If you can't say no to candy, cookies and soda, you may be one of millions of people who are addicted to sugar. For some people, sugar acts like a drug in the body, and like any other drug, can cause an initial high followed by withdrawal symptoms.Symptoms of sugar addiction include,powerful cravings for sugar, refined carbohydrates or alcohol,mood swings,anxiety,depression,irritability or anger,fatigue,headaches,dizziness,feeling better after eating sugar,It's not just lack of willpower - it really is an addiction,Studies have shown that sugar has a similar effect to cocaine, morphine and other drugs of addiction. Eating large amounts of sugar releases a brain chemical called dopamine that makes you feel alert, energized, motivated and enthusiastic. But over time, sugar reduces the brain's sensitivity to dopamine and you start to become addicted to sugar - you need more dopamine just to feel normal and without a sugar hit to boost your dopamine production, you feel sluggish, tired, foggy and irritable.[]
The scary truth is that sugar is found in all carbohydrates, not just table sugar. Whether it's an apple or a biscuit, a tomato or a slice of bread, once it has been chewed, swallowed and digested it is released into the bloodstream as sugar. This means that all carbohydrates have the potential to be addictive, depending on how quickly they enter the bloodstream as sugar.Whilst some carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very slowly (low glycaemic carbs), other carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very quickly (high glycaemic carbs). You won't be surprised to find out that the carbohydrates that have the fastest and biggest impact on blood sugar levels are refined pasta, bread, potato, alcohol and 'empty foods' (sweets, biscuits and cakes) - all the foods we turn to when we're feeling low, stressed or in need of a pick me up. Food companies have also been spending years researching ways to make these foods deliver the sugar even quicker, making them hyper-addictive and ultimately more profitable.
David Kessler, former head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), claims that manufacturers seek to trigger a 'bliss point' when people eat certain products.It is time to stop blaming individuals for being overweight or obese. The real problem is we have created a world where food is always available and where that food is designed to make you want to eat more of it. For millions of people, modern food is simply impossible to resist - Junk food triggers our 'bliss point', The Sunday Times, June 28th 2009.
Once you've dealt with the cravings, you will find it much easier to change to a healthy diet - avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates, eat plenty of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates. Protein should be eaten at every meal as it helps maintain blood sugar levels by stimulating the release of glucagon, a hormone that balances the action of insulin. Fresh fruit and vegetables provide a good supply of the vitamins and minerals needed to keep blood sugar stable.It's important to avoid all forms of sugar, including so-called "healthy" alternatives such as brown sugar, honey and dried fruit. Don't be tempted to cheat - your brain is sensitive to sugar and having "just one" cookie or soda can be enough to set off cravings, trigger a sugar binge and start the cycle of craving and bingeing again.
If you find it hard to eat fruit, as I used to (partly because if you eat a lot of artificially-sweet things like chocolate and ice-cream, fruit will not taste very sweet to you), try making fruit salads. Chop up your favorite fruits, mix them together and enjoy a generously-sized bowl every day.Be aware that fruit varies in quality, so you may need to hunt around to find fruit that's to your taste. Not all apples are created equal! Also make sure your fruit is ripe before you consume it. You may need to leave fruit in your kitchen to ripen for a few days after buying.
I remember a two-week period of time where I ate fast food every morning before work. Every morning! I also remember sitting in my car before work one morning, not having stopped for fast food (lack of funds), and wondering just how I was going to get through the whole day without my sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit and vanilla ice coffee. I actually called my husband and begged him to bring me my fast food breakfast or my day just wasn't going to start!After I got what I wanted, and the day went on, I began to wonder just how did I end up a fast food breakfast junkie? Why was I reduced to calling my husband away from his daily routine in order to bring his wife fast food across the other side of town? I found the answer sometime later, and it has something to do with sugar addiction (really, it does!).Fast forward a year later, where I had received some pretty interesting and enlightening information about the majority of fast food: over 70% of the foods served at many fast food restaurants are made up of high fructose corn syrup!
Sugar Raises Insulin Levels.The human body is not equipped to handle so much sugar. Consuming too much can lead to weight gain and to insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Over time, the body becomes resistant to the extra insulin, thus paving the way for Type II diabetes. This means the process of removing sugar from the blood becomes defective and the pancreas must secrete more insulin to get the sugar out of the blood. This is one of the most important reasons to end your addiction.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and is very similar to adrenaline chemically; it also affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and the ability to experience pleasure and pain. This explains why, when you're having a rough day, you turn to a plate full of brownies! The sugar in those brownies acts as a regulator which produces "highs" that temporarily neutralize emotional lows!Before you wage an all-out war against sugar, you must know your opposition! You must also know that sugar isn't always labeled as sugar.
If you have a physical addiction to sugar, the best thing to do is to first start reading labels. Anything that lists dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, or sucrose must be thrown out or at least removed from your reach. Also keep a look out for any ingredient lists with the word "syrup" in it. Those are all sugar.You must get your mind prepared, because your body may experience some symptoms of withdrawal. If your mind is set, then you will overcome your addiction to sugar. The length of time it takes to fully detox depends on each individual person. Most experts say that a body will lose its cravings for sugar after having been without sugar for 4 full days. Here are some tips to get you through this temporary rough patch:
Tips to End Your Sugar Addiction.The best way to end cravings is to break the cycle completely. Start by avoiding all sugar including sugar substitutes. Read nutrition labels carefully. You may be surprised at how much sugar is found in processed foods.Consider 5-HTP to help curb cravings for sugar and carbs. The body uses 5-HTP to produce the mood boosting brain chemicals - serotonin and dopamine. Low levels of these chemicals can lead to intense cravings for sugar and carbs.Fight sugar cravings all day by drinking dark roast coffee in the morning. Studies show that a dark brew coffee helps keep blood sugar levels steady which lowers the urge to eat sweets.
The scary truth is that sugar is found in all carbohydrates, not just table sugar. Whether it's an apple or a biscuit, a tomato or a slice of bread, once it has been chewed, swallowed and digested it is released into the bloodstream as sugar. This means that all carbohydrates have the potential to be addictive, depending on how quickly they enter the bloodstream as sugar.Whilst some carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very slowly (low glycaemic carbs), other carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the blood very quickly (high glycaemic carbs). You won't be surprised to find out that the carbohydrates that have the fastest and biggest impact on blood sugar levels are refined pasta, bread, potato, alcohol and 'empty foods' (sweets, biscuits and cakes) - all the foods we turn to when we're feeling low, stressed or in need of a pick me up. Food companies have also been spending years researching ways to make these foods deliver the sugar even quicker, making them hyper-addictive and ultimately more profitable.
David Kessler, former head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), claims that manufacturers seek to trigger a 'bliss point' when people eat certain products.It is time to stop blaming individuals for being overweight or obese. The real problem is we have created a world where food is always available and where that food is designed to make you want to eat more of it. For millions of people, modern food is simply impossible to resist - Junk food triggers our 'bliss point', The Sunday Times, June 28th 2009.
Once you've dealt with the cravings, you will find it much easier to change to a healthy diet - avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates, eat plenty of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates. Protein should be eaten at every meal as it helps maintain blood sugar levels by stimulating the release of glucagon, a hormone that balances the action of insulin. Fresh fruit and vegetables provide a good supply of the vitamins and minerals needed to keep blood sugar stable.It's important to avoid all forms of sugar, including so-called "healthy" alternatives such as brown sugar, honey and dried fruit. Don't be tempted to cheat - your brain is sensitive to sugar and having "just one" cookie or soda can be enough to set off cravings, trigger a sugar binge and start the cycle of craving and bingeing again.
If you find it hard to eat fruit, as I used to (partly because if you eat a lot of artificially-sweet things like chocolate and ice-cream, fruit will not taste very sweet to you), try making fruit salads. Chop up your favorite fruits, mix them together and enjoy a generously-sized bowl every day.Be aware that fruit varies in quality, so you may need to hunt around to find fruit that's to your taste. Not all apples are created equal! Also make sure your fruit is ripe before you consume it. You may need to leave fruit in your kitchen to ripen for a few days after buying.
I remember a two-week period of time where I ate fast food every morning before work. Every morning! I also remember sitting in my car before work one morning, not having stopped for fast food (lack of funds), and wondering just how I was going to get through the whole day without my sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit and vanilla ice coffee. I actually called my husband and begged him to bring me my fast food breakfast or my day just wasn't going to start!After I got what I wanted, and the day went on, I began to wonder just how did I end up a fast food breakfast junkie? Why was I reduced to calling my husband away from his daily routine in order to bring his wife fast food across the other side of town? I found the answer sometime later, and it has something to do with sugar addiction (really, it does!).Fast forward a year later, where I had received some pretty interesting and enlightening information about the majority of fast food: over 70% of the foods served at many fast food restaurants are made up of high fructose corn syrup!
Sugar Raises Insulin Levels.The human body is not equipped to handle so much sugar. Consuming too much can lead to weight gain and to insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Over time, the body becomes resistant to the extra insulin, thus paving the way for Type II diabetes. This means the process of removing sugar from the blood becomes defective and the pancreas must secrete more insulin to get the sugar out of the blood. This is one of the most important reasons to end your addiction.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and is very similar to adrenaline chemically; it also affects brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and the ability to experience pleasure and pain. This explains why, when you're having a rough day, you turn to a plate full of brownies! The sugar in those brownies acts as a regulator which produces "highs" that temporarily neutralize emotional lows!Before you wage an all-out war against sugar, you must know your opposition! You must also know that sugar isn't always labeled as sugar.
If you have a physical addiction to sugar, the best thing to do is to first start reading labels. Anything that lists dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, or sucrose must be thrown out or at least removed from your reach. Also keep a look out for any ingredient lists with the word "syrup" in it. Those are all sugar.You must get your mind prepared, because your body may experience some symptoms of withdrawal. If your mind is set, then you will overcome your addiction to sugar. The length of time it takes to fully detox depends on each individual person. Most experts say that a body will lose its cravings for sugar after having been without sugar for 4 full days. Here are some tips to get you through this temporary rough patch:
Tips to End Your Sugar Addiction.The best way to end cravings is to break the cycle completely. Start by avoiding all sugar including sugar substitutes. Read nutrition labels carefully. You may be surprised at how much sugar is found in processed foods.Consider 5-HTP to help curb cravings for sugar and carbs. The body uses 5-HTP to produce the mood boosting brain chemicals - serotonin and dopamine. Low levels of these chemicals can lead to intense cravings for sugar and carbs.Fight sugar cravings all day by drinking dark roast coffee in the morning. Studies show that a dark brew coffee helps keep blood sugar levels steady which lowers the urge to eat sweets.
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