In today’s culture of skinny jeans and pencil skirts, the choice of diet meals and drinks can appear to be an alluring solution to achieving body image expectation. Snacks, drinks, and meals line grocery store shelves labeled as “sugar-free” and “low calorie.” Sounds like a simple choice, right?  After all, processed sugar isn’t recommended by doctors as a vital part of our daily intake. So we grab the sugar-free drink and then pour it down our throats sometime between the grocery store exit and the car ride home.  Often unknowingly, we have just spent our hard-earned money on what might be poison for our bodies.

In order to create something sugar-free that still appeals to the sweet-tooth, chemical substitutes are often used. It tastes like sugar, smells like sugar and acts like poison. The reality is that chemical sweeteners are toxic to our bodies. The chemical substitutes hit our bloodstream and are recognized as criminal intruders. The human body, being the incredible system that it is, knows not to let these toxins reach the vital organs such as the heart or brain, so the body sends signals to engulf and smother the toxins. Genius! Unfortunately, that barrier that our body creates to defend itself is also known as fat. Fat is one of the body’s defense mechanisms against toxic exposure.

We are exposed to hundreds of harmful toxins daily, through the air we breathe, the food we eat and the cosmetics we use.  It takes less that 30 seconds for toxic chemicals found in our skincare to be absorbed by every organ in our body, triggering internal organs to fight off invaders.  The result? We are tired, bloated, diseased, acne-prone and energy-deficient. The human body has a magnificent system of defense, but with so much toxic exposure, organs are compromised in executing their main functions, such as fighting off disease. This results in frightening health statistics – such as that 1 in 3 women are predicted to have cancer in their lifetime. Disease prevention, vitality and health begin and end with toxic exposure.

We cannot control every toxin in our environment, but we can make wise choices in our food and cosmetic usage.  When we are educated on toxicity, we have the power to give our body the best chance towards health.  So let’s take a step back before we dive into the snack aisle and grab at the advertised “better for you” sugar-free soda pops and microwave dinners. Chemical substitutes are not a god-send; they are a piece of the puzzle in America’s downward health spiral. Let’s choose to empower our bodies. Let’s choose health, wholeness, and hope. Health begins with the small choices of today.

For sugar cravings, I recommend Arbonne’s naturally sweetened chocolate, mango-pineapple, or lemon Fit Chew.  This savory treat satisfies the sweet tooth and helps to control cravings and balance blood sugar with adaptogenic herbs.  Visit cvogt.myarbonne.com to learn more about non-toxic cosmetic and nutrition products.