈbaʊt drʌgz , ðeɪ ˈɑrənt ˈtɔkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ði
illegal ones you can go to jail for. Instead, they are talking about sugar , which many believe to be a drug.
ɪˈligəl wʌnz ju kæn goʊ tu ʤeɪl fɔr . ɪnˈstɛd , ðeɪ ɑr ˈtɔkɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈʃʊgər, wɪʧ ˈmɛni bɪˈliv tu bi ə drʌg .

According to Dr . Mark Hyman , “ Some animal studies show that sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine .” Eating sugar
əˈkɔrdɪŋ tu draɪv. mɑrk ˈhaɪmən, “sʌm ˈænəməl ˈstʌdiz ʃoʊ ðæt ˈʃʊgər ɪz eɪt taɪmz mɔr əˈdɪktɪv ðæn koʊˈkeɪn.” ˈitɪŋ ˈʃʊgər
causes a dopamine response in our brains . This causes us to continue craving sugar , so we can get another hit of dopamine .
ˈkɑzəz ə ˈdɑpəˌmaɪn rɪˈspɑns ɪn ˈaʊər breɪnz. ðɪs ˈkɑzəz ʌs tu kənˈtɪnju ˈkreɪvɪŋ ˈʃʊgər, soʊ wi kæn gɛt əˈnʌðər hɪt ʌv ˈdɑpəˌmaɪn.
Most people don't even realize they are enjoying the dopamine response more than the sweet taste of sugar .
moʊst ˈpipəl doʊnt ˈivɪn ˈriəˌlaɪz ðeɪ ɑr ɛnˈʤɔɪɪŋ ðə ˈdɑpəˌmaɪn rɪˈspɑns mɔr ðæn ðə swit teɪst ʌv ˈʃʊgər.

Many people think that the main problem with sugar is it will make you fat , but there are more serious dangers than that . Sugar is one
ˈmɛni ˈpipəl θɪŋk ðæt ðə meɪn ˈprɑbləm wɪð ˈʃʊgər ɪz ɪt wɪl meɪk ju fæt, bʌt ðɛr ɑr mɔr ˈsɪriəs ˈdeɪnʤərz ðæn ðæt. ˈʃʊgər ɪz wʌn
of the main foods that causes inflammation . Chronic inflammation can cause permanent damage . It leads to cancer , heart disease and
ʌv ðə meɪn fudz ðæt ˈkɑzəz ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃən. ˈkrɑnɪk ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃən kæn kɑz ˈpɜrmənənt ˈdæməʤ. ɪt lidz tu ˈkænsər, hɑrt dɪˈziz ænd
even Alzheimer's . While many things can cause inflammation in the body , sugar is one of the worst. Some even call it 'the white poison' .
ˈivɪn ˈælzˌhaɪmərz. waɪl ˈmɛni θɪŋz kæn kɑz ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃən ɪn ðə ˈbɑdi, ˈʃʊgər ɪz wʌn ʌv ðə wɜrst . sʌm ˈivɪn kɔl ɪt ðə waɪt ˈpɔɪzən.

The tough part is that sugar is hidden in so many foods where you would never expect to find it . Many foods that don't taste sweet are
ðə tʌf pɑrt ɪz ðæt ˈʃʊgər ɪz ˈhɪdən ɪn soʊ ˈmɛni fudz wɛr ju wʊd ˈnɛvər ɪkˈspɛkt tu faɪnd ɪt. ˈmɛni fudz ðæt doʊnt teɪst swit ɑr
still turned into sugar after we eat them. Flour is the biggest example . Once flour gets into your system , it is processed the same
stɪl tɜrnd ˈɪntu ˈʃʊgər ˈæftər wi it ðɛm . ˈflaʊər ɪz ðə ˈbɪgəst ɪgˈzæmpəl. wʌns ˈflaʊər gɛts ˈɪntu jʊər ˈsɪstəm, ɪt ɪz ˈprɑsɛst ðə seɪm
way that sugar is . This means eating foods like bread and pasta is similar to eating sugar . Almost all processed foods are converted to
weɪ ðæt ˈʃʊgər ɪz. ðɪs minz ˈitɪŋ fudz laɪk brɛd ænd ˈpɑstə ɪz ˈsɪmələr tu ˈitɪŋ ˈʃʊgər. ˈɔlˌmoʊst ɔl ˈprɑsɛst fudz ɑr kənˈvɜrtɪd tu
sugar in the end. For this reason, Dr . Hyman recommends avoiding them. That means throwing out any foods that come in a box ,
ˈʃʊgər ɪn ði ɛnd . fɔr ðɪs ˈrizən , draɪv. ˈhaɪmən ˌrɛkəˈmɛndz əˈvɔɪdɪŋ ðɛm . ðæt minz ˈθroʊɪŋ aʊt ˈɛni fudz ðæt kʌm ɪn ə bɑks,

bottle , or can , unless it is something very simple and natural like canned beans.
ˈbɑtəl, ɔr kæn, ənˈlɛs ɪt ɪz ˈsʌmθɪŋ ˈvɛri ˈsɪmpəl ænd ˈnæʧərəl laɪk kænd binz .

Trying to quit these foods can be difficult for some people. They've become so used to the sugar in these foods, they must detox from
ˈtraɪɪŋ tu kwɪt ðiz fudz kæn bi ˈdɪfəkəlt fɔr sʌm ˈpipəl . ðeɪv bɪˈkʌm soʊ juzd tu ðə ˈʃʊgər ɪn ðiz fudz , ðeɪ mʌst ˈdiˌtɑks frʌm
them. They usually feel much better after a few weeks without sugar in their diet . Still, they tend to feel under the weather while
ðɛm . ðeɪ ˈjuʒəwəli fil mʌʧ ˈbɛtər ˈæftər ə fju wiks wɪˈθaʊt ˈʃʊgər ɪn ðɛr ˈdaɪət. stɪl , ðeɪ tɛnd tu fil ˈʌndər ðə ˈwɛðər waɪl
detoxing from sugar products .
ˈdiˌtɑksɪŋ frʌm ˈʃʊgər ˈprɑdəkts.

Is your diet high in hidden sugar ? If so , cutting out sweets and processed foods could make you much healthier. It might be hard to give
ɪz jʊər ˈdaɪət haɪ ɪn ˈhɪdən ˈʃʊgər? ɪf soʊ, ˈkʌtɪŋ aʊt swits ænd ˈprɑsɛst fudz kʊd meɪk ju mʌʧ ˈhɛlθiər . ɪt maɪt bi hɑrd tu gɪv
up some of your favorite foods, but you might feel a whole lot better without them. What do you think, could you live a life without sugar ?
ʌp sʌm ʌv jʊər ˈfeɪvərɪt fudz , bʌt ju maɪt fil ə hoʊl lɑt ˈbɛtər wɪˈθaʊt ðɛm . wʌt du ju θɪŋk , kʊd ju lɪv ə laɪf wɪˈθaʊt ˈʃʊgər?