Sugar addiction - you might have one
Is that even a real thing? What does sugar addiction look like? What it does do to your health? How does it appear? Is it serious enough to address? Or should I just continue enjoying my sugary treats?
Addiction is always a sad situation, whatever the substance in question is. Dependency on a substance means that you are not free to make your own decisions. Something always makes the first and initial decision for you, free will is not the primary factor.
American Psychiatric Association defines addiction as follows: “Addiction is a complex condition, a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence. People with addiction (severe substance use disorder) have an intense focus on using a certain substance(s), to the point that it takes over their life. They keep using the substance even when they know it will cause problems.”
We associate addiction mostly with legally regulated substances like drugs and alcohol. But the most commonly occurring addiction is sugar addiction. The reason that is not acknowledged as addiction is that the symptoms are not so dramatic. Sweetness is so insidious in our lives that we don’t even think of it as a severe addiction. Pity, as it causes a lot more trouble than the hard substances: it is everywhere and it is very socially acceptable, even promoted and culturally required.
A lot of the time we just laugh it off and refer it to our “sweet tooth” and make sure that there is always something sweet in the house. With sugar addiction there is no social stigma or risky use, thus not a big deal, right?
The chemistry behind it
The reason for sugar consumption is that it causes a release of endorphins in the brain. These are your body’s natural opioids. It is possible that your body craves these extra opioids and when they’re gone withdrawal follows. Sugar also causes a release of dopamine, which plays a major role in habit formation.
Endorphins make you feel better while you are eating, but they don’t stick around for long. They are used quickly and then you need to look for another boost. Does this somehow remind you of the sugar euphoria after then bar of chocolate or a packet of biscuits?
Falling off the sugar addiction wagon
Within days of giving up sweet foods, these symptoms can become so unbearable that we end up binging. Binge-eating is part of a vicious cycle of sugar dependence and withdrawal. After a binge, people often feel guilty, depressed, and angry. So how do they make themselves feel better? They eat more sweets to get those endorphins flowing again!
In animal studies, researchers have found that sugar withdrawal mirrors withdrawal from other drugs, like cocaine and heroin. But animals seem to be more prone to sugar addiction than we are. In one study, when given a choice between cocaine and sugar, cocaine-addicted rats primarily chose the sugar.
Cause of sweet tooth is very primal
Believe it or not, there is an evolutionary basis for you craving sweets. Our early ancestors were biologically driven to seek out high calorie foods, such as fruit and honey. Consuming sugars helped our ancestors build up body fat, which was essential for surviving periods of scarcity. The brain rewarded this survival instinct by releasing feel-good neurotransmitters.
Consequences of sugar consumption
A friend was expecting her first baby and she told me that if she takes something sweet, the baby gets restless and starts kicking within a minute. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it!
Sugar consumption can have quite dire consequences to your health, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes or even Cancer. These are extreme consequences, the less dire, and more common consequences are lowered immune capacity, tooth decay, reduced digestive system and many more. You can see the full list of possible symptoms here: www.steadybelly.com
Long-Term Treatment
Many people cut sugar off their diet and feel great. The main problem people face is sustaining a low-sugar diet, sugar is so ubiquitous in our world now that it takes some skill to stay off it. If you don’t have that skill, you are not alone. There are many, many people who have started a sugar free diet many times and fallen off the wagon as often too.
The key to successful dieting is to find something you can live with long-term. In my Candida free programme learning that takes about three months. While learning, you can live your normal life, enjoy delicious food and learn how to happily stay on the wagon for the rest of your life. I have crammed my years of research and experience to the programme so that you can stay on the wagon for the rest of your life.
Some signs of addiction.
If these factors are familiar with your sweet snacking, there is a great chance that you are addicted to sugar:
You want to feel good — feeling of pleasure, “high”
It makes you feel better — e.g., relieve stress
It helps you to do better — improve performance
You may be aware of their problem but be unable to stop it even if you want to. The addiction may cause health problems.
Symptoms of sugar addiction:
Impaired control: a craving or strong urge to use the substance; desire or failed attempts to cut down or control substance use
Drug effects: tolerance (need for larger amounts to get the same effect); withdrawal symptoms (different for each substance)
Irritable behaviour (tantrums) if you don’t get your sweeties
You may have health problems related to sugar consumption, see the Candida symptoms list here: www.steadybelly.com
I hope that this has shed some light on your relationship to sugar and if you would like to know more, please follow me on Facebook and Instagram or sign up for my newsletter. The source for my addiction information is: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction/what-is-addiction
