Some experts believe that it is as difficult to kick the sugar habit as it is to stop smoking cigarettes or doing heroin….sound extreme?!…Think about it for a moment.  Do you ever find yourself craving something sweet soooo bad that you kinda “lose it”!?..You get right down cranky & irritable until you get that sugar fix….hmmmm???…Sounds an awful lot like what happens when addicts attempt to give up cigarettes, alcohol…etc. The thing that makes sugar even more dangerous, is it is SO widely excepted…and almost PUSHED!!…AAUGH! We are headed into a season filled with high-sugar treats.  “So what?”…you may say…I mean sugar doesn’t cause all the health problems that other addictions cause right?..(you know what the answer is…)  Here is just a partial list of physical conditions caused or worsened by sugar in the diet.  Keep in mind, these conditions aren’t caused by an enormous amount ingested…but, simply by taking in “normal” amounts:

• Obesity
• Heart Disease ie. Raised blood triglycerides & sticky blood platelets

Hypoglycemia

• Diabetes
• Hyperactivity
• Kidney enlargement
• Increase in uric acid in blood
• Cancer- in fact research shows that cancers FEED on sugar!!!!
• Hindered break down of dietary protein
• Cavities – because sugar consumption leaches calcium from the teeth
• Weakened immune system
• Intensified PMS symptoms – Ladies!!…pay close attention to this!  During your menstrual cycles, many times you will crave sweets—by consuming sugar, you increase the cravings & mood swings
• Yeast infections

Sugar is incredibly addictive.  I have seen grown women “cry”…seriously-cry, in my office because they just can’t seem to fight that sugar addiction!  The problem is, the more you eat-the more you want. It used to be that only the rich could afford the luxury of sugar, but by 1840 “sugar pushers” were handing out free samples.  Now the sugar industry has the largest advertising budget in the world! Sugar, like alcohol is intoxicating.  It creates an imbalance of the neurotransmitters of the brain.  The following are mental and emotional disorders linked to sugar in the diet:

• Irritability
• Manic-depressive tendancies
• Chronic or frequent bouts of depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Forgetfulness or absentmindedness
• Lack of Motivation
• Loss of enthusiasm for plans/projects
• Inconsistency in thoughts and actions
• Situational personality changes
• Irrational thoughts
• Emotional outbursts
• Eating disorders

Sound familiar???

         Sugar is so addictive that people will knowingly put their health at risk because they feel they are “depriving” themselves by saying “no” to sugar…That is CRAZY!!  I know individuals with diabetes, who have been told they can control this horrible disease through diet, yet choose to put their health at risk, because they can’t deny themselves sugar—sound like an addiction?

         Bottom line, the best health choice is to give it up.  WARNING- It won’t be easy!…But, it will be worth it.  You will be AMAZED how much better you  feel when your blood glucose isn’t on a daily roller-coaster.  Trust me!  Here are some ways to start:

• Read the labels.  Only a small percentage of sugar is consumed  as packaged sugar.  Many products contain fructose, or (the worst!) high fructose corn syrup.  The FDA even mandates that “catsup” can’t be called catsup unless it contains sugar.  Buy “natural” products such as salsa instead of catsup & natural peanut butter
• Eat Fruit. Fruit is a great way to eat something sweet.  Get rid of all the sugar containing snacks and load your refrigerator with a wide variety of fruits…When you’re craving a sweet snack, grab some nutritious fruit…It WILL grow on you!
• Avoid artificial sweetners.  These are simply a crutch.  Research has shown that they still encourage you to crave sweets & they still have a detrimental effect on your blood glucose levels.  Plus they all have dangerous side effects.
• Use Stevia.  Stevia is an herb that is very sweet.  There are no side effects & will not play havic with your blood sugar.
• Stay clear of the “white stuff”!  White flour, white rice & white potatoes…they have the same effect on blood sugar  as sugar.

A couple of books I would highly  recommend would be Sugar Blues- This book changed my life! Seriously!  This book was one of the first published on the subject of sugar addiction.  It makes some really good points about addiction…many times beginning as babies with the sugar in formulas…in some cases leading to alcoholism (which is high in sugar content) and also cigarette smoking (which also contain sugar)!…Great book. 

Another book, which is highly entertaining, with a full chapter dedicated to “The Devil –Sugar”!! is Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin.

Now, with the holidays ahead of us, is a great time to be pro-active towards changing your sugar addiction.  Plan ahead!  If you are headed to a holiday function where you know the choices will be cookies, cakes & the like, stash some sweet fruit in your bag.  Sure, it will be tempting & difficult at first…but you CAN do it!  Just like any addiction, it will take time to break the habit.  Don’t be surprised if you feel shaky and encounter headaches…you are dealing with a true addiction here!  Be strong-Be good to yourself.  A couple years down the road you will look back and be thankful that you made a positive change! 

Believe…and you WILL achieve!!