Are You Addicted To Sugar??

This about sums it up! We all love sugar, but it's easy to see how it can become an addiction and before you know it, it's become a part of your daily life... You HAVE to have that cookie, or that ice cream, or that iced mocha with sprinkles...

When you eat sugar, dopamine ( a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in a range of body systems and is responsible for transmitting signals in between the nerve cells of the brain) gets released. Dopamine can make you feel happy, even euphoric, so it's no wonder that you would want to reach for the sugar if it can activate those feelings. BUT... then the sugar blues hit!

Blood sugar levels drop and when that happens, you feel light headed, loss of energy and you will start to crave something sweet! Your brain is trying to get back the sugar "high" that it had. Unfortunately, those foods you crave are usually the very foods you need to avoid. 

Sugar actually activates the same brain regions that are activated when a person consumes drugs like cocaine! So, it's not your imagination when you really feel like you have to have potato chips or cookies or...

So, how do you break the cycle?? Gradually, and by recognizing that the goal is to create a healthy balance with food that will still leave you feeling satisfied. Easier said than done, I know. But it all goes back to being mindful and not stressing out. It can take up to 66 days to create a new habit. So, don't tell yourself you can't have any sugar and set up restrictions because that will usually always lead to binges... Make the first step simply to recognize how much sugar you eat in a day and go from there. Start by looking at where you make some changes. Maybe a piece of fruit instead of a doughnut. Maybe a sparkling water instead of of a coke. One step at a time. You can do this!

That's it for now, until next time,

Here's to the road that lies ahead. Here's to you!

Tracy

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