Addicted to Sugar? 11 Tips To Kick The Habit

New Research is now revealing SUGAR is more addictive than heroin.  You can read more about this research here.  Sugar Good Or Bad?  Our bodies create a vicious cycle of sugar cravings that can be difficult to over come or even more difficult to recognize we actually are addicted to sugar.

First, what is sugar? Wikipedia defines it like this.

Sugar is the generic name for sweet, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose(also known as dextrose), fructose, and galactose. The “table sugar” or “granulated sugar” most customarily used as food is sucrose, a disaccharide of glucose and fructose.

Sucrose which is most common is derived from sugar cane or sugar beet. Generally, sugar goes through a bleaching and crystallization process. Sugar is void of ANY nutritional value. Simply put it is empty calories and an empty source of food. What sugar does is raise a potential for many health conditions.  Some conditions are tummy problems like gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.  Sugar causes a rise in our blood sugar, & blood pressure.  Depending upon how our body metabolizes sugar we will either use it for energy or turn it into fat.

When we eat sugar it gives our body a rush of the hormone insulin. It tries to help assist our body in regulating the sugar swimming around in our body.  The more sugar we take in the more insulin our body produces.  This can be harmful to our liver and other major organs. If we eat too much sugar not only does it not fill us up but it creates a rise in our blood sugar than a dramatic drop making us more hungry.

Addiction?

I hear a lot from readers or even friends a little sugar every now and then is fine.  Moderation?

Well, I guess that depends on who you ask or what research you read. I tend to go back to the research that shows sugar is addictive.  Here is a great article from the American diabetes association. http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/65/7/1797

So how do you kick the sugar addiction and cravings?

 

11 Tips To Kick The Habit

• Start your morning off with protein and good fat.  
• Eat regular meals.  Don’t skip meals creating hypoglycemia. 
• Whole foods diet.  Limit processed foods.  They typically can full of fillers, additives, and preservatives.  They won’t fill you up.  Eating fresh fruits, veggies and a good source of protein will fill you up and stay full longer. 
• Exercise can help lower blood sugar levels and help your body regulate insulin.  It can reduce your sugar cravings.
• Sleep sometimes can feel like it eludes you.  I know I have a toddler.  The days are full and there aren’t enough hours in the day right? But sleep is important to overall hunger or reducing the feeling of hunger.  When we are tired we want to eat and tend to eat when we really aren’t hungry and gravitate towards processed, sugary foods. Try taking a 20 min nap to help. 
• Detox can rid your body of toxins and start a fresh clean cycle in your body.  
• Stress/meditation/breathing I lump all these together because they really go hand in hand. Reducing stress taking time to meditate and breathe changes our emotions and our body chemistry.  Resetting our clock. 
• Look for hidden sugars. They really are everywhere. Read labels and become familiar with the foods you put on the table and in your pantry.
• L-Glutamine is a supplement that has been known to reduce your sugar cravings.  
• Stay Hydrated with water.  If you feel a craving drink a glass of water then wait 20 mins.  I bet it will go away. 
• Eat a piece of fruit.

The sources of sugar I use

•  Raw and Unfiltered Honeyis natural source of sugar and works in most recipes
• Coconut sugar I really have found this to work well.  I recently found a Big Tree Farms Tree Coconut Sugar Vanilla which is yummy.

Live Well, Be Well

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