When I say sugar is killing us, I’m not trying to be dramatic. I’m speaking from years of experience managing asthma, training as an ultra-endurance athlete, and digging deep into what fuels and fails the human body. Most people have no idea how much sugar they’re actually consuming—and what it’s doing to them on a metabolic, emotional, and even respiratory level. I didn’t fully get it either… until I started paying attention.

In this post (and in the video embedded above and linked here, and in the podcast episode linked here), I want to show you how sugar quietly sneaks into our daily lives, what it’s doing behind the scenes in your body, and how you can take real steps to reclaim your health—without giving up sweetness altogether. Whether you’re an athlete, a parent, or just someone trying to feel better day-to-day, this is your wake-up call.

How Much Sugar Should You Actually Be Eating?

Let’s start with the basics. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than 36 grams of sugar per day, and women stick to 25 grams or less. And that’s total sugar—including the kind found naturally in fruit and honey. Now here’s the kicker: the average American consumes 68 grams of sugar per day. That’s nearly double the safe limit.

What’s worse is that 68 grams is often just what we can see or taste—sugar hides in so many “healthy” foods that even the label-conscious among us are being duped. I was shocked to find added sugar in my favorite kombucha. Even salad dressings and so-called “healthy” yogurts can be sugar bombs. Kids are especially vulnerable—children under 2 years old should be getting zero added sugar. But look at the average toddler’s snack pack and you’ll see we’re failing them too.

Where Sugar Hides (It’s Not Just in Dessert)

You’d think we’d be able to manage our sugar intake better if we just stopped eating donuts, soda, and ice cream, right? But sugar is stealthy. It hides in sauces, salad dressings, breads, yogurts, juices, protein bars, dried fruits, and even in “health” products like energy gels marketed to endurance athletes like me.

My partner Tetiana and I love to go out for sushi—especially during big training weeks. We discovered that nearly every sauce contains added sugar, even if you’re not ordering dessert. And those healthy-sounding snack bars people bring on hikes? Most of them are basically candy bars. That’s why we now make our own power bars at home using real food and minimal sugar.

What Happens When Sugar Enters Your Body

Understanding how sugar actually affects the body changed the game for me. Sugar does one of three things when it enters your system:

1. It’s used immediately as energy. This is the best-case scenario, and one that athletes need. I consume sugar during long runs or races to keep my energy up. But I choose fruits and natural sources—not high-fructose corn syrup.

2. It’s stored as fat. If your body doesn’t need the energy right away, it stores the sugar. This might not seem terrible, but it adds up. Even lean people can store unhealthy fat, especially around the organs.

3. It floats in your bloodstream. This is the worst outcome. When sugar can’t be burned or stored, it circulates, causing inflammation, insulin resistance, and eventually leading to serious diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

I know when this is happening in my own body because my resting heart rate spikes. I normally sit between 35–40 BPM as an endurance athlete. But when sugar is floating around unprocessed, it nearly doubles. I get irritable, can’t sleep, and my lungs tighten up. That’s not just a bad day—that’s my asthma getting triggered.

The Disease Connection: Diabetes, Cancer, Heart Disease, and Dementia

Let’s talk about the big picture. Sugar isn’t just making us gain weight—it’s fueling the deadliest diseases in our society.

• Diabetes: One in three people over 65 has diabetes. Even more disturbing—96 million Americans are pre-diabetic. That’s metabolic dysfunction on a massive scale, and most people have no clue.

• Cancer: Cancer cells thrive on glucose. They consume it at 10x the rate of normal cells. You may not be able to eliminate all cancer risk, but feeding it daily with excess sugar doesn’t help.

• Heart Disease: Sugar inflames your arteries, raises your blood pressure, and forces your heart to work harder. Over time, this contributes to cardiovascular failure.

• Dementia and Alzheimer’s: Sugar affects the brain too. It disrupts sleep, increases brain fog, and over time, accelerates neurological decline.

For someone like me with asthma, sugar-induced inflammation doesn’t just affect the heart or brain—it shrinks airway capacity. That means tighter lungs, more difficulty breathing, and higher reliance on medication. Not exactly ideal for someone training to run 66 miles through the night.

How I Still Eat Sweet Things (Without Killing My Progress)

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not anti-sugar. I still enjoy sweets. But I’m mindful. I’ve made a few key changes that have allowed me to drastically reduce my processed sugar intake while still feeling satisfied:

1. I swapped ice cream for Icelandic-style yogurt with no added sugar. It gives me the creamy, satisfying texture I love—without the blood sugar rollercoaster.

2. I bake differently. Tetiana and I cut sugar in recipes by 50% or more and use raw organic honey instead of refined sugar. Most recipes taste better this way, and I don’t get the crash afterward.

3. I eat sugar early in the day. Dessert after dinner is a cultural norm—but it wrecks your sleep and metabolism. I now eat any sweet treats before noon so I have time to burn it off.

4. I move after eating. Even a 10-minute walk after a meal helps your body metabolize sugar properly. As an ultra runner, sometimes I’ll literally go run 5–10 miles after a dessert splurge.

Simple Ways You Can Start Cutting Sugar Today

If you're feeling overwhelmed, start small. You don’t have to quit sugar cold turkey. But these steps can make a huge difference over time:

• Cut added sugar down to <10g per day. Less is more. Read labels.

• Swap sugary snacks with fruit. Berries, apples, pears, and bananas give you fiber and nutrients along with the sweetness.

• Replace soda with sparkling water + lemon. You’ll hydrate better and lose the sugar addiction faster.

• Cook at home more. You’ll quickly realize how much sugar is hiding in store-bought or restaurant foods.

• Move after meals. Even a walk around the block helps regulate your blood sugar.

My Free Healthy Living Guide: Built for People Like Us

Everything I’ve shared with you here is part of my daily life. I’m not perfect, but I’ve built a system that works. It’s the same system I used to lose 40 pounds, reverse inflammation, and become a high-performing athlete with asthma. If I can do it, so can you.

That’s why I created the Healthy Living Guide—a free resource based on the three pillars that changed my life:

1. Movement

2. Food tracking (especially sugar awareness)

3. Accountability

Grab your free copy here

Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Sugar Control You

Sugar isn’t evil. But the way it’s consumed in modern society? That’s the real threat. I’m still on this journey—still learning, still adapting. But I can tell you this: life is better when you’re not a slave to sugar.

I breathe better. I sleep deeper. I recover faster. And as someone who grew up with asthma and was told I’d never be a serious athlete, that’s everything.

If this post helped you in any way, please share it with someone who needs it. Let’s create a ripple effect of real, lasting health—one conscious choice at a time.