All stimulants or extreme foods send your body’s chemistry soaring out of balance, then crashing in the
opposite direction in an effort to restore balance. The sound and image of a bomb dropping—
phhheeeeeeooooow–boom!—is the best way to describe what takes place in the body when stimulants
are consumed. This is a good thing to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to indulge in them. And
the reason the second Eating-for-Health Guideline is: eliminate or relegate stimulants to rare
occasions…the more distant and rare the better.
In terms of foods and beverages, stimulants include, but are not limited to:
- Sugars – including refined carbohydrates (high fructose corn syrup,
white refined flour, etc.) and all other concentrated sweeteners - Refined Salt
- Caffeine & chocolate
- Alcohol, tobacco
- Some food additives, such as MSG and artificial sweeteners
notoriously addictive in nature and the biggest thieves of your energy and mental clarity. Stimulants also
hijack your taste buds, cause unnatural cravings and lead to chronic conditions ranging from mild to
severe. Some of the many problems associated with stimulants include: arthritis / inflammation, lowered
immune function, fatigue / adrenal exhaustion, insomnia, anxiety / depression, PMS/menopausal issues,
cancer / heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sinusitis / allergies, tooth decay, kidney &
liver problem, hypoglycaemia, digestive disturbances, candida (yeast over growth) and headaches.
If that’s not reason enough to eliminate stimulants altogether or only have them on rare occasions, I don’t
know what is!
Get Back Your Real Energy!
People frequently dismiss the notion of cutting out the extreme foods in their diet because they mistakenly
believe they’re providing energy. When in fact, the stimulants are what’s making you increasingly tired in
the first place. And the more you depend on them, the worse it gets.
For example, when Carole first came to an Eating-for-Health program she wanted more energy and to
lose 5-10 pounds. She drank coffee every morning “to get her going” and 1–2 caffeinated sodas to “get
her through the day.” When I suggested that letting go of these beverages would restore her energy and
help her to lose the weight she had desperately been trying to lose, she vehemently opposed the idea.
“No way am giving up coffee or cola,” she protested. “They’re my only source of energy. I can’t function
without them. – And since when does cutting out coffee or soda help with losing weight?”