Smile In memory of Mother: Sugar, calories, and eating

Mother used to always scold my brothers and me when we ate our food too fast.
“Slow down…don’t gobble your food,” said Mother. “You’ll get indigestion.”
After having three children, I did put on some weight. Of course, Mother noticed. She would make a comment about it. “Sharon, you’re getting kind of big! Maybe, if you ate your food slowly, you won’t eat as much.”
Mother had always stayed thin throughout her life. She did take longer to eat her food than anyone else. I tried to copy her example, but I just could not eat that slowly.
According to Dr. Kathleen Melanson, an associate professor (food and science) from the University of Rhode Island, did a study of thirty obese women. The results from this study showed women ingested 67 fewer calories and felt more satisfied after taking 29 minutes to eat a meal than when they took nine minutes to consume the same meal.
Meals should be savored by taking smaller bites…chewing thoroughly…pausing between bites…and consuming calorie-free beverages, such as water or unsweetened tea, with the meal.
Many times Mother would have a glass of water with her meals. However, when it came to drinking tea, Mother used processed sugar to sweeten her tea.
She was not aware and neither was I, about the health risks associated when adding sugar in one’s diet.

The following is a short list of excess sugar’s metabolic consequences, as it relates to the elderly, supported by documentation.
Sugar can cause premature aging.

Lee, A. T.and Cerami A. The Role of Glycation in Aging. Annals of the New York Academy of Science.1992;663:63-70

Sugar can weaken eyesight.

Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica. Mar 2002;48;25. Taub, H. Ed. Sugar Weakens Eyesight, VM NEWSLETTER;May 1986:06:00

Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.

Tjäderhane, L. and Larmas, M. A High Sucrose Diet Decreases the Mechanical Strength of Bones in Growing Rats. Journal of Nutrition. 1998:128:1807_1810.

Sugar can cause atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
Pamplona, R., et al. Mechanisms of Glycation in Atherogenesis. Medical Hypotheses . 1990:00:00 174_181.

Vaccaro O., Ruth, K. J. and Stamler J. Relationship of Postload Plasma Glucose to Mortality with 19 yr Follow up. Diabetes Care. Oct 15,1992;10:328_334.
Tominaga, M., et al, Impaired Glucose Tolerance Is a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease, but Not Fasting Glucose. Diabetes Care. 1999:2(6):920-924.
Sugar can make your skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
Dyer, D. G., et al. Accumulation of Maillard Reaction Products in Skin Collagen in Diabetes and Aging. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1993:93(6):421_22.

Sugar can cause cataracts and nearsightedness.
Dyer, D. G., et al. Accumulation of Maillard Reaction Products in Skin Collagen in Diabetes and Aging. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1993:93(6):421_22.
Veromann, S.et al."Dietary Sugar and Salt Represent Real Risk Factors for Cataract Development." Ophthalmologica. 2003 Jul-Aug;217(4):302-307.
Sugar can cause emphysema.
Monnier, V. M. Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process. Journal of Gerontology. 1990:45(4):105_110.

Sugar can increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Frey, J. Is There Sugar in the Alzheimer's Disease? Annales De Biologie Clinique. 2001; 59 (3):253-257.