Are you a sugar addict? Do you consume a sweet snack such as cookies, candy or pastries more than once a week? Do you crave sweets? Do you have trouble concentrating through out the day? Do you have erratic energy thorough out the day? Do you rely on a sweet "pick-me-up" to get through? Do you consider yourself a carb lover? Do you eat bread, cereals, pasta or rice as a main staple in your diet? Do you drink alcohol more than twice a week? Do you have mood swings when you haven't eaten any sugar? Do you have "hypoglycemia" – do you feel irritable, disoriented, or dizzy if you skip meals? Do you get headaches when you try to avoid sugar? Do you find that one bite does not satisfy your sweet tooth? Instead, do you find yourself over consuming sweets before you finally feel satisfied? Do you bake? Do you always feel the urge to finish a meal with a bite of sweet? If you answered yes to three or more of the above questions, it's time to face it – you're addicted to sugar. Worldwide historical statistics show a direct correlation between the increase of sugar consumption and the escalation of diabetes and other fatal diseases, including cancer. Sugar consumption is also responsible for a wide array of mental complaints including lack of concentration, mood swings, irritability, and depression. To reduce and eventually eliminate sugar from you diet, start Slowly! Make these easy changes first:
- Replace sodas with herbal teas and water…..drink lots of water! Water helps clear toxins like sugar from the system.
- Eliminate sugar from your morning coffee – start drinking it black or use a small amount of stevia (all natural, herbal, no-calorie sweetener). Better yet, switch your coffee to green tea. But not right away….remember to take it slowly!
- If you enjoy baking and don't want to give it up, check out this website for information on baking with stevia.
- Up your protein intake with lean beef, turkey, chicken, and fish. Also, try tofu and other vegetarian protein. These foods help keep you full and have a mild effect on blood sugar so you won't end up crashing later.
- Up your high quality fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, and olives. Concentrate on Omega 3's – walnuts, salmon and flax seeds. High quality fats give you a lasting feeling of satisfaction, provide sustained energy and have a mild effect on blood sugar just like protein.
- Just say "NO" to those little after dinner mints or hard candies you may mindlessly suck on through out the day. Replace with sugar free gum.
As you get more and more comfortable with these changes, you will be able to cut back and eventually eliminate sugar from your diet. Be aware of the following names for sugar on ingredients lists:
Barley Malt
Blackstrap molasses
Brown sugar
Cane sugar
Corn sweeteners
Corn Syrup
Confectioner's sugar
Date sugar
Dextrin
Dextrose
D-mannose
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrate
Glucose
High-fructose corn Syrup (HFCS)
Honey
Invert sugar
Lactose
Malt syrup
Maltodextrin
Maltose
Maple syrup
Molasses
Raw sugar
Sucrose
Syrup
Table sugar
Turbinado sugar
For more articles like this one, check out Boost Your Immunity, Are Supplements Really Necessary? and The Truth About Carbs.
