Happy Friday!

One of my first few posts when I started this blog in July of 2016 was about sugar and how addictive it is. More and more people are mentioning to me that they have issues with sugar and coming right out and saying they have an all out sugar addiction. Perhaps there is an increased desire to reach for a cookie while watching the news these days? Stress-induced eating is not going away anytime soon (at least not for another four years) so we have to continue to employ tricks and tips to get us to a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude when it comes to sugar. Politics is another thing…

OREOS JUST AS ADDICTIVE AS HEROINE OR COCAINE

According to neuroscientist Joseph Shroeder, high-fat/high-sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do. Certain foods and especially sugar, can provide pleasure and relieve stress.  Sugar or corn syrup is in the obvious foods like cookies, cakes and pies and the not-so-obvious foods like McDonalds hamburger buns, many peanut butters and even added to fruit juice and fruit preserves, which are sugary on their own. This is not an arbitrary occurrence. Large conglomerate food companies want us to become addicted to their foods and to buy more. They spend gazillians of dollars to find out what substances will tell our brains that we NEED more. This is deceptive but strangely legal.

Doesn’t it feel better to know it’s not your fault? I myself was once a sweet-toothed addict. I always will need to watch myself around sugar, especially if I’m in one of those moods where eating two slices of cake sounds like a really good idea. However, I no longer have the love affair with sugar I once had. It took years of exploration, experimentation and patience, but I kicked the need for sugar and so can you.

Some foods are especially hard to resist for certain people due to nostalgia

Perhaps your beloved grandma used to make oatmeal cookies for you. I would imagine that those moments felt peaceful, loving and safe. Now oatmeal cookies or cookies of any kind, make you feel better during a stressful, fearful or unhappy time, right? Makes sense. Since life often becomes more stressful as we get older, we really need to watch our triggers. The first step is to make the connection between what we eat and when we eat it. If we can make the connection, e.g. stressful time = cookie indulgence, then we are on our way to stopping the cycle.

Consuming too much sugar not only leads to weight gain and less radiant skin but also could be the precursor to serious health problems like heart disease and diabetes. I specialize in this area having experienced it – and beat it -myself. You do not have to give up sugar and treats you love. You simply have to change your relationship with sugar so that you are the boss and not the other way around.

TIPS & TRICKS TO TO TAKE YOU FROM SUGAR ADDICT TO SUGAR APPRECIATOR

• Introduce more sweet vegetables to your diet and cravings will begin to subside. Cooked carrots, beets, squash, onions, sweet potato and corn become sweet when cooked. Root vegetables like turnips and parsnips although not as sweet, still provide some sweetness and help to reduce cravings. The change will be subtle at first but eventually you will notice that you crave less and less of the unhealthy foods made with processed sugar. This is called ‘crowding out.’
• Eat more red radishes, daikon radishes and green cabbage. While not sweet, they help maintain blood sugar levels similar to sweet veggies, reduce cravings and aid in digestion.
• Dates. Not the romantic kind but the dried up squishy fruit kind. I would not survive this journey of life without dates. I only need one or two and I’m good. They are packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber and most importantly, are simply delicious.
• Oatmeal. Oatmeal is a hearty, comforting food that can satisfy your craving and make you feel full. If you are faced with a business trip and are eyeing the pastry tray, opt for oatmeal. Even if you add a spoonful of sugar, you are still doing better than the alternative. When I worked in corporate, I always had oatmeal in my office for times of crisis – like yet another birthday and cake. All I needed was hot water and a little sugar and my craving was satisfied.
• For chocoholics, I recommend homemade cocoa to beat a craving. Pour about an eighth of a cup of hot water into a mug and add a tablespoon or two of raw cacao powder or cocoa powder. Mix well. Add more hot water or even better, heated almond, oat or hemp milk, sweeten with maple syrup and top with cinnamon.
• Water. It wouldn’t be a post from me without mentioning water. Once that sugar craving comes on, down a large glass of H2O and wait it out. What craving?

For a more detailed description of the above tips, visit prior post  7 steps to kick the sugar habit.  As mentioned above you may decide to seek the help of a health coach. If your love affair with sugar runs deep, don’t go it alone. Work with a certified health coach to develop a unique plan of action to reduce and eventually eliminate sugar cravings. Show that inner cookie monster who is boss!

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