5 common causes of sugar cravings & what to do about them
You CAN kick your sugar cravings!
A lot our patients who come to Caring Medical for health improvement report that they have cravings. They certainly aren’t easy to get rid of! Sugar cravings cause countless people to overindulge in way too many empty calories. It’s estimated that the average American eats 150 pounds of sugar each year, that’s a lot of sugar! Thankfully, there are ways to kick your cravings, and diet has a lot to do with it.
Here are five common causes that make our bodies crave sugar.
1. Following the wrong diet: Following the right diet plan for your physiology is the number one way to achieve overall health and to avoid unhealthy cravings. The Hauser Diet takes into account blood pH and oxidation levels. People with fast oxidation tend to have sugar cravings because of rapid changes in blood sugar levels. Their body burns through food quickly, and a diet too high in carbohydrates can lead to energy crashes that result in the body needing constant energy. Thus fast oxidizers crave sugar as quick sources of energy. The Hauser Lion or Otter diets can cure these cravings.
2. Low energy/Adrenal fatigue: Do you notice an increase in sugar cravings when you are tired? When the body is fatigued or has been under chronic stress, it will crave quick sources of energy. In this situation, following the right diet, managing stress, and getting adequate sleep are essential. Diet Typing can reveal the right diet plan to balance blood sugar and blood pH – two crucial aspects in energy production. Once on the right diet, sleep typically improves and adrenal glands are supported. It is also important to evaluate your schedule to determine where you can eliminate stress. Taking on too many tasks and responsibilities are detrimental to your health.
3. Yeast overgrowth: Yeast overgrowth, or a yeast infection, is referred to as Candida. A yeast infection occurs when the normal balance in the body changes and the yeast cells overgrow, which can happen as a result of a change in hormone levels or antibiotics. Another contributing factor may be a change in blood sugar. When yeast cells overgrow, “healthy” bacteria levels can decline, leading to even greater yeast growth. Yeast thrives on sugar and therefore causes the body to crave sugar. Remedies include diet, supplements, and possibly medications that a natural medicine doctor like Dr. Hauser could prescribe for you.
4. Hormonal deficiencies: We also find that for many women, the problem may be related to estradiol, one of the female estrogens. The woman with high estradiol levels often has many of the problems that come with this hormone including: menstrual cramps, water retention, irregular menses, fibrocystic breast disease, menstrual headaches, migraine headaches, chronic pain, poor musculoskeletal healing, and weight problems. Sugar cravings can be added to this list. Estradiol is lowered by a low fat, high vegetation diet. Leaner sources of protein are incorporated into this diet including fish, chicken, turkey, and soy products, especially Tofu. Women aren’t the only ones affected by hormones, as men can have hormone imbalances as well. The only way to know if you have a hormone imbalance it to get a blood hormone profile, included in Caring Medical’s Natural Medicine program. Many times diet alone can correct hormone imbalances, otherwise natural hormone replacement may be necessary, as prescribed by our natural medicine physician, Dr. Ross Hauser.
5. Sugar overconsumption: Yes, sugar can be addicting – we all know that! But you can break the addiction! Studies show that a diet high in processed sugar and fat can actually stimulate the brain’s dopamine pathway – the pleasure-sensing area of the brain. Over time the brain will want more of certain stimuli (in this case, high sugar and fat items) that light up this pathway. Hence, overeating occurs as a result of the learned behavior of consuming high sugar and fat items that are so common in the American diet. This behavior is now being coined as “hypereating”. Researchers are suggesting that people learn how to retrain the brain to resist these cravings and the desire to eat large amounts of these foods. This can be quite a difficult task for Americans considering they are bombarded with processed, high sugar, high fat items in grocery stores, restaurants, fast food billboards, etc. Retraining your brain can prove to be difficult and frustrating. But with the right guidance, anyone can achieve this goal. Diet Typing is a great first step!
So there you have it, some possible causes to your sugar cravings. Bottom line, Diet Typing can help you get on the right diet plan to nourish your body and avoid cravings. The Hauser Diet is something we believe can benefit everyone. If you have been thinking about coming to see us, we encourage you to come! It’s an investment in your health with lifelong results. If you have already done Diet Typing but have fallen “off the wagon” – you can get back on it! Set up an appointment with Dr. Hauser to get back on track!
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