How to Kick Sugar Addiction

1. Find the sweetness in your life.

The common thread in people who suffer from sugar cravings is a lack of self-nurturing. They are often the types who take care of everyone else and put themselves last. So, their reward to themselves is the sweets. But what is really missing is finding the sweetness in their lives. Creating space for themselves. Finding time to do things they really love to do. Often, the people who are most susceptible to sugar cravings are working stressful jobs, living stressful lives, completely out of balance. They have disconnected from what their passions are in life, and life has become a series of obligations rather than enjoyment. So, taking the time to create space and find the sweetness in life is a great long-term strategy to avoid sugar. If the person is satisfied in all aspects of their lives, there is less reason to reach for the sweets when stressed.

2. Drink apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar helps to change your taste buds to the point where sugary foods taste too sweet. I have found people to crave less junk when they sip apple cider vinegar throughout the day.

3. Take the "sugar destroyer" herb.

Gymnema sylvestre is an herb in the milkweed family and known as a "sugar destroyer" in ayurvedic medicine, as it desensitizes our taste buds to sweet items. It can help promote healthy blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol due to supporting a healthy pancreas and liver function. It helps regenerate beta cells in the pancreas, which secrete insulin in order to take up sugar into the cells for energy. It also helps make cells more sensitive to receiving insulin. We tend to crave sweet items when we're low on energy (perhaps not enough insulin or cells are resistant), stressed (increased cortisol causes the body to use sugar so we need to replenish), or poor sleep (also increases cortisol), for example, and gymnema helps balance spikes in blood sugar that could additionally be triggered by a poor diet. A few drops on your tongue before a meal can offset desiring sugar and last for about three hours, especially in conjunction with a nutritious diet and the desire to quit sugar. However, caution should be used if someone is taking oral medication or insulin, as it can alter prescription dosages.

4. Become a sugar detective.

One of the best ways to quit added sugar is to get really good at learning how to find it. Simply looking at the grams of sugar will not cut it since sugar can come naturally through dried fruit. The industry has gotten very good at masking sugar and calling it by other names. I usually teach my clients two important rules: 1) if it ends in "-ose," it's sugar, and 2) if it ends in "syrup" it's also a sugar. Some frequent ones that appear healthy but are still sugar are brown rice sugar, date sugar, and of course, sucrose, fructose, and lactose.

5. Know that sugar replacements won't satisfy your cravings.

Don't try to replace sugar with fruit and expect to be satisfied. Seltzer is not cola, and a banana is not a cookie—and that's totally OK. Let those non-sugar items be their own awesome things instead of consolation prizes, and take this opportunity to try new stuff and find something new you like. Rather than focusing on what you can't have, think about what you can have as well as some foods and beverages you've been curious to try. For example, maybe your colleague's favorite ginger tea always smells amazing, but you've been in a rut with your sugary coffee drink. Now is a great time to give something different a shot. You might find something you love, and the novelty can help distract you from sugar FOMO.

6. Eat almond butter.

The most helpful tip I know of for quitting sugar is to keep your blood sugar stable with almond butter. Keep a jar on hand at work, at home, and in your bag, and feed yourself a spoonful about a few times throughout the day. This will ensure steady blood sugar, warding off any blood sugar crashes that can make you go scavenge for a hit of sugar.

7. Train your taste buds to like bitter.

Train your taste buds to like the taste of bitter—it really does a lot to suppress the cravings for sugar. Try to eat as much plain, unflavored Greek yogurt as possible, in addition to bitter greens like watercress and bitter melon. Within 30 days, your taste buds will reset and you'll crave less sugar.

8. Add nature's candy to healthier homemade dishes.

Since most commercial dressings have loads of added sugar, our taste buds have been trained to crave a pop of sweetness in our salads. I used to add a handful of dried cherries or cranberries until I discovered that even those are usually sweetened further with fruit juice concentrates. Now it's all about that root-veg base. Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and parsnips become nature's candy when baked at high temperatures in the oven until crispy—hello, healthy fries! But they're also great for topping salads. Caramelized onions or crispy coconut oil fried shallots are another great sweet addition.

9. Eat fermented foods whenever that sweets craving kicks in.

I have the biggest sweet tooth, despite being a health food editor, and I've tried everything to eliminate my own (rather persistent!) cravings. I've found that fermented foods work best for me—a few tablespoons of sauerkraut, fermented beet, or a gut shot will quell a craving in seconds. Whether it's the friendly little bacteria eating those sugar-desiring yeasts in my gut or just the strong, sour flavor on my tongue, it's become my go-to. Just make sure your fermented product is raw (not pasteurized!), so all those good bacteria are intact.

DOPAMINE PATHWAY

Dopamine - the molecule of feeling good plays an equal role in our craving for sweet.

This molecule is released when you ingest sweet and a peak dopamine release is achieved with the first ingestion of sweet substance.

This peak is followed by a crash. 

Once you have your favourite oreo shake, you feel a big win . On finishing the drink, sometime later- a feeling of crash (pain) arises , and this leads to a greater craving of the drink that brought that dopamine peak in the first place.

Ways to blunt the sugar spike-

•Consume foods that are high in protein and fibre to prevent blood sugar spikes. Protein and fibre both work to slow down the absorption of sugar into the body.

•Drink water: Water can aid in the body's removal of sugar, which can lessen the surge in blood sugar.

•Consume healthy fats: Healthy fats, such as those in avocados, nuts, and olive oil, can also aid in reducing the rate at which sugar is absorbed into the body.

•Consume food slowly to give your body time to absorb the sugar you are ingesting and prevent a spike in your blood sugar levels.

•Choose low-glycemic index foods: Foods with a low glycemic index, such as whole grains and legumes, are broken down more slowly in the body and can help reduce the sugar spike.

"The glycemic index is a way to measure how fast a food makes your blood sugar go up. Some foods, like candy, make your blood sugar go up really fast. But other foods, like whole grains and beans, make your blood sugar go up more slowly.”

Personal advice

•The order in which you eat your meal is important. for eg. eat protein first in a meal packed with carbs and fats.

•Maintain your protein goal as we discussed in our previous release. (1 g protein per kg of body weight)

•Stick to whole fruits rather than fruit juices - as the fibre content is lost in juices.

A side-note on fructose - fruit sugar

“eat more fruits and vegetables”

Fructose, which is a type of sugar found naturally in fruits and vegetables, has sometimes been blamed for contributing to the development of chronic diseases.

However, research indicates that the amount of fructose found in fruits and vegetables is relatively low when compared to other sources of fructose, such as high fructose corn syrup, and that eating these foods may actually help to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.Overall, as part of a healthy and balanced diet, it is important to consume fructose in moderation.

Summary

•Sucrose is made up of glucose and fructose, and when consumed, the body breaks it down into these components.

•A study with mice revealed that even when their ability to taste sweet was impaired, they preferred a bottle of glucose over water. This is thought to be due to the gut-brain axis and the ability to detect glucose presence.

•Dopamine release, which is associated with feelings of pleasure, also plays a role in cravings for sweet substances. However, the initial dopamine release is followed by a crash, which can lead to an increased desire for sweet substances.

•Fructose, a sugar found in fruits and vegetables, has been linked to the development of chronic diseases in the past. Consuming fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy and balanced diet, on the other hand, may help to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and should be included in the diet in moderation.

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Sugar Is a Potent Aging Accelerator

By studying the effects of starvation on yeast, It has been discovered that sugar accelerates aging and premature death, in part by activating two genes known as Ras and PKA, both of which are known to accelerate aging. Longo explains:

"At Walford, we were working with human samples and mice and it was very clear that not knowing about the genes and the molecular biology was going to greatly limit us in moving forward. The gamble was, let's move back to a very simple system and hope that what we learn about aging in this simple system applies back to humans. And I think the gamble worked. We did identify what I call the sugar pathway or the PKA or Ras/PKA, and then the protein pathway, the TOR-S6 kinase. "

Research has demonstrated that these initial findings in yeast hold true in other animals as well, including worms, flies, mice and a group of people in Ecuador who have Laron syndrome, a rare genetic disorder where they lack the receptor for growth hormone. As a result, they cannot grow taller than 4 feet.

Interestingly though, this genetic anomaly also appears to protect them against chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer — even when consuming a less than ideal diet. According to Longo, there's reason to believe the findings apply to most other people as well, as we now know growth hormone and growth hormone receptor in humans regulates both the TOR and MPK pathways.

"We now suspect there is a network pathway starting with the growth hormone and ending with these transcription factors that we described. These are what I call the captains of protection, that are regulated by the food that you eat," Longo says.

Sugar Avoidance and Fasting Are Powerful Longevity Boosters

Longo was one of the first researchers to identify sugar as an aging accelerator and fasting as a process for improving longevity. In 1997, he published a paper showing yeast could be made to live a lot longer when starved. Shortly after that, they discovered the sugar and protein pathways responsible for this phenomenon.

In essence, what he found was that if you knock out both Ras/PKA and something called LCH-9, which is the S6-Kinase gene in yeast, you could obtain up to a fivefold extension in lifespan. As noted by Longo, "It was clear that the effects of fasting were caused in part by shutting down these two pathways." The question was, does the same apply to humans?

To answer this, Longo looked for equivalents to what they'd identified in yeast. Work done by John Kopchick and Andre Barki showed that, in mice, growth hormone deficiency and growth hormone receptor deficiency caused record longevity extension of 40 to 50 percent. They were also far healthier than normal mice. Half of them were completely disease-free at the time of death. As noted by Longo:

"This is very impressive and remarkable. So, we knew that this was true for yeast and this was true for mice, and the Laron [study] was our way to demonstrate that this is also true for people. To summarize, health and longevity are promoted by either a) having low levels of growth hormone, or b) lack of receptors for growth hormone, so it doesn't matter whether you remove growth hormone or the receptor."

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Sugar scrubs for baby soft skin

If you love making your own beauty products at home, you’ve undoubtedly made your own body scrubs. Making your own scrubs is incredibly easy, satisfying, and will save you a ton of money in the long run. Today we’ll show you how to make sugar scrubs at home using any type of combination you wish. All you need is sugar, oil, and your favorite essential oil to make some amazing and easy concoctions! These sugar scrubs are 100% natural and are great at sloughing off dead skin cells and revealing beautiful soft skin.

How to Make Sugar Scrubs
Before you start making any sort of sugar scrubs, it’s important to remember the ratio. From there on, you can pretty much mix any type of essential oil and concoct your own, unique scent. Homemade sugar scrubs consist of 80% sugar and 20% oil. For most recipes, I use 1 cup of brown or white sugar and 1/4 cup of coconut oil, almond oil, or olive oil. Alternatively, any other type of oil will also work if you don’t have either of the three.

So with that 80-20 ration in mind, now we can go ahead and make some great sugar scrub combinations!

Orange Sugar Scrub

This orange sugar scrub is great for mornings as the orange is super energizing and will wake up all of your senses! Mix 1 cup brown sugar, with 1/4 cup coconut oil and 7-8 drops orange essential oil.

Cucumber Mint Sugar Scrub

This cucumber mint sugar scrub is extremely refreshing and perfect for hot summers. Mix 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 5 drops peppermint essential oil, and 4 drops of cucumber essential oil.

Vanilla Lavender Sugar Scrub

A soothing scrub that will calm all your senses! Perfect scrub for before bed! Mix 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, and 5 drops lavender essential oil.

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Why Sugar Is Cancer's Favorite Food

Sugar is as addictive as cocaine, and eliminating it can help anything from your sleep quality to your mood and skin quality. In fact, you may think you know everything there is to know about this sneaky substance. But new research, published in the scientific journal Nature, reminds us that there's still a lot more to learn about sugar and our health by highlighting the relationship between cancer cells and sugar.

This study shows that cancer cells process sugar differently from the rest of the cells in our body. What does that mean, exactly? It means they convert higher amounts of sugar into lactate than healthy tissues do. Scientists call this the Warburg effect, which is described as "a phenomenon in which cancer cells rapidly break down sugars." This Warburg effect can stimulate tumor growth.

So does this mean that sugar causes cancer? According to the study: No, this research doesn't suggest that. But it does mean that when there is already cancer in the body, sugar consumption can increase the rate at which the cells multiply and grow. In other words, a low-sugar diet could be very beneficial for people with cancer, but there's still more to learn about the role of sugar in preventing cancer in the first place.

This was a nine-year joint research project between microbiologists and molecular biologists at three different facilities in Belgium. As the world learns more and more about the dangers of sugar and where it's hiding in our foods (even healthy ones!), we'll likely see more research on the connection between sugar and cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death in the world. In a report, one of the lead researchers, Professor Johan Thevelein (VIB-KU Leuven), wrote, "This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences. Our results provide a foundation for future research in this domain, which can now be performed with a much more precise and relevant focus."

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Inflammation causing foods

1. Sugar

You already know that sugar is bad for your teeth and your waistline—but did you know that it fans the flames of inflammation as well? When you eat sugar, it triggers the release of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines that rev up the fire inside you.

2. Artificial sweeteners.

A diet high in these sweeteners can lead to inflammation that puts you at risk for glucose intolerance and metabolic disease—steps on the path to diabetes. (Researchers believe that some of the bacteria in your gut react to artificial sweeteners by secreting chemicals that provoke an inflammatory response, making it harder for your body to handle sugar.) What’s more, a new study reports that in addition to hiking your risk for diabetes, these sweeteners can increase your risk for obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

3. Glutenous grains.

I know that lots of people pooh-pooh the idea that gluten sensitivity is common. But I speak from experience, because I’ve helped thousands of patients get better control over inflammatory diseases—ranging from arthritis to psoriasis to inflammatory bowel disease—by having them cut out foods that contain gluten. (It’s actually smart to reduce or eliminate all grains because of their pro-inflammatory effects, but at a minimum, give gluten the boot.)

Try this: This naturally gluten-free pizza recipe will make you forget all about the typical, gluten-filled kind.

4. Seed oils.

Oils like canola, corn, sunflower, safflower, and soybean—as well as margarine and vegetable fats—are highly processed and contain an unhealthy ratio of inflammatory omega-6 to anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Instead, I recommend reaching for healthy substitutes like avocado and olive oil.

5. Dairy.

In more than 20 years as a clinician, I’ve found that the majority of my patients don’t tolerate dairy foods well. Frequently, they don’t even know this is a problem until they eliminate dairy from their diet. When they do, symptoms like headaches, skin breakouts, bloating, and a stuffy nose clear up—and that tells me that their internal inflammation is dropping as well. If you’re not sure whether dairy bothers you, I recommend eliminating dairy foods, for a month at least and see how u feel.

Try this: A nondairy milk that can be made in five seconds flat eliminates any excuse to not just have it on hand.

6. Foods packed in BPA-lined cans or packages.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is already linked to many scary problems ranging from birth defects to obesity. In addition, research now links BPA to increased inflammation in post-menopausal women. Luckily, more and more manufacturers are offering their products in BPA-free packaging; read labels carefully, and reach for BPA-free products whenever you can.

7. Commercial condiments (with exceptions).

Most grocery-store mayos, ketchups, and salad dressings are loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, harmful emulsifiers, seed oils, and other junk. I make my own condiments, with a few exceptions including additive-free salsa (available in most stores), mustard (most brands are fairly clean), and avocado mayo.

8. Soy "Frankenfoods."

I know you hear all the time that soy is good for you. However, the heavy processing of foods like soy burgers and soy hot dogs can lead to the formation of lysinoalanine and nitrosamines—toxins that can damage your cells, leading to inflammation.

Try this: Make your own veggie burger with actual veggies once, and you'll never go back.

If inflammation is a problem for you, try kicking these eight pro-inflammatory foods out of your diet and see what happens. It may take a few weeks (or even a few months), but I’m betting that you’ll feel healthier and look younger all over!

These "healthy" foods all cause inflammation.

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