A bad relationship with sugar is one of the hardest. It calls you to the cupboard in the middle of the night and draws you in when times are hard. Sugar is a faithful companion when all else fails. The problem is, sugar is now being linked to more and more long term health issues and it is hidden in so many of our foods.
Habit
Sugar overload is often habitual and giving ourselves a treat can be very reassuring. Sweet treats are a reward for good behaviour when we are children and I think this is what sets us up for treating ourselves. So with this in mind, changing your relationship with sugar and your eating habits in general is often very useful.
Replacing your refined sugary snack with natural sugar can help at first, fruit instead of chocolate or making your own healthy sweet treats. Eventually you can get rid of the cravings all together.
People will often come to me saying they prefer salty snacks like crisps, but if you look at the list of ingredients on a packet of crisps, sugar is up there at the top. It gets hidden in everything and often what we consider a savoury snack is actually laden with sugar. Always look at the labels on your food, it is important to look at every product you buy with suspicion, even if it is from a health food shop!
It is also worth noting that carbohydrates convert to glucose in the body, and the white refined sources of carbs like white bread or rice have the same effect. So, go for wholegrain options to give you a slower release of energy and combine them with protein and fat.
Habit
Sugar overload is often habitual and giving ourselves a treat can be very reassuring. Sweet treats are a reward for good behaviour when we are children and I think this is what sets us up for treating ourselves. So with this in mind, changing your relationship with sugar and your eating habits in general is often very useful.
Replacing your refined sugary snack with natural sugar can help at first, fruit instead of chocolate or making your own healthy sweet treats. Eventually you can get rid of the cravings all together.
People will often come to me saying they prefer salty snacks like crisps, but if you look at the list of ingredients on a packet of crisps, sugar is up there at the top. It gets hidden in everything and often what we consider a savoury snack is actually laden with sugar. Always look at the labels on your food, it is important to look at every product you buy with suspicion, even if it is from a health food shop!
It is also worth noting that carbohydrates convert to glucose in the body, and the white refined sources of carbs like white bread or rice have the same effect. So, go for wholegrain options to give you a slower release of energy and combine them with protein and fat.
Sugar has been linked to:
-Overgrowth of Candida yeast organism
-Chronic fatigue
-Binge eating
-Worsens PMS symptoms
-Increase in hyperactivity in children
-Increase in tooth decay
-Increase in anxiety and irritability
-Increases chances of hypertension
-Main cause of diabetes
-An increase or intensify of anxiety and panic
-Extreme highs and lows; a physical yo-yo
-Difficulty losing weight because of constantly high insulin levels, causing the body to store excess carbs as fat.
So with this is mind, what sugar should we be consuming and when?
Shameless Sugar?
When seeking sweet treats head for the natural options, choose products which are as close to their original source as possible and as sparingly as possible. These are still sources of glucose and need balancing with protein and fat.
Some natural sweetness for snacks or cooking:
Shameless Sugar?
When seeking sweet treats head for the natural options, choose products which are as close to their original source as possible and as sparingly as possible. These are still sources of glucose and need balancing with protein and fat.
Some natural sweetness for snacks or cooking:
-Honey (raw if possible)
-Bee Pollen
-Stevia leaves
-Raw cacao beans
If you can add these products to your teas, cakes, cereals and desserts rather than refined sugar you will be doing your body a favour and eventually you will find you enjoy things which are less sweet. Each of these choices has a benefit to the body and still retains its natural healing properties and vitamins.
But, let's not get carried away with natural options here. Too much of any sugar will give our body extreme highs and lows and leave us depleted of energy.
My Sweet Treat Recipe - Just-like-Chocolate-Bar
-Raw Honey - 2 tsps
-Soaked Almonds - 1/4 cup
-Raw Cacao Beans - 1 cup
-Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
Blend all these ingredients together until you have a gloopy paste, pop it in the fridge or freezer and cut into blocks. This is a healthy way to make your own yummy chocolate.
None of us are perfect, occasionally we should be allowed to eat something we consider naughty, just try not to make it a habit which creates a craving.
I hope this helps.
Josie
Really like this Josie, well done. I look forward to reading more, you've reminded me to make use of the raw foods in my larder which have been forgotten about since my healthy eating spurt in the Summer!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, a raw food spurt is a wonderful spurt to have! Thank you for your wonderful treatment, you are a wonderful reflexologist xx
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