Hi Mark:
Thank you for responding. I have replied to you privately regarding the "shearing" comment.
Here is some information regarding sugar that you and others on the forum may find helpful:

One of sugar’s major drawbacks is that as it raises your insulin level, inhibiting the release of hormones, which then reduces your immune system’s ability to protect you against infection and disease. Back in 1970, Linus Pauling realized that white blood cells need a high dose of Vitamin C to fight the common cold. Because glucose and Vitamin C have similar chemical structures, they compete with each other to enter the cell. Too much sugar may reduce your white blood cells’ ability to combat disease by up to 75%!

According to Malcolm Peet, a noted British psychiatric researcher, there is a strong link between high sugar consumption and the risk of depression as well as schizophrenia. There are two ways that sugar may exert a toxic effect on mental health. First, BDNF, a key growth hormone in the brain, is suppressed by sugar. This hormone promotes the health of neurons in the brain and assists with memory by creating new neuron connections. Second, there is a cascade of chemical reactions that occur in the body when ingesting sugar that create chronic inflammation. Over time, inflammation suppresses the immune system, which then negatively affects brain function.

Alcohol can be a neurotoxin. According to the American Society for Nutrition, the single worst thing that you can do to your brain is to consume distilled spirits. Distilled spirits, such as vodka and rum, affect carbohydrates, which your brain needs to thrive, and they also slow down metabolism. Drinks also drain the body of Vitamin B and affect liver function.

Much of the above information comes from an article written in Psychology Today by Dr. Ilardi, author of The Depression Cure and the link between sugar and the brain, July, 2009.

warmly,
Tina Sullivan