How to Calm the Sugar and Carb Cravings
Most people have a love-hate relationship with carbohydrate-rich foods and sugars; for many, cutting back on carbohydrates creates jitters and stress.
After you eat, do you feel tired, crave certain foods, or experience lightheadedness, irritability, shakiness, or anxiousness?
Are you also someone who has difficulty losing excess fat, has more severe headaches and body aches, or has a noticeable increase in hunger?
These are signs of poor blood sugar regulation: hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and Insulin resistance.
What is happening in the body?
These reactions occur when you eat or drink sugars and other carbohydrate-rich foods, which quickly process into blood sugar; the pancreas produces insulin for the new blood sugar to store in your cells.
The body’s cells and organs work to utilize these glycogen stores. However, when our muscle and liver glycogen stores are full, the liver then converts remaining glucose to triglycerides, stored in fat cells. The body is now storing excess fat cells which is increasing body fat, fat around organs, and inflammation.
To add more fat to the fire - These spikes in insulin lead to Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and Type 2 diabetes. Further these conditions are known to contribute to PCOS, Alzheimers and other dementias, heart disease and certain cancers.
Honestly, I don't intend to be a bummer. I want to offer some clarification and information that may provide some knowledge, so you can focus more on what you can do.
How Can You Decrease Excess Carbs?
Many tell me no matter how determined and motivated they are to feel and be healthier; it is virtually impossible. It seems challenging because of uncertainty about how to make changes or where to begin.
While nutrition and diet are unique to every individual, there are many choices you can make to reduce or eliminate sugars and inflammatory foods from your diet, including a variety of carbohydrate-rich foods.
Start slow, one step at a time. I recommend starting with one particular area each week for all my clients. For example, sugary drinks rapidly break down into glucose in the body, spike blood sugar, and significantly contribute to obesity, diabetes, and Heart disease.
What can you do? Add a squeeze of lemon or lime to sparkling mineral water.
Prioritize protein at each meal.
Protein is the most satiating of all macronutrients; most people do not get adequate protein.
Ideally, aim for a minimum of 30 grams of protein/meal. In particular, your first meal of the day to curb those cravings. Protein is the most satisfying macronutrient and will support blood sugar balance as it digests slowly.
What do 30 grams of protein at breakfast look like? Three eggs, a 1/2 cup of organic yogurt or cottage cheese, some berries, and a tsp. of chia seeds.
I know it sounds like a lot - but trust me - your cravings throughout the day will decrease with adequate protein at that first meal.
Stock up on protein-rich foods, meats, fish, yogurt, dairy, and raw nuts.
Focus on the delicious foods you can eat
Chances are, if you have your "addictive" sugar-carb-rich foods in the house, you will eat them. These foods include rice, pasta, oatmeal, bread, dried fruits, crackers, cereals, sauces, cookies, etc. Focus on eating whole foods.
Wrap your sandwiches and burgers in Romaine, Bibb lettuce, or Collard Greens. Load up on fiber-rich foods like carrots, raspberries, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, etc., when you want to grab something sweet. Instead of rice or potatoes at your meal, make two different vegetables. These fiber-rich vegetables will lower blood sugar spikes and, therefore, cravings.
While these changes may not be enticing, there is a sense of gratification knowing you made a beneficial choice that is healthy and healing.
While there are more activities and other daily choices to consider when lowering your carbohydrate and sugar cravings - making huge changes overnight are difficult to maintain and kicking the cravings for sugar is challenging.
There is not a person who has not had sugar/carb cravings, my self included. don’t believe anyone who says differently. At times you have to make the choice that your health and vitality are far more important than a quick hit of sugar.
The quality of what we eat is integral to our ability to