If you are taking the Workout Wednesday Sugar Challenge, get ready for some great advice. Saint Luke's cardiologist Dr. James O'Keefe and his wife, registered dietitian Joan O'Keefe, are going to help guide us over the next six weeks as we work to substantially reduce sugar in our diets.
James O'Keefe shared his insights on Wednesday on 41 Action News Midday for my Workout Wednesday segment and during a 15-minute live interview on my Facebook fan page, which you can watch below..
If you have a question about cutting sugar from your diet Dr James O'Keefe of Saint Luke's Hospital is here live to help you. Take The workout Wednesday sugar challenge Listen now
Posted by Cynthia Newsome on Wednesday, March 16, 2016
James O'Keefe said we should be consuming about five teaspoons of sugar daily; but the average American consumes 10 times that amount daily. He said excess sugar in our diets is one of the top health concerns putting us at risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart problems, Alzheimer's and cancer.
James O'Keefe recommended:
- Stop drinking sodas and fruit juices loaded with sugar. He recommends regular water or soda/sparkling water.
- Always have a protein and fruits and vegetables at every meal.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners because they can trigger your craving for sugar and cause you to eat more sugary foods
- Finally, parents should set the example of what to eat for their children. He said children will see and follow their parent's example.
James and Joan O'Keefe will be offering weekly tips for our six-week Workout Wednesday Sugar Challenge. If you have questions just send me an email or post them on my Facebook Fan Page and we'll get some answers from our two experts.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at cynthia.newsome@kshb.com.
