SUGAR - And it's hidden dangers To Women's Health

The bittersweet truth about sugar and women's health

The sweaty summers are here again and so the rising temperature also tempts us to grab ‘those summer beverages (still and carbonated soft drinks, juice-based beverages, 100% juices) in any form be it alcohol, juice, soda, energy drinks, sweetened water, sports drinks, coffee or tea beverages that come in our way. It's summer time again and it's that time of year that we consume more ice creams, lollies and fruity drinks, drink more wine, beer and sugary snacks, such as cakes and summery deserts.

In the summer, we tend to be more active and thirstier. This means we crave sugary, thirst-quenching food and drinks.

Our bodies know that sugar produces a quick hit of energy and that’s why we often opt for a nice cold glass of lemonade in the heat, rather than a glass of water.

When the temperature soars, it’s tempting to cool off with a Popsicle or ice-cold soda, but these sweets aren’t doing your health any favours

Long, warm days are often marked with beers, barbecues in the garden and ice cream after dinner. But do we eat these foods more out of tradition or do our cravings change with the season? Turns out, the answer is a little bit of both.

In the summer months, you want to stay cool and sometimes people tend to eat and drink more sugary items. Many of our summer sugary cravings relate back to hydration as people tend to be more active and thirstier.

If you’re outdoors and you’re working or you’re outdoors and playing you want something thirst quenching with sugar, like refreshing options like lemonade, sweet tea or alcohol as the most popular picks. In fact, many people who don’t drink in the winter months will take it up in the summer months.

A temptress in disguise – sugar may be seductive, but she has zero nutritional benefits, is packed with empty calories and comes with a myriad of long-term health issues. WARNING: For you star-crossed sugar lovers, it’s heart-breaking disillusion ahead...

What All Ladies Need To Know About Sugar

Have you ever wondered if you’re eating too much sugar?

The truth is sugar is prevalent in our everyday lives. Sugar is added by food manufacturers to almost every processed food - pizza, canned food, pastas, ketchup. Although sugar may taste great, too much sugar causes you more harm than good.

Sugar itself is a group of molecules. There are different types of sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, and so on. Sugar is naturally in the foods we eat such as fruits or even dairy.

The problem with sugar is that modern day processed foods have 25% more sugar compared to food in the 1970s. Over the decades, sugar (mostly sucrose and fructose) has been added to highly processed foods and drinks. Both sucrose and fructose are found in processed foods like pasta, bread, and condiments.

While it is delicious, the amounts of sugar we eat today can cause inflammation in the body, a burden on our liver, and increased insulin in our blood (which triggers hunger).

Sugar The Bitter Truth

It’s no secret that governments all over the world are starting to crack down on sugar. They are passing taxes on sugary drinks and snacks, banning them from schools, and more treatment programs are becoming open to people who believe they are addicted to sugar. But what is the truth? Is sugar the new enemy, especially for women health?

This month I wanted to look at the different types of sugar and how it can impact our health as females especially in regards to hormonal health and mental wellbeing, plus general health of your body and waistline also.

So lets take an honest look at sugar and what we can do about it...

Suffice to say, most women have an innately higher craving for the sweet stuff than men. Nonetheless it may come as a surprise to hear that our sugar demands have serious biological backing. Evidence suggests that:

Women need a certain percentage of body fat (approximately 20%) in order to maintain and sustain a pregnancy to full-term.
Elevated oestrogen levels and hormonal fluctuations throughout the month may be connected to our sugar cravings.
Sugar raises our levels of serotonin – a neurotransmitter made in the brain responsible for regulating mood. Women naturally have lower levels of serotonin than men and are, therefore, more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. So on a biochemical level, we would be forgiven for reaching for that afternoon hobnob.
Many experts are now saying that sugar is as addictive as tobacco and alcohol, and should be closely regulated. The average Briton consumes 34 teaspoons of sugar per day! That’s a whopping 565% more than the recently updated World Health Organisation recommendation of 6 teaspoons per day. Doctor David Reuben, author of Everything you wanted to know about Nutrition says, “White refined sugar is not food.” Simply put, it is a pure chemical extracted from plant sources with a structure remarkably similar to cocaine.

Sugar comes in many forms including glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose and dextrose to name a few. As consumers are becoming savvier, manufacturers are following suit, cleverly disguising their sweet poison as unrecognisable labels to the layperson.

Hidden within everything from the more obviously highly-processed foods such as soda, chocolates, cakes and biscuits, to the unsuspecting baked beans, ketchup, bread and peanut butter. The seemingly ‘healthy’ gluten-free cereals, snacks and fruit juices are also common adversaries.

If you think artificial sweeteners are a good alternative, then think again. Even more problematic than sugar these should be seriously avoided. Hidden within mints, cordials, chewing gum, diet and low fat products, common variations include aspartame, sucralose and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, saccharin and mannitol.

Studies suggest that aspartame has been connected with neurological disease and associated symptoms include headaches, migraines, cravings, weight gain, elevated insulin levels, memory loss, muscle spasms, twitching, dizziness and seizures.

So Are You Addicted To Sugar?

Do you need to eat something sweetevery day?
Do you have routines around eating sugar, e.g. always needing to have a pudding, or biscuit?
If you eliminate sugar for 24 hours, do you develop headaches and mood swings?

If you answered ‘yes’ to one of the above questions above, you may have a sugar addiction.

Avoiding it may feel like navigating your way through a minefield, but with some practical and therapeutic advice from yours truly, I can help you break the habit and set you free.

On that bitter note, here are my -

‘Ten Good Reasons To Avoid Sugar especially for women’:

Studies show sugar may fuel the growth and metastasis of unruly cells throughout the body.
Sugar is linked to insulin resistance and diabetes, as well as blood sugar irregularities affecting mood, energy, fertility, stress and work productivity.
Elevates oestrogen levels, which impacts hormonal health, e.g. menstrual irregularities, PMS and PCOS. Painful periods and heavy bleeding. And increases and decreases hormonal levels, creating overactive and under active hormones.
Raises androgen levels, resulting in hirtsuism (facial hair) and the increased growth and thickness of hair in unwanted places.
Causes acne and pimples.
Accelerates the ageing process, reduces tissue elasticity and causes skin to sag and wrinkle.
Increases the risk and manifestation of autoimmune conditions and diseases, e.g. Graves’s and Celiac disease.
Reduces satiety, increases appetite, fat composition and causes weight gain and cellulite.
Elevates prostaglandin levels exacerbating pain during menstruation.
Upsets the vital balance between good and bad levels of bacteria within our gut. Think IBS and bloating for starters.

Let’s look at the many other reasons sugar is thought to be bad for you. Some people say it’s one

of the worst things you can introduce to your system, even above fat. And that it is more addictive than cocaine.

Your Immune System – If you consume too much processed sugar you can reduce your ability to kill germs inside your body. It doesn’t take much, either. Just two sodas can stop the ability to fight off that flu bug and lead to falling ill. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get vaccines if you don't eat sugar, but when it comes to health, including dental health, avoiding added sugar can boost your immunity exponentially.

Mineral Balance – If you have trouble sleeping at night, are constipated and having other problems, you could be having trouble with your mineral balance. If you eat a lot of sugar, you are likely depleting your magnesium stores to process all of it. Plus, you will lose more chromium through your urine if you eat a lot of sugar. I see this a lot in my clients who come to me for massages. Especially issues with sleeping, such as disturbed sleep. It can also cause osteoporosis, which is an issue for women as we age.

Menstrual Cramping - Sugar increases menstrual cramping and aggravate fertitility issues and can mature your eggs.

Inflammation and Muscle aches and pains - I see this often in my clients for massages and treatments. Inflammation is a real problem that causes muscle aches and pains and sugar causes inflammation to build up in the body.

Heart Problems - Diets high in sugar can damage the heart tissue and cause arteries to harden

Tooth and gum Issues - It's no surprise that eating sugar damages your teeth and gums, but it is also know to cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Behaviour Problems – Every parent on the planet will tell you that sugar and lack of sugar can affect their child’s behavior. If a child is hungry and their blood sugar is low, they will be sleepy and grumpy. If a child has an overdose of sugar, they will become agitated and animated. This is the same for adults also. The key to better behaviour is blood sugar balance.

Empty Calories – The fact is, processed sugar has no health benefits whatsoever. Therefore, when you eat sugary meals, you’re eating empty calories that will cause weight gain. The fact that sugar is often combined with fat and salt will make the effects even worse. It’s better to avoid added sugar when you can.

Overloading the Liver and Kidneys - with sugar is similar to overloading it with alcohol, as the Liver will start processing sugar as fat and you end up getting fatty liver. If the Kidneys are overwhelmed with sugar they will spill sugar into the urine, which can lead to permanent Kidney damage and diabetes.

Elevated Insulin Responses – When your insulin response is healthy, your cells will release the right amount of insulin. But, if you regularly consume sugar, especially in “overdose” amounts, your body will become confused about when to release insulin and when not to.

Damages Cells and Tissues – The tissue in your eyes, kidneys, nerves and more seem to carry sugar a lot longer than other organs. This means that the body can suffer damage from that remaining sugar because it damages small blood vessels. I see this a lot when I'm treating my clients, especially in some of the bodies organs such as the kidneys.

Causes High Blood Triglyceride Levels – There are no symptoms for high blood triglyceride levels. The only way to know if you have high triglycerides is by getting a blood test. It’s usually part of your overall cholesterol test.

Contributes to Hyperactivity – There are studies that show both results. Sugar does cause hyperactivity and sugar doesn't cause it. You must remember that any drug can affect one human one way, and another human another way. But, parents often report problems with hyperactivity in their child after consuming too much sugar. You can’t ignore the possibility.

Anxiety – Refined sugars enter the blood stream quickly, and leave the blood stream quickly. This process can manifest in more anxiety overall. Even though often people who are addicted to sugar eat to suppress anxiety, it’s just making the problem much worse. It’s best to avoid added sugars in the first place.

Poor Concentration – Again, the reason sugar may affect concentration and brain fog is because of the speed by which processed sugar can invade blood cells and then leave them. You need a balanced level of glucose to feed your brain, not short bursts of sugar such as in the form of soft drinks or cereal.

Can cause headaches and migraines - Consuming too much sugar can cause headaches and severe migraines

Feeds Some Cancers – The fact is, cancer cells love sugar. That’s because like most living things they need sugar to grow. But, not all sugars are created equal. Cancer cells love white sugar, white flour, and high fructose corn syrup. The good thing is that if you simply reduce your consumption of processed sugar, you can cut your cancer risks.

Hypoglycaemia – Low blood sugar happens in people who have a condition called hypoglycemia. This can be a condition on its own, but it can also happen in people who have diabetes and take medications like insulin because their bodies don’t produce enough on their own.

Poor Digestion – Processed sugar is very acidic. The more alkaline you can make your body, the healthier you’ll become. If you have an acidic stomach you’ll suffer from heartburn, GERD, and other digestion problems. It can also throw off gut health by decreasing the amount of good bacteria

Each person is affected differently. It’s best to look at your own symptoms and health issues and if you have any of these problems, try eliminating processed sugar first to see if you notice any changes in your health.

If you would like to find out more on the dangers of sugar? As there are many more that I believe we all need to be aware of...I have a helpful guide on the hidden dangers and what to use instead, which is from my published "10 years younger" book that I wrote in 2014. If this interests you? Please click the link here to message me your interest and I will forward it onto you by email.

Let's look at the different types of Sugar and what sugar actually is...

The Different Types of Sugar

Coca leaves were used for centuries in their natural state to chew on or to make tea. This was normal and there were no issues. But, then they were highly processed and turned into a dangerous and addictive drug known as cocaine.

The innocent poppy flower suffered the same fate. Formerly a safe and effective tea, often used for relaxation and pain, it got super-processed and became a powerful, dangerous and addictive opiate.

Sugar first starts out as sugar cane - a healthy stalking plant. Used in its natural form you can’t consume enough to make you sick. But super-concentrated and processed it becomes like a drug. In fact, with lab rats, sugar outperformed cocaine as the drug of choice.

It’s important to know that there are various types of sugar, some natural and some very processed - to the point that even if they started natural, they are no longer natural. Such as:-

Fructose – Don’t get confused by the word. While fructose is derived from fruit, it’s gone through processing that makes it a highly-concentrated form of sugar. This type of fructose should really be called “industrial fructose”. Eating fructose from natural fruit is not unsafe and should not be avoided. It's a natural and our bodies need the fibre from the fruits that we eat. But once it is processed in factories, though, it becomes something else entirely and causes a lot of health problems.

Glucose – This is sugar that’s in your blood. You get it from natural plant foods such as carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables, especially starchy ones. It’s one of the most important medications and very readily available in nature. It supplies almost all the energy to the brain. It’s important for metabolic health, respiration and more. If you want to be able to think clearly, you must have the right amount of glucose. Glucose is created industrially by using starchy plants like corn, rice, wheat, and other ingredients.

Lactose – Found in milk, it’s made from galactose and glucose. Industrially it’s produced as a by-product of the dairy industry. Most humans produce lactase to help digest this type of sugar far into adulthood. But some people, especially from eastern and south- eastern Asia and some parts of Africa cannot properly digest this type of sugar in adulthood.

Maltose – This sugar is found in the germination process as the seeds break down their starch stores for food to sprout and grow. This type of sugar can cause many intolerances as well as weight gain, kidney stones and more. However, eating it in its natural form such as in sweet potatoes, soybeans, barley and wheat (other than those who suffer from celiac) is healthy.

Sucrose – This type of sugar comes from cane and beets. Modern processing can make it look just like table sugar. Before it’s been processed it has a lot of health benefits, vitamins, and minerals. Honey is mostly fructose and glucose with trace amounts of sucrose.

As you see, most sugars start in a very natural state and aren’t bad in their natural and most whole form until they undergo super-processing. It’s the super-processing that’s bad for you, because it makes natural sugars into highly addictive drug-like substances.

The Surprising Places Sugar Hides

The hidden sugar in our diet is hard to find. You’ll be amazed at the things that have added and often unnecessary sugar inside.

Breakfast Cereal – Most of you could have guessed this one, but we’re not talking about the sugar in sugary cereal. We’re talking about hidden sugar in so-called healthy cereals. Some "healthy" cereals have more than 23 grams of sugar per serving.

Asian Food – Most restaurant-made or packaged Asian food has an enormous amount of sugar in it. Even sushi. The way you make sushi rice includes adding sugar to it. You can make your own Asian food to ensure that the sugar level is not too high.

Canned and Packaged Soups and Sauces – Thankfully, all you have to do is check the labels. Some yogurt has more than 15 grams of sugar! Even spaghetti sauce and gravy can have more sugar than a soda pop. If you want to be sure to eat less sugar, read labels and find no-sugar options or make your own.

Frozen Yogurt – Just because the word yogurt is in it doesn’t mean it’s healthy. It’s just as sugary as regular ice-cream. It’s a dessert. Treat it as if it’s a dessert. Don’t use it for a meal, and don’t believe you’re eating healthier. If you prefer real ice cream for a snack you are now free to eat it instead, as one is not better than the other when it comes to sugar.

Smoothies – They’re all the rage and there are many smoothie shops out there banking on it. But, most smoothie shops use fruit with added sugar which removes any benefits you would have from drinking a smoothie at all. If you make your own, watch it when recipes ask for dried fruit too. Using whole, fresh fruit is much better.

Bread – While there is some bread that is good for you, most bread is made with highly refined flour and sugar. Both of these affect blood sugar. Even wheat bread may be high in sugar, so you need to read the labels. Bread that is usually low in sugar is rye or spelt. Plus, you can make your own to avoid additives and sugar that can harm your health.

Condiments – You know we all like to dip everything. But, if you dip your fresh apples or celery into the wrong thing, you may be making matters worse. Instead, make your own condiments or read the labels. Today there are many low-sugar varieties of condiments, including low-sugar ketchup.

Canned Beans – Check the labels on canned beans, especially ones with any type of sauce on them like chili beans or baked beans. These are usually so high in sugar that if you compared it to a cake you wouldn’t know which was which just by the amount of sugar.

Muffins – You probably already realize that some muffins are high in sugar, but even the ones that sound healthy are just cakes in muffin form with a healthy flour or healthy name added. They are all high in sugar. There are some recipes for low-sugar muffins, though; just search the net and you’re sure to find them. You don’t have to do without.

Yogurt – Just like frozen yogurt is high in sugar, so is most sweetened yogurt - including low-fat yogurt. The best way to combat this problem is to make your own yogurt or eat yogurt as a dessert. You can also buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit and stevia to create a low-sugar snack that is healthy due to the probiotics in yogurt.

The lesson is that anything pre-made and packaged is in danger of having too much sugar.

It’s best to read the labels and judge for yourself. Keep in mind that the average adult should not consume more than 90 grams, or 5 percent of their total calories, in added sugar daily.

How Much Sugar Is Too Much?

One thing that needs to be clear is that there is a difference from naturally occurring sugars and added sugar. There is sugar in all plant food and plant food is good for you. In fact, most of your plate should make up plant food if you want to be at your optimum health.

So, it breaks down that adults should not consume more than about 90 grams in total of all sugars each day. How much of that constitutes added sugar depends on your ideal daily caloric intake.

That means if you eat 1500 calories each day, you can eat 90 grams of sugar a day. How much of that you want to be processed and added sugar is up to you. But obviously, keeping the amount of added sugar lower is better for your health. This gives you some room to experiment with your health and to have a little fun on your birthday.

When you consider that a cup of grapes has 15 grams of sugar but a can of coke has 39 grams, it makes the choice easier. If you really want a drink, you can try a sugar-free Zevia or even better, LaCroix. But a tall glass of filtered water with a cup of grapes will fill you up longer. The main thing is to find substitutes that you truly enjoy and like, while not overshooting the 90 grams of sugar allowance you have for each day.

The more natural sugars that you consume within that 90 grams, the healthier you’ll feel. And there are many low glycemic choices that you can make.

Fruit

Apples – 1 small = 15g
Apricots – 1 cup = 15g
Banana – 1 medium = 14g
Blackberries – 1 cup whole = 7g
Blueberries – 1 cup whole = 15g
Cantaloupe – 1 cup diced = 12g
Cranberries – 1 cup whole = 4g
Grapefruit – 1 cup = 16g
Guavas–1cup=15g
Honeydew – 1 cup diced = 14g
Lemons – 1 wedge = 0.2g
Limes - 1 wedge = 0.15g
Papaya – 1 cup 1” cubed = 11g
Peaches – 1 cup sliced = 13g
Raspberries – 1 cup whole = 5g
Rhubarb – 1 cup diced = 1.3g
Strawberries – 1 cup whole = 7g
Tomatoes – 1 large whole = 4.8g
Watermelon – 1 cup diced = 9g

Vegetables

Artichokes – 1 large = 1.6g
Asparagus – 1 cup = 2.5g
Broccoli – 1 cup chopped = 1.5g
Carrots – 1 medium = 2.9g
Celery – 1 cup chopped = 1.8g
Corn–1cup=1.1g
Cucumber – 1 8-in = 5g
Green Beans – 1 cup = 3.3g
Kale – 1 cup chopped = 1.6g
Lettuce – 1 head = 2.8g
Soybean sprouts – 1 cup = 0.1g
Spinach – 1 cup = 0.1g
Summer squash – 1 cup sliced = 2.5g
Swiss chard – 1 cup = 0.4g

As you can see, most natural foods don’t really have “too much” sugar. If you can eat 90 grams of sugar a day and you choose wisely from the lower sugar fruits and veggies, you’ll be surprised at how much you can eat if you avoid added sugars. When you consider that one teaspoon of processed sugar is 4.2 grams, you can decide what is best to eat in every given situation.

Are You Addicted to Sugar?

As you read this report, do you start thinking about ways to get around the 90-gram maximum of sugar that you can have each day? Note that the 90 grams of sugar (per UK government guidelines) you can consume per day has nothing to do with how many carbohydrates you eat each day. This is a separate number that you should be tracking.

Ask yourself these honestly - Here are some common behaviours that predict sugar addition:

Do You Eat Too Much? –

If there are some foods that you just can’t stop eating, assume they’re likely high in sugar. Sugar doesn’t really make you satiated, so it’s hard to stop. This is made worse if sugar is combined with sodium and fat. For example, you may be eating donuts which are also high in salt and fat, but would you really eat them without the sugar? Doubtful.

Do You Crave Processed Carbohydrates? –

If you’re often craving refined carbs like chips, crackers, and bread? then you may just have a problem with sugar. Often, eliminating added sugars can reduce cravings that you’re having for high processed carbs over time.

Do You Crave Salty Foods? –

With processed foods, salt and sugar go together very well. If you feel like you could lick a salt lick and be happy, you may be addicted to sugar. Look at the amount of sugar in the snacks you normally eat. If they’re highly processed, you can bet they have too much added sugar.

Do You Crave Meat?–

This might seem strange, but if you crave meat when you really don’t need it and aren’t really that hungry, you may really be craving the spices that are often on meat such as wing sauce which is very high in sugar.

Is Your Typical Meal Higher In Sugar Than It Should Be? -

Keep in mind that the maximum of 90 grams is a maximum. It doesn’t mean you need to eat that much sugar. If you feel bad and aren’t healthy, you can always cut that amount down. The best way to do that is avoid added sugars and only eat sugar that is naturally in plants.

Do You Get Moody without Sugar? –

If you find that you are often feeling grumpy and moody, the problem might be sugar. If you often suffer dips and rises in blood sugar, when you have a dip you will suffer from grumpy moods. This can be exacerbated by eating sugary things like candy which will provide a fast jump and a quick fall.

Do You Feel Powerless Over Sugar? –

Do you ever feel like you don’t even want to eat that sugary snack but you do it anyway because you know it’ll make you feel better? This is common in people who work long days; students especially. It’s true that eating a sugary snack will help temporarily, but you’d do far better eating a fruit snack with only natural sugars and fiber to help slow down the sugar absorption.

Do You Start and End Your Day with Sugar? –

Look at your entire day. What do you eat in the morning? What do you eat before bed? What is the first and last thing you eat each day?

If you’re eating sugar in the morning and at night, especially added processed sugar and not sugar in whole plants, then that is a sign that you may have an addiction to sugar.

Do You Suffer a 3 PM Slump? –

If you work in an office, you’ll notice this a lot more than if you are retired or work from home. But pay attention if somewhere after lunch you start falling asleep while you’re working or feel as if you need a nap. Look at your diet. Are you giving yourself energy for lunch or are you setting yourself up for a sugar crash?

If you are going through any of these issues, it is wise to calculate how much sugar you’re eating in any given day. Most people eat double the sugar maximum of 90 grams a day due to added and processed sugars, including hidden sugars.

Tips for Breaking Your Sugar Habit

Thankfully, you don’t need to work that hard to break your sugar addiction. It’s only hard if you shoot for zero sugar. That would not be healthy. Instead, first just shoot for a reduction, and then cut it back more and more through solid food choices.

Avoid Processed Food – The biggest culprit when it comes to sugar in food is processed food. Processed food has tons of sugar and if it doesn’t, it has tons of chemicals. Avoiding processed food can eliminate almost all of the added sugar you’re eating.

Get Plenty of Sunshine – It might seem weird, but one reason people like to eat sugar is serotonin, the feel-good hormone. When you eat a lot of sugar you’ll get a spike in serotonin. Of course, you also get a crash. There are better ways to increase serotonin levels; one is the sunshine. Of course, you’ll also get vitamin D which can also improve your mood.

Get Plenty of Sleep – If you have trouble sleeping at night, then you need to get to the root cause of why. Avoid sugars, caffeine, and anything stimulating two to three hours before bed. You should go to sleep on an empty stomach for the best sleep.

Drink Enough Water – Staying hydrated is important to avoid any type of cravings, including sugar cravings. When you’re born, you have a perfect thirst detector. But, life often causes us to deny our bodies' signals. Therefore, measure your water to ensure that you’re drinking a minimum of 64 ounces to 100 ounces of water a day depending upon your weight.

Focus on Stability – You want to try to keep your sugar balanced. One way to do that is to have regular meal times. For you, that may be six meals a day; for others than will end up being the traditional three meals a day. It depends on what works best for you. You should eat when you feel real hunger pangs.

Eat Your Greens – For some reason, when you eat more greens like turnip greens, spinach, kale and so forth, your sweet cravings will go away. So, instead of eating something sweet when you get the craving, try eating a bowl of steamed spinach with good red wine vinegar on it and your cravings will disappear. Or try drinking greens, such as a green juice powder with spirulina, chlorella, wheat and barley grass and hemp powder daily mixed together with water or you can add spinach, kale, carrots, cucumber and celery into a blender and mix it ups into a beautiful green veg juice.

Incorporate Fermented Foods and Drinks – Not only are they good to help keep your stomach acid and bacteria balanced, fermented foods and drinks are also great sweet tooth killers. You can buy prepared fermented foods or make your own. Keep in mind a very small amount of sugar is used in fermentation, but that is okay.

Meditate – Sometimes sugar cravings are just a sign that you need to slow down and center yourself. Stress can play a huge part in appetite and cravings. Take the time to meditate, at least 10 minutes per day. If you don’t want to meditate, prayer or sitting silently also works.

What Else Can You Do:

1. Limit Your Fructose Intake.

Fructose doesn’t stimulate the leptin hormone that tells your brain you are full. This leads to excessive food consumption. Excess fructose is converted into fat.

Fruit does contain fructose. However, the amount of fructose in fruits is low in comparison to high fructose corn syrup. Because of the way the body metabolizes fructose, it does not help us feel full or satiated. One study noted that foods containing fructose may only contribute to weight gain and cardiometabolic disease if the food itself had excess calories. Other studies have shown participants who drank beverages with HFCS gained weight - as opposed to those who didn’t drink HFCS and did not gain weight.

2. Plan Healthy and Nutritious Meals.

When you plan and make your own meals, you are more aware of the ingredients that go into each dish. Prepare your own meals. Avoid salad dressing with high fructose corn syrup. Choose salad dressings with no added sweeteners.

Always Check food labels and choose those that do not have artificial sweeteners.

3. Always Check The Labels of Grocery Items.

While you do not have to cut sugar out from your diet completely, checking the labels of grocery items and knowing how much sugar is in your food is a great start.

Sugar on the label has different names: fructose, glucose, sucrose, honey, molasses, and more.

You might also be surprised to find sugar in foods we assume to be healthy, like yogurt or juice. “Low fat” versions of food might have a lot of sugar instead. Labels with “no added sugars” just means that a food does not have added sugar, but it can still have a high sugar content.

4. Exercise. Your body processes sugar better after a workout. If you’re going to eat sugar, that’s the best time to do it!

5. Limit Your Sugar Intake.

Especially if you find you have too much sugar in your diet, limit your sugar intake. Drink water or natural drinks. Try to avoid drinking sugary drinks. Limit cakes, candies, and other sweet foods.

6. Eat Fibre with Sugar.

Studies have shown that fibre helps control blood sugar levels and can slow down sugar absorption.

Fibre also helps you feel full longer, so you are less tempted to overeat.

7. Consider Sugar Alternatives.

Consider replacing sugar with an alternative such as honey, agave, or spirulina.

8. Speak to a Nutritionist.

The ways humans process food can be complex. There is no one right philosophy to approach sugar. If you want to lead a healthy life, consult a nutritionist to create a custom dietary plan.

Overall, being aware of the impact sugar can have on your body is a great start. While there is nothing wrong with sugar itself, the problem is that many people consume too much without realizing it. There is more sugar in modern-day processed foods, so it’s a good idea to consider how that might impact your health, weight, and quality of life.

Incorporating these tips into your day can make a huge difference when you’re trying to end sugar cravings and break your sugar habit. Remember that it’s not going to happen overnight either. Just focus on adding in good things to your life rather than on what you’re eliminating.

How to Fight Sugar Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

When you first embark on eliminating added sugar from your diet, you’re going to experience some withdrawal symptoms - especially if some of your sugary treats included caffeine. You don’t want to use a bunch of fake things to sub for sugar, so it’s best to try to get over each symptom you have.

Depression – If you notice after giving up added sugar you’re feeling depressed, ensure that you are eating some natural sugars like those found in fruit and veggies. You don’t want to have zero carbohydrates. Carbohydrates make you feel good. Just eat them without added sugar, oil and fat.

A headache – This is more than likely caused from drinking less caffeine. But, if you do find that you’re getting headaches, check your hydration. If you were used to sugary drinks, it can be hard to drink plain water. But, it’s imperative that you drink enough each day.

Anxiety – Anxiety manifests itself in many ways to different people. Some people get a fluttery feeling in their stomach. Others experience shortness of breath or heart palpitations. It can be very severe in some people. If you find that you’re experiencing a lot of anxiety, the best thing to do is go to your doctor for a blood test. Some illnesses like hypothyroid which has nothing to do with sugar restriction can cause anxiety.

Otherwise, just check your hydration level, sleep level, and ensure that you’re eating enough calories for your ideal weight.

Irritable Mood – Feeling moody? When your blood sugar gets too low you can feel moody. This can be remedied by eating more often. Try to balance your meals with the right amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates for your personal needs. Don’t allow yourself to get too hungry; this is a sure-fire way to end up feeling moody. Keep healthy snacks around like apples and no sugar added peanut butter.

Fatigue – Still feeling that 3 pm slump? Feeling tired and foggy all the time? This is a sign that you’re not eating enough carbohydrates. Remember that veggies are good carbs and you should eat them in plentiful amounts. It can also mean that you need to drink more water.

Achy Muscles – This is one of the first signs of dehydration. A lot of people who used to drink sugary drinks for most of their hydration find it difficult to get enough water. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. For snacks, eat hydrating food like apples, carrots, oranges and other fresh fruit and veggies.

Cravings – When you notice you’re getting super-strong sugar cravings, it’s time to look at your list of things to do during cravings. You can still eat something sweet, but instead of candy or processed food, pick something fresh like a bowl of berries or sliced apples.

The symptoms of sugar withdrawal are more difficult for some people than others. Be patient with yourself. If you cave in and eat processed sugar, drink extra water, move more, and be prepared next time with a healthy snack. Don’t forget to try the greens and vinegar.

If you would like some recipe ideas to keep your sugar cravings at bay? Please message me here and I will be happy to forward some ideas for you by email

One way to avoid eating too much sugar is to be ready. If you’re prepared with food to eat when you have a craving, when you’re feeling tired, and when you’re hungry, you’ll do a lot better sticking to your goals.

What Now?

If you really want to rid yourself of sugar cravings, lose weight and get healthier, a good way to do it is to avoid added sugars. Remember, sugar that is found naturally in plants that you eat is usually okay, although you should try to limit super-sweet fruit like dried fruits and dates.

Take it one day at a time. Focus on eating until you’re satisfied and not stuffed whenever you’re hungry. Get enough hydration, exercise, and sunshine and you’ll kick that sugar habit to the curb in no time.

If you would like more help, Nutritionist Ravi Singh will be happy to help you to plan ahead and offer some tips and advice on how to rid yourself of sugar cravings and to get your health back on track. To message him and to book a nutritional session, please click here.

And if you would like to have my helpful guide on the hidden dangers of sugar and what to use instead, which is from my published "10 years younger" book that I wrote in 2014. If this interests you? Please click the link here to message me your interest and I will forward it onto you by email.

See you next month and enjoy the beautiful Summer Weather if your in the Northern Hemisphere...

Much Love

🙏

Kelly

From Pure Bliss Holistic Therapies