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.
There are two very important things you can do that will biochemically reduce your craving for sugar. If you have a severe and uncontrollable addiction to sugar (you feel you have to eat it every day and cannot seem to voluntarily stop), I advise doing both of these things for at least two weeks before attempting to cut out sugar.Those two things are:Eat fruit every day,Get the right type of exercise,Although both of these things may sound difficult in themselves, they are not as hard as they sound.Firstly fruit: eating a good-sized bowl of fruit salad every day for several weeks will really help reduce your desire for sugar. Fruits contain fructose, a form of sugar that is metabolised more slowly than ordinary table sugar (fructose) and therefore tends to lead to a more even blood sugar level. Refined fructose in itself seems to be worse for health than ordinary sugar, so don't be tempted to buy bags of it and add it to your coffee. But fresh fruit is overwhelmingly good for your health, and will definitely help you to beat your addiction.
There is only one way to overcome sugar addiction and that is the same way you overcome any addiction. You go 'cold turkey' on the addictive substance until you are weaned off it. It's not easy, but it's something you're going to have to commit to.or you better start praying elasticated waistbands come back into fashion.This doesn't mean you have to out all carbohydrate as some diets suggest. It just means you have to go 'cold turkey' on high glycaemic carbs to prevent the sugar rush and re-balance your blood sugar levels. Here are ten simple steps to achieve this, without dieting and without having to give up your social life. Remove all refined sugar from your diet - sweets / cakes / biscuits.Moderate your alcohol intake to just one or two nights a week.Eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.Increase your fibre intake from wholegrain cereals, fruit and veg.Fill yourself up with good quality, low glycaemic carbs.Choose wholegrain bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta.Avoid eating carbs on their own, always combine them with proteins.Avoid large gaps between meals that cause blood sugar lows.Snack on fruit, full-fat yogurt and high protein snacks if you have cravings.Do at least 15 minutes of exercise a day to balance your blood sugar.A study from Princeton University yielded results that show a striking similarity between sugar addiction and heroin and cocaine addiction! If you are having a problem with sugar addiction, then read on! You will find plenty of useful information and tips to help you break that sugar addiction for good!
Sugar has no nutritional value but lots of calories and it goes straight to the bloodstream where it raises blood glucose levels, stimulates the release of insulin and contributes to weight gain. Overtime, it can lead to more serious health problems like heart disease, Type II diabetes and some forms of cancer.Sugar Is Hidden Everywhere.The goal in managing your addiction is to put an end to sugar cravings and eliminate hidden sources which are lurking almost everywhere. Sugar is relatively cheap and widely available which means it is added to almost everything we eat these days. Since the 1970's, the sugar content in processed food has nearly doubled. It is found in condiments like barbecue sauce, catsup, salad dressings and pasta sauce. Unless you read the labels, you may never realize how much sugar you are consuming each day.
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:
To help deal with your cravings psychologically, try to replace your regular sugar consumption with doing something else enjoyable instead. Watch TV or play computer games if you have to; do whatever you need to, to get through the first difficult couple of weeks of craving.If you are overweight, ask yourself whether you want that chocolate bar or you want to be thin. You probably can't have both. Don't allow yourself to think that you can defer the challenge indefinitely; recognize that your cravings have to be faced head-on. If you particularly crave sugar at certain times of the day, brace yourself for a battle.If you prepare sufficiently by eating fruit and preferably exercising too, you can reduce your cravings to a manageable level, then you can start winning your battle with your cravings. After a few weeks you won't even remember why you had such terrible problems in the first place.Change Your Life Scientifically.Break sugar addiction, lose weight, ditch your boss or move to another country.At Fascinating Experiments we discuss how to gain control of your life so that you can do the things that you want to do.Among other things, we look at ways of making money at home, how to get more money in your existing job, how to change career, and how to lose weight and increase your energy levels; with a focus on concrete steps you can take without spending any money and without signing up to dubious programs or buying dubious products.
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.
There are two very important things you can do that will biochemically reduce your craving for sugar. If you have a severe and uncontrollable addiction to sugar (you feel you have to eat it every day and cannot seem to voluntarily stop), I advise doing both of these things for at least two weeks before attempting to cut out sugar.Those two things are:Eat fruit every day,Get the right type of exercise,Although both of these things may sound difficult in themselves, they are not as hard as they sound.Firstly fruit: eating a good-sized bowl of fruit salad every day for several weeks will really help reduce your desire for sugar. Fruits contain fructose, a form of sugar that is metabolised more slowly than ordinary table sugar (fructose) and therefore tends to lead to a more even blood sugar level. Refined fructose in itself seems to be worse for health than ordinary sugar, so don't be tempted to buy bags of it and add it to your coffee. But fresh fruit is overwhelmingly good for your health, and will definitely help you to beat your addiction.
There is only one way to overcome sugar addiction and that is the same way you overcome any addiction. You go 'cold turkey' on the addictive substance until you are weaned off it. It's not easy, but it's something you're going to have to commit to.or you better start praying elasticated waistbands come back into fashion.This doesn't mean you have to out all carbohydrate as some diets suggest. It just means you have to go 'cold turkey' on high glycaemic carbs to prevent the sugar rush and re-balance your blood sugar levels. Here are ten simple steps to achieve this, without dieting and without having to give up your social life. Remove all refined sugar from your diet - sweets / cakes / biscuits.Moderate your alcohol intake to just one or two nights a week.Eat a good breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.Increase your fibre intake from wholegrain cereals, fruit and veg.Fill yourself up with good quality, low glycaemic carbs.Choose wholegrain bread, brown rice and wholewheat pasta.Avoid eating carbs on their own, always combine them with proteins.Avoid large gaps between meals that cause blood sugar lows.Snack on fruit, full-fat yogurt and high protein snacks if you have cravings.Do at least 15 minutes of exercise a day to balance your blood sugar.A study from Princeton University yielded results that show a striking similarity between sugar addiction and heroin and cocaine addiction! If you are having a problem with sugar addiction, then read on! You will find plenty of useful information and tips to help you break that sugar addiction for good!
Sugar has no nutritional value but lots of calories and it goes straight to the bloodstream where it raises blood glucose levels, stimulates the release of insulin and contributes to weight gain. Overtime, it can lead to more serious health problems like heart disease, Type II diabetes and some forms of cancer.Sugar Is Hidden Everywhere.The goal in managing your addiction is to put an end to sugar cravings and eliminate hidden sources which are lurking almost everywhere. Sugar is relatively cheap and widely available which means it is added to almost everything we eat these days. Since the 1970's, the sugar content in processed food has nearly doubled. It is found in condiments like barbecue sauce, catsup, salad dressings and pasta sauce. Unless you read the labels, you may never realize how much sugar you are consuming each day.
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:
To help deal with your cravings psychologically, try to replace your regular sugar consumption with doing something else enjoyable instead. Watch TV or play computer games if you have to; do whatever you need to, to get through the first difficult couple of weeks of craving.If you are overweight, ask yourself whether you want that chocolate bar or you want to be thin. You probably can't have both. Don't allow yourself to think that you can defer the challenge indefinitely; recognize that your cravings have to be faced head-on. If you particularly crave sugar at certain times of the day, brace yourself for a battle.If you prepare sufficiently by eating fruit and preferably exercising too, you can reduce your cravings to a manageable level, then you can start winning your battle with your cravings. After a few weeks you won't even remember why you had such terrible problems in the first place.Change Your Life Scientifically.Break sugar addiction, lose weight, ditch your boss or move to another country.At Fascinating Experiments we discuss how to gain control of your life so that you can do the things that you want to do.Among other things, we look at ways of making money at home, how to get more money in your existing job, how to change career, and how to lose weight and increase your energy levels; with a focus on concrete steps you can take without spending any money and without signing up to dubious programs or buying dubious products.
About the Author:
Learn more about Sugar Addiction Symptoms as well as Sugar Addiction Treatment , now.
No comments:
Post a Comment