Dealing with Sugar Addiction

Sugar is a drug and it is addicting! It doesn't help there there is sugar in everything!!!  Here are some tips to deal with sugar addiction.

1. Reduce or eliminate caffeine - caffeine can cause dehydration and blood sugar swings, so may cause sugar cravings to become more frequent.

2. Drink water! - sweet cravings can be a sign of dehydration.  Before you have your sugar, drink a glass of water and see what happens.  Soft drinks are now the number one source of added sugar.

3. Use natural sweeteners - avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners and foods with added sugar.  Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, dried fruit, stevia and raw honey.

4. Get physically active - start with simple activities like walking.  Start 10 minutes per day and gradually increase.  Being active helps balance blood sugar levels, boosts energy and decreases tension which will make you less likely to want to indulge in sugar!

5.  Get more sleep - simple carbs, the ones that spike your blood sugar and lead to diabetes and obesity, are the most readily useable forms of sugar by your body to get energy when you're tired.  Your body will crave these if you are constantly tired.

6.  Consider how much animal protein you eat - according to macrobiotics, if you eat to much meat or animal food your body will crave sweets.  Experiment with foods to find out what kind of balance works for you.

7.  Read labels - a lot of low fat or fat free products have added sugar in them.  You don't want to be replacing foods with these foods if that's the case.

8.  Experiment - you can create a lot of flavorful, sweet dishes with spices instead of sugar - try nutmeg, ginger (fresh or dried), cinnamon, cardamom or coriander.

9. Add in more sweet vegetables and fruits - these things are naturally sweet and will reduce cravings for processed sugar.

10. Cravings can be psychological - if you are having one, get up, go for a walk, start a project, write in a journal.  Adjust your relationships or other lifestyle components and see if your cravings go away!