BAYOUHEALTH: SWEET TOOTH

Prevent Sugar Cravings From Haunting You This Halloween

by SHANNON DAHLUM

If you struggle with sweet cravings, battling those sugar demons may be the scariest thing you have to face when Halloween rolls around. Knowing that October is just the beginning of a three month long holiday season filled with treats to avoid makes matters even worse. Why is it that no matter how hard you try to prevent it from happening, you always find yourself in a cycle of swearing off sweets, binging on desserts, then feeling guilty?

The problem is that you may be trying to rely on willpower to fight your body’s biological instincts, and your biology will always win. Understanding the things that could be causing your cravings may be the key to helping you prevent them from happening.

1. Keep blood sugar levels stable with healthy carbs at the right time of day.
   You’re probably already aware that keeping your blood sugar levels stable is one important factor in preventing cravings from striking. This doesn’t always mean you need to avoid carbs completely and follow a strict ketogenic diet, though. While keto can be a great tool for some, it’s not the best solution for everyone.
   If trying to avoid carbs entirely makes those cravings even harder for you to fight, stop avoiding them! Try adding in some nutrient dense fruits and starches at lunch. Often, when the fear of fruit and potatoes is removed, so are the insatiable cravings for junk. Nutrient dense carbs from whole foods are absolutely a much better solution than avoiding them and then finding yourself elbow deep in the candy bowl. It often works best, though, to avoid carbohydrates at breakfast and wait until lunch to include them. Starting your day with only protein and healthy fats will give you a steady supply of energy and keep your appetite in check until lunch. But including some nutrient dense carbs in the middle of the day can help power your brain and body right through the usual afternoon slump and head off those late day munchies.
2. Increase your protein intake
   Protein is made of amino acids, which your body requires for producing neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that make you feel good. When you aren’t producing adequate amounts of these “feel good” neurotransmitters, you may experience anxiety, depression, irritability, low self-esteem, fear, worry, or dread.
   Serotonin levels naturally fall in the afternoon, and they are also lowest in women during the two weeks before her period, when estrogen falls. If these are the times you experience most of your carb cravings, it could be a clue that already low levels of serotonin are the culprit.
   Sweet treats and other refined carbs will temporarily give you a boost in these neurotransmitters. This is why they’re so addictive. When neurotransmitters are low, your brain will send out the signal that sugar is needed immediately to give them a boost. The sugar makes you feel great, but of course, this boost is only temporary. Once those neurotransmitter levels fall again, the cravings will return.
   The key to preventing the cravings caused by low levels of neurotransmitters is to increase your protein intake. This provides more of those amino acids that your body needs for creating adequate levels of neurotransmitters. Be sure to eat three meals every day, and include a serving of protein at each meal. Since different amino acids are present in different sources of protein, be sure to vary your protein sources. You can also try including various amino acid supplements to help boost specific neurotransmitters. For more information about this, check out the book “The Craving Cure,” by Julia Ross.
3. Add in a mineral supplement
   Minerals are also required by your body to assist with the production of neurotransmitters, as well as hundreds of other functions, including maintaining blood sugar balance, hydration, and carbohydrate metabolism. Imbalances in any of these areas can lead to sugar cravings.
   Unfortunately, even if you’re eating a diet rich in whole, nutrient dense foods, you may still be lacking adequate minerals. This is because a lot of the foods we eat are now deficient in minerals, as a result of modern farming practices. Yes, you do still need to eat a wide variety of plants, but it may also be necessary to include a mineral supplement to keep your mineral status healthy.
4. Don’t skimp on sleep
   Your internal clock plays a significant role in regulating all of your hormones, including ghrelin and leptin, which control feelings of hunger and satiety. In a study that compared people who had a good quality night of sleep to those who didn’t, those with poor sleep increased their junk food intake by around 600 calories the following day.
   In addition to altered hunger signals, just one night of poor sleep (5 hours or less) has been shown to decrease insulin sensitivity as severely as those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This leads to poor blood sugar control, increased fat storage, and increased cravings.
   To prevent the internal havoc related to a lack of sleep, be sure to allow at least 7 hours per night for sleep. For healthy hormone signaling, it’s best to be in bed by 10:30pm at the latest, and avoid eating anything within three hours of bedtime.
   This fall, get a handle on your sugar cravings before Halloween arrives! Prioritizing your sleep, mineral and protein intake, and high quality carbohydrate consumption will help you maintain a state of balance within your body and control over those sugar demons. You can certainly enjoy some occasional treats when you want to, but you no longer have to be controlled by them.