Catch your Sugar Addiction and Beat it The Right Way!

Can’t seem to hold your sweet tooth in place? Well, it’s time to stop and reflect on what sugar indulgence might be doing to your body. Sugar has been linked to increasing the risk of major conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Studies have found that your brain reacts to sugar the same way it reacts to addictive substances such as nicotine, cocaine, and morphine. With its omnipresent nature and numerous delicacies to choose from, it is a Herculean task to stay completely off sugar.

Here are the top signs that you are addicted to sugar and related substances:

1. Oh So Sweet Craving

Summers kick in and you tend to fill up your refrigerators with soft drinks to cool down during the day. And if not soft drinks, you rely on packaged juices, sodas or flavored teas thinking they are the “healthier” safe bets. You also tend to add a lot of sweeteners and tablespoons of sugar to your regular tea and coffee. Bad news, all these are signs that you might just be addicted to sugar!

2. The Itch-Itch

Feel your skin acting up? It might just be trying to tell you about too much sugar in your diet. In females, excessive sugar consumption can contribute to an imbalance of the female menstrual hormones. Breakouts are common symptoms. Such breakouts are also caused by inflammation, which is aggravated when you eat highly processed food.

3. Mr. Gobble – it all

Do you savor the next piece of your favorite chocolate chip cookies even before the first one has dissolved in your mouth? Do you always feel the previous ones weren’t enough? Before you know it, you’ve already had a lot and still, want more! Pangs of guilt hit you after you have a look at the empty packets around you. You feel the same with other simple carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, and white rice.

4. The Sugary Gain

When your body has a burst of sugar, it doesn’t know what to do with it. Like any prudent saver, your body stores all the excess sugar in the form of fat to be converted into energy later, when required. This sugar turned into fat leading to weight gain. All the bloating and heaviness you feel is because of this process. This also weakens your immune system, making your body more prone to diseases and damage.

Now you know what are some of the signs of this addiction, judge for yourself. Catching hold of your sugar addiction is the first step to take. You can try a simple sugar de-addiction detox to accustom your body to less sugar consumption. However, follow these basic tips to defeat your addiction in the long run.

Start by cutting out all processed foods and begin eating only whole foods. Stay away from foods that have added sugar or sweeteners as well. Increase the consumption of high-fiber foods. Try and avoid full-fat dairy, grains, high-sugar-content fruits, and starchy vegetables. It sounds like a lot, we know but overcoming sugar addiction is the way to start building a healthier and safer life. Each small step is also a brave one!