Sugar Addiction Symptoms Getting to You?
Not Convinced You Need to do something about those Sugar Addiction Symptoms? Many people have such an addiction – one so strong that they don’t even want to consider how they will get sugar out of their diet. If you feel like you need some help, there are programs that can help… Get Expert Help Every Step of the Way - See this Review of Diane Sanfilippo's 21-Day Sugar Detox Program.
If you’d like to know more about this, listen to the following video by Dr. Robert Lustig, a highly respected UCSF endocrinologist. This interview was conducted with him just prior to his talk at a conference on sugar dependence titled, Sugar, the Bitter Truth.
The problem with being able to break sugar addiction is that sugar is delicious, right? Not only that, there is so much of it around throughout the day from the moment we get out of bed until the moment we fall back into it at night, exhausted from all that sugar we consumed! It is so hard to resist sugar-rich foods and it’s most unfair that the one thing we want is the one thing that can be so bad for us!
The first tip is: ‘If you don’t want to eat it, don’t buy it.’ Make a shopping list that includes healthy snacks and leave out all the cookies and sweets. That means no chocolate chip cookies; no doughnuts; no pancake syrup; no sticky sandwich fillings like chocolate spreads. Keep peanut butter (remember to use it sparingly though), fruit and vegetables on your list. For snacks by all means keep potato chips around but buy the healthy variety, not the “bad for you stuff” – and you know which ones they are!
I Want to Stop Sugar Addiction Symptoms …
‘But the kids have to have snacks!’ Yes, they do, but kids need healthy snacks if they are going to lead healthy lives and not turn into sugar crazed monsters. If chocolate and cakes are not available they will eat something healthy that is and kids are much easier to convert to healthy eating than adults – fill the fridge with healthy options and they will eat whatever is on offer. Taking excess sugar out of children’s diet helps them develop stronger teeth and also concentrate at school.
Buy smart: Read the labels on the foods you buy. Sugar can sneak up on you and lurks in foods you might think are harmless enough – such as certain cereals that are marketed as the healthiest option. When you look at the nutritional value list on the pack they are chock full of dried fruit coated in sugar and ‘honey coated’ clusters – all sugar crusted to make the cereal delicious.
Keep a good stock of healthy snacks. There is nothing worse than hunger and nothing will de-rail your efforts to break sugar addiction faster than not having enough to eat. A sugar addict who is hungry will always seek out a sugary snack to satisfy his craving – the trick is not to get hungry in the first place.
Eat better quality food: Sure we all like a delicious bowl of ice cream or the occasional pastry. However, you can make a big difference in the amount of sugar you crave if you eat good quality food – buy ice cream that is rich in real ingredients and natural flavorings rather than glutinous stuff that is artificially flavored and ridiculously high in sugar. Manufacturers pile sugar into cheaper foods – it is better to eat “less” of a “better quality” product.
Go whole grain: Whole grain foods with a low glycemic index keep hunger satisfied for so much longer and therefore help with sugar resistance. Start buying whole grain bread and brown rice. Be careful with the labeling on whole grain bread. Buy only the kind with nothing but whole grains. Some have a title like “whole grain” in the packaging but are actually still baked from mostly refined flour. Make your buying habits reflect your new eating lifestyle – if it is not in the kitchen you cannot eat it.
You Can Break Sugar Addiction …
Miracles tend to take a while and there are no promises that sugar addiction symptoms will disappear within the first week. Sugar replacement is definitely the answer to breaking sugar addiction and being able to walk away from foods that contain a high level of sugar. After only two weeks on wholesome choices and a reduced sugar diet, sugary foods tend to taste too sweet and less palatable, until eventually (oh joy) sugar loses its appeal and you can be proud that you’ve been able to break sugar addiction.
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I'm here to help, so let me know if I can help with getting off of sugar or weight loss in any way. Contact me at Joe AT CravingSugar DOT net. If you like what you see here - Share It at the top of the post!!Joe Lindley
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“Eat better quality food.” That’s the thing. A lot of people have to be re-educated about what good food is. I agree. It is tough to stop sugar craving (worse, if it’s sugar addiction!) because the way advertisements and other marketing strategies make sugar very enticing. Glad I found your site!
Sheila recently posted..CNA Training
You’re right Sheila, almost everything you find in stores and restaurants is so “stacked” with sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup you almost don’t stand a chance to keep away from sugar. I think we’re winning though, bit by bit getting folks to realize we have to change. Appreciate your comment…
…Joe…
I’ve got some knowledge about healthcare after reading this article.
Good! Glad you enjoyed it…
…Joe…
It is a fact that sugar is all around us these days. the grocery stores are full of sugar filled items and snacks and it becomes almost impossible to resist the sugar temptation. I believe that the best way is to do grocery for the whole month at once so that you don’t have to see all that sugar again and again.
Frank recently posted..Top 5 Cholesterol Lowering Foods.
Good idea Frank. You have to come up with something creative since there is so much sugar – and advertising around us!
…Joe…
I quit sugar Monday I think, 4 days ago. I feel slimmer already, and real food is making me so full. I am neverrr full. My skin already looks better, and it was bad. My thinking is clearer, I’m more awake, more energy, and I just feel more alive. I can’t wait to see what two weeks will turn up! I have the worst muscle problems, very very weak. The way I would explain is is that they’re not holding my bones together. I could barely tolerate a hug. Well, muscles are already feeling tighter. I can move around more. I will never go back.
Great to hear! You’ll also find that, when you occasionally “slip” and eat some sugar or something, that, after you’ve finished, you will “NOT” like the feeling. So that further reinforces that you’ve made the right decision to get off of sugar.
Congratulations!
….Joe…
Hi, this is very interesting and important tips to avoid sugar. I am very pleased to read the article. One more thing that we can add to this is to use natural Sugar substitutes like saccharin, which gives the taste of sugar and also provides a little food energy which in turn harms very little than the sugar.
Thanks!!!
Yes – good idea. I’d add a cautionary note however – to try over time to stop using sugar substitutes of all kinds. This isn’t a big deal, but will help over time to get the yearning for sweets out of your system. Also, a good thing to do is to avoid artificial sweeteners in-between meals, as they have been shown to provide s modest rise in insulin, which hurts your weight loss program. If you’re gonna have them – have them with your meal so this small increase in insulin effect will be overcome by the meal itself. Good luck!
…Joe…