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Medical Video: Break Your Sugar Addiction in 10 Days
If you have ever tried a sugar diet, you may realize how difficult it is to stop snacking on everything sweet. For some people, maybe a sugar diet is really impossible because sugar and sweet foods are very tempting dishes.
Based on the results of a 2011 study, daily sugar intake, including sugar, sucrose, glucose, fructose, and lactose contributed more than 10% of total calories. The average sugar intake of the Indonesian population reaches 15.7 grams per person every day. If accumulated, this number has soared to exceed the WHO recommendation threshold, which is only 5% of the total number of calories obtained from food every day.
Actually, what causes sugar cravings?
Robert H. Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist, says eating sweet foods causes the release of insulin which makes the brain produce so much dopamine throughout the body at one time. Dopamine is a chemical compound that is responsible for affecting the system reward-behavior and improve mood. Yes, sugar and all kinds junk food make you happy.
Often eat sweet foods, especially in large portions, causing dopamine receptors to begin to break down and regulate themselves. Now the dopamine receptors in your body have decreased a lot. As a result, the next time you eat sweet snacks, the effects of dopamine will not be as effective as before. This is where addiction starts to arise. Automatically, you will eat more sugar to reach the same level of happiness and happiness as before.
Furthermore, when you feel hungry, your instincts will send a signal so that the body starts looking for food. And usually, any food with high calories will be the main target. Cravings, are desires of the heart, not encouragement from the body. Cravings are more aimed at specific foods that are familiar with comfort or nostalgia. In other words, foods that can increase dopamine levels in the body.
Psychologist Elissa S. Eppel believes that sugar and junk food, due to the strong effect on the center reward brain, has an addictive role such as drug abuse like cocaine and nicotine.
Here are 5 easy ways to stop eating sugar. You can do one, or better, everything.
1. When hungry, eat right away
It is important for you to be able to tell which hungry are really hungry or hungry due to cravings. When you are hungry and also crave something, don't look for a snack to block your rumbling stomach. Immediately look for (or make) filling foods that are rich in nutrients. A heart call may want you to eat a chocolate cake, but strengthen yourself the temptation to crave and spend your lunch even though the menu does not look appetizing
2. Hot shower
It might seem extreme, but don't panic first. For some people, a hot shower is a quite effective way to stop turbulent cravings. The secret, the water must be hot but not to overheat until it burns your skin. Set your water heater to heat enough to cause a slightly uncomfortable feeling of stinging.
Keep quiet for 10-15 minutes under a hot shower. After bathing, you will feel hot, like when you finish swimming.
Your cravings will stop in an instant.
3. Walk
Go outside the house, walk leisurely and enjoy the warmth of the sun that will make you re-excited.
If you like to run, it will be even better.
Running will keep you from the food you desire. When exercising, the body releases endorphins, chemical compounds that make you happy; making cravings neglected.
If you can't leave the house, do exercise in the TV room or your room. light exercises such as squats, push-ups, or burpees are just as good for distracting you from cravings.
4. Train yourself not to "stress eating"
Possible, and usually, scenarios that occur are: when sad, angry, or stressed, you will prefer to go to the nearest supermarket and pamper yourself with a variety of chocolates, sweets, or potato chips.
You can refrain from the habit of running away from this sugar.
The trick, put yourself in the vicinity of good food (snacks and junk food) when you are calm and relaxed.
This exercise is a cognitive-behavioral approach that can teach you not to start "stress eating", Holly Lofton said. Lofton is the director of the Medical Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Choose a time when you are relaxed and calm, then go to the nearest supermarket or canteen. Don't buy anything, or if you want, just buy a bottle of water. It seems impossible, but according to Lofton, "Your body will get used to the routine of walking to a snack place and going home without buying anything. You can build a new mindset that will lead to new behavior. "
5. The label "Food Diet" is not necessarily good
Diet foods are good for helping your healthy diet. Maybe you have found the right recipe for vegetarian snacks that are not only unsightly, but also appetizing. However, your instincts are accustomed to providing compensation accordingly reward for the body after successfully eating healthy food.
You have managed to eat one salad plate. Then, a kind of "obligation" arises to present yourself one piece of cheesecake after the hard work of your new diet.
All the motivation and strong will you have will not help if you are always surrounded by sugary snacks and junk food, or if you don't have other choices to eat besides snacks. Condition your home or office drawer full of healthy food ready to eat and do not keep a stock of sugar and high fat snacks. If you are required to spend extra effort and costs each time to get a snack, such as having to go out of the house and go to the supermarket, then the desire to crave will eventually recede.
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