Could this be the culprit to thinning hair or baldness?
What if you could stop drinking this and suddenly your hair grew back? Plus, I have another great recipe! Grab a healthy cuppa and get reading!
I am not sure how I found out about the Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona but, I had it on my list of places to see while staying in Casa Grande. I checked it out during the day and got a hunch. I pulled out my Photopills app and my hunch was correct.
The Photopills app is a photographer and videographer’s best friend. If you want to know where the sun or moon will be for a photo shoot this is the free app to get. I pointed it at the temple and then turned left, and I got really excited.
I trekked out at 6:00 am in the dark of the cold morning and I waited for the precise moment. And, the magic happened. The dawn of the new sun shone magnificently upon the temple splashing the dull beige building and decorated vimanas with the golden colors of a promising new day. A magical moment indeed.
The Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona sits quietly in the Maricopa desert overlooking the sparse desert land. Construction has been going on since 2007. Although mostly done now, it seems the grounds are all that is left to further glorify this holy Non-Profit Hindu temple for all denominations and sects.
I did not get the chance to go inside, however, one can visit. All they ask is if you are taking pictures or videos to not record their deities inside. A small sacrifice. The next time I am back in AZ, this is on my list again.
Maha Ganapati Temple of Arizona
51293 W. Teel Road, Maricopa City, AZ 85139
info@ganapati.org
One time when I was at the hair salon getting my hair cut, I noticed most of the women there had something in common. They were all over the age of 60 and each had really thin hair and some had bald patches. I knew why it was happening, and it just really affirmed for me why I take my health so seriously. I know with my own journey from illness to wellness the same thing would happen.
Would you like to know what we all had in common? Too much sugar in the diet! I know, you are probably rolling your eyes, and are ready to hit that unsubscribe button for talking too much about the detriments of sugar and our health. But, I need to! I have met so many people in the last 3 months who have some form of cancer and their diets are similar. No apologies, for the preaching! I want to see you live forever! Before you do hit that button, hear me out. I have some studies to back me up.
What are sugar-sweetened beverages?
According to the CDC,
Sugar-sweetened beverages are any liquids that are sweetened with various forms of added sugars like brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose. Examples of SSBs include, but are not limited to, regular soda (not sugar-free), fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and coffee and tea beverages with added sugars.
According to the CDC article, Rethink Your Drink one 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 10 teaspoons of added sugar.
I used to drink a ton of Pepsi back in the day. Way before I knew anything about the connection to food and what I was dealing with. Not only was I dealing with Crohn’s disease but also my hair falling out. If I was to ask a doctor, it was because of my Crohn’s. Just about everything that was going on with me was always blamed on having Crohn’s disease! It was never anything else, like, say, my diet.
My diet was not the greatest. Heck who are we kidding, my diet was atrocious! Put those two elements together and it makes sense why my hair was falling out. It was so bad that I cut my hair really short because I could not stand to see my hair strands everywhere.
Now, you may be thinking, Karen, I do not drink soda. To which I say, awesome! But, are you drinking sugar-sweetened coffee (including sweeteners) and flavorings? What about soft drinks, juice, sports, and energy drinks? They too fall into this category.
I spend a fair bit of time in grocery stores. I also happen to pay attention to what is in people’s carts. I see a lot of 6-packs of soda conveniently placed on the edge of the carts.
Americans are drinking way too much soda. Get the Facts: Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Consumption article reported 6 in 10 youth (63%) and 5 in 10 adults (49%) drank a sugar-sweetened beverage on a given day. On average, US youth consumed 143 calories from SSBs and US adults consumed 145 calories from SSBs on a given day.
OK, so I rest my case on Americans drinking way too many sugar-laden sodas. My point is this, these same Americans do not understand the health ramifications of drinking soda.
A study, looking at male pattern baldness (MPHL.), the researchers found an association between the amount and frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and male pattern hair loss. Among the 1,028 participants, the researchers concluded
“SSB consumption is associated with a higher risk of MPHL. We recommend more support to decrease SSB consumption among young people to minimize negative health outcomes.”
Even one soda daily can contribute to an accumulative effect. That’s pretty serious. It just goes to show you, what you eat and drink affects you physically in a way, you could not imagine.
It is not just this study. There are more. Google “study; hair loss and sugar” and you will find a plethora of studies supporting the association. Another study looking at type II diabetes in African American women and hair loss found the same association. They concluded;
Type 2 diabetes was associated with an increased risk of severe central scalp hair loss in AA women. Patients with type 2 diabetes should be followed closely for central scalp hair loss so that appropriate treatment can be offered.
I have had clients who found it next to impossible to give up their soda. There is something addictive about a refreshing ice-cold bubbly soda. And, they are right.
The sugar is what keeps them hooked. When their blood sugar begins to crash, the body sends out signals for more sugar. Soda is the perfect fix. If they take the time to slowly change their diet and soda habit, they can level out their blood sugar and the cravings go away.
What to drink instead of soda
If you really like the effervescent part of soda, try switching to Kombucha. Kombucha or Jun is made with sugar or honey and a culture. The culture ferments the sugar or honey and creates a natural bubbly drink. It’s a step up from soda because the fermentation process creates minerals and probiotics that are a healthy win and you still get the cold bubbly mouth feel.
You can also try sparkling natural mineral water such as Mountain Valley Sparkling water, San Pellegrino, Gerolsteiner, Natural Sparkling Mineral Water, or Saratoga sparkling spring water (my favorite). Add some fruit to infuse or squeeze some fruit into a glass then add the mineral water.
You can also try fruit-infused sparkling water such as Montane, Kimino Yuzu Sparkling Water. For a citrus fruit twist, try Montane, Kimino Yuzu Sparkling Water or Sanzo sparkling water.
If you are needing a caffeine kick try Rishi Tea Sparkling Botanicals Dandelion Ginger with a good hit of healthier-for-you green tea. This company also carries fruit-infused sparkling water.
There are ways to upgrade your diet for better health. If you are a soda drinker, stop being a slave to the health detriments. Upgrade today! The only person who is profiting is the soda company at the expense of your health.
Class A Recipe
I have not abandoned my HotLogic. I have just not had the time to properly write up the recipes to present here. Well, truth be told, I have misplaced my hardrive and pretty upset about it. Since we have moved on to warmer weather it is already salad time. Well, to be honest, I eat salad just about every day regardless of the weather.
This is a great way to eat a quick healthy meal when time is not on your side. If you keep boiled eggs in your fridge you are in for a really fast dinner. I call this my omelet salad because it’s just about everything you would put in an omelet with a tasty feta-cheese dressing to get those taste buds dancing a jig.
I am not a big ham person but, everyone once and a while I like to have some. Now that Easter is around the corner, Butcherbox carries absolutely delicious heritage tender belly boneless ham and bone-in hickory smoked ham which is perfect for this recipe.
I take the ham and portion it out into 2-4 servings and freeze it for a later date. It’s perfect for a fast meal when time is just too darn packed full of clients and activities. I can let it thaw for this salad and have it cold or pop it into my HotLogic frozen and let it heat up for a warmed salad. I will add my hard-boiled eggs to warm them up too. Not to worry, they will not explode.
Ham n’ Egg Feta Salad
What do you have on hand or like in your omelet? I had tomatoes, onions, red peppers, and olives, so that is what I used along with 2 hard-boiled eggs and lettuce. I love butter lettuce or baby romaine for the two us.
Chop up your ingredients, enough for however many people you like. The Feta dressing will make a ton enough for a salad for 6 or, you can store the leftovers in the fridge, and voila! You have an amazing dressing for the rest of the week. Now, that makes salads even faster! This is the healthiest fast food you will have this week!
If you use Primal Kitchen Real Mayonnaise, Sir Kensington’s Mayonnaise or Chosen Classic Keto Mayo (my favorite) it will be keto and low carb.
This recipe is low-carb, keto, gluten-free, and really good for you, better than any bottled dressing, hands down.
Feta cheese dressing
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Makes about 1¾ cups
Ingredients
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup full-fat sour cream
3/4 cup gouda feta cheese
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 tb chopped fresh dill
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons half & half (or any milk you like) + extra if you want a thinner dressing
Add the ingredients to a food processor fitted with a steel blade or a blender and process until well-blended and creamy. If it is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of half & half or milk at a time until perfect for you. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Leftovers can be stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and kept cold. If the dressing thickens, add more milk or half & half to the jar and shake to combine. Pour as little or as much as you like and enjoy. So good!
Oh my goodness, are you reading these words right now? You are! Well, heck, you deserve a soda joke. Look around first before reading this so that you do not bust out belly- laughing and looking funny laughing at your phone. 🍿🥤🥤Here it goes. Breaking News: A movie theatre has just been robbed of over two thousand dollars The thieves took a large soda and two bags of popcorn.🤣🤣
If you have not subscribed yet, why not? I serve up tasty tidbits of travel, health, and recipes each Monday around 4 am. No worries, you do not have to get up that early. Just hit the orange button below and my post will silently sit in your inbox until it’s a good time for you to read.
If you liked my joke, information, or awesome recipe and think, man I need to share this, go ahead and share away. And, encourage them to subscribe to my zany thoughts and adventures. You are the best! If you share it, then you get another little joke Are you ready? 🧪
Chemist 1 : Hey, try this new soda I like so much.
Chemist 2 : looks at him distrustingly, takes litmus paper and dips it into the glass
Chemist 1 : You don’t trust me?
Chemist 2 : It was just a lye detector test. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
If you feel like sharing a comment, a grunt, a suggestion, a joke or have a question hit the orange comment button and let ‘er rip! I do comment back.
Have a wonderful naturally bubbly day!
~Karen