GIVING UP REFINED SUGAR AND FLOUR FOR LENT

BY: FITZ-GEORGE RATTRAY

Do yourself a huge favour, if you were or are considering, giving up anything for lent you should definitely give up refined flour and sugars, at the very least for a while, and now is as good a time as any.

There is a lot of debate, discussion and shaming about whether or not there are any such things as good foods and bad foods.  Most people agree that foods manufactured with preservatives, hydrogenated oils,  trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and artificial additives are easily health risks.  But it was not always agreed.  It took a while for the research and science to both catch up with the industries and manufacturers.  

Now, because flour and sugar are considered products of basic refinement of natural foods, such as wheat, grain, cane, beet and others, their usage and products are largely thought of as safe and even healthy in moderation.  This is promoted as truth, and many in the fitness, nutrition, weight loss and medical industry will paint flour and sugar moderation with a wide brush of agreement, when in reality it is much more brutal than that.

Do we have nutritional requirements for refined flour and sugars?

No, all we need is what is known as the essential nutrients, water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.  So, refined sugar and flour are refined carbohydrates, but there is nothing natural about them. Every natural occurrence of “flour” contains fiber and almost all natural occurrences of sugars contain fibre.  Without fibre these materials are potentially hazardous to your body. 

Think of your body as a finely tuned machine, passed down to you by every ancestor that has ever lived before you. Its reactions, processes, strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities are the sum total of each and every ancestral code written into your DNA.  This is the physical total of what you are.  Intekai has what we have called our theory of origin, as such, whatever the majority of our ancestors survived, and how they adapted to survive it, defines what will affect us positively of negatively. 

Natural whole foods have been the way for thousands of years. It is for this simple reason that refined foods create very complex physical, hormonal and biochemical havoc in our bodies, such as:

• Diabetes, and yes, it is much more common than you imagine
• Increased fat storage
• Metabolic slowdown/damage
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Kidney damage
• Dementia
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Erectile dysfunction
• Inflammation
• Sepsis
• Weakened immune system
• Cancer
• Coronary disease
• Bone loss
• Gastro Intestinal disorders including diverticulosis
• Autoimmune complications
• Depletion in important nutrients
• Depression
• Rampant cravings
• Damage to our very important good gut bacteria
• Premature aging
• Skin damage, glycation resulting and exasperating wrinkling, sagging, acne, dark patches and more
• Dissolving teeth
• Reduced lifespan, in some quantities comparable to cigarette smoking
• Life long ADDICTION, yes, addiction, not just habituation.
• …..and more

These are a few of what refined flour and sugar will eventually do to your bodies and the bodies of your loved ones.

Why does refined flour and sugar eventually do so much damage?

To be very clear, complex, low glycemic index carbohydrates in reasonable amounts, are not dangerous. These diseases and conditions are connected to REFINED flour and sugars. 

The lack of fiber is ultimately the culprit. Do you remember I mentioned the Intekai Theory of Origin, and the presence of fiber with practically all natural sources of grains, wheats and sugars?  Well, without fiber the sugars and flour, carbohydrates are dangerously high in the glycemic index (GI). In other words they are more rapidly absorbed than our body is ideally designed to manage, leading to peaks of insulin secretions.

Without the fiber, the smoothness and ease of ingestion lead to eating high quantities of various cheap, manufactured refined foods.  This has caused an unprecedented intake of flour and sugar in:

• breads
• pastas
• pastries
• drinks
• sauces
• dressings
• meats (yes meats)
• Packaged fruits
• Energy drinks
• Instant oatmeal
• Flavoured yogurts
• Fruit Juices
• Cereals
• Smoothies
• Alcoholic mixers
• Non-whole nut butters
• Coffee Drinks
• Non-Dairy milks
• Flavoured water
• Bottled teas

Do you have to stop ALL flour and sugar?

No, of course not.  There is always the risk of opening addiction and habituation driven cravings and pangs.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 25 grams or less of sugar, IN ANY FORM, refined or natural, per day, to best avoid the related illnesses.  Your recommended amount of vegetables in a day can account for as many as 9 to 12 grams of sugar.  Leaving you with about one medium orange worth of sugar from fruit for the entire day. Look at the list above, read labels and avoid adding sugar as much as possible.

Foods such as steel cut oats with berrys, raisins, seeds, bammy, green banana, sliced baked or fried ground provisions, plantains and breadfruit are good substitutes during Lent.

Although it is POSSIBLE to happily mostly stay away from refined sugars and flour, it is also fair enough to have sugar products a few times a year. InteKai recommends your personal special occasions/celebrations, vacations and the occasional sampling for the shared experience. 

Give yourself a break, do something good for yourself

Taking a break from refined sugars and flour is not a sacrifice, it may feel that way because of the convenience, your socialization, habituation and perhaps addiction.  In reality giving your body the opportunity to get a break from these disruptive refined materials is a gift beyond measure; giving your system the opportunity to clean out normalize and heal.  You may need support and advise on substitutes during this period, so seek assistance from a coach or other professional, it will certainly be a gift to yourself.