Why Are Your Sugar Cravings Out of Control

Even when you begin changing your eating habits for the better, incorporating cleaner foods and better practices, you can still fall victim to the massive sugar craving.  Sometimes, we attribute these cravings to a lousy day at work or a stressful week of deadlines, but sugar cravings can also come from physiological imbalances.

When you feel stress, cortisol, the stress hormone, skyrockets along with your blood sugar.  To compensate, your body releases the fat storage hormone, insulin, to help bring your blood sugar back stable.  When that happens, the insulin tends to overcompensate, and your blood sugar dips lower than it should. Your body becomes confused and thinks it needs more energy, and thus, a sugar craving is born.  The excess sugar consumed causes the brain to release dopamine, the same neurotransmitter linked with cocaine usage. It boosts you into a momentary high, drops you like a ton of bricks, and leaves you craving more and in this vicious sugar craving cycle that ultimately leads to sugar addiction.

The Dangers of Being Addicted to Sugar

You may think sugar addiction is something that only has side effects such as obesity.  The truth is there are many other dangers related sugar addiction. These dangers can cause a variety of health issues.  In fact, you may not even realize what foods and sources of sugar are causing your addiction, or at the very least contributing to it. Here are a few dangers to consider.

1. Migraines 
   When you eat a large amoutn of sugar, yoru brain reacts to that sugar.  This can cause a number of reactions, including energy bursts. When this happens, your regulators are dulled over time.  This means that you are not feeling the fulleffects of the sugar and what it is doing to your system. It also means that more sugar is needed overtime to get you teh energy you need or the reaction you once had to the original amoutns of sugar. When you do not have the amounts of sugar your body has become accustomed to, you end up with migraine headaches. If you already get headaches, you may notice a drastic increase in the number and intensity of these headaches.
2. Hypertension
   Hypertension is a severe danger with sugar addiction.  This danger refers to the increased amount of high blood pressure in the system. High blood pressure can also lead to strokes, heart attacks and circulation issues throuout the body. It can also cause yoru blood vessels to become smaller and narrower which affects the bloodflow throughout your body. Even by reducing your sugar intake slightly, you can avoid this danger and reduce the risks.
3. Metabolic Issues
   One of the dangers that most people do not consider are the effects sugar addiction has on your metabolic system. These dangers include fat deposits in your cells that can cause problems with obesity, weightloss and  problems with the way certain cells function in your body. It also causes fat deposits in the blood which can make circulation and blood flow difficult, especially with hypertension dangers that may already be present.

These are some of the most common dangers, but others like increased appetite, insomnia, brain fog, anxiety and depression are all others to consider.

Now that you know this, you can take steps to outsmart your body when it comes to sugar cravings. First, you can take steps to reduce your stress or learn healthy coping mechanisms for when it arises. Next, you’ll need to change your eating habits to satisfy those sugar cravings without derailing your progress.

How to Get Your Sugar Cravings Under Control

So if sugar is so addictive and destructive, how do we get it under control?

1. Choose real fruits.  It takes no extra time to grab an apple rather than a pre-packaged fruit cup or applesauce.  It’s just as easy and doesn’t contain any of the added sugar the pre-packaged items have.  So, choose something fresh from the produce section instead.
2. Focus on fiber and protein power.  Fiber-rich foods will fill you up and keep you that way for longer so you’ll be less likely to eat something when you’re not hungry. Protein-packed foods have the same benefit.  Combine both of these for delicious ways to stay satisfied throughout the day, and you’ll be less likely to seek out sugar.
3. Phase out added sugar bombs.  For example, if you’ve put sugar in your coffee every morning for the last ten years, start decreasing the amount until you no longer use it. You can also try kicking the habit on the spot if you’re ready for it.
   
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4. Switch out your sweets. The next time you’re longing for a dessert, trick your brain with something naturally sweet that isn’t full of refined sugars and processed junk.  A square of dark chocolate, as long as it’s at least 80% and pure is a satisfyingly indulgent choice that won’t derail your habits. You could also have a banana “shake” using almond milk, a dash of cinnamon and a few drops of vanilla extract for a treat will satisfy your sweet tooth, guilt-free.
5. Study labels before you buy.  Is your pantry brimming with pre-packaged, processed foods? It’s time to learn to live without these. And when you do, commit to reading all the labels of every packaged food item you buy from now on. Added sugar is in some of the most unsuspecting places so read every label before putting anything into your grocery cart.
6. Drown out cravings with water.  If you’re a soda drinker, you can cut out quite a bit of added sugar by ditching your soda habit.  Sometimes, we think we’re hungry when we’re actually thirsty — and other times, a stressed day makes us reach for desserts. Whatever the case, a glass of water can solve the problem. Drink one down and then wait 15 to 20 minutes. The craving will usually be gone but if not, choose a piece of fruit to satisfy the urge.
   
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7. Retrain your brain with essential oils. Another easy way to begin your journey toward less sugar involves utilizing essential oils to retrain your brain, to curb the cravings, and to revitalize your life. Amazing research has been done concerning cravings and essential oils.  The most famous is a study by Dr. Alan Hirsch, who found that peppermint oil is amazingly effective at curbing cravings.

So I want to introduce you to my Sugar-Be-Gone diffuser blend…

Sugar-Be-Gone Blend

This blend is a lifesaver for anyone looking to avoid sugar during times when cravings are high. Breathing the aroma of this blend is the best way to curb cravings and boost energy in a matter of minutes.

Yield: 1 application

• 3 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil

Directions: Add Essential Oils to your diffuser, or pre-make the blend and apply 1 to 2 drops to your palms and take 3 to 5 deep belly breaths for instant sugar craving support

Benefits of a Sugar Detox

When you remove added sugar from your diet, you will notice several changes in your life that are for the better. So, think about yourself first and take out some time to look good, to feel good and to impact the people around you in a positive way. Check out some of these awesome benefits of a sugar detox.

1. Weight Loss. If you are planning to lose some weight then sugar detox is the best way to start with. It will provide you with the perfect kick start towards your weight loss goals and help you achieve them at a faster rate. So, start off with a sugar detox to get better outcomes with better energy.
2. Elevated Energy. Another great benefit of the sugar detox is that your energy levels get elevated. This benefits helps you to work out twice as hard and longer for better results. Also, you become active and ready to move which helps in the overall weight loss goals as well as your health.
3. Healthy Eating. Eating healthy food can help you in various ways and it is one of the greatest perks of a sugar detox. It can help you reduce weight and maintain a nice healthy lifestyle and eventually raise your energy level. So, include foods and vegetables in your diet and avoid eating junk food to the. This way, you will keep yourself safe from many diseases and make your immune system stronger as well.
4. Reduction of Processed Food Consumption. Minimizing the consumption of processed food is an essential step in sugar detox. Processed foods are linked to many health issues like heart diseases, obesity and diabetes. So, by avoiding these foods you indirectly avoid all these diseases which benefits you and your health in all the positive ways.
5. Beneficial for Whole Body Detox. Sugar detox triggers fat meltdown because the body is not receiving any sugar. So, a sugar detox is imperative to promote overall health of the body, especially the liver.
6. Reduced Cravings. Sugar is scientifically proven to be addictive in nature. By going on with a sugar detox, you will prepare yourself to avoid these unnecessary cravings in return you will be able to avoid weight gain as well as related diseases.
7. Feel Satiated. Eating processed and sugary food makes you feel full for a short period of time. But as soon as a little time passes, you begin to feel hungry and craving for the processed food again. Starting on a sugar detox will help you to feel satiated for longer and hence aid you in avoiding eating further which will be beneficial in more ways than one.

If you are looking for more tips and support, join me on my group page, The Village – A Natural HEALing Community, to get tons of information and tips to help you take your HEALTHY EATING and ACTIVE LIVING to the next level.