Checklist – 7 Steps To Stop Sugar Cravings

November 17, 2008 By 1 Comment

Everyone has a craving at one time or another for some type of food. While having a craving is not a bad thing, in and of itself, what it leads to can cause stress and strain on the body that leads to disease and illness. One such craving is that for sugar.

To many people, sugar seems rather harmless but further research will show that it is a dangerous substance that causes havoc on the body. Sugar is a major craving for many people. With that said, how does one stop a sugar craving so that it does not get out of hand?

1. Stevia
The main thing you can do is not use sugar. If you don’t enjoy unsweetened foods, add a touch of the sweet herb Stevia or agave nectar to cereal or drinks. These are both very good all natural substitutes for sugar and they taste good too.

2. Protein
Sometimes when your body craves sweets it is a cry for something else, like protein. So try increasing your protein intake. Keep in mind that this is not true for everyone so, if having a bit of tuna or other protein does not help, then you need to consider other options.

3. Processed Carbs
Avoid processed carbohydrates. Items like white bread, white pasta, and white rice which are quickly converted to blood sugar, disrupt the body’s metabolic balance and fat-control systems. Processed carbs tend to make the body want something sweet and keeps it hungry as well.

4. Wait 10 Minutes
When a craving hits, wait about 10 minutes. While you wait, do something else like take a walk, grab a magazine and read that article you have been meaning to read, make a phone call and jabber for a few moments; do anything but grab those sweets.

5. Eat Whole Foods
Eat more whole foods. Fruit and vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains contain some naturally occurring sugars, but they also offer dietary fiber and important nutrients to help balance blood sugar.

6. Substitute Whole Fruits for Sweets
Substituting whole fruits for sweets really helps. The sugars in fruits are digested differently than the empty calories of white sugar that are in most sweet foods. The fiber in fruit also slows the absorption of the sugars so you don’t get as high a sugar rush followed by a low sugar crash.

7. Remove Temptations
Remove the temptations for your kitchen. Throw out all refined sugars, candies, cookies, pastries, artificial juices and anything that resembles sweets that are not whole and natural.

Sugar cravings are not good and in no way should one think that they are ok. However, you don’t have to beat yourself up if you are having a hard time getting rid of your craving.

Cravings are not easy to overcome. As with any addiction it is a process. However, if you want to rid your body and mind of any craving, it can be done. Your job is to take it one day, one step at a time and to just do it. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need and don’t just read it but apply it to your life as well.

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Checklist – 8 Symptoms of Insulin Resistance

November 10, 2008 By Leave a Comment

There are many people who hear the words Insulin Resistance and think diabetes. While the two are related, they are definitely not the same. Although Insulin Resistance is not diabetes, it is a condition that can lead to diabetes.

What happens to most people with insulin resistance is that they have high levels of both blood glucose (sugar) and insulin circulating in their body simultaneously. A person who is insulin resistant has muscle, fat and liver cells that do not make appropriate use of insulin because the cells have a weakened ability to respond to the action of the insulin hormone. While there are no statistics to state how many people have this condition, it is estimated that in America alone that number is rather large.

It is important to note the symptoms of Insulin Resistance so that one is armed with the knowledge needed just in case they or someone they know may have the condition.

1.  Exhaustion
The most common symptom of Insulin Resistance is that it wears people out, with exhaustion being common.  While there are some who are tired morning or afternoon, there are others with IR who are exhausted throughout the day.

2.  Increased Blood Pressure
Due to the high levels of insulin that are circulating in the body, another symptom can be increased blood pressure. The fact is that most people with hypertenstion have too much insulin in their system.

3.  Foggy Brain, Poor Memory
The fatigue associated with insulin resistance is not just physical. Therefore another symptom is brain fogginess in the forms of poor memory, inability to think creatively, forgetting what you were about to do, learning disabilities, and others.

4.  Hypoglycemia, Low Blood Sugar
While low blood sugar is normal for most when meals are not eaten, prolonged periods of “hypoglycemia” is not a normal thing and can be a symptom of Insulin Resistance.

5.  Bloating or Gas
Intestinal bloating or gas is produced from carbs in the diet. For many, excessive amounts of gas are a sign that one may have insulin resistance.

6.  Sleepy After Eating a Meal
If one gets sleepy immediately after easting a meal containing 20-30% of carbohydrates that too can be a sign of the condition.

7.  Large Buttocks, Large Abdomen
Prominent buttocks in women or a large abdomen in men is an indication of too much fat and are symptoms of Insulin Resistance.

8.  Depression
An issue with depression is yet another symptom.

Now while the symptoms above are common to many other illnesses and conditions, it is important to note them if you suspect you are insulin resistant. Diabetes should not be taken lightly and neither should the possibility of being insulin resistant. At your next physical, or before, if the symptoms are prevalent, ask your doctor to test you for Insulin Resistance. This is called being proactive in your approach to your health. Don’t take no for an answer.

The most important thing to remember is the a proper nutritional diet of whole foods, exercise, and care of self is a good way to stay healthy and to even rid your body of conditions like Insulin Resistance. Take your health in your hands.

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Checklist – Four Natural Sweeteners, Healthy Alternatives to Sugar

October 27, 2008 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to making it sweet, one of the first things that people grab for is the sugar or, if they are trying to lose weight, an artificial sweetener. However, neither of those options are the healthiest ones to choose. There are healthier options.

1.  Stevia

Stevia is a wonderful alternative for sweetening.  Stevia is a herb that is a part of the sunflower family and is commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia.  It is widely grown for its sweet leaves.  Its extracts have up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar and because it has a negligible effect on blood glucose and is known to enhance glucose tolerance, it is a much better choice than artificial sugars like Aspartame, Nutrasweet, Equal, Splenda, Sucralose, for people who are diabetic.

Stevia in most forms, other than the white powered forms, gives a long even energy and works in the body like a complex carb.  It is important to note that many of the extracts, are processed with alcohol and do not keep the plant properties intact; therefore it is important to pay close attention to how the stevia you may use is processed.

If you are a baker and wonder what you can use as a sweetener that is a healthier alternative, then Rapadura or Sucanat are good choices. They are both natural sugars which have many of the minerals, vitamins and nutritional value still intact.

2. Rapadura

Rapadura is a dried sugarcane juice that is common in Latin American countries, that comes in the form of a brick. It is the perfect unbleached, unrefined sweetener to use in place of refined sugars. And the unique processing of Rapadura gives it a mild, caramel-like flavor which is superb for baking and sweetening food and drinks.

3. Sucanut

Sucanut is a non-refined cane sugar that, unlike white sugar, is a pure dried cane sugar, retains its molasses content. Of all the major sugars derived from sugar cane, Sucanut ranks highest in nutritional value; although, as with most sugars, it is not a significant source of any nutrient apart from carbohydrate.

4.  Agave Nectar

Finally there is Agave Nectar, a sweetener that acts as a complex carb instead of a simple one. It is derived from a plant and due to its fructose content, Agave Nectar is remarkable in that its Glycemic Index (GI) and glycemic load are lower than most, if not all natural sweeteners on the market. This makes it a good alternative to honey as honey has a high GI.  Agave Nectar also naturally contains quantities of Iron, Calcium, Potassium & Magnesium which why it has the color it does.

There are other alternatives such as molasses, honey and maple syrup. However, due to some negative properties such as the fact that they can raise blood sugar quickly, they are not the best choices for a healthy sweetener; although they are still healthier alternatives to refined white sugar.

Refined white sugar, and let me add, most brown sugars, are unhealthy options for cooking, baking, drinking, and all sweetening needs. In order to find the natural sweetener that is best for you, do a taste test and choose the one that fits your needs. You may find it necessary to have two or three of these sweeteners in your home for whatever your food preparation needs are.

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