Sweet Cravings? How to overcome the sugar obsession
Do you find yourself either buzzing or crashing? Sugar cravings are part of an addictive cycle that can predispose you to obesity, diabetes, & many other degenerative conditions. This modern syndrome which is exacerbated by the massive variety of refined sugar & carbohydrate products that are on the market, affects most people at some point in their lives. Here I explore what underlies it & how you can help yourself recover from it.
Even though we know that refined sugar isn't so healthy, why is it we can often feel compelled to eat it when we really don't want to? A sugar craving is a legitimate biological demand from the body to replenish blood sugar that has become too low, we cannot ignore this call but the earlier we catch it the easier it is to bring it back to balance in a more healthy way. If we are busy & stressed we may not notice our blood sugar dropping & it will then become imperative to take very refined sugars...as one of my clients put it recently '...I just HAD to have a mars bar..'!
6 vital keys to avoid getting into this scenario are:
1. Eat regular meals especially breakfast (see big breakfast article).
2. Include protein in every meal.
3. Eat BEFORE you get hungry!
4. Drink plenty of pure water to keep hydrated throughout the day, blood sugar will drop if we are dehydrated.
5. Reduce or avoid caffeine as it overstimulates the adrenals causing blood sugar to fluctuate.
6. When snacking, never eat carbs on their own, always include some protein eg. Fresh fruit & nuts, oatcakes & cheese etc. A mega healthy all round snack is a green smoothie made with fresh greens & barley grass, greens contains free form amino acids which quickly replenish blood sugar levels. Email me for the recipe.
Adrenal fatigue & insulin insufficiency are two of the major underlying factors in hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. They frequently occur together & are often due to a combination of stress & an inherited lack of essential fatty acids (omega 3 & 6) which are necessary for hormone production. With that in mind ensure that you regularly include oily fish, flax oil, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh nuts & seeds in your daily diet. Chromium is useful in helping to balance blood sugar levels & B vitamins are also essential to stabilise energy levels, a good B complex with 200mg of B5 to support the adrenals can be found at a good health food store.
Sweet Tooth?
If you really miss the taste of sweet things it's much better to take a small amount of honey or raw cane sugar in your hot drinks & to drink diluted fruit juices than to use artificial sweeteners or diet sodas that contain toxic chemical sugar replacements. Pure fructose & agave syrups are also important to avoid. Lo Han is a good herbal sweetener as is pure Stevia. The good news is that regular EXERCISE is excellent for helping to moderate insulin sensitivity as well as curbing a sweet tooth. Everyone is different & unique so do experiment aware-fully & if in doubt about what will work best for you consult a nutritionist.
Even though we know that refined sugar isn't so healthy, why is it we can often feel compelled to eat it when we really don't want to? A sugar craving is a legitimate biological demand from the body to replenish blood sugar that has become too low, we cannot ignore this call but the earlier we catch it the easier it is to bring it back to balance in a more healthy way. If we are busy & stressed we may not notice our blood sugar dropping & it will then become imperative to take very refined sugars...as one of my clients put it recently '...I just HAD to have a mars bar..'!
6 vital keys to avoid getting into this scenario are:
1. Eat regular meals especially breakfast (see big breakfast article).
2. Include protein in every meal.
3. Eat BEFORE you get hungry!
4. Drink plenty of pure water to keep hydrated throughout the day, blood sugar will drop if we are dehydrated.
5. Reduce or avoid caffeine as it overstimulates the adrenals causing blood sugar to fluctuate.
6. When snacking, never eat carbs on their own, always include some protein eg. Fresh fruit & nuts, oatcakes & cheese etc. A mega healthy all round snack is a green smoothie made with fresh greens & barley grass, greens contains free form amino acids which quickly replenish blood sugar levels. Email me for the recipe.
Adrenal fatigue & insulin insufficiency are two of the major underlying factors in hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. They frequently occur together & are often due to a combination of stress & an inherited lack of essential fatty acids (omega 3 & 6) which are necessary for hormone production. With that in mind ensure that you regularly include oily fish, flax oil, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh nuts & seeds in your daily diet. Chromium is useful in helping to balance blood sugar levels & B vitamins are also essential to stabilise energy levels, a good B complex with 200mg of B5 to support the adrenals can be found at a good health food store.
Sweet Tooth?
If you really miss the taste of sweet things it's much better to take a small amount of honey or raw cane sugar in your hot drinks & to drink diluted fruit juices than to use artificial sweeteners or diet sodas that contain toxic chemical sugar replacements. Pure fructose & agave syrups are also important to avoid. Lo Han is a good herbal sweetener as is pure Stevia. The good news is that regular EXERCISE is excellent for helping to moderate insulin sensitivity as well as curbing a sweet tooth. Everyone is different & unique so do experiment aware-fully & if in doubt about what will work best for you consult a nutritionist.
