Many times people who struggle with overweight or obesity berate themselves for not having the willpower to lose weight. With some of us, it may indeed be a willpower problem. However, and this is important, many people who struggle seemingly forever with their weight have another struggle going on they are probably not even aware of...addiction to sugar! If you are addicted to sugar, it's nearly impossible to lose weight. In fact, you crave the very thing that causes you to gain weight.[]
What is 'addiction' anyway? Addiction is a condition in which an individual has a dysfunctional relationship with a substance. For example, in the case of sugar addiction, sugar may be used to reward and/or relax a person. That is a dysfunctional relationship because reward and relaxation are not the intended purposes of a food item. With an addiction of any kind, the individual is unable to stop the behavior, regardless of consequences, and in fact seeks the target substance out on an ever-increasing basis.
What happens when we consume it? For most people, it sets off a craving for more sugar. This is the law of sugar in action. There are very few of us who haven't felt the urge for more cookies or chocolate, after just having one. I have met a few individuals who don't eat sweets at all and generally these folks fall into three categories. They've either gotten a handle on their sugar consumption and avoid it entirely or they never had an issue with it in the first place. Other people consume alcoholic beverages regularly and get their daily sugar from that source. It makes sense: most recovered alcoholics will tell you they discovered a significant sweet tooth after they got off the alcohol. That's because many alcoholic beverages already contain a high sugar content.
Now, why exactly does eating sugar trigger a strong desire for more sweets or calories? Eating sugar triggers the release of opiates in the brain. Opiates are chemicals which make you feel good. For anyone who isn't sure what opiates are, understand that they are the in the same class of drugs as heroin or morphine. Eating sugar will also begin a cycle of craving or compulsion for more of the same feeling that was caused by the release of the opiates. You may not "get high" the way you would with a powerful narcotic, but that doesn't mean it doesn't impact your mood or your brain.
Avoid salt foods. They induce sugar cravings.Eat more fruit and vegetables. There are sweet vegetables, too. Buy smart: Read the labels on the foods you buy.Eat whole grains. They contain complex carbohydrates (millet, barley, brown rice).Ice-cream fans: eat only ice-cream that is reach in healthy ingredients and not high flavored, high sugar ice-cream.Don't give up sugar: the only thing you'll get is a powerful crave.High protein breakfast: in the morning eat high protein foods.
Firstly you aren't alone; sugar addiction is probably more common than alcoholism, drug addiction and gambling. Why? Simple, sugar is everywhere, not just in your cup of tea, cake, biscuit or can of coke. Sugar has sneaked its way into the most unlikely of foods such as soups, bread and even ketchup.Secondly sugar acts in the same way as certain illegal drugs. At least if we are as closely related to our cousin the rat as scientists seem to believe. Researchers showed that a whopping 94% of rats preferred the taste of sugar and sweeteners to cocaine. Food addiction is plausible because brain pathways respond to sugar in the same way as addictive drugs act.
Thirdly sugar is toxic; by now you are probably beginning to see the bigger picture. Sugar is addictive and like any addictive substance it is toxic. The reaction mightn't be as obvious as what comes with a cocaine overdose, but don't be lulled into a false sense of "it's only sugar", overtime excess sugar consumption is deadly. Teeth decay, diabetes, bad skin, nutrient deficiencies, obesity all come hand in hand with sugar addiction.
If sugar is addictive who are the pushers? Stop reading now if you are worried about the answer.It's you, it's your partner, it's the kids, it's the food industry - it's anyone who feeds your sugar habit.Everyone who knows you, who knows that you are overweight or struggling with type 2 diabetes is responsible for helping you to keep away from sugar rather than feed your habit.A drug addict is locked in a room, an alcoholic goes to a clinic, yet a sugar addict cannot avoid their addictive substance. This lack of industry support, lack of societal support is not to be underestimated. It takes a very strong reserve to kick a sugar habit.
But we're not entirely powerless. If more people looked at sugar's opiate triggering power and treated it like an addiction, doesn't it stand to reason that they'd have a better chance at overcoming their sugar habit? Yes, ignorance is bliss. But this kind of ignorance is literally destroying our health and the health of our children.Commit to yourself now that you will continue to educate yourself on both the problem and the solution. Books on sugar abound, so the good news is that there is an in-depth solution you can read up on further if you're serious about overcoming sugar addiction. If you're serious about kicking the habit, consider working with a naturopath or health coach. A great way to kick off your new resolve is to embark on a low-glycemic diet, especially if you can join a group that is doing it together.
Just be aware that if you take up the challenge, you'll have to step out of your comfort zone for awhile. For awhile, you'll miss it like an old friend who has moved away, but like anything else, you'll get used to it. And I promise you, once you experience the wonderful clarity of mind and feel the natural energy your body provides without sugar's artificial high, you will never want to go back.
What is 'addiction' anyway? Addiction is a condition in which an individual has a dysfunctional relationship with a substance. For example, in the case of sugar addiction, sugar may be used to reward and/or relax a person. That is a dysfunctional relationship because reward and relaxation are not the intended purposes of a food item. With an addiction of any kind, the individual is unable to stop the behavior, regardless of consequences, and in fact seeks the target substance out on an ever-increasing basis.
What happens when we consume it? For most people, it sets off a craving for more sugar. This is the law of sugar in action. There are very few of us who haven't felt the urge for more cookies or chocolate, after just having one. I have met a few individuals who don't eat sweets at all and generally these folks fall into three categories. They've either gotten a handle on their sugar consumption and avoid it entirely or they never had an issue with it in the first place. Other people consume alcoholic beverages regularly and get their daily sugar from that source. It makes sense: most recovered alcoholics will tell you they discovered a significant sweet tooth after they got off the alcohol. That's because many alcoholic beverages already contain a high sugar content.
Now, why exactly does eating sugar trigger a strong desire for more sweets or calories? Eating sugar triggers the release of opiates in the brain. Opiates are chemicals which make you feel good. For anyone who isn't sure what opiates are, understand that they are the in the same class of drugs as heroin or morphine. Eating sugar will also begin a cycle of craving or compulsion for more of the same feeling that was caused by the release of the opiates. You may not "get high" the way you would with a powerful narcotic, but that doesn't mean it doesn't impact your mood or your brain.
Avoid salt foods. They induce sugar cravings.Eat more fruit and vegetables. There are sweet vegetables, too. Buy smart: Read the labels on the foods you buy.Eat whole grains. They contain complex carbohydrates (millet, barley, brown rice).Ice-cream fans: eat only ice-cream that is reach in healthy ingredients and not high flavored, high sugar ice-cream.Don't give up sugar: the only thing you'll get is a powerful crave.High protein breakfast: in the morning eat high protein foods.
Firstly you aren't alone; sugar addiction is probably more common than alcoholism, drug addiction and gambling. Why? Simple, sugar is everywhere, not just in your cup of tea, cake, biscuit or can of coke. Sugar has sneaked its way into the most unlikely of foods such as soups, bread and even ketchup.Secondly sugar acts in the same way as certain illegal drugs. At least if we are as closely related to our cousin the rat as scientists seem to believe. Researchers showed that a whopping 94% of rats preferred the taste of sugar and sweeteners to cocaine. Food addiction is plausible because brain pathways respond to sugar in the same way as addictive drugs act.
Thirdly sugar is toxic; by now you are probably beginning to see the bigger picture. Sugar is addictive and like any addictive substance it is toxic. The reaction mightn't be as obvious as what comes with a cocaine overdose, but don't be lulled into a false sense of "it's only sugar", overtime excess sugar consumption is deadly. Teeth decay, diabetes, bad skin, nutrient deficiencies, obesity all come hand in hand with sugar addiction.
If sugar is addictive who are the pushers? Stop reading now if you are worried about the answer.It's you, it's your partner, it's the kids, it's the food industry - it's anyone who feeds your sugar habit.Everyone who knows you, who knows that you are overweight or struggling with type 2 diabetes is responsible for helping you to keep away from sugar rather than feed your habit.A drug addict is locked in a room, an alcoholic goes to a clinic, yet a sugar addict cannot avoid their addictive substance. This lack of industry support, lack of societal support is not to be underestimated. It takes a very strong reserve to kick a sugar habit.
But we're not entirely powerless. If more people looked at sugar's opiate triggering power and treated it like an addiction, doesn't it stand to reason that they'd have a better chance at overcoming their sugar habit? Yes, ignorance is bliss. But this kind of ignorance is literally destroying our health and the health of our children.Commit to yourself now that you will continue to educate yourself on both the problem and the solution. Books on sugar abound, so the good news is that there is an in-depth solution you can read up on further if you're serious about overcoming sugar addiction. If you're serious about kicking the habit, consider working with a naturopath or health coach. A great way to kick off your new resolve is to embark on a low-glycemic diet, especially if you can join a group that is doing it together.
Just be aware that if you take up the challenge, you'll have to step out of your comfort zone for awhile. For awhile, you'll miss it like an old friend who has moved away, but like anything else, you'll get used to it. And I promise you, once you experience the wonderful clarity of mind and feel the natural energy your body provides without sugar's artificial high, you will never want to go back.
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