Why do you have Sugar Cravings?
How to combat this relentless urge..
It often feels impossible to resist those sugar cravings, that descend upon you like clock work: post meal cravings, 4pm, mid-afternoon slump cravings….a vicious cycle that entraps you.
Why do you experience these sugar cravings in spite of having tried different diets, control strategies..?
Is your body sending you a sign that something is wrong?
It is vital to understand that in most people Sugar cravings are a sign of Insulin Resistance & Metabolic dysfunction.
Sugar cravings are associated with both Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism. The hormonal imbalances in thyroid malfunction lead to imbalances in blood sugar levels, inflammation and leaky gut.
Thyroid hormone imbalances lead to fatigue, depression etc and are directly related to cravings for carbohydrates and sugar.
Sugar cravings are also often due to poor or suboptimal Liver Function. A poor Liver function causes Estrogen dominance, when the liver does not process the used up Estrogen properly, leading to it's build up in the body. This not only triggers a cascade of hormonal imbalances including worsening of ovarian & breast cysts, endometriosis, exacerbating symptoms of menopause and much more.
Rise in Estrogen tends to correlate with spikes in the stress hormone Cortisol. A spike in Cortisol leads to cravings for carbohydrates and sugar.
A lack of routine in your sleep pattern, meal times, exercise & movement is an important factor tied to sugar cravings as any other addiction..
Content of your Meals: the body mostly craves sweet taste to feel satiated, if the meals are high in processed foods, high GI carbohydrates and low in good quality protein, sugar cravings become inevitable.
Caffeine intake: Reduce caffeine intake. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain increasing alertness, however, in turn this blunts and reduces the ability to taste, especially sweet. As a compensation mechanism, sugar cravings increase.
What happens when you routinely consume sugar, and other high GI foods?
When you eat sugar, here are some immediate effects in you brain:
Your hippocampus (memory centre) shrinks
Your metabolism slows down
Your hunger hormones increase
So your cognition is compromised, you are hungrier - you eat more and gain weight
Excessive sugar consumption can artificially excite the adrenals and kidneys leading to long term damage
Males:
Testosterone levels drop
Sex drive and function decrease
Women:
Systemic hormonal imbalance
Unpleasant symptoms of PMS & Menopause
Increased susceptibility to ovarian, breast cysts...
How to break the cycle of sugar cravings?
Consumption - Slump in energy - Increased craving -
I will briefly outline my tried and tested approach.
This approach is holistic and delves deep into the individual causes of sugar cravings and offers specific strategies to overcome cravings. It will equip you with tools to manage the emotional aspects of cravings in general.
1) Understanding the emotional tie to sugar cravings..
Sugar cravings and the Chakra Energy:
Sugar cravings are a sign of an inadequacy in the vibrational balance between the three lower Chakras…
What can you do?
Practice Chakra meditation & cleansing thrice weekly.
Regular activities, like painting, a walk in nature etc.
Strengthen your relationship with you mother (if possible), it will nurture your Heart Chakra with healing energy. Hug your loved ones!
My favourite intervention:
Include Cinnamon, Ghee (the essence of mothers love) and raw honey (where applicable), to your daily diet.
2) Train your palate, sweetness does not mean sugar!
Understand the difference between sugar and sweetness. There is subtle sweetness in all natural foods - train your palate to taste the sweetness.
Taste the natural sweetness in proteins & fats and other non-carbohydrates foods like chicken, almonds etc.
Consume natural, fresh protein, good fats and remind yourself that the sweet taste is not deficient from your diet, as sugar is sweet so is chicken, turkey, fresh fruits, nuts and seeds, sweet potatoes, parsnips...
3) Grounding exercises and breath work every morning
Morning grounding exercises, daily, not only aid clarity of thought and decision making throughout the day but promote a sense of completeness.
Research suggests, Mid- afternoon cravings get worse if you don't ground yourself in the morning.
You may need more grounding if you are running heater skeleton and are excessively stressed.
'Restorative Yoga' will promote a sense of stillness and calmness.
4) Do not allow your blood glucose levels to yo-yo
Do not skip meals. Have your 2-3 meals at the same time everyday.
Plan all meals around protein, consume at least 30-40 gm of protein in each meal to promote satiety.
Include all six tastes in each meal - sour, salty, astringent, pungent, bitter and sweet.
5) More tips:
a) Include Bitter foods in your diet.
b) Detox routinely, include a palate cleanse - every three weeks.
c) After seasonal Liver & Gut detox, retrain your palate to taste natural sweetness.
d) Understand the Dosha balance and that Bitters play an integral role in offsetting sugar cravings.
6) The role of herbs in combating sugar cravings and balancing your blood sugars:
a) Sweet destroyer 'Shardunika' has the ability to suppress sweet taste so it reduces the reward mechanism by reducing the dopamine released after consumption.
b) ‘Gurmar’, a herb that not only tackles the sweet tooth but helps regulate blood glucose when used in the correct combination and dosage.
c) IP6 Inositol can be effective in combating sugar spikes.
Lastly,
Your self-discipline and self-control play a vital role in breaking free from the cycle of sugar carvings.
Everytime you feel the craving:
'Distance yourself from the urge - just ride the wave!'

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