8 Astonishing Ways to Conquer Sugar Cravings

We know that sugar can take a toll on our bodies, but how do we manage and overcome cravings when they happen? There is a way to disrupt your cravings, and to conquer your addiction to sugar. Simply follow these tips, and you’ll be kicking your sugar habit for good. It’s a sugar-free solution, made for real life and with real people in mind.

Our Blood Sugar and Sugar Cravings

It’s understood that our blood sugar can be a great predictor for much of our overall health, like stress, for example (Read: Can sugar make you stressed). When we keep our blood sugar in check, our bodies benefit and thrive. That’s why it is so important that we manage how much sugar we are putting into our bodies. When we load up on too much, we may suffer some severe consequences.

Most people that I talk to want to learn how to conquer their sugar cravings. They often view it as inescapable – that there is no solution. Sugar is one of the most addictive food substances out there, and it can be found in so many products. The problem with sugar is that it’s both incredibly addictive, while being just as damaging to our bodies (in large quantities).

The more we give into our sugar cravings, the more we put our bodies at risk. When you overload on sugar, you can develop:

• Heart Disease
• Body Weight Issues
• Immunocompromise

The other part that is particularly astonishing to me is how often we can find sugar “disguised” as another product (Read: 257 Names for sugar, which is best). There seems to be so little clarity on where we can find sugar, it’s easy to see why it gets lost in the mix. You could be enjoying many ingredients that you are convinced have no sugar, where you might be completely wrong.

Did you know that there are approximately 257 other “names” for sugar? Here are some of the products where you might find them in your diet:

• Agave Nectar
• Blackstrap Molasses
• Coconut Sugar
• High-Fructose Corn Syrup
• Honey
• Malt
• Sorghum

The worst part of this is that some people turn to these ingredients as an alternative to sugar. They think that they are kicking their habit, when all they are doing is supplementing it with another form of sugar. It’s a vicious cycle that keeps going and going.

With so many ways to get sugar into our diets, it is plain to see that some people might just be getting too much sugar. That is why it is so important that we identify where we can find sugar, and that we stop cravings where they start.

With so many ways to get sugar into our diets, it is plain to see that some people might just be getting too much sugar. That is why it is so important that we identify where we can find sugar, and that we stop cravings where they start.

Your Adrenal & Blood Sugar

Your adrenals have the awesome opportunity to do so much towards your blood sugar, and it all comes down to the secret formula: 70 – 100 mg/dl (Read: Adrenals and blood sugar, a balancing act). That’s the ideal range of your blood sugar, and it can be easily achieved by paying attention to your adrenals.

Most people take a “quick fix” approach when it comes to mitigating their blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar is too low, you shouldn’t be turning to refined sugars to give your body a quick boost. We should be operating within that optimal range at all times, instead.

When your blood sugar gets too high, blood cannot get to the most important aspects of the body. This causes a great deal of stress for your body, and can lead to some very serious long-term health complications.

This is where we’re going to start. Eating for your adrenals is eating for your blood sugar, and keeping your blood sugar in check. Your journey to conquering sugar addiction starts right…now!

Tips On How to Overcome Sugar Cravings

Tip #1: Stop Eating Sugar

Seems simple enough, right? This is the great paradox of sugar, though, that when we give it up “cold turkey” we end up craving it even more. That’s why this tip is going to involve a lot of discipline, but I would definitely recommend giving sugar up full-stop¹, rather than gradually weaning yourself off of it.

Many people, myself included, have a much easier time simply giving sugar up altogether, rather than trying to cut sugar out of our diet a little bit at a time. The problem here is that sugar is simply too addictive², we need to divorce our body from its dependence on sugar entirely. Training it to need less and less is often not enough, it needs a complete stop.

The first few weeks might be difficult, but when you are able to successfully get past that hurdle you will wonder why you even ate sugar in the first place.

Tip #2: Eat Breakfast

Breakfast and weight loss have been connected before, but now there is research suggesting the there are positive effects of breakfast protein on sugar cravings³. This is all about giving your body what it needs to start the day, and curbing any sort of unnecessary cravings before lunch.

I have spoken before about the importance of breakfast (Read: Skipping breakfast to lose weight), and the continued research that is going into understanding can curb cravings throughout the diet. Like I have always said: breakfast with protein is a good idea, so aim for at least 30 grams and you will be happy throughout the day.

Besides, I think we have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Tip #3: Eat Protein With Every Meal

We are going to emphasize this point again and again, one of the best ways to overcome an addiction to sugar is protein. Typically, we will need 24+ grams of protein, per meal, which will be made up of “complete” protein. Need some examples of complete protein? Let’s go with:

• Poultry
• Meat
• Fish⁴

Embrace more protein in your diet, and your blood sugar will thank you. It will also curb your desire to take in more sugars, because you will feel fuller and better able to mitigate those unhelpful cravings. Research has shown that high-protein breakfasts (35 grams) can have a positive effect on post-meal food cravings⁵.

Load up on good protein, and curb those cravings by feeling fuller throughout the day.

Tip #4: Sleep

If you don’t sleep, your body will try to hibernate – and that’s the last thing we want. Sleep deprivation has been linked to junk food cravings of all kinds, which normally means that the less sleep you are getting, the more sugar you’re going to crave⁶.

We need to keep our bodies active, and a healthy sleep schedule is going to help us start – and finish – our days off strong. It will help regulate our bodies, and will keep our hormones from unhealthy cravings⁷.

How do you make sure you get enough sleep?

• Go for consistency – go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day
• Seek a calm and soothing environment before you go to bed
• Try and get as much natural sunlight as possible
• Move throughout the day, and give your body a reason to rest and recuperate

Most people think that darkening their rooms is going to help them get better sleep, but that’s not the case. Waking up with light is extremely healthy for our bodies⁸, so we want to make sure that we are getting that light right when we wake up.

If your home doesn’t have access to a lot of natural light, try using a 10,000 LUX lamp to get yourself out of bed in the morning. This will help replicate natural light, and will wake your body up just like the rising sun.

Tip #5: Hydrate

If you stay hydrated, alongside your eating schedule, you can stay fuller, healthier and happier for longer⁹. It’s all about managing what you drink alongside how you eat, specifically keeping in mind that you should be enjoying 1 ounce of water, per pound, per day.

When you stay hydrated, with purified water, those sugar cravings are not going to seem as powerful or as necessary. In fact, you might not have them at all.

Tip #6: Magnesium

A lack of magnesium in the body has been shown to point to sugar cravings¹⁰, so we’re going to need to get our levels of magnesium way up. Not sure how to get more magnesium into your system? Try it with some of these ingredients (in order of strength):

• Adzuki beans
• Almonds
• Salmon
• Spinach

Even with good foods, though, most will need to supplement to make sure they are getting enough magnesium throughout the day.

Tip #7: Eat Good Carbs

When you are not eating good carbohydrates, you start craving the bad ones – this is definitely not the way to go. We want to make sure that “good carbs” are making up 30 – 55% of our total calories.

Pay attention to when you’re eating your carbohydrates. A standard rule is that we want to enjoy less carbs in the morning, and more in the afternoon.

What does a “good carb” look like, though? You can find them in these ingredients:

• Resistant Starches (Read: 5 Amazing ways resistant starch can boost your energy)
• Legumes
• Intact Ancient Grains
• Vegetable Starches

The more good carbs you’re getting in your life, the better you are going to feel. You are going to feel more energized, and will rely less on the pesky “sugar highs” that have previously motivated your cravings.

Tip #8: Reset Your Mood

Give your mood a good old fashioned reset, and feel the benefits. Neurotransmitter supplements can raise serotonin and regulate dopamine in your body¹¹. It is best to go with a combination of:

• Tyrosine
• GABA
• 5-HTP
• Inositol
• P5P

It’s all about resetting the right way, so make sure you are getting a good mix and doing what is right for your body.

How are your adrenals?

Do you know the state of your adrenals? Find out more about your adrenals, and figure out how your adrenals can help you conquer your sugar cravings. Please take the quiz, and do what’s best for your body.

P.S. Whenever you are ready, here is how I can help you now:

1. Schedule a Thyroid Second Opinion with me, Dr. C, Click Here for Details
2. Need a Personalized Supplement? Check out My Thyroid Specific Formulations
3. Download and use my Favorite Recipes Cookbook Here
4. Check out my podcast Medical Myths, Legends, and Fairytales Here

Dr. Alan Glen Christianson (Dr. C) is a Naturopathic Endocrinologist and the author of The NY Times bestselling Adrenal Reset Diet, The Metabolism Reset Diet and The Thyroid Reset Diet.

Dr. C’s gift for figuring out what really works has helped hundreds of thousands of people reverse thyroid disease, lose weight, diabetes, and regain energy. Learn more about the surprising story that started his quest.