breaking the sugar habit

I've been noticing how much more sugar I eat than I actually want to eat, and I want to do something about it.  And then, I watched this.  Even though I’ve been trained as an natural health care professional, I am like most folks in America: I consume far more sugar than is necessary (including "hidden" sugars), and I regularly crave  both the taste of and physiological response to sugar.  For me, this includes an excessive amount of refined sugar, honey, maple syrup, and LOTS of fruit.  

I know my sugar intake negatively impacts my energy levels and my mood, and it's a habit I don't want my family to pick up. So with the input of some facebook- and real-life friends (including Joan, Emily, Bevin, Imani, and David), this is what I’ve come up with as a set of guidelines to help break my addiction to sugar.  (Note I use "guideline," and not "rule," which sounds more daunting and impossible!)

I’ve started by: 

• Eliminating coffee and replacing it with a lot of bitter, aromatic teas.  (My favorite right now is damiana, skullcap and rose.  But any bitter will do—next week I might switch up to burdock, dandelion and a little bit of Oregon grape.) 
• Drinking a huge jar of water before bed. 
• Having a little cultured food every day.  Right now I’m eating kimchi, which I love.
• Meditation or yoga before bed. 

I feel really good—and haven’t had any major cravings so far. (Of course, this is only day 3 of what I expect to be a journey!)  If you take on any of these practices in your journey to sugarfree, let me know how they work for you.  I’m interested in any effective way to deconstruct and get rid of the sugar habit!

12 LIFESTYLE GUIDELINES FOR BREAKING SUGAR ADDICTION

Drink water.  Sometimes sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration.  Before you indulge, drink a glass of water and see if the craving passes.  At all costs, avoid soft drinks (Americans’ main source of added sugar).  Dilute fruit juices by at least half—sparking water is nice.

Eat gentle sweets.  Eat sweet vegetables and fruit.  They are sweet, healthy, and satisfy your cravings for refined sugar. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners and food with sugar added.  As an alternative to white or brown sugar (which is white sugar with molasses added), try maple sugar, stevia, brown rice sugar, coconut sugar, or dried fruit (like dates or currants).  Berries and grapefruits are examples of low-glycemic , nutrient-dense fruits that make a good treat without being “addictive-sweet.”  

Bitter is better.  Start the day with a bitter tea, rather than coffee.  A strong green tea is bitter and has blood sugar-stabilizing properties.  Scullcap tea is also bitter and will help reduce nervous irritability withdrawal symptoms that go along with giving up sugar. All bitters are good for your liver, assisting the sugar detox process. When eating meals, eat the most bitter or strongly flavored food first, and the sweetest food last.  It’s a healthier way to prime the digestive system, plus the sweeter foods will register to the brain as even more sweet when you do enjoy it.

Make sure you have plenty of fats & proteins.  Try to do this early in the day, replacing sweetened cereals with eggs, or lentils and rice for breakfast, for example.  Both provide a more steady supply of energy and keep you from getting that desperate need for energy hat drives you to crave sweets.  Evaluate the amount of animal-based proteins you eat.  This includes meat, dairy, chicken and eggs. Experiment and respect your body’s individuality. Eliminate fat-free or low-fat foods, which may contain high quantities of sugar.  Choose foods with healthy fats (coconut, olive, avocado) instead.

Relax. Get more sleep and R&R.  When you are tired or stressed, your body will crave energy (in the form of sugar).  Often, sugar cravings are a result of being sleep deprived, burning the candle at both ends for weeks (or even years) on end.

Move your body.  Start with simple activities like walking or yoga.  If you haven’t been active in a while, start with 10 minutes a day and increase it from there.  It will help balance your blood sugar levels and reduce the stress and tension that may lead to cravings.

Reduce or eliminate caffeine.  The ups and downs of caffeine include de-hydration and blood sugar swings, making sugar cravings more frequent.

Binge on sweets once in a while—but rarely. One you see how terrible you feel afterwards, it might serve as a deterrent.

Spice things up.  Incorporate herbs like coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom into your dishes.  They will sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.

Fine sweetness outside of your diet.  Do more things that make you happy. Get and give more hugs. Spend time with friends and family.  Make art.  Look for opportunities to laugh.  Listen to music you love.  If your life is sweet enough, you’ll need less added sugar.

Get help if you need it. Do this with a buddy--or buddies.  Tweet it, put it on FB. You may want to see a nutritionist, herbalist, or acupuncturist, reiki practitioner--whatever provides additional support if it becomes necessary.

Make this a practice.  Know that it will get better as it goes along—the longer you stay away from processed sugar, the better you’ll feel and the less you’ll crave it.  Before you know it, a piece of sweet fruit will satisfy. But if you happen to stray from the path, be gentle with yourself, and just keep moving forward keeping in mind all the benefits you are getting by doing that!