How to Cure Sugar Addiction
for many years, scientists proved to us that sugar addiction is the baddest enemy of the heart, the great commander of obesity.
You were probably informed of this revelation, in 2016, about the sugar industry which had bogus scientific research on this subject?
If not, I'll summarize the story for you from the JAMA Internal Medicine journal . Documents found prove that John Hickson, a senior executive in the sugar industry, associated with several companies, had derailed the scientific studies – begun in the 1950s – which exposed the link between both sugar and cardiovascular disease.
Sugar addiction, how to treat it?
Sugar is a drug?
Already, in 2007, the CNRS of Bordeaux proved, by a famous experiment on rats, that sugar could be more addictive than cocaine.
Refined sugar is dangerous for the body. And our body not has been made for such high doses of carbohydrates. To protect itself, it produces a hormone: insulin. It will lower this rate as quickly as possible by transforming sugars into fats (triglycerides). As your blood sugar level drops rapidly, while you have consumed an overdose of sugar, you find yourself in… hypoglycemia!
This is called reactive hypoglycemia: a few hours after consuming sugar, you are hungry again and have a sudden drop in energy. THE brain will then demand its dose of sugar… but that's not all.
As with drug use, we must know that swallowing sugar releases opioid peptides in the brain and activates the orbitofrontal cortex. It certainly does not tell you anything but, to sum up, cocaine has this effect!
Sugar got huge part in our Western societies that it is found everywhere. Even in industrial savory dishes. To sell their cereals, manufacturers have constantly increased the amount of sugar they contain.
Addictologists note that excessive consumption of sugar makes you lose all control over the quantities absorbed daily, even when you put your life in danger: obesity, diabetes, cancer… Yes, cancer because sugar is the favorite food of cancerous cells! Carbohydrates help them grow...
The absorption of sugar has psychological consequences. When you are depressed and addicted to sugar, you increase the consumption even more. Reducing your dose puts you in a state of anxiety that can be profound: you feel the effects of withdrawal, stomach pains and general feelings of unease.
But manufacturers do not want to considerably reduce the quantities of sugar in their products, on the contrary. Engineers develop some alternative to replace sugar ,is very sweet foods for one reason to trigger the secretion of dopamine, and therefore the feeling of pleasure. As a result, you feel pleasure "artificially" by consuming their products.
The more you consume, the more your body will also want to adapt on this point. It will put an end to the activity of dopamine receptors… To compensate, you will always feel the need to consume more sugar.
sugar and health
According to an American study published in the journal Journal of Physiology , a slightly excessive consumption of synthetic sugars slows down brain function and impairs memory . For this experiment, the scientists used a high-fructose corn syrup, widely used in sodas, industrial meals, condiments and infant food. The learning of the rats used for this study was greatly impaired by fructose overdoses.
Conversely, the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids minimized this damage .
Other American scientists have sounded the alarm: too much sugar is as toxic as too much alcohol! They ask that warnings be printed on foods containing high doses of carbohydrates, as is done for alcohol or tobacco, and that they be overtaxed. For them, sugar promotes diabetes, hypertension, excess fat in the liver, cardiovascular problems. According to their studies, sugar would participate in the death of 35 million people each year in the world!
Beware of products marked "Light"
Not only does the harmfulness of aspartame remain topical for many scientists, but they participate in the same addiction as “real” sugar. They have few calories but maintain this addiction to sweets. Slash the doses massively and, when you really can't live without them, opt for natural sweeteners like agave syrup or stevia .
Sugar addiction or other problem?
There are some cases where the craving for sugar is not related to an addiction but to another psychological problem, such as bulimia (compulsive and excessive ingestion of food, followed by vomiting, taking laxatives or hyperactivity in sports ) or hyperphagia (same consumption without the compensatory activity to evacuate food).
In this case, it is a question of consulting a specialist to repair these mental disorders which are not often linked to food but to a deeper evil.
You may also "need sugar" because you have a poor diet and this intake of carbohydrates allows you to fill, momentarily, a lack of energy due to dietary deficiencies . Before moving on to the idea of weaning, it will be a question, in any case, of rebalancing your diet. Finally, you may have a metabolic disorder that causes you to crave carbohydrates. Your doctor, through a blood test, can check if this is the case.
But let's not forget that psyche and sugar addiction can be very closely linked. Intake of sugar produces endorphins and serotonin. These neurotransmitters positively influence our mood. They cause a feeling of well-being and relaxation… like nicotine from cigarettes or drugs…
This feature allows you to hide your emotions, bury your anger or sadness. We anesthetize ourselves so as not to face it. This attitude is harmful in the long run because to refuse your emotions is to give them more power and end up losing control. Many people find it difficult to manage their feelings and bury them with a bar of chocolate… Knowing how to recognize and accept one's emotions is a sure step towards well-being and better self-love. The same goes for his sugar addiction, recognizing it as such will help combat it.
How to cure sugar addiction?
Let's face it: weaning off sugar is far from easy if you're already addicted. If you are not yet, don't wait until it's too late: drastically reduce your consumption of sugary products, especially fast sugars.
If you can't do without your daily doses of chocolate bars, soda, cappuccino, confectionery, desserts and other sweet "pleasures", you'll have to go more gently.
Like a heavy smoker who wants to quit, it's best to do so gradually . You can choose to have ONLY 1 sweet food per day, during the first fifteen days. Then, always a single and unique delicacy every other day… then twice a week.
- When the lack is too hard, eat a fruit (which contains fast sugar in the form of fructose) fresh or dry. Don't overdo it either. Replace pastries with walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts.
- Limit dairy products, especially dairy desserts or even sweet yogurts. Prefer a Greek yogurt, or a whole natural yogurt. For your chocolate craving, you can opt for very dark chocolate , with a few strawberries or a banana.
- Do not buy any more boxes of sugary cereals, even those – supposedly – light like Special K or others. Opt for oatmeal, with a few raisins (few) or a large date cut into small pieces.
- During the whole withdrawal period, it will be better to avoid all temptations, such as advertising pages!
- To cope with any addiction, it is advisable to be active, to occupy your mind. Do not wander around supermarkets and avoid temptation purchases.
- Cook real pleasure meals devoid of simple sugars… If you are lucky enough to have a sugar-free restaurant or pastry chef near you, let yourself be surprised. You will find that if you cut out the bad sugars, you will regain mental and physical alertness because sugar consumption exhausts your body and impairs your cognitive abilities.
After a month without sugar, you will find the taste for other foods that seemed bland to you, camouflaged by the strong presence of sugar. You better identify the presence of sugar. High doses of glucose will tend to make you sick. You will feel the limits of your sugar tolerance. These limits were already there before but you could not identify them because the need was stronger than your natural protection. You will get rid of that abdominal belt in which the sugar was turning into fat.
Partially wean
Opinions differ on the question: should we completely – or almost – stop fast sugars? For health reasons, one could answer yes. But nothing is all black or all white.
There is a whole cultural, social and personal context that means that not everyone can reasonably do without this white powder. But, in any case, go down to a minimal and controlled dose per week.
If you allow yourself, from time to time, a sweet pleasure, then take full advantage of it. Make yourself comfortable. Savor it. But do not go beyond these limitations that you set for yourself in advance.
Do without fast sugar and slow sugar?
You can no longer consume sugar, or very little . This is the case for those who practice the ketogenic diet. This diet consists of focusing its diet mainly on lipids . Carbohydrates then only make up 2% of your intake, 8% for proteins. The remaining 90% is made up of lipids.
Experiments on the ketogenic diet tend to prove that this practice helps fight cancer, cardiovascular and neurological disorders. Despite popular belief about fat, this “diet” helps you lose weight and maintain a toned body.
Last tips to help you wean yourself off sugar
Chromium picolinate, as a dietary supplement, can help you cope with the lack of sugar. By stimulating the action of insulin, it helps fight the craving for carbohydrates.
You can also use essential oils like chamomile or lemongrass. They calm the nervous system and help you counter the stress caused by lack.
Mindfulness meditation helps you better manage your impulses. It develops the prefrontal cortex and allows you to make informed decisions.
conclusion
Finally, have fun! Try to enjoy life. Don't complain about this lack and don't shut yourself up. Play sports or dance! In August 2017, a team of researchers from the University of Madgeburg, Germany, demonstrated that regular physical activity such as dancing developed the cerebral hippocampus. This is where, recently, we discovered that neurons are produced throughout our lives.