When I was thinking about what I wanted to write about this week, and since my editor gives me considerable latitude in choosing my wellness topics, sugar addiction came to mind. “That’s a weird, random topic, Dave,” you say. Well, let me tell you how I got there.
As my regular readers know, I am interested in a very wide range of subjects, particularly when it comes to health and wellness. I have worked with everyone from Olympic-level athletes to great-grandmothers. People with household staff to people without houses at all. The one thing that keeps coming up is how our Standard American Diet (SAD) is overloaded with carbohydrates.
I’m not talking about fruits and vegetables. As far as I know, no one has ever overdosed on apples.
I’m talking about the massive amounts of starch, refined flour products, and refined sugar in the form of soda, being some of the main culprits of obesity and chronic disease.
So, I thought I would give you a few tips on how to break your sugar addiction and take back control of your diet.
When it comes to sugar, I have first-hand knowledge of how powerfully addictive it can be. Like most people, I grew up on soda, and it took me a long time to get completely out of the habit.
Breaking sugar addiction is not simply a matter of willpower. Cravings are basically signals from the body and brain. Sugar cravings can be influenced by unstable blood sugar, poor sleep, chronic stress, low protein intake, dehydration, a poor diet, and emotional eating.
On top of all of that, highly sweetened foods are everywhere. So, instead of asking how we force ourselves to stop consuming sugar, we’re going to look at what is actually causing the craving and how we can regain control. The idea behind this article is to reduce sugar in our diet, stabilize energy, and build daily habits that make cravings less intense.
Step 1. The first step is blood sugar balance. Many people crave sugar because they ride a daily cycle of highs and lows. A breakfast of cereal where the only real nutritional value comes from the milk that is poured over it. A hoagie (I say sub) for lunch with enough bread to feed a family of five. A granola bar with the same ingredients as a candy bar for a mid-afternoon snack. Then finally dinner, which is filled with enough potato starch to keep Idaho in business for a decade. Does this sound familiar? There is a reason that the acronym for Standard American Diet is SAD.
This overflow of processed carbohydrates causes a temporary boost of energy followed by fatigue, irritability, and then another craving. To interrupt this cycle, we need to build our meals around quality protein, fiber, healthy fat, and slower-digesting carbohydrates. Unprocessed meat and vegetables from local farms would be a good place to start. Beans, avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish are also good choices when it comes to stabilizing blood sugar. Now, that is not a license to eat as much as you want. Even healthy food can be overeaten. Moderation is key. One palm-sized portion of protein, half a plate of non-starchy vegetables, and one serving of healthy fat. For example, a salad with a grilled chicken breast, greens, vegetables, and a dash of olive oil.
Step 2. Remove foods with added sugar rather than eliminating all carbohydrates. Whole fruits, vegetables, and beans are fair game. Soda, sweet tea, juice, energy drinks, candy, cookies, pastries, ice cream, any cereal, flavored yogurt, and sugary coffee are out.
Read labels; sugar is everywhere. Sugar may appear as cane sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, agave, malt syrup, dextrose, sucrose, or other words ending in “ose.” Keep any sugary foods out of the house. Why torture yourself when you are the most vulnerable? (FYI, artificial sweeteners are also out. While they may not raise blood sugar levels directly, they lead to a whole host of health problems, weight gain being one. We’ll save them for another article.)
Step 3. If you are like me, sugar cravings go through the roof when you’re tired or stressed. Lack of sleep will increase appetite and make refined-carb foods more attractive. In addition, stress can raise cortisol, which may affect blood sugar and intensify emotional eating. So, stay rested. Commit to a consistent bedtime, no caffeine late in the day, and no electronics before bed. Even a small improvement in sleep can make cravings easier to manage.
You’ll also want to create a stress management routine. Exercise and a short, daily meditation work well for me. Exercise can be anything from a daily walk to weights, and everything in between. As for meditation, you don’t need to be a guru. Turn off your phone and find a quiet space. Sit comfortably for five minutes with your eyes closed. Count to ten slowly and repeat five times. If a thought pops into your head, don’t fight it. Just let it pass. Pretty soon you’ll be knocking out twenty-minute sessions twice a day and wonder why you haven’t been doing this your whole life.
Step 4. Last, break the loop. If sugar is tied to a routine such as a pastry with your morning coffee or an after-dinner dessert, you’ll need to change your routine. To break the loop, identify the cue, routine, and reward. For example, the cue may be feeling tired after work, the routine may be eating cookies, and the reward may be comfort. Keep the reward but change the routine. Instead, take a walk after work, read, or call a friend. Over time, you’ll develop new patterns.
