Sugar Addiction - Tips To Overcome It!

You can be very much addicted to having sugar that many-a-times you might find it difficult to cut down on the amount of your intake. You might find it impossible to stop eating sugar. You might crave to have anything which has a lot of sugar in it.

Why is it bad?

Sugar is a fattening compound as it contains fructose. Sugar causes you to overeat, which in turn causes weight gain. It can bring anatomical changes in the brain, which gets you into an addiction. Sugar addiction is just like any other addiction, like that with nicotine or any other drugs. The only difference is the substance being used. Sugar can mess with the chemical balance of the brain to make you crave for it more.

1. A 2009 study from the University of California shows how a high-fructose diet can cause you to build new fat cells around your heart, liver, and digestive organs in just 10 weeks, plunging you into the early stages of diabetes and heart disease (whereas a high glucose diet did not have the same effects) 
2. Excess fructose consumption is a major contributor to insulin resistance and obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer, arthritis, and other diseases 
3. Fructose is metabolized very differently in your body from glucose; all of the metabolic burden falls on your liver, in much the same way as for alcohol, and your body becomes a sea of toxic by-products. 
4. Glucose, on the other hand, is your body’s nearly ideal source of fuel, meaning it has none of the damaging metabolic effects of fructose; glucose also suppresses your appetite, unlike fructose, which stimulates your appetite and encourages overeating and the accumulation of excess body fat

How to overcome it?

To overcome sugar addiction, here are a few steps you can take:

1. Observe yourself: This is the first step you should take. Observe what you eat, how much of sugar it contains. Take a note of how you feel after having sugar or something, which is laden with sugar. Keep a diary entry of whatever you observe about yourself and your sugar consumption.
2. Practice self care: It is extremely difficult for any sugar addict to transition into a diet without any sugar or low sugar content. You will have to take it slow and add regular practice of self care. Do not avoid breakfast every morning. Remember to add in the required amount of fats and proteins (learn more about the Importance of Protein). Do not skip out on meals. Drink a lot of water and fluids like fresh fruit juice and sleep for at least 7 hours or more so that you get proper rest.
3. Be honest with yourself: If you are trying to get rid of the sugar addiction, you have to be extremely honest without yourself. If you succumb to temptation and end up eating a few too many candies, then be honest with yourself and admit it. Make it a point to overcome the temptation the next time.

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult the doctor and ask a free question.