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Sugar is an immunosuppressant

Athene

ihateticks.me
Messages
1,143
Location
Italy
How come nobody told me this before?
I figured out ages ago that sugar makes me feel ill, and makes my illness get worse. How come no doctor in my whole life told me about sugar?

http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/sugar.htm

It was only in the 1970's that researchers found out that vitamin C was needed by white blood cells so that they could phagocytize viruses and bacteria. White blood cells require a 50 times higher concentration inside the cell as outside so they have to accumulate vitamin C.

There is something called a "phagocytic index" which tells you how rapidly a particular macrophage or lymphocyte can gobble up a virus, bacteria, or cancer cell. It was in the 1970's that Linus Pauling realized that white blood cells need a high dose of vitamin C and that is when he came up with his theory that you need high doses of vitamin C to combat the common cold.

We know that glucose and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, so what happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete for one another upon entering the cells. And the thing that mediates the entry of glucose into the cells is the same thing that mediates the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
I wonder how much of it is true or even relevant for all people with ME though?. For example, even when I had a diet with sugar in it my cholesterol was always really low.

At the bottom of the article there are only 4 references to anything published. One from 1956. It could all be true but then again it could be theories all woven together with the odd fact in order to appear real.

Even if it is all true (and I am not saying that it isn't) what does it have to do with ME, CFS etc. We don't know if our bodies systems that seem so out of whack are working in the same way? Not eating sugar didn't make my symptoms any better. Eating sulfurous veges is another matter. It must be a really personal thing.

We are all different. Glad you have found something that may help you understand your reaction to sugar, though Athene.
 

Ian

Senior Member
Messages
283
Doctors don't tell you because they don't know. Nutrition was taken off the syllabus when the Rockefeller school of medicine took over the medical industrial complex 100 years ago.
 
Messages
437
Doctors don't tell you because they don't know. Nutrition was taken off the syllabus when the Rockefeller school of medicine took over the medical industrial complex 100 years ago.

Exactly, doctors wouldn't have a clue.

I found this one out for myself! Especially when my glands started aching like nothing else after I ate sugar. It explains why people on high sugar/refined carb diets get lots of colds etc to..
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Never expect a doctor to tell you anything about Nutrition or foods as they arent trained in this field.

Athene, if you are looking for something to replace sugar with, I highly suggest to get some Xylitol (tastes and looks the same as sugar and is natural).
 

Athene

ihateticks.me
Messages
1,143
Location
Italy
Good tip on Xylitol. I have been reading about it lately, that it helps with clacium absorption and, even more, with calcium placement in the teeth. It's apaprently wonderful for controlling gum disease.
 

maryb

iherb code TAK122
Messages
3,602
Location
UK
It makes sense to stay of sugar doesn't it really, I only have a teeny bit in a thin spread of marmalade most days but will try to find one made with xylitol, should be in the diabetic produce. Thanks for this info Athene, every little helps:)
 

JPV

ɹǝqɯǝɯ ɹoıuǝs
Messages
858
How come no doctor in my whole life told me about sugar?

Doctors aren't in the business of making people healthy. They are in the business of pushing useless and harmful drugs on people so that they can get kickbacks and free vacations from pharmaceutical companies. They don't get any of these perks by making diet recommendations, so there is very little focus on this aspect of health care, even though it seems that it may very well be one of the most important factors...

Drugging America: The drug industry exposed
 

maddietod

Senior Member
Messages
2,860
Xylitol has a very cool feeling/taste in the back of the throat. Try to find a little bit to try - unlike me, who ordered 5 pounds and ended up giving it away!