We have all heard this before. If you have ever seen a live AA meeting or one acted out on t.v., then you know this famous line. When we think of an “addict” we tend to think of alcohol, nicotine, drugs or maybe gambling. But, the definition of addict is: A person who is addicted to a particular substance or activity. The American Society of Addiction states that addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry.
I couldn’t agree more. Sugar is a drug. It is true. It temporarily changes the body and can cause a “crash” after it is depleted. Sugar can cause dependency to itself. Sugar causes cravings and bad mood when it’s not consumed. Sugar can make you feel happy and uplifted and soon takes over your ability to choose food without some sort of sugar additive. Marketing for major food companies have seen this and uses it to their advantage. Major food companies have been adding unnecessary sugar to food for years causing cravings and addiction to their products. Don’t believe me? Read the label on your favorite “healthy” food such as yogurt and granola. If the sugar content is over 5 grams… then it is too much.
Sugar has no nutritional value. Neither does heroin, cocaine or meth. Sugar is a drug and millions of people are significantly addicted. You do not need sugar to live. The reward center of the brain is very powerful. Not to get all “science” on you, but you need to understand how sugar addiction has created a never ending cycle. Dopamine ( a neurotransmitter) is a “pleasure and reward” chemical. Our body produces this naturally. Sugar (and other drugs) trigger this response manually. Manually means the donut and soda you consume can trigger dopamine (comfort food high). So when you consume sugar… you have manually triggered a pleasure response. Over time, the body can rely on this manual trigger and get kinda lazy on producing the reward chemical on its own. This is why it is hard to go a day without eating something sugary. If your body is use to obtaining a manual stimulus, it can trigger you to eat more sugar by producing a craving (hunger hormone ghrelin) or withdrawal. Sneaky huh?
Don’t worry. This can be reset in your brain. I am not saying that it will be easy… but it can be done. It will take several days of being “low” or “down” while you are reseting your bodies ability not to rely on a manual trigger for a dopamine response. It is temporary. You will survive, but you will possibly be a little snippy to your family, friends and co-workers. Please go easy on yourself and you will be so happy that sugar won’t have so much control over your life. You will take back the ability to make good food choices based on health instead of reward. “Comfort foods” won’t be necessary to exist and your craving for them will decrease over time. Learn to cook without sugar and carbohydrates. Fill your body with nutritional food from the earth and not a factory.
Foods that increase your dopamine levels naturally are perfect for the keto lifestyle. Eggs, avocado and fish are rich in tyrosine and can help increase your dopamine levels. Sleep, massage and music are also stimulants of dopamine. Learning to trigger your reward system without sugar will vastly increase your physical health and can improve mental health. Sugar addiction can impair your desire to break out of a mental state of unworthiness which causes a snowball cycle of over eating.
You want to take control over your eating? Quit sugar.