Insulin resistance

8 Steps to kick your sugar cravings to the curb

by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

I know craving sugar can be a powerful urge. I talk to many women who are fully aware they’re hooked and others who don’t think they eat a lot of sweets at all — until they start keeping track. The truth is that once we include sugar in our daily routine, it becomes more and more difficult to stop. And sugar contributes to serious short and long-term health problems, like excess weight gain, hormonal imbalance, skin and dental issues, as well as osteoporosis, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.

Craving — and eating — sugar is not simply about willpower or emotions. We now understand that there may be several underlying physiologic causes feeding what feels like a desperate desire for sugar. For one thing, it can affect our brains in the same ways drugs and alcohol can, making it addictive.

There are many other physical causes for sugar cravings, too, like hormonal fluctuations, which can disrupt one of our major hormones insulin and subsequently other hormones like estrogen and progesterone; intestinal yeast, which thrives on sugar; and stress, which provokes cortisol and the urge to refuel after a disturbing event. Let’s take a closer look at sugar’s health effects and what you can do to stop cravings, lose weight, and transform your health!

Sugar, your hormones, and your weight

Having a treat on special occasions is one thing, but when we get stuck in the habit of grabbing a cookie or a latte for that 3 o’clock slump or even just adding sugar to our daily coffee, the physiologic changes in the body are profound. As the image above depicts, a sugar rush can activate feel-good chemicals and reward centers in the brain (including neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and beta endorphin); blood sugar spikes, providing instant energy; and eventual insulin surges that can deplete the body of energy and contribute to insulin resistance.

The results of this roller coaster are:

• weight gain
• fatigue
• mental fogginess
• hormonal imbalance
• and more!

The problems I hear about most on this list are weight gain and hormonal imbalance. Here’s what happens:

Extra sugar and carbohydrates that aren’t being used by the body are generally stored in the liver as glycogen. If the liver is full, your body will make fat from the extra sugar and store it in existing fat deposits around your body, which is why there is such a direct link between sugar and weight gain.

Sugar can also directly affect you hormonally by turning off a gene that controls your sex hormones. Without this sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) gene, levels of testosterone and estrogen can become unregulated, leading to symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and more.

So here’s what you can do to stop your sugar cravings and all the corresponding health effects:

Step 1: Balance your hormones. Just before menstruation, when estrogen is low and progesterone is on its way down, beta-endorphin levels in your brain are at their lowest. These cyclical hormonal and neurotransmitter fluctuations may explain why many women who experience PMS and perimenopause also have sugar cravings and the accompanying serotonin–endorphin bursts that high-sugar foods can provide. An herbal formulation like our Herbal Equilibrium or PMSolution can help naturally balance your hormones in flux, cutting cravings and other disturbing symptoms.

Step 2: Add nutrients. Specific micronutrients like zinc, vitamin C and the B vitamins are particularly helpful in calming sugar cravings by influencing serotonin production. Equally important are omega-3’s, which are crucial for regulating mood and inflammation — factors that are both associated with cravings. Try quality supplements like the ones we offer in our Personal Program to cover all the bases.

Step 3: Mix protein (or fiber) with pleasure. Combining treats with a stick of cheese, a few nuts, a glass of milk, or some vegetables will help balance the sugar and insulin surge and allow a gentler increase in blood sugar and insulin. Protein shakes make great snacks, too. We offer WheySational, a whey protein shake, as a part of our Personal Program for Weight Loss Resistance. You can also try desserts that include protein, like custards or meringues or even a bowl of berries and cream. Try natural sweeteners like stevia or xylitol instead of sugar. With a less “spiky” sugar surge to the brain, you’re also less likely to experience a crash.

Step 4: Investigate intestinal yeast. Yeast thrives on sugar. If your intestinal (and vaginal) bacteria are out of balance, they are more likely to welcome yeasts like Candida. An overgrowth of yeast in the intestine (or system-wide) can lead to extremely intense cravings for sugar, fatigue, fuzzy thinking, and digestive issues. Going on a yeast-free diet is the first step to eliminating these sugar-hungry cells because they can’t live without sugar and refined carbohydrates. Take away their food and they go away.

Step 5: Avoid acid-forming foods. Red meat is high in a pro-inflammatory molecule called arachidonic acid. Eating a lot of meat and refined carbohydrates tends to increase inflammation and acidity, causing the body to crave sweet foods in an attempt to maintain balance. Choosing anti-inflammatory foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as those that are alkalizing and antioxidant-rich, such as fruits and vegetables, can offset the damage and the cravings associated with this dynamic.

Step 6: Explore food sensitivities. Food sensitivities are more and more common these days and they can lead to extra sugar intake by leaving us foggy-headed and fatigued. These symptoms logically drive many of us to a sugar pick-me-up to feel better or complete our daily tasks. The most common food allergies are to gluten and dairy, but others to explore are corn, eggs, soy, peanuts, and citrus. I’ve seen women remove a food they are sensitive to and find their sugar cravings go away. Keep in mind that eliminating certain foods can lead to certain symptoms for a period of time while your body adjusts to life without that food.

Step 7: Lower your stress. Any stressful situation can lead to less than optimal eating habits, but stress itself increases cortisol levels, which eventually increases hunger hormones. This can push many women with stressful jobs and lifestyles into a pattern of nighttime cravings, over-eating, and unwanted weight gain. Over time, these women reach adrenal imbalance and extreme exhaustion. And they find the only way to get through the day is to drink lots of caffeine and consume sugar for quick energy bursts.

Step 8: Refrain from sugar for 3-5 days in a row. I know how hard it can be to do, but avoiding sugar for just three days can make a huge difference for some women. Trust me on this one! I’ve seen it do wonders for many, many patients and friends. For others, it may take longer for their cravings to diminish. But eliminating the cyclical crash-and-burn bursts of serotonin and beta-endorphin from sugar and refined carbohydrates can help your body normalize its receptors and neurotransmitters. This way, your brain isn’t constantly sending the message that it needs more sugar. Instead of running to your chocolate stash after dinner, you’ll be amazed at the calm satisfaction you feel.

Bonus step: Have fun!

Many things in life can affect our serotonin and beta-endorphin levels — exercise, balanced nutrition, rewarding work, a positive relationship, even a sunny day. The joy we find in our lives speaks to our biochemistry. So when we are lacking positive energy and happiness, it’s not surprising that we seek to fill that void with sugar. One of my favorite prescriptions for patients reads: Go have some fun!

Remember that we are not striving for perfection, but progress. A little change every day leads to some amazing transformations in your body. Letting sugar go can be sad and stressful — we’ve been there — but we’re here to help you get there.

Related to this article:

References & further reading on sugar craving

 

Last Modified Date: 10/24/2012
Principal Authors: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP