Kick the Habit

Are you addicted to sugar?? You might be shocked to discover exactly how much sugar you actually consume unknowingly. You may be addicted to the sweet poison with out even realising!

Some common signs that you have a sugar addiction include craving something sweet after meals, poor concentration or easily distracted, mood swing or erratic spurts of energy throughout the day.

There are a few ways that you can help your body recover from sugar addiction.

1. Eat more regular meals. This is one technique that has definitely worked for me! Eating smaller meals containing protein every 3 hours will help maintain steady blood sugar levels and balance out your energy levels. This is an important step to avoid a mid afternoon slump which will have you looking for a quick fix.

2. Reduce your caffeine intake and drink more water. Too much caffeine can lead to lowered glucose levels in the body creating really intense sugar cravings. So if you’re a coffee drinker try to limit your intake to one or two a day. You could try switching to decaf or try a caffeine free herbal tea. There are some really great herbal mixes around now, so you can use them to satisfy a sugar cravings with out the sugar!!

3. Try a sugar substitute. There are lots of alternatives to sugar these days. One of the comments I hear a lot is “I don’t like artificial sweeteners because they are carcinogenic” well… news flash, SO IS SUGAR!!! However there are some other natural alternatives that you may like to try out. Stevia which comes from a native South American plant is 300 times sweeter than sugar and has no effect on blood glucose levels. It has actually been shown to improve insulin-resistance and has anti-inflammatory properties. One sachet of stevia contains 0.2 calories compared to sugar with 15 calories per sachet. Xylitol is another natural sweetener found in some vegetables, fruits and grains, it has 4 calories in one sachet and has some anti-bacterial properties.

4. Get moving. One reason sugar is so addictive is because it increases the levels of the hormone serotonin which controls mood. Luckily exercise has the same effect! So when your cravings come on strong, get up and MOVE!!

When all else fails, remember… Your the one in control not the substance so take a deep breath and just say NO!

 

Tegan