Sugar addiction

Do you have sweet cravings; does sugar calm your anxiety and stress? Sugar causes addiction, such as other drugs and this is due to the sugar opioid and dopamine release (pleasure, reinforcement).

Have you tried dieting or eliminating sugar intake? How have your body reacted? After restricting the consumption of certain foods, once you have allowed yourself to consume them you have controlled the quantity or have felt more eager to eat them after restriction.

Sugar consumption has a negative impact on health, excessive consumption has been linked to the growth of carcinogenic cells, hypertension, insulin resistance, demineralization, overweight, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. In children it can affect their behaviour, causing fatigue, lack of memory, nervousness, and lack of concentration.

So, if the elimination of sugar can lead to binge eating, how can you reduce the consumption without suffering these episodes?

With patience, taking little steps, incorporating changes in your routine, allowing yourself to enjoy with awareness. You can start by not buying cookies, pastries, sugary cereals, chocolates, not having these foods in your pantry. When you go shopping, read the labels, look at the amount of sugar in the food you buy.

Sweeten with fruits, cinnamon, dates, stevia, and xylitol and mind the amount of them too. In order to completely eliminate all sweets, start by replacing them with healthier ones, other sweeteners, homemade bake, to avoid abstinence symptoms and binge eating.

If you fancy something sweet, do not deprive yourself, allow it but with awareness, the relationship you create with food is important. Allow yourself to enjoy that sweet, but in moderation, before eating it decide how much you are going to eat, if for example you used to ate four cookies, now allow yourself two and eat them sitting down and with full attention and then, reinforce yourself by the step you have taken and observe how you feel.

Keep in mind that it is not the end of the world to continue consuming sugar from time to time, do not punish yourself or feel bad about it, balance is the key.