Are you dying for your next sweet fix all day long and can’t stop eating sugar?
If so, you are not alone. The average American consumes 152 pounds of sugar every year, which means 24 teaspoons of sugar every day making sugar cravings common.
But, I have great news for you…….it’s not your fault and you CAN stop sugar cravings for good.
First, we need to understand why we are addicted
According to Dr. Mark Hyman, Director of the Functional Medicine Clinic at the Cleveland Clinic, “It’s not our fault.” He claims that sugar addiction is not an emotional eating disorder but rather, it is a biological disorder driven by hormones and neurotransmitters that fuel sugar and carb cravings leading to uncontrollable overeating. Every time we eat sugar it lights up the reward center in the brain giving us a short-lived “high”, but after a while, we need more and more sugar to get that same blissful feeling just like drugs, which wires our brains for addiction. He maintains, along with a growing body of science, that this is why we are seeing an explosion of not only type 2 diabetes and obesity, but also cancer, hypertension, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. To better understand the damaging effects of sugar, check out my “Sugar-Tox” article here.
How do i stop sugar cravings?
Don’t Trust Willpower-GEt rid of it
We have been conditioned since we were toddlers to eat sugar. We eat sugar when we’re happy. We eat sugar when we’re sad. We eat sugar when we’re stressed or when we’re mad. Sugar is fun and celebratory, and every birthday party, wedding, anniversary, holiday party, you name it, is not complete without it. However, you cannot possibly trust willpower when your brain has been wired for years to crave it. So, the only solution is to GET RID OF IT. I know this is a harsh one, but “out of sight” means “out of mind.” That’s right, throw out the ice cream from the freezer, get the Oreos out of the pantry and pitch the leftover Halloween candy ASAP. I don’t know about you, but I’m way too lazy to get in the car to go to the store to buy sugar so if it’s not in the house, I don’t eat it period. Dr. Mark Hyman recommends going cold turkey and doing a 10-day detox if you want to rewire your brain chemistry and kick your sugar habit forever. Check his book out here.
Desperate to stop eating sugar? I’ll show you practical and easy ways to go off sugar? Book a free consult here!
Fill Up ON Protein
One of the reasons we crave sugar is because we are not getting enough protein in our diets, especially at breakfast. The average American starts their day eating bagels, muffins, cereal, toast, or granola setting the stage for a blood sugar roller coaster all day. Unstable blood sugar is one of the main causes of cravings. Studies have shown that adding more protein to your meals will keep you fuller and more satiated longer leaving less room for sugary snacks. Here are some great ideas for protein sources.
- Organic chicken or turkey
- Pasture-raised Eggs
- Grass-fed beef
- Organic full fat or raw dairy
- Cheese
- Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon
- Beans and lentils
HEALTHY FATS are the best fuel
Fat is by far your body’s preferred source of fuel. Adding healthy fats to every meal can slow down digestion and prevent the insulin spikes and crashes that feed our sugar cravings in the first place. Sarah Wilson, Internationally recognized author of “I quit Sugar” explains it best. Eating sugar is like stoking a fire with paper. While yes sugar does give us small hits of energy, we will need more and more of it all day long to keep our metabolic fire burning, if you will. Whereas, eating healthy fats with our meals is like putting a log on the fire which will burn slowly for several hours keeping us full until it’s truly time for the next meal. When you eat more healthy fats instead of sugar your body converts from a “sugar burning” machine to a “fat-burning” machine. Start adding these fats to your diet to kick your cravings.
- Avocados
- Organic coconut oil/MCT oil
- Olive oil
- Nuts and Seeds
- Wild-caught fatty fish
- Grass-fed butter or nut butters
Manage Your Stress
It is well known that when we are overwhelmed, stressed, and dealing with matters of the heart, the first thing we do is reach for any comfort food we can get our hands on, especially sugar. Instead of reaching food to cope and self-medicate, we really need to be honest with ourselves and start addressing the real root cause behind our stress. Developing and committing to a daily Self-Care routine that involves things like yoga, exercise, meditation, prayer or just spending time in nature, is a much healthier way to build resilience and manage stress.
Supplement with L-Glutamine
According to Dr. Mark Hyman, L-Glutamine and Tyrosine are powerful amino acids that help stop sugar cravings. Glutamine and Tyrosine are amino acids that act as building blocks for proteins which are critical macronutrients that keep us full for longer periods.
Take Chlorella
According to Brian Clement of the Hippocrates Health Institute, keeping easy to digest protein on hand like Chlorella is one of the best ways to fight cravings. Chlorella stabilizes blood sugar and is packed full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that contribute to your overall well-being. He recommends taking 3 tablets per 100 pounds of body weight every time you feel a craving coming on and within 10 to 15 minutes the Chlorella saturates the bloodstream with a ton of amino acids that stop sugar cravings. I can personally attest to this one. I have been taking Chlorella for the past couple of years in order to detox from heavy metals and I never have sugar cravings. Chlorella is an amazing superfood!
Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in the body responsible for over 300 biochemical processes in the body including protein synthesis, proper nerve function, and controlling blood glucose levels. But that’s not all, magnesium is essential for healthy levels of neurotransmitters like Dopamine, which at low levels, can lead to cravings, especially chocolate, which happens to be high in magnesium.
Vitamin C as ascorbate
Ok so I had never heard this one before but it certainly makes sense. According to Russell Jaffe, MD, PhD, and nationally recognized Integrative Medicine Pioneer, the most common reason for sugar cravings is lack of vitamin C as ascorbate. Apparently, we are the only species on the planet that cannot convert glucose into ascorbate so, in a sense, Vitamin C is competing with glucose in our bodies, and low levels lead us to crave sugar. He recommends doing a C-Cleanse not only for a quick and healthy way to lose a few pounds but to get control of your sugar habit and regain your health once and for all.
Ancient Chinese Secret
Traditional Chinese Medicine has used Chicory greens as a secret weapon to stop sugar cravings for many years. This bitter-tasting perennial from the dandelion family contains the prebiotic fiber inulin, which not only is great for digestion and promoting healthy gut bacteria but is acclaimed for keeping us fuller longer. Chicory is also high in B6 which is required in order to properly metabolize sugar. A scoop of this in your morning smoothie is a surefire way to prevent the sugar rollercoaster.
Get Movin
If we are going to be successful at going off sugar, we are going to need to replace the “high” which means it’s time to get off your can and start moving. NO MORE EXCUSES….cause your health matters! Exercise is well known for releasing those “feel good” hormones called endorphins but physical activity also stimulates other neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin which play a key role in managing mood and stress which often causes us to reach for sugar.
Sleep well
According to the NCBI, lack of sleep has a direct impact on our hunger hormones. Not getting the right amount of restful sleep leads to a decreased secretion of leptin which controls our hunger and an increase in the secretion of ghrelin, which signals hunger, causing us to crave low nutrient quick “pick me ups” like sugary, salty, and savory foods.
Good Reads
“The 10-Day Detox”, by Dr. Mark Hyman
“Food and Addiction: A Comprehensive Handbook,” by Dr. Mark Gold
“I Quit Sugar” by Sarah Wilson
“Fat Chance”, by Dr. Robert Lustig
Disclaimer
The information contained in this blog and any content within therootcausewellness.com website is intended to educate, empower, and inspire readers to make positive choices for their own overall health and wellbeing. I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist and the information contained in this website is my personal opinion based on my education, real-life experience, and research unless otherwise stated. Therefore, It is in no way intended to substitute for professional medical advice from a doctor or licensed health professional. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or medical condition. It is always recommended that you consult with a doctor or licensed medical professional before making any dietary, lifestyle, exercise, medication, or supplement changes. Kathleen Freydl, Certified Health Coach and Owner of the Root Cause Wellness, accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever for the use or misuse of the information contained in therootcausewellness.com website including affiliate links.