{"id":6232,"date":"2017-05-19T14:00:19","date_gmt":"2017-05-19T21:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.everywomanover29.com\/blog\/?p=6232"},"modified":"2017-05-18T20:49:38","modified_gmt":"2017-05-19T03:49:38","slug":"sugar-cravings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.everywomanover29.com\/blog\/sugar-cravings\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make sugar cravings go away without massive willpower or without feeling deprived"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Do you believe that you can actually make sugar cravings go away without massive willpower or without feeling deprived? I\u2019m going to tell you that is really is possible no matter how crazy it sounds! And share how to do it!<\/p>\n

I was recently quoted in this great article: Is our addiction to sugar a spiritual crisis? Find out how to think your life sweeter, naturally<\/a>, written by the talented Lisa Sanfilippo.<\/p>\n

Lisa shares such a great description of how we get a hit of dopamine when we consume sugar in the same way addictive drugs give you that hit. Nicole Avena\u2019s writings and videos illustrate:<\/p>\n

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how receptors on the tongue trip off the brain to ping its reward system. A hit of the brain chemical dopamine signals, \u2018Oh, that\u2019s good.\u2019 A warm fuzzy feeling ensues. And we want to do the thing that stimulated that feeling again. Addictive drugs such as cocaine, nicotine, alcohol and heroin also stimulate this \u2018feels-good-do-it-again\u2019 pathway. Our brains light up when we think about a treat or a \u2018hit\u2019. The wanting or craving sets it in motion, too. We may not realise it but we are in a relationship with the thing that makes us feel good, even if it damages us.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When your brain chemistry is out of whack, you self-medicate with alcohol, painkillers, street drugs, or the most socially-acceptable and readily available of all \u2013 sugar. Here is my contribution to the article:<\/p>\n

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\u2018We must understand why sugar affects our brain chemistry like addictive drugs. We may use sugar to concentrate better, feel calmer or get happy when we\u2019re low.\u2019 But, Trudy says, \u2018If we get the right nutritional balance or take specific amino acid supplements, we can boost the needed neurotransmitters, so that cravings go away without requiring massive willpower or without feeling deprived.\u2019 Her recipe? Supplements. \u2018Tyrosine boosts dopamine for concentration, GABA makes you feel calmer, and tryptophan boosts serotonin for happiness.\u2019 So, a trip to a qualified nutritionist might help us to stop drugging with sugar.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You can read Lisa\u2019s entire article here<\/a>. I really love how she describes our unhealthy relationship with sugar, how she discovered she was self-medicating with the stuff and of course, some of the other practical advice like yoga for stress reduction.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a deeper look into the imbalanced brain chemistry and addictions or cravings. I see this all the time when you have low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and by addressing these low levels with targeted individual amino acids you really can end the sugar cravings without massive willpower or without feeling deprived. Low levels of dopamine, low serotonin, low GABA and even low blood sugar and low endorphins can be addressed in this way.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at low endorphins. The big problem with low endorphins is comfort eating and emotional eating. It\u2019s like: \u201cThis is my reward. This is my treat. I deserve it.\u201d And when you consume carbohydrates or sugar like a bowl of ice cream, a bowl of cereal and milk, a chocolate chip cookie, you feel like \u201cthis is my reward. I deserve it.\u201d The amino acid DPA boosts endorphins and ends this comfort and emotional eating and the sad, weepy mood we see with low endorphins improves too.<\/p>\n

When it comes to low serotonin you are going to crave sugar and carbs in the afternoon and evening. And we will also have the low serotonin mood symptoms which are depression, the worry type of anxiety, the ruminating thoughts, the worry and the fear.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re looking for resources on how to use amino acids to make sugar cravings go away without massive willpower or without feeling deprived here is some additional information:<\/p>\n