Studies have shown that skyrocketing intakes of sugar have matched significant increases in breast cancer in women. Loss of calcium occurred at the same time, and a correlation has also been found between constipation and breast cancer. Sugar inhibits calcium uptake and also causes fermentation in the gut when movement is sluggish. As a result of a sluggish digestive system, toxic waste builds up and many of these toxins are dumped into the breast tissue. Because yeast and fungi feed on sugars, cancer cells, and other toxin-producing organisms, it inhibits the function of the immune system. This interference supports the development of food allergies, which if prolonged, progress into autoimmune diseases. Sugar can increase the body's production of adrenaline by four times, sending the body into perpetual “fight or flight mode.” This leads to an increased production of cholesterol and cortisone. Cortisone is known to inhibit the immune system.

Sugar requires nutrients to metabolize, thereby robbing the body in order to feed itself. It interferes with the transport of Vitamin C because both compete for the same transport pathway. Excessive sugar consumption is the major cause of imbalances of all minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, manganese, chromium, zinc, copper, and cobalt. This imbalance leads to degenerative diseases including heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Too much sugar can damage the proteins in the arteries, kidneys, eyes, and nerves, often seen in diabetics. High consumption of sugar in any form depletes the body of chromium required with insulin to stimulate cells to absorb and metabolize sugar.

Sugar is most often associated with diabetes and to determine whether or not someone is developing this disease, urine tests are taken to measure sugar levels. However, urine tests are not a reliable means of determining blood sugar levels. Each individual is different when it comes to levels of glucose in the blood that usually cause a spillover into the urine. This means that for some, even if blood sugar levels are high, the glucose may not spill over into the urine where it could be detected solely through the test. Therefore, urine tests alone should not be the sole indicator.

There are two types of diabetes; Type I is known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM). This is a condition that starts very early in life. Without a life-long use of insulin, the individual will die. Type II Diabetes is known as “Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus” (NIDDM). This commonly appears later in adult life, thereby acquiring the name “Adult-Onset Diabetes.” Over ninety percent of Americans who have diabetes have this type. A common indicator now used is that those who show more belly fat than hip or thigh fat appear to be more prone to developing diabetes. The person with more hip or thigh fat is usually more prone to heart disease.

Diabetes is the result of the inability of cells to take the glucose they need in order to survive. Cells are not able to absorb glucose on their own; they require the help of the hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas. On the surface of cells, there are receptors that recognize insulin, allowing glucose to enter into them. In other words, insulin is the “passkey” needed for glucose to enter into the living quarters of the cell. Without the insulin, cells starve to death even though there may be plenty of insulin present in the blood. It is this condition which causes a spillover of glucose into the urine because the receptors that are supposed to recognize insulin have developed “amnesia.” Since there seems to be plenty of insulin and glucose in the bloodstream, but the uptake does not seem to happen, scientists are speculating that this “amnesia” may be the cause of the disease.

Fiber has been proven to increase the number of receptor sites while decreasing their amnesia, as well as stimulating the cells' enzyme machinery for burning glucose. Fiber slows the rate of food passage through the intestines into the bloodstream, which helps pace the rise of blood sugar levels from the meal. On the other hand, a diet low in fiber causes the glucose from the meal to surge into the bloodstream, rapidly increasing blood sugar levels. Since the primary goal of diabetes management is to control blood sugar levels and stabilize them over a long-term basis, it appears wise to include adequate amounts of fiber into each meal. Studies have shown that individuals who continued on a high fiber diet for several months showed increased normalization of blood sugar levels. High fiber diets also show less sugar in the urine, lower fasting blood sugar levels, and lower medication requirements. Diets including 20-35 grams of fiber per day are ideal.

Good sources of fiber are: dry or cooked oat bran, cooked oatmeal, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, pinto beans, split peas, butter beans, lentils, fresh peas, baked potatoes with skins, Brussels sprouts, corn, zucchini, prunes, apricots, and broccoli. By replacing six ounces of meat with one and a half cups of beans an individual can reduce dietary fat by over ten percent, add 10-25 grams of dietary fiber, and save up to 200 calories per day.