Sugar Cravings vs. Sugar Addiction

Gotta have it. You may know the feeling. That screaming in your head, just grab the candy and eat it. Some of us have undeniable cravings at certain times of the day, week or month. For others, they strike when we are tired, stressed of bored.

But what’s behind these crazy cravings? Often it seems like we have no control, like our body is betraying us. We swear off the sugar-laden treats, knowing once we start munching, that our ability to just taste a few bites may be less than stellar.

There are so many theories, but many are based in well-researched studies. We do know that maintaining stable blood sugar is important. Some people seek dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that make us feel better, when their levels go down and sugar is indeed a quick jump-starter.

But is it an addiction? Well, it has not been classified in the DMS-V, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, that classifies all other addictions, but many become very irritable, shaky and even sweaty. While not having a true withdrawal, our body physically reacts to decreased sugar.

Luckily, there are many ways to manage this discomfort without giving in to constant sugar cravings and even better… you do not have to totally give up all sugar forever.

Share your thoughts about sugar addiction with me and your experiences.

 

 

 

 

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Are You An Emotional Eater?

You’ve walked into the kitchen 3 times after dinner to check out what’s in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry. You’ve eaten spoonfuls of cookie dough ice cream right out of the container, several double fudge cookies and dipped into the leftovers from dinner. What the heck?? You ate a really good dinner tonight.

If you have these nights after eating a satisfying, healthy dinner, what you’re trying to fill is probably not physical hunger. When we rummage from fridge to cabinet to freezer, looking for some food to fulfill our hunger, that hunger is most likely emotional hunger.

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Physical hunger requires that we fuel up our body to replenish its physiological needs, but emotional hunger looks to fill another need. It may be boredom, frustration, anxiety, anger, sadness or any number or emotions, including excitement and happiness. With emotional hunger, you may notice, that no matter how much you eat, it is tough to satisfy it.

Pay attention from now on when you are hungry. Can you fill the hunger easily with a small amount of nutritious food? Or do you go from food to food, looking for satisfaction? What sort of foods do you crave? Has it been at least 2-3 hours since you’ve eaten? All of these questions will help you to decide if you are struggling with emotional eating or true physical hunger.

Stay tuned for more blog posts and videos on emotional eating…