Kicking The Sugar Addiction Away

All of us crave for something sweet every now and then, but does it mean we are addicted to sugar? If you have a sweet tooth, is it a problem? Well, not necessarily, but it is good to be sure and to be on a safe side.
Let’s get one thing straight from the beginning; sugar is addictive! It is also inflammatory, fattening, and void of any nutrients. Still, most of the time, we overlook the harmful and poor qualities, mostly because it is socially acceptable to have sugar, and it seems harmless.
Yet, sugar addiction can be a severe problem, and it can have adverse effects on one’s health. It is imperative to know how much sugar intake is too much and when we reduce or stop the use of sugar altogether.

How To Recognize Sugar in your Diet
Sugar comes in many forms beyond the white powder we often associate it is. One of the main reasons you may not recognize all the sugar you have in your diet is because it very rarely will say “sugar” on the ingredient lists of the food you buy. Instead, you may see:

• Dextrose
• Maltose
• Glucose
• Fructose
• Corn Syrup
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Corn Sweetener
• Sucrose
• Sorbitol
• Sorghum syrup
• Agave nectar
• Carbitol
• Evaporated Cane Juice
• Galactose
• Inversol
• Rice malt
• Sorbitol
• Nectars

Signs when you Might Have A Problem With Sugar
If anyone or more of the following applies to you, then it is alarming. You may have to cut down your sugar consumption or quit it for a significant amount of time.

• You get a headache when you are late in having your typical sugary treat
• Sugar-filled sweets are your friends when you are stressed.
• Less than 2 cups of vegetables per day, but you consume sugar daily.
• Having sugar in any form every day and when you don’t, you crave or experience withdrawal.
• You consume a high-carb diet even when you know you are overweight.
• You keep thinking about sugar all the time.
• You have thyroid or any other hormonal problem; still, you rely on a sugar-hit on a daily basis to ward of sadness or depression.

Even if one of these statements is right in your case, it is high time for you to make dramatic changes in your lifestyle. You need to alter your sugar consumption habits; otherwise, there is the threat of getting some major health problems.

How To Beat Sugar Addiction
Now, this may feel like an impossible battle. Quitting sugar doesn’t even sound easy, and we won’t lie to you. It will be a challenge for you, but if you genuinely care for your health, you’ll beat it nonetheless.
Your focus should be on minimizing the feelings of withdrawal and setting yourself up for a win. Come on,, you cannot let sugar take control over you, right?

Start Focusing On the Nutrients
Before you let go of sugar entirely, it would be smart to boost your daily diet nutrients. This will help you in reducing sugar cravings.
Most of the time, there are two reasons for sugar cravings. Some cravings are triggered by the brain for its reliance on sugar to get dopamine, while some cravings are from gut microbes living off your sugar intake.
Having fermented foods and nourishing items like broth and vegetables is an excellent start to support your body in its sugar liberation fight. Start adding the right nutrients in your diet a week before your planned date of quitting sugar.

Quitting Cold Turkey Might be The Only Way
Once you are sure that you have added all the vital nutrients in your diet, it is time to quit the devil. When you are addicted to sugar, leaving it slowly or in stages rarely works. You might need to go cold turkey if you are actually serious about it.
It needs to be quitted in all forms, including natural sweeteners like coconut sugar and honey. You don’t have to stay away from sugar for the rest of your life, which can be used as a driving force to motivate you. Three to six months are usually required to break daily reliance on sugar. The minimum is 21 days, as they say, it takes that long to create a habit.

Crowding out
As an IIN Health Coach I recommend the IIN (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) core concept of crowding out. This concept prioritizes adding more healthy foods over avoiding the unhealthy ones. When you start eating more of the good stuff, your palette and preferences begin to shift so everything else gets crowded out naturally with far less effort and deprivation. It is a much more positive and empowering approach to wellness!
Let me support you on finding out the why behind your sugar cravings/addiction and support you in deconstructing your cravings and sugar addiction. Feel free to contact me for more info or schedule your first free introduction session.

Disclaimer:
All material and information presented by Dainty Dandelion Health Coaching Inc. is intended to be used for educational purposes only. The statements made about products, supplements, or treatments have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Health Canada and equivalent organizations and agencies in other jurisdictions. The information in this blog is not intended to treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Please consult with your own physician or health care practitioner before making changes to your diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle.