Happy February! Sylvie, Koda and I wish you a month full of love. ❤️
I may be showing my age, but does anyone else have fond childhood memories of handmade Valentine cards, doily-covered shoe boxes and those little candy hearts stamped with fun sayings like, hot stuff, you + me and be mine?
Ah…those were the good ole’ days. 😂
At the risk of sounding old and grumpy, it seems like we’ve taken yet another fun and innocent holiday and turned it into an excuse to binge on junk food. When did homemade cards get traded in for cupcakes piled with inches of blood red, hydrogenated oil-laden frosting? Or heart shaped boxes bursting with mass-produced chocolates, that probably aren’t real chocolate anyway?
Is this a conspiracy? Are we addicted to sugar?
Not to spoil your Valentine’s Day fun, but here are five clues that you may have a sugar addiction:
You have food cravings
Your energy crashes mid-afternoon
The way you eat affects your health, weight, work or relationships
You turn to certain foods or drinks to find pleasure or numb negative feelings
You binge eat, especially on sweets or highly processed foods
No judgment.
You’ll certainly get none from me! At one time in my life I would have answered yes to all of the above. So, I know how to help you curb the habit.
Start by getting curious instead.
Is sugar really that addictive?
Many health professionals and scientists say yes. Simply put, when you eat sugar, opioids and dopamine flood your brain and your blood sugar spikes. In other words, you get a sugar rush. Once this high wears off, your brain wants to re-experience it, so you reach for the gummy bears. Again. (They are fat-free after all.)
The more sugar you eat, the more you need to feel the same rush. It’s pretty evil, and also a classic definition of addiction.
What begins as a well-intended coping mechanism can end up as a full-fledged sugar dependency or binge eating disorder.
Is sugar inflammatory?
Again, YES. Too much added sugar in your diet can cause inflammation in your body. Chronic inflammation can be a key factor in serious diseases like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, obesity and diabetes.
Wait, aren’t sweets an innocent token of love and affection?
Maybe…But the problem today is that sugar is in everything. The sneaky white stuff is in our crackers, spaghetti sauce and whole grain bread. It’s this hidden sugar that is sabotaging us.
And I don’t think there’s anything caring about getting your loved-ones hooked on an addictive, highly-inflammatory, nutritionally-void substance, do you?
How to break up with sugar
Cut out added sugar. Enjoy sugar intentionally and where it’s meant to be. Mindfully savor a cookie lovingly baked by your mom, instead of mindlessly ingesting the stuff hiding in processed foods.
For example, popular non-dairy milks used by many coffee shops can contain as much as 8 grams of sugar, per cup. So, if you order a venti latte (20 ounces) the added sugar content is creeping up on 20 grams – that’s a whopping 5 teaspoons of sugar!
Health experts recommend we consume no more than 6-9 teaspoons of added sugar, per day. So, ask your barista to see the box.
Make a nourishment menu of 10 ways to experience sweetness in your life that are not sugar enhanced. Some examples would be a cup of herbal tea and a bubble bath or a relaxing yoga class with friends.
Your brain is wired to seek pleasure, and you can retrain it, just like a puppy. 😂
Be honest with yourself. Are you living a fulfilling and satisfying life? Or are you using sugar laced sweets, junk food or booze to give yourself a pleasure hit?
If this is something you struggle with, reach out and stay tuned for my Banish the Bloat and Energize cleanse, specifically designed to help you curb your cravings and find fulfillment without reaching for the sweet stuff. Registration on March 9.
xoxo,
Lisa
💖