Sugar Rush

Sugar…it’s everywhere and we crave it!  In fact, this craving dates back to our primal ancestors when sugar was a means for us not to starve during the winter months when food was not as plentiful.  An interesting thing happens when we eat sugar.  Our brain releases dopamine.  This happens to be the exact neurotransmitter that increases when a person uses cocaine.  Wow!   The more we eat, the more we want.  There are definitely negative implications to consuming sugar.  These can include some of the following (but doesn’t include more serious health consequences).

• Inability to feel full (lack of satiety)
• Anxiety
• Increased appetite
• Brain fog
• Insomnia 
  
  

One thing I’ve noticed is people believe they really don’t eat that much sugar.  Sound familiar?  Well, a lot of the sugar we consume involves added sugar that is mixed into condiments, sauces, sandwich meat (yes, I couldn’t believe it either) and more.  Check the label.  It may not say sugar but could include some of the following:

• High fructose corn syrup
• Fructose
• Cane syrup,
• Fruit juice
• Anhydrous dextrose
• Crystalline fructose
• Evaporated cane juice
• Syrup
• Barley malt
• Beet sugar
• And more
  
  

The average American consumes over 150 pounds of sugar per person per year.  That’s ~5,000 tablespoons.  That’s ~ 14 tablespoons of sugar daily which is .9 cups of sugar a day.  With the rise in sugar consumption, we’re seeing an increase in obesity and chronic disease such as adult-onset (type 2) diabetes. 

What can you do?  A lot actually!!  Educate yourself.  Learn how to “really” read a food label and take into consideration all the other names that sugar goes by.  If you do desire something sweet, eat low sugar fruits such as berries which contain polyphenols which fight inflammation and are rich in antioxidants to protect us from DNA damage among other things. 

Choose whole foods that don’t contain a label because they are not processed.  Choose proteins such as nuts, cage-free/certified organic eggs and/or grass-fed meats.  Think wet carbs versus dry which means vegetables spinach, zuccihini, kale (to name a few) or whole grains such as quinoa versus processed carbs such as crackers or breads. 

If you’re craving sugar, maybe you’re thirsty.  Drink water….just water, no drinks with artificial sweeteners.  Thirst is often confused with hunger.  I recommend drinking water throughout the day and drinking ~8 ounces of water before your meals.  You may not eat as much and don’t drink lots of liquid as you eat.  It can extinguish your stomach acid and dampen your digestive enzymes that are working so hard to break down your food.  Also, hydrate yourself first thing in the morning.  I personally drink 8-16 ounces of room temperature water or warm water with lemon before I drink anything else or eat anything in the morning.  This hydrates your tissues and cells that have been drying out overnight.  If you don’t like plain water, add some cut up peppermint to your water.  It’s easy to grow and adds flavor and helps with digestion and breath. 

I also like to use essential oils.  The smell can assist you with your cravings.  I like to use grapefruit essential oil with peppermint and place behind my ears with a carrier oil like jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil that stays liquid at room temperature.  I also use magnesium oil as a carrier oil and you can also use a good quality Shea butter to create a body lotion with the sweet smells of essential oil. 

Lastly, we may be a stress eater.  Of course, comfort foods such as sugar or highly processed foods are often what we lean towards when we are feeling overwhelmed.  If that’s the case, practice mindful breathing when these triggers happen.  For two minutes, close your eyes and breathe in for 5 seconds, hold that breath for 5 seconds and then exhale for 5 seconds.  Do this practice 5 times.  You can assist mind chatter by using essential oils.  I like to meditate/breathe and use essential oils such as lavender and yang ylang which are wonderful for cultivating calm.  The same rules apply as above by creating a concoction of essential oil and carrier oil and applying behind your ears or even on your wrists.  One thing I really enjoy is using oils in a diffuser.  This way the sweet aromas drift throughout the room or even your house to offer serenity to all. 
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Serenity Solution

• 3 drops of 100% therapeutic grade lavender essential oil
• 2 drops of 100% therapeutic grade ylang ylang essential oil
• 1 teaspoon fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil or even almond oil

 
This is a fun recipe that you can create as needed.  You can also purchase glass amber bottles or roller bottles to create an “on the go” blend.  Note:  essential oils break down plastic so make sure to store in glass. 
 
Find a way to release sugar and the sugar rush.  By doing so, you’ll cultivate calm (unless you replace it with caffeine which I don’t recommend) and retrain your taste buds.  Regarding caffeine…enjoy a reasonable amount of caffeine if you already do and do so before noon so it won’t impact your sleep, but don’t add more caffeine because you’re giving up sugar (which I’ve seen happen).  Read labels, eat whole foods, breathe deeply, drink water and dabble in essential oils.  These are all a recipe for assisting you in letting go of sugar and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.  #mindbodyyou #celestecooperpeel #essential oil #sugar #whole foods

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