Kicking the Sugar Habit.

“If sugar were to be put on the market for the first time today, it would probably be difficult to get it past the FDA.”

- Kathleen DesMaisons -

The plausibility of sugar addiction is often up for debate and there’s a fair amount of eye rolling when it comes to the issue, but if like me you’ve spent a considerable fraction of your life cracked out on the stuff (as revealed in my previous post) then it’s hardly a questionable idea.

Sugar addiction is not to be taken lightly. I know it all too well; the soaring and crashing; craving and bingeing. It’s a merciless cycle of highs and lows that’s hard to escape once you’re engulfed in it. 

There’s something insidious about refined sugar; the more I have, the more I want. It’s a bottomless pit of insatiable yearning. I never achieve a level of fulfilment. If it wasn’t for hypertension and nausea, I’d probably gorge on chocolate all day long. I’d go as far as likening it to cocaine, which is similarly very unsatisfying. But sugar is supposed to be “food”, not a drug.

Of course it would be naive of me to lay all the blame on the substance alone since there are a plethora of reasons why people get addicted to things - if it was purely physical then giving up wouldn’t be so hard as most physical dependencies are overcome within a matter of weeks, sometimes days. And supposedly sugar addiction takes only a couple of weeks to curb (so I’ve heard).

There’s often a psychological element to sugar addiction. I truly believe it’s based on more than just a longing for something sweet and tasty. It’s more intricate and deep-rooted than that and must be worked on over time in order to dismantle. But the physical aspect of it can be dealt with sooner, thus giving me space to understand the bigger picture and heal myself gradually.

So, after years of sugar abuse (as exaggerated as that might sound) I’ve decided to take action and cut sugar out of my life for good – or at least until I can establish a better attitude and healthier pattern of behaviour. Like the nicotine addict who flushes her cigarettes down the toilet, I’m putting my foot down and making a decision to quit cold turkey and free myself from this self-imposed entrapment. The white stuff and I are finally parting ways, and though I know it’ll be tough to begin with, I’m not sad to say goodbye.

I’m sure that a lot of people would regard my sugar abstinence as slightly too stringent and unnecessary, and I admit that tapering off slowly is probably a more reasonable route to take, but I know myself well enough to know that it wouldn’t work for me. A small piece of chocolate or slice of cake every now and then isn’t going to hurt but for people with addictive personality traits like me, moderation is simply unfathomable. “Just one slice” usually leads to “just one more” to “just to another” to “well, I might as well finish the entire cake”, so it’s better to steer clear all together. I’m an all-or-nothing kinda girl, which is something I intend to work on no doubt, but until things change I intend to remain on my no-sugar wagon and simply enjoy being clean and healthy, which will help eliminate the physical cravings at least.  

Once you’ve made the commitment, sugar-sobriety is achievable. Having done a fair bit of research, here are some of the best tips I've come across to make the journey a smoother, more tolerable experience.

1 – Try to keep your blood sugar stable by eating breakfast and eating regularly throughout the day. Sometimes we crave sugar when we’re hungry. This isn’t always the case - there have been times when I’ve craved a double-decker mud cake right after a three-course meal - but it’s worth staving off hunger just to be safe.

2 - Keep alternative, non-sugary “sweets” that you can snack on if cravings get particularly bad, such as nuts and dried fruits like raisins, dates, and figs. Often cravings will subsist (I’m just being honest) but sometimes you can trick your body into thinking its desire for sweetness has been satisfied.

2 – Try to avoid alcohol as much as possible during the first few weeks of your sugar detox. Not only is it likely to weaken your resolve but it’s also high in sugar and can lead to further cravings.

3 – I know this is one of those irritatingly obvious ones, but drink water. It really does help!

4 – Eat sufficient protein during meals. Protein keeps blood glucose levels steady and aides in the production of serotonin, which helps you stay calm and happy (thus more likely to say no to the chocolate biscuits being passed around the office). I find that the more protein I implement into my diet, the less intense my cravings are.

5 – Avoid coffee. I used to think it helped suppress my appetite but it can actually trigger sugar cravings.

6 –Okay, I know this isn’t for everyone, particularly not you trypanophobes out there, but I’m a big advocate of acupuncture. It’s important to find a good practitioner, though. Word of mouth is often the best way to go. It’s worth asking around. 

7 – Get lots of exercise. Exercise has been shown to powerfully curb cravings.