THAT SUGAR FILM

I have just been to see “That Sugar Film” by Damon Gameau. The movie is very entertaining, informative, shocking, but rated PG. It is a must-see for all age groups. Damon wants to target all audiences including children. He is now touring Victoria with his new release movie and then will tour the rest of the Australia before he heads off to New Zealand in April.

THAT SUGAR FILM is a one man’s journey to discover the bitter truth about sugar. Damon Gameau embarks on a unique experiment to document the effects of a high sugar diet on a healthy body, consuming only foods that are commonly perceived as ‘healthy’. Through this entertaining and informative journey, Damon highlights some of the issues that plague the sugar industry, and where sugar lurks on supermarket shelves often hidden in perceived ‘healthy’ food.

As an experiment, Damon decided to eat only the perceived ‘healthy’ foods that are in fact laden with hidden sugars, like low fat flavoured yoghurt, muesli bars, juices and cereals. He stuck tothis high sugar diet that is perceived to be healthy for 60 days. And the results were an eye opener. Twelve days after this sugar diet he added 3 kg to his body weight. On the 18^th day he had a blood test and found out he had fatty liver disease. By the end of 60 days he not only gained 8½ kg but gained 10 cm of extra weight around the waist, doubled his insulin output and found that his mood and concentration were affected. He was diagnosed to be insulin sensitivity and had risks of heart disease.

The sugar detective Damon discovers during his sugar free diet that by just having a normal breakfast which is considered to be healthy indeed had 20 teaspoons of sugars. All he had for breakfast that day was a bowl of ‘Just Right’ breakfast cereal, low fat yoghurt and a glass of apple juice. A normal snack that most parents pack for kids in their lunch packs is a small box of sultanas. A box of 90 sultanas that you can be downed in one go has more sugars that 90 grapes could have.

The following are just few examples of how much sugar is contained in the so called healthy foods.

1 slice of raisin toast =4 teaspoons of sugar

250 ml liquid breakfast drink = 4X

250 ml multi-vitamin juice = 6X

Iced tea = 8X

Powerade = 8X

400 ml apple juice = 10X

Low-fat Yoghurt serve= 11X

Low fat strawberry smoothie = 18X

But really surprising thing was how quickly Damon returned to good health once he reverted to his healthy diet. In just eight weeks he was back to good health. So what did he eat to regain health? He ate no processed foods, no pasta, no bread or refined flour products.
He began the day with warm lemon in water. This kick starts the cleansing of the liver.
He consumed eggs, vegetables (but no white potato), almonds, chia seeds, quinoa, berries, good fats (like coconut oil, butter and avocado), meat, and chicken and feta cheese.

Damon created the film to provide a place of learning, inspiration and action. In the months ahead, he will provide opportunities to screen the film at schools, make available a study guide we have developed that incorporates interactive activities using the film and soon to be released ‘That Sugar Book’ as tools, as well as Damon’s tips and methods to explain how he got healthy again after the sugar eating experiment. He will also be providing the opportunity to help take action in reducing the sugar content in our school’s canteens and in a very special Indigenous community that he visits in the film.

“Sugar isn’t evil, but life is so much better when you get rid of it.” Kathleen DesMaisons

Find out more about ‘THAT SUGAR FILM’ from the following websites.

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/video/watch/25512326/that-sugar-film/

http://www.thatsugarfilm.com/screenings/

Here are few reasons why sugars are bad for you:

1. it’s involved in metabolic syndrome & diabetes onset

In order to transport sugar out of our bloodstream and into our cells we need insulin. The more sugar we consume, the more insulin production and release is required. Chronic high levels of insulin lead to a condition called hyperinsulinaemia, which is often seen in people with early stage type 2 diabetes mellitus.

2. We are eating unnaturally high amounts

A pint of fizzy drink contains 17 teaspoons of sugar. A glass of orange juice contains 7 ½ teaspoons. Anything more than 25 grams of fructose (equivalent to 2 ripe bananas) a day is considered excessive!

3. It raises testosterone levels in women.

The main culprit of excess hair growth, disrupts ovulation and may cause Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

4. It raises Dihydrotestosterone hormone levels in males.

Excessive DHT should not be considered an advantage in our male readers and friends either. DHT should only be high during puberty, initiating important sexual changes like descending of the testes and maturation of sperm. Once the male specimen has reached sexual maturity, DHT should fall and stay low for the rest of his life. DHT levels above normal during adulthood can be a contributing factor to erectile dysfunction, male pattern baldness and enlargement of the prostate.

5. It’s oestrogenic

High insulin in response to a high sugar diet can promote other, more drastic changes in the male physique including enlargement of male breast tissue.

6. It elevates Low Density Lipoproteins cholesterol

We have all grown up with the staunch believe that saturated fat elevates cholesterol and causes heart disease. In more recent times, we discovered that neither total cholesterol nor even consumption of saturated fats are predictors of cardiovascular disease, but that, more specifically, LDL cholesterol is the ‘bad’ guy and sugar might be the very agent to make its levels peak. Overweight women who suffer from hormonal disturbances, elevated blood sugar and high insulin also often show an undesirable lipid profile in blood tests. The combination of these symptoms is often called Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X and the sweet nothingness seems a likely suspect in a still somewhat mysterious condition.

7. It accelerates ageing

This means more wrinkles! Sugar, or more specifically glucose, should long have been on the naughty step for those few women (and it really is the minority!) who are concerned with premature ageing, blemishes, wrinkles and other signs of deteriorating youth. Any excess glucose literally caramelises proteins in your body to form Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs). These AGEs dramatically accelerate the ageing process, spewing free radicals and effectively causing damage to cells and DNA.

8. It increases inflammation

It exacerbates eczema and arthritis. Elevated levels of insulin converts anti-inflammatory compounds such as fish oil into pro-inflammatory chemicals

9. It’s addictive

Sugar is an addictive substance just like alcohol, nicotine, cocaine or some prescription medication. Dopamine is our pleasure hormone and it is released in response to intense sweetness (both natural and artificial). The more sugar and sweet tasting foods we eat, the harder it will get to reach a dopamine high. Your brain will start demanding more and more of sweet evil and your taste buds will become less sensitive. Breaking the sugar addiction can be just as difficult as giving up smoking but it is an essential step towards a healthier life!

10. It comes in many disguises!

Sugar ‘alternatives’ such as processed honey and syrups will have a similar negative effect on your insulin response. You need to retrain your taste buds to crave less sweet foods. Do not replace table sugar with ‘healthy’ alternatives such as date syrups or processed honey. Don’t be fooled into believing that ‘natural’ sugars like fructose in fruit are harmless.

How can one survive a sugar withdrawal
1. Make sure you have plenty of minerals. Adequate minerals will reduce cravings. A colloidal mineral supplement is excellent. You could also try Percy’s Powder, chromium and Himalayan salt.

2. When you have cravings, eat some healthy fat, such as avocado, olives or coconut oil. The reward centres in the brain for fat and sugar are similar.

3. Do not, under any circumstances, replace table sugar with ‘healthy’ alternatives such as date syrups or processed honey. Don’t be fooled into believing that ‘natural’ sugars like fructose in fruit are harmless and I do hope I don’t have to outline the dangers of artificial sweeteners! In many ways, fructose and especially high fructose syrups found in most processed foods are far more dangerous and damaging than good old white sugar. In order to break a habit we have to stop looking for supposedly guilt-free replacements. Our taste buds need retraining and it is a wonderful surprise when finally, after several challenging weeks of sugar withdrawal, you realise how naturally sweet a red pepper is in taste!