What is Sugar Addiction?
Food addictions can lead to obesity and complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, when people think about their health as it relates to food, they rarely think about sugar as being the core issues. They think about sugar as an addiction even less. If you are concerned about yourself or a family member, and that sugar addiction may be a core cause of issues, here are some things to consider about what sugar addiction actually is.
Brain versus Food
The first thing to know about sugar addiction is how the brain works on sugar. It truly becomes a battle of your brain versus food. Sugar can cause your brain to have a large release of dopamine. Dopamine works with the regulators in your brain, and when large amounts are released these regulators are dulled. This means that it takes more and more sugar to get the same feeling as the first time. So, where as a small cupcake may have been enough for you, overtime it will take two or more to get the same feeling.
False Energy
Sugar can give you a sense of having energy, like you would get from an energy shot or natural energy. The truth is, it is false energy. Sugar gives your body a rush that allows it to get a small boost. When this boost is gone, you have what is known as a sugar crash. This crash can leave you feeling tired or it can leave you feeling tired along with having a migraine or light headedness. This crash is hard to get over and, in some cases, can leave you with no alternative but to end your day and get some rest.
Overstimulation
Sugar addiction causes an overstimulation of the system. It causes your body to have a reaction that makes you jumpy or anxious. This can, at first, be confused with just being excited or energetic. The problem is that you need to have more and more sugar to get that same reaction. This ties directly to the release of the dopamine and how more than your brain reacts to it. Your nerves, cells, and body system as a whole become used to the sugar and begin to crave it. It makes your body feel like the only way you can get the boost you need is through sugar. In this way, it is just like any other drug addiction, tricking your body into needing the chemical to keep going.
These are not all the signs and key points of sugar addiction. However, these are the most common and most noticeable. They can also be easily reversed by lowering your sugar intake and noticing your sugar levels throughout the day.
Need help with lowering your sugar intake? Check out our current coaching program on sugar here.