Soft Addiction: Sugar Splender
It is no wonder that there is dessert offered in restaurants. Sugar is one of the single most common likes of most people. Sugar appeals to us in a way that any other food does in that it is much more addictive. The more sugar we get use to eating the more we want to eat it. Sugar satisfies us because it is a mood elevator and it just taste good in the many forms we eat it in: donuts, candy, chocolate mouse, cupcakes and pancakes. We even have places that sell only cupcakes and coffee and milk for those of us who would like to feel our childhood once more. Sugar products are all around us and every time we go our, every where we go, we see new and creative ways to use sugar and to consume it. Even as a small child we might remember cotton candy which is made of almost all sugar weaved into a light cloud like ball. It looks pretty and it looks delicious but it is pure sugar.
The incidents of diabetic illness has risen substantially, especially in children. We are seeing more and more kids coming up full blown diabetics. It is not surprising when in the school they are serving cookies and chocolate milk daily among other sugar filled items to eat. By the time we are adults we love sugar so much that it is hard to say no to it. We consume it daily and we go to special places to consume special presentations of sugar in every form we can imagine. A taffy apple called gourmet, a cupcake named after a famous ball player and sweet treats at the same counter where we order our coffee in the morning. Sugar is truly everywhere we turn and avoiding it takes a purposeful and intentional avoidance of it.
Some of us feel like there are some great sugar substitutes. Things like Splenda and other products out there that allege to satisfy our sugar craving as well as "sugar free" products, yet the incidents of diabetes don't seem to be lessening but in fact increasing. It is worrisome that there are products with chemicals that taste like sugar and might very well be as harmful as sugar if not more harmful, some causing cancer in rats when they have been tested. Still we look for a way to satisfy our sugar graving. Still we seek out every sugar substitute out there thinking that we are no longer indulging when we are just replacing one bad thing for another.
As we talk more about what to do about sugar addiction we must admit that there must be ways to heal this "soft addiction" as I call it. The reason I call it a soft addiction is because we don't see these things as addictions. They are things we accept as normal and not as bad as other addictions like cocaine or herion. Yet for example cigarettes are as addictive as herion and in fact one of the addictions we like to set aside as different from herion or cocaine even though it is a very strong addiction, one that millions and millions of Americans are battling with.
As we look for solution and healing around our addiction to sugar I would suggest the following:
1. Don't keep it in your home:
Don't have sugar products in your home and if you do get rid of them ASAP.
2. Eat Fruit Instead:
To satisfy your sweet tooth eat fruit instead of products that are artificially flavored or that use granulated sugar or powered sugar to make them.
3. Make fruit smoothies:
Use fresh fruit to make smoothies that will also satisfy your need for sweets. Add some yogurt and a little agave to sweeten your drink, a natural sweetener that is not processed or artificial.
4. Have some tea with natural fruit flavors in them. Tea is a nice way to also relax.
5. When you feel the temptation to eat a cupcake or a candy bar reach for a cold banana. This ca be a great treat, especially cold.
Sugar is a serious addiction and not to be played with. Do your best to stay away from artificial products with processed sugar as much as possible. If you must have a treat make it as natural as you can possibly make it even adding some Greek yogurt to your fruit. The more you stay away from all these processed sugar filled foods the more accustomed your body will be to being healthy and whole. The less you will crave it and the healthier you will be.
Lastly, visit a sight about diabetes and the harmful effects like amputation of the body parts and an inability to do the things people would otherwise be able to do. Yes, diabetes can be controlled and we can live a normal and happy life, but we should consider putting ourselves in a place of healthy and loving commitments around sugar and avoid diabetes and all it's symptoms. Start by eating the right foods.
The incidents of diabetic illness has risen substantially, especially in children. We are seeing more and more kids coming up full blown diabetics. It is not surprising when in the school they are serving cookies and chocolate milk daily among other sugar filled items to eat. By the time we are adults we love sugar so much that it is hard to say no to it. We consume it daily and we go to special places to consume special presentations of sugar in every form we can imagine. A taffy apple called gourmet, a cupcake named after a famous ball player and sweet treats at the same counter where we order our coffee in the morning. Sugar is truly everywhere we turn and avoiding it takes a purposeful and intentional avoidance of it.
Some of us feel like there are some great sugar substitutes. Things like Splenda and other products out there that allege to satisfy our sugar craving as well as "sugar free" products, yet the incidents of diabetes don't seem to be lessening but in fact increasing. It is worrisome that there are products with chemicals that taste like sugar and might very well be as harmful as sugar if not more harmful, some causing cancer in rats when they have been tested. Still we look for a way to satisfy our sugar graving. Still we seek out every sugar substitute out there thinking that we are no longer indulging when we are just replacing one bad thing for another.
As we talk more about what to do about sugar addiction we must admit that there must be ways to heal this "soft addiction" as I call it. The reason I call it a soft addiction is because we don't see these things as addictions. They are things we accept as normal and not as bad as other addictions like cocaine or herion. Yet for example cigarettes are as addictive as herion and in fact one of the addictions we like to set aside as different from herion or cocaine even though it is a very strong addiction, one that millions and millions of Americans are battling with.
As we look for solution and healing around our addiction to sugar I would suggest the following:
1. Don't keep it in your home:
Don't have sugar products in your home and if you do get rid of them ASAP.
2. Eat Fruit Instead:
To satisfy your sweet tooth eat fruit instead of products that are artificially flavored or that use granulated sugar or powered sugar to make them.
3. Make fruit smoothies:
Use fresh fruit to make smoothies that will also satisfy your need for sweets. Add some yogurt and a little agave to sweeten your drink, a natural sweetener that is not processed or artificial.
4. Have some tea with natural fruit flavors in them. Tea is a nice way to also relax.
5. When you feel the temptation to eat a cupcake or a candy bar reach for a cold banana. This ca be a great treat, especially cold.
Sugar is a serious addiction and not to be played with. Do your best to stay away from artificial products with processed sugar as much as possible. If you must have a treat make it as natural as you can possibly make it even adding some Greek yogurt to your fruit. The more you stay away from all these processed sugar filled foods the more accustomed your body will be to being healthy and whole. The less you will crave it and the healthier you will be.
Lastly, visit a sight about diabetes and the harmful effects like amputation of the body parts and an inability to do the things people would otherwise be able to do. Yes, diabetes can be controlled and we can live a normal and happy life, but we should consider putting ourselves in a place of healthy and loving commitments around sugar and avoid diabetes and all it's symptoms. Start by eating the right foods.
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