Many of us have a sweet tooth and enjoy having sweets. But this can be very much like sugar addiction, which needs attention, as it can be harmful. It is important to know about the effects of sugar addiction and effective ways of sugar addiction detox.
Sugar Addiction
Before understanding the ways of sugar addiction detox, it is important to know how sugar addiction can affect health. Very few people know that the addiction of sugar is no less than the addiction to harmful drugs such as cocaine and marijuana. Though the consequences of the relapse might not be that severe, but the same reserve center of the brain is triggered in both the cases of addiction i.e. the release of chemical dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that acts as a key part of any “reward circuit”, which is associated with any type of behavior. When a person consumes sugar, it leads to excess release of the chemical dopamine which ignites the desire for more pleasure. It alters the regulation of food intake in an individual and the person looses the ability to control consumption. This leads to uncontrolled consumption of sugar items or junk food items. As the person repeats the behavior or increases the intake, the brain adjusts and releases less dopamine. So now, the only way out or regain that high pleasure again is to repeat that behavior by increasing the number of amount and frequency of intake. This is also known as a substance abuse.
Several studies support that when a person consumes too much of sugar or junk food, it results in certain malfunction in the brain. This reduces the ability of the person to control their food intake. The system in the brain that controls the eating habits malfunctions. This is the reason why people gain excess weight and become a victim of obesity.
Sugar Addiction Detox: 6 Ways to Detox from Sugar
It is clear that high amount of sugar in foods, modifies and leads to malfunction of mechanism of the brain. It thus loses the ability to control the amount of food substances one intakes, it leads to excess weight gain or obesity. If you appreciate the harmful effects of sugar addiction, you would surely seek for sugar addiction detox methods to protect your health.
Here are Some Effective Ways for Sugar Addiction Detox:
Avoid Processed Foods
You will be surprised to know that sugar and other processed food items are very addictive to the brain. In a study conducted in 2013, researchers from Connecticut College confirmed that Oreos can be very addictive just like cocaine. So this becomes an established fact that the addiction caused by processed foods and sugary items are no less danger than the addiction caused by cocaine and marijuana. So, an important move in sugar addiction detox is to completely avoid eating complex processed food items which contain very high amount of sugar.
Boost the Serotonin
Serotonin or the happiness hormone in the body can easily be raised through proper diet, exercise and right sleeping schedule. When the body has plenty of serotonin, the brain is less likely to crave for sugar food items. Exercise regularly for a good serotonin boost and make sure you sleep well at night. A healthy lifestyle is the most effective sugar addiction detox plan.
Satisfy Your Tooth Naturally
If you crave for sugar, you can begin to choose fruits and dry fruits instead of sugary foods and drinks. This can be a good start, which can also help to bring down your sugar cravings eventually. Fruits have natural sugar and also help in sugar addition detox. Having a diet rich in complex carbs and vegetables too can reduce sugar cravings as compared to a diet with simple carbs and sweet foods.
Maintain Your Sugar Levels
Eat small but small healthy meals throughout the day, instead of three large meals. This will help to avoid dips in blood sugar level, without craving for sweets and offer you a good sugar addition detox. Make sure that the evening meal you take is rich in fiber. You can take food items like quinoa, millet, buckwheat etc). When you eat these food items, the brain would release more serotonin (or the happy hormone). You will get good sleep and your blood sugar level would also be stable. Also note that a fermented Vega protein food item helps in stabilizing the blood sugar level in the body.
Drink Plenty of Water
At times, you may misinterpret that your body is craving sugar, but in fact it is craving for water. When the body is in a state of dehydration, one is often confused whether one requires water or sugar. So always keep your body hydrated by drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water every day. Start your day with 1 glass of water in the morning and same at night. Intake of water early in the morning nourishes all the organs of the body and regulates their proper functioning. This is a perfect way to flush out toxins and enjoy sugar addiction detox.
Relish Fermented Food and Drinks
Fermented food items and drinks are good replacement for sugar items and can be taken for sugar addiction detox. Coconut drinks are one of the most popular and common drinks today and you can yourself make your own coconut kefir drink at home.