I recently started offering a 5-week Sweet Surrender Sugar Detox to help people kick their sugar habit to the curb once and for all. Because of that, I thought I would share some of the reasons you may want to consider doing that yourself.
Does Any of This Describe You?
Do you feel like you need to eat something sweet at certain times of the day? Do you fall into an afternoon slump that you think requires a sugary snack as a pick-me-up? When you have a sweet tooth, do you stop at nothing until you satisfy it? You might be addicted to sugar. Many of us are.
Did You Know…?
Sugar impacts the same part of the brain that cocaine does. In fact, when laboratory rats are addicted to sugar and cocaine, given the choice between the two, the rats will usually go for the sugar. It’s a powerful drug.
Why Is This Such a Problem?
Sugar addiction was not always the scourge it currently is. Prior to the 1970s, sugar was consumed in reasonable quantities and was not as prevalent in foods as it is today. We consume a lot more processed food like substances which are full of sugar, salt and cheap, unhealthy fats. Additionally, when the Farm Act was introduced, it became much more lucrative for farmers to grow copious amounts of corn. They needed to do something with all the corn that was grown so they started feeding to grass eating animals like cattle, making fuel and developing a super sweetener called high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
HFCS became an inexpensive way to sweeten foods and particularly soft drink beverages and replaced imported cane sugar which is subject to tariffs and therefore much more costly to use. Unfortunately, HFCS is very addictive, overloads the system and causes insulin resistance, leading to metabolic syndrome then ultimately diabetes.
The corn industry would like to convince us that the impact to your body from “corn sugar” as they now call it is the same as cane sugar but that simply is not true. HFCS is higher in fructose which goes directly to your liver to be stored as fat. There are more people developing a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) from overconsumption of soft drinks containing HFCS than ever before. According to this study, the use of HFCS vs. cane sugar is far more toxic, especially in females.
It’s Not Your Fault
Many of us are powerless in the face of sugary treats. The food is designed to keep you coming back for more.
As part of my health transformation, I was able to kick sugar addiction but it wasn’t easy. I now empower my clients to do the same for themselves. It can be done and the results are remarkable when they are successful. They have so much more energy. They sleep better. And they lose weight. They have fewer mood swings due to sugar imbalance and an overall sense of improved well-being. It is so worth taking the leap.
I help women living with or at risk for developing heart disease or other chronic illness that we can manage through lifestyle and nutrition changes. Have you been told that you are on the verge of developing heart disease, or diabetes, or another lifestyle related condition? If so, let’s chat. For a free consultation with me, click here.
This blog post was a great read! Very well written and with lots of informations.
I’m easily addicted to many things if I make a habit of it. I wasn’t at all that fond of ice cream till we started having it every evening. We did it for a year. Then we had to quit because we gained a lot of weight. It was the repeated habit. Then I discovered Chinese preserves. I couldn’t stop snacking on them if I have them in the house. Then it was grapes…..So I have to limit how much I have in the house. I’m worse than a kid.
Lily…as we develop unhealthy habits, so can we develop healthy ones. I would suggest that you consider working on developing a healthier habit that doesn’t center itself around food. Perhaps at the time you would likely be grazing for something to snack on, you redirect your attention to maybe journaling or reading or another such activity. You can have a nice cup of herbal tea with it to warm your bones in this dreary winter weather.
Thank you Sinziana
I initially would say that I don’t have issues with sugar because I don’t eat desserts. After reading this and you pointing out there are many hidden sugars in so many foods, I need to re-evaluate what I eat. Thanks for the reminder.
Lynn…the way food is manufactured is to keep you coming back for more. As people become more label savvy, they need to find creative ways to enhance the floor without setting off your sugar alarms so they hide it in plain sight.