Often, people who have issues with their weight complain that they have sugar cravings, feel hungry, and feel out of control with their eating. These cravings make it difficult to stop eating sweets and control food intake.
Sugar cravings are not imagined and not due to a lack of willpower! Carbs and sugar are addictive and they can be toxic to the body leading to chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. There are many possible causes for carb cravings including: hypoglycemia, lack of sleep, dehydration, gut infections, issues with the adrenal system, poor diet, nutrient deficiencies, insulin resistance, and issues with dopamine.
Specifically, insulin resistance can cause carb cravings because when the cells become resistant to insulin, sugar cannot enter the cells to make energy which causes us to eat more sugar. Additionally, when we eat sugary foods, the brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine controls the reward and pleasure centers in the brain. When we eat a lot of sugar, the dopamine receptors become less sensitive, and therefore we need to eat more sugar to feel the same pleasurable sensations. This turns into a cycle that creates a sugar addiction, like addictions to certain drugs.
To reduce sugar cravings, it is important to make changes to our diet. Food intake should be high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats. It is also important to stay hydrated because often dehydration can mimic the signs of hunger and create cravings. Simple sugars and carbohydrates should be eliminated and substituted with whole foods.
Many people experience side effects when they eliminate sugar from their diet, including headaches, nausea, anxiety, depression, hunger, bloating, fatigue, chills, and diarrhea. If cutting out sugar cold turkey is too difficult, try doing it in stages. First, use a natural sugar sweetener instead of sugar. Next, try eliminating juices and sweetened beverages if you consume them. After that, substitute processed sugary foods with whole foods filled with fiber, such as fruit. While it may seem difficult, you will feel better when you have less sugar in your diet. Your body will thank you!
Your diet and lifestyle can be directly linked to your sexual function. For more information on these links, or if you are experiencing any sort of sexual dysfunction, contact us for a free phone consultation.
