10 Steps for Dealing with Sugar Addiction

Sugar addiction is a reality.

There is a reason that food manufacturers add sugar to EVERYTHING–and it is because sugar is highly addictive.

Anyone who has ever tried to quit sugar can tell you this–there is such a strong psychological pull to sugar–even when you’re not hungry, your brain just WANTS it!

One of the most common questions I am asked is, “How to do I put a stop the sugar?”

Here are my top 10 Steps for Dealing the Sugar Addiction

1. Reduce or eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings, and may cause sugar cravings to become more frequent.

2. Drink lemon water. Sometimes sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration. Before you go for the sugar, have a glass of water with fresh lemon, and wait a few minutes to see what happens. Caution: soft drinks are now America’s number one source of added sugar.

3. Eat sweet vegetables and fruit. They are naturally sweet, healthy and delicious. The more you eat, the less you’ll crave sugar.

4. Use natural sweets. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners and foods with added sugar. Use natural sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, fresh and dried fruit, and raw organic honey.

5. Get physically active. Start with simple activities like walking or yoga. Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. Being active helps balance blood sugar levels, boosts energy, and reduces tension which will eliminate the need to self-medicate with sugar!

6. Get more sleep, rest and relaxation. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar, are the most readily usable forms of energy for an exhausted body and mind. If you are in a chronic state of stress and/or sleep deprivation, your body will crave the quickest form of energy there is: sugar.

7. Double-up on the greens. Adding greens to your breakfast smoothie, your lunch and your dinner meals helps your body meet its nutrient density, fuels the body with antioxidants, and fills you with healthy plant fibers that keep the cravings away.

8. Eliminate fat-free and low-fat packaged snack-foods. These foods contain high quantities of sugar to compensate for lack of flavor and fat, which will send you on the roller-coaster ride of sugar highs and lows.

9. Experiment with spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.

10. Slow down and find sweetness in non-food ways! Every craving is not a signal that your body biologically requires sugar.

All cravings, especially sugar cravings, often have a psychological component.

By identifying the psychological causes of food cravings and substituting lifestyle and relationship adjustments accordingly, you can begin to find balance and take charge of your health.

When life becomes sweet enough itself, no additives are needed!

Live Life Optimally,

Kristie