10 Steps to Dealing With A Sugar Addiction

"Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?"

Proverbs 6:27

I love this verse with regards to sugar! It is a toxic substance and yet, we consume it in massive proportions and think that it won't have an effect on our health. Not true! Sugar is a MAJOR contributing factor in most of the top 10 causes of death (male and female) in the United States. I wrote a post last week on the dangers of sugar, and the places that sugar is hiding in your diet. Go check it out here before continuing further.

It is vital for your health that you remove as much sugar, especially hidden sugar, from your diet as possible. - Notice I didn't say remove ALL sugar from your diet! (If you have no idea what the term "hidden sugars" means, go read the previous blog post.) Below are some steps to help eliminate sugar cravings and a sugar addiction.

1. Reduce or eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings. When dehydration and low blood sugar set in, our body gets very sluggish. This causes the body to crave sugar in order to give us an instant boost that we so desperately need. By eliminating caffeine, it helps to stabilize blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings.

2. Drink water. The human body doesn't have a mechanism to communicate thirst. I know you're thinking cotton mouth, but cotton mouth is actually not usually associated with being dehydrated. It usually occurs for other reasons. So, when we are dehydrated, the body will do all sorts of weird things in order to get our attention. It will tell you that you are hungry, even though you really aren't. It will also start craving sugar, so before you go for the sweets, have a glass of water and then wait a few minutes to see what happens.

3. Eat sweet vegetables and fruit. They are sweet, healthy, and packed with nutritional goodness! The more you eat, the more you will satisfy your cravings with a natural and healthy form of sugar. If you aren't sure which fruits and veggies qualify as "sweet," contact me here for a full list.

4. Use gentle sweeteners. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners. These types of sugars only make sugar cravings intensify, causing you to eat much more sugar in the long run. Instead, use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, brown rice syrup, dried fruit, stevia, barley malt, and agave nectar. These types of sugars are more easily digested by the body, so they don't give you near the adverse side effects that other sugar does.

5. Get physically active. Start with simple activities, like walking or Holy Yoga. Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. It will help balance your blood sugar levels, boost your energy, and reduce tension. All of these are stressors that cause you to crave sugar.

6. Get more sleep, rest, and relaxation. When you're tired or stressed, your body will crave energy, mainly in the form of sugar. These cravings are often a result of being sleep deprived, going to bed late, or waking up early for months, or years on end.

7. Evaluate the amount of animal protein in your diet. Animal protein is naturally very bitter. When you eat too much of it, the body will crave something sweet (sugar) to off-set the bitter taste. This doesn't mean you should avoid animal protein altogether. By contrast, many people who don't eat any animal protein also crave sugar. This is because animal protein is one of the primary ways your body receives energy. When you aren't eating enough animal protein, the body will crave sugar in order to get the necessary energy that it is missing. Every person has a different limit to how much animal protein is right for them. Experiment and listen to your body.

8. Eliminate fat-free or low-fat packaged foods. Please please please do not get tricked into thinking that  fat-free equals healthy! These foods contain high quantities of sugar to compensate for the lack of flavor and fat, which will send you on the roller coaster ride of sugar highs and lows and leave you in a constant state of sugar cravings. Taking the fat out of foods and adding in a ton of sugar is actually much more unhealthy than eating the food in it's natural full fat version.

9. Avoid soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juice, and other flavored beverages. I don't care how healthy these claim to be, stay away! These drinks are loaded with sugar, and most of them, including fruit juices, have close to zero nutritional value. My rule of thumb is, if there is no nutritional value in something, it should only be eaten, or drunk on special occasions. A specific caution: soft drinks are now the #1 source in America of hidden (added) sugar.

10. Slow down and find sweetness in non food ways. Your body does not biologically need sugar, but it does long for hugs, time with friends, workouts, massages, relaxation, etc. When life becomes sweet enough itself, no additives are needed! This is especially true for emotional eaters. Next time you are craving sugar, consider your emotions and how you FEEL at that moment. Give your body some self love and self care instead of grabbing for the cookie jar.

A special bonus tip: try using spices when you cook. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods.

All people respond to sugar differently. These are just basic guidelines that will help to relieve your sugar cravings. For more detailed information, that is specific to your needs, contact me here, for a sugar detox consultation.

Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby