Sugar cravings and your relationship with food

Have you ever really examined your relationship with food? Looked closely at your cravings and attachments or perhaps even your fears around food? Maybe you haven't given it much thought or perhaps you look but can’t quite find your way out of an entanglement?
 
Either way, examining your relationship with food can be a remarkable teacher. Because no matter what, there is no escape from it. It is the human condition to fixate on where the next meal is coming from.
 
Throughout my years of working deeply with food, I have discovered some key factors that have helped me to find peace and balance when it comes to cravings. In particular, around my relationship to sugar and fats, which are key areas for many women, and men.
 
DECONSTRUCTING SUGAR CRAVINGS

Firstly, if you have a sweet tooth, classify yourself a sugar addict or feel out of control with sugar cravings, I would like you to take a deep breath and know that it is deeply ok. You are not alone and there are very real reasons why you experience such cravings. We are all sugar addicts on some level. Why? Because the body runs on sugar. We have glucose receptors in every single cell and the body’s primary function above anything else is to ensure that the vital organs, the brain, the heart and the muscles, are supplied with the sugar they need to function properly. This is survival. 
 
So, from a physical perspective, if the body is not getting the sugar it needs, deep cravings will arise. The body is trying to tell you that it is glucose deprived. And even if you are someone who is prone to indulge, you can still be glucose deprived, as the body needs clean sources of bio-available glucose in order to get its fix.
 
And what about the emotional component of sugar addiction? Of course, there are times when all of us gravitate towards too much cake or chocolate after a long hard day or times of emotional distress. But consider this - in times of stress or emotional distress, the body uses vast amounts of glucose, so our needs become greater. And glucose is needed to fuel and cool the emotional centres of the brain, helping to create emotional stability.

But the type of glucose you choose in these moments is key. By turning to poor quality, high sugar/high fat treats, you are depriving the body of the nutrient filled forms of glucose it so desperately needs. And the fat combined with the sugar is a recipe for disaster, as it blocks the glucose from getting to the cells efficiently, which means you end up with more cravings! This can be the vicious cycle of sugar addiction, where the body is never really getting what it needs.
 
So, what can we do in those moments of sugar desperation or emotional distress? We can choose DELICIOUS foods that are high in glucose, nutrients and minerals, for example:

Medjool dates – deliver vital glucose to the liver and brain, and are packed with potassium that fortifies the muscles and nerves. Dates also help us to sleep better.

Mangoes – if there is any fruit that has the ability to diffuse stress, it is mangoes. They are packed with glucose that restores neurotransmitters in the brain and their high levels of magnesium calm the whole nervous system. They are nature’s sleep aid and stress buster.

Bananas – from an emotional perspective bananas strengthen the core of who we are. They provide emotional stability and help release post traumatic stress disorder (which has a huge link to glucose deprivation).

Raw Honey – using raw honey in place of all processed sugars works miracles not only for your health but also your emotional state. It is a medicine that strengthens the immune system by providing a whole array of nutrients, phytochemicals and glucose, and strengthens the mind, helping to create emotional stability.

And yes, it is true that we all need a delicious piece of cake from time to time, but when we choose healthier alternatives that are free from eggs, gluten, dairy and processed sugar, profound shifts take place in the body. Not only physically but mentally too.

So don’t be afraid of your sugar cravings. Look at them, examine them, bring awareness to the emotions and understand your body’s deep need for glucose. This creates a little more softness in the heart that allows for change through understanding, rather than forcing.  And if you feel called to work with this more deeply, please do book a complimentary call to discuss your particular health needs. 
 
Wishing you much love, happiness and thriving health.
Rebecca