Sugar is such a sneaky thing! Don’t underestimate its power though! It can have you addicted in no time, craving for it daily. Sometimes even hourly!
Even “healthy foods” can have a lot of sugar. If its the 1st ingredient on the label, there is quite a bit added. Become a label reader!
Type 2 Diabetes is now on the rise dramatically in adults and children, and sugar is the main culprit. By the time you have developed Type 2 Diabetes, things have been going wrong internally for quite a while.
How addicting is sugar?
It triggers a deep intense response in an area of our brain that is involved with pleasure and addiction. That same area is stimulated by people who have addictions to hard drugs. The effect is similar. Wow, scary!
Heres how the roller coaster ride begins.
Let’s say you eat a bagel or bread or something sugary in the morning. Your blood sugar will soar. Your body then pumps a little dose of a hormone called insulin to get your levels back to normal again.
Eating those types of foods with sugars, your body becomes resistant to that “little dose of insulin”. Your blood sugar has soared and now in 2-3 hours you crash. We all know that feeling! The cravings start again. More sugar is needed to have the same effect to normalize things out.
Keep in mind that high amounts of insulin is toxic. So in a sense, your body is poisoning itself.
When you get to the level your blood sugar is out of control because of all the ups and downs, Type 2 Diabetes is the result.
How to know if you’re addicted to sugar.
- Brain fog mid-morning
- In the afternoon your dragging and tired
- You’re hungry between meals
- Shaky/Dizzy
- Have to have coffee to push through the day
- Cravings for sweets between meals
- Feeling light-headed if you miss a meal
Sugar damages the brain also by causing increased inflammation. Alzheimer’s is now being called Type 3 Diabetes and may be diet-related.
Sugar dulls the message inside your brain telling you to stop eating, so weight gain is the result.
What can you do today to start stepping away from sugar?
Good news!
Studies are showing now that Omega 3’s could play a part in reversing damage caused by sugar in the brain. So eat those walnuts that look like little brains! Include more flaxseeds, and fruits and lots of veggies in your diet also!
Get off the roller coaster!
If you’re ready to fight the sugar war hard and fast, go cold turkey! If you really want to be done with feeling yucky all the time this is the way to go.
In 14 days you will have retrained your taste buds. Foods will taste so much better and have so much flavor!
Be prepared though! Sugar won’t leave without a fight! These are some of the symptoms you could experience in days 3-6.
- Headache
- Irritability
- insomnia
After that your on your way to feeling like a different person! Hang in there!
What else can you do to cut back on sugar?
- Clean out your pantry and fridge of junk food! You’re carving out a new healthy life and it starts here.
- Have healthy snacks available at all times. Carrots, hummus, a piece of fruit. etc.
- NO artificial sweeteners EVER! They are so bad for you and your brain,
- Include some protein in meals. Nuts, seeds, eggs, meat, fish.
- Emergency snacks when the craving hits. A piece of 80-90% dark chocolate will take care of that!
- Bake your own healthier versions of sweets! There are so many great recipes out there to try! Pick a couple and start baking!
- Try to cut back the sugar in your coffee or tea.
- Drink more water. Flavor it with fruit or mint, cucumbers for added taste if you need to.
- NO MORE SODAS! You don’t want the sugar or chemicals!
How are you going to feel?
Amazing!!!!!
You will have new tastebuds! If you eat something with too much sugar, your new taste buds will let you know that its sugar overload! It will taste so sweet and not in a good way!
You will lose weight, be more clear-minded, more focused. Your skin will be clearer and brighter, and you will age slower and live longer!!
Getting off sugar is possible! If you’re feeling tired, foggy-brained and the pounds won’t budge sugar could be the problem. Take back control of your health and life and kick sugar to the curb. You are taking back your life again!
You can do it!! If you have any small victories, I would love to hear about it! Share the good news!! We’re all in this together.
Until next time,
~pat
