You just finished a most delectable meal and the waiter asks “May I entice you with our fabulous Cherry Jubilee? Surely you left room.” Your head says “NO”. Yet somehow your lips are not connected to your head in that moment in time and the next thing you know, the cherry Jubilee has made it’s way down the hatch.
Why am I craving Sugar?
Or it’s four o’clock in the afternoon and there are suddenly voices coming from the dish of candy that seemed so in-obvious this very morning. You know better, you are an intelligent, professional, fully integrated part of society. Yet, you wait for the isle to clear, just to sneak a few. One extra jumps into your pocket for later, so you just go with it. You were so good all day! Why are these vicious foreign, sucrose ridden entities taking control of your very existence? You are on a diet! You were doing good! And you still are!! Now, how does someone stop thier sugar cravings and curb them for good? Often times there is more to those sweet tooth urges than meets the eye. However, with many struggling to maintain control of their appetite, diet and life, perhaps one key component to a new program has gone unchecked.
What Causes Sugar Cravings and How to Get Rid of Them
Hormones play a dramatic role in maintaining blood sugar balance as well as restorative sleep patterns. For many, sugar cravings and hormonal fluctuations are a regular theme. For other’s a chronic imbalance in gastrointestinal health is the culprit. Your adrenal glands make cortisol, which impacts blood sugar levels, blood pressure, heart rate and metabolism. The amount and pattern of cortisol production influences how your body stores fat. Cortisol also controls the inflammatory processes throughout the body. The ideal cortisol pattern is elevated first thing in the morning, decreasing towards the evening to allow for a restful sleep. Over time, continual stress disrupts the delicate balance of hormones, as well as our blood sugar levels.
Does Stress Cause Sugar Cravings
Stress may cause a spike in blood sugar and cortisol, followed by a steep decline in both with an ensuing rise in the body’s need for something to keep it going. Sugar is the most accessible for many, though caffeine or energy boosters are common crutches. Some signs that cortisol and other hormone levels are out of balance include: * Sugar Cravings * Difficulty Sleeping * Tired but “Wired” * Afternoon Slump * Headaches * Constantly feeling Stressed and Overwhelmed The effects on the body include, but are not limited to dis-regulation in glucose metabolism, blood pressure instability, insulin release, immune function, inflammation and mood swings. Normally cortisol levels are highest in the morning, about 30 minutes after rising. They taper off during the day. When your body is under constant stress, your nervous system never receives the signal to relax.
The same is true with sugar consumption, only with sugar consumption, there is a significant crash in energy, often accompanied by agitation. This causes a chain link reaction for other hormones and blood factors to go awry. Long, busy days and short nights of sleep send messages to the body that it is in a state of stress. Our body’s primitive response to this is to store fat for later, recognizing the stressful event as a threat to it’s very survival. Our eating patterns often follow suit, or lead the way to these physiological responses. Have you ever found yourself eating when stressed, tired or upset? Was celery an option for you at that very moment? Not regularly, I have a feeling. Over periods of time with constant stress, the adrenal glands produce less and less cortisol, yet the stress continues. Without enough cortisol, our body needs to find energy from somewhere else. Our bodies crave sugar, caffeine and other stimulants to counteract low cortisol levels and temporarily raise energy levels.
Stop Sugar Cravings Naturally
If you crave sweets regularly – a thorough assessment of your hormones as well as balancing the gut’s bacterial flora may be indicated. Sweets feed yeast, yeast in the system causes bloating, gas and more cravings. Why? When you feed the yeast, or candida albicans in the body, those little fungal microorganisms have a hay day. They feast, they reproduce, they expel their waste in YOUR body – in a gaseous form (thank you very much), and the little baby yeasties want to eat. I bet you can’t guess what they want to eat. (HINT: It is not swiss chard.) How would you like to reverse these syndromes and symptoms? I am Dr. Diana Joy Ostroff and these conditions are so common in my day to day work with my patients. We create GREAT RESULTS for them! And so will we for you! The outcome: * More Energy * No more sweet tooth * Less Bloating * Weight loss * Diminution of Mood Swings * Balanced Hormones Call: 808-373-9966 for your initial consultation and get control of your health and replace your appetite for sweets with a desire for life!
