Here’s The Truth (And Science) You Need to Know:
If you’re one of the millions of people watching your blood sugar levels rise, maybe you’ve been told to cut carbs, avoid sweets, exercise more, or take medication. But if you’re looking for long-term solutions and wondering whether the food you choose – specifically, whether it’s organic or conventional – really matters…
👉 The answer is YES. And the reason why is far more important (and surprising) than most people realize.
In this post, I’m going to break down:
- Why blood sugar management is so much more than “just diet and exercise”
- How non-organic foods contribute to gut dysfunction, liver overload, and even brain inflammation
- Why certain pesticides are quietly sabotaging your health – and what to do about it
- The connection between blood sugar, fatty liver, and neurological decline
- And why switching to organic foods could be one of the simplest, yet most powerful decisions you make for your long-term health
- If you want the video version:
Blood Sugar & The Modern Epidemic: Why You Need to Look Beyond Sugar Alone
Let’s start here: The diabetes epidemic isn’t just about sugar or carbs. It’s about how our bodies have lost the ability to handle those sugars.
For the last 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of patients in my practice, helping them improve:
- Brain function
- Body function
- Energy production
And here’s what I see over and over: people are following the advice they’ve been given — counting carbs, exercising more – but they still struggle with:
- Unstable blood sugar
- Fatty liver
- Chronic fatigue
- Brain fog and memory problems
- Poor sleep
- Weight that won’t budge
Why? Because they’re missing the hidden piece: what’s happening at the gut, liver, and at a cellular level.
The Silent Disruptors in Your Food: What You’re Really Eating
One of the most overlooked factors that contributes to rising blood sugar and systemic inflammation is the chemical load in your food.
We’ve been led to believe that organic food means that it contains no pesticides. But that’s not quite true. Organic food can still be treated with certain pesticides – just not the more aggressive, synthetic ones used in conventional farming.
The big offender here?
➡️ Glyphosate.
Glyphosate, one of the most common herbicides in conventional agriculture, works by targeting the shikimate pathway in plants – but guess what?
👉 That same pathway exists in your gut bacteria – the very bacteria responsible for processing fructose (the sugar found in fruit and added to countless processed foods). If you haven’t followed any health news, these bacteria are gaining interest as they play a role in brain function, hormones, sleep and many more of the processes that keep us healthy.
When glyphosate kills off those beneficial bacteria, you lose your ability to handle fructose properly. The result?
- Excess fructose ends up burdening your liver.
- Your liver stores that excess as fat, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
- That fat buildup triggers inflammation, which spreads from your liver to your heart, pancreas, brain, and other organs.
The Chain Reaction: From Gut Dysfunction to Brain Damage
Here’s how this cascade happens inside your body:
1️. You eat non-organic food laden with glyphosate.
2️. Glyphosate destroys the bacteria in your gut that help process fructose.
3️. The fructose that your gut can’t handle (it doesn’t take much to overwhelm this capacity) makes its way to your liver.
4️. Your liver, overwhelmed, stores the excess fructose as fat (leading to fatty liver).
5️. As the liver gets congested, toxins build up in your body and are pushed into the bloodstream.
6️. This triggers chronic inflammation in your heart, blood vessels, pancreas, and yes – your brain.
Most people with diabetes or prediabetes don’t realize that their liver is struggling – but it often is. Fatty liver disease is rampant and often silent until it becomes a serious problem.
Why This Matters for Your Brain
You may have heard that people with diabetes often develop:
- Numbness in their hands and feet
- Vision problems
- Slow-healing wounds
That’s because high blood glucose is toxic to nerve cells. But here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough:
👉 Your brain is the largest and most important collection of nerve cells in your body.
When blood sugar isn’t controlled, it damages not just peripheral nerves but also:
- The brain’s white matter (affecting memory, balance, and mood)
- The optic nerves (leading to vision loss)
- The small vessels in the brain (leading to strokes and microbleeds)
This is why so many people with uncontrolled blood sugar or fatty liver end up developing:
- Dementia
- Balance problems
- Chronic fatigue
- Depression and anxiety
All of these symptoms can be traced back to the gut-liver-brain connection.
Fructose Overload: The Hidden Epidemic in Processed Foods
Most people don’t realize just how easy it is to overwhelm the body’s capacity to handle fructose. The gut can only process about 4 grams of fructose at a time – yet one can of soda contains around 25–30 grams!
Once that threshold is exceeded:
- Fructose travels to the liver
- The liver becomes overwhelmed
- Fat accumulates
- Inflammation spreads
And with the massive presence of high-fructose corn syrup in our processed food supply, this is happening daily for most Americans.
Organic Food: Why It’s One of the Best Investments You Can Make
Let’s circle back to the question I get asked often:
“Is organic food really worth the money?”
When it comes to managing blood sugar, protecting your liver, and reducing chronic inflammation – absolutely.
Here’s why:
- Organic produce is grown without glyphosate and other synthetic chemicals that disrupt your gut microbiome.
- A healthier microbiome helps you process sugars more efficiently.
- Less toxin exposure means your liver can detox more effectively.
- Reducing chemical load lowers systemic inflammation.
- Lower inflammation leads to a healthier healthier brain, better sleep, improved mood, and less joint pain.
Is it a magic bullet? No.
But it’s a key foundational step that supports every other effort you make, whether it’s changing your diet, improving sleep, or exercising more.
“But Dr. Jeff, What If Organic Isn’t Always Available or Affordable?”
Great question. I get it – organic can be expensive, and not everyone has access to 100% organic food all the time.
Here are some smart steps you can take if full organic isn’t an option:
1️. Prioritize the “Dirty Dozen” – These are the most pesticide-heavy fruits and vegetables (think strawberries, spinach, apples, grapes, etc.). If you can only buy some items organic, start here.
2️. Wash and peel produce – This helps reduce some of the chemical load (though not all). On non-organic foods, these provide valuable fiber that can help the good bacteria, so stick to doing this on non-organic foods only.
3️. Avoid processed foods – Processed foods are often loaded with high-fructose corn syrup and other additives that stress your liver and gut.
4️. Support your gut health – Probiotics and prebiotic foods can help rebuild the beneficial bacteria needed to process sugars.
5️. Drink clean, filtered water – Your liver needs hydration to detox efficiently.
The Long-Term Benefits of Reducing Toxin Load and Managing Blood Sugar
When you take steps to reduce chemical exposure and balance your blood sugar, here’s what starts to happen over time:
- Your gut lining heals – reducing bloating, IBS symptoms, and improving nutrient absorption.
- Your liver decongests – allowing it to handle sugars, toxins, and hormones more efficiently.
- Brain fog lifts – cognitive function improves, and focus and memory return.
- Sleep quality improves – less inflammation equals more restorative sleep.
- Mood stabilizes – lower inflammation can mean less anxiety and depression.
- Blood sugar stabilizes – reducing your risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease and leaving you with the consistent energy you likely desire.
How Long Does It Take to See Results?
This isn’t an overnight fix.
➡️ If your body has been dealing with chemical overload, gut dysfunction, and liver congestion for years, it will take time and consistency to reverse.
But every step you take moves you closer to a healthier, more vibrant life.
The Bottom Line: Is Organic Worth the Extra Cash?
Yes.
- For your blood sugar
- For your brain
- For your liver
- For your long-term health
If you’re facing rising blood sugar, fatty liver, chronic fatigue, or brain fog – switching to organic foods (especially the most contaminated items) is one of the simplest, most effective steps you can take.
It is also important to remember that movement plays a pivotal role in detoxification and blood sugar regulation. If you can’t properly move, your metabolism is bound to fail sooner or later.
Chiropractic plays an important role in helping to optimize these (and many other body processes).
Ready to Take the Next Step Toward Better Health?
If this resonates with you and you’re ready to start taking real action to improve your blood sugar, brain health, and energy:
👉 Drop your questions in the comments below
👉 Like and subscribe if you found this valuable – it tells me what kind of content you want more of!
I know you’re busy, and your attention is your most valuable resource – so thank you for spending part of it with me today. 🙏
Remember: You deserve to feel better, think clearer, and live healthier – and it starts with the small, intentional decisions you make today.