Getting to the Root of Our Sugar Carvings!
Why do we crave sugar?
1.
Our
bodies are out of balance. Too
much of one kind of food can create an imbalance in the body. For example, too much red meat or not enough
protein can swing the body into sugar cravings.
Too much caffein and too little water can also make the body crave sweets.
2.) Stress. Stress puts the body into
fight-or flight mode causing blood
Adrenal Fatigue Causes
Adrenal fatigue often follows a period of extreme stress, which
could occur over the course of several months or even years. The
"Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science" points out that
psychological stress, lack of sleep or illness can all contribute to the stress
load that the adrenal glands experience and lead to adrenal fatigue.
Low Cortisol
A steroid hormone, cortisol comes from the adrenal cortex
and heavily affects the function of the human body. Dr. Robert Kapolsky points
out that the body requires cortisol to resist the affects of stress but that
the hormone also helps co-ordinate the sleep-wake cycle, maintain the metabolic
rate and boost the blood sugar levels when required. The researcher, who wrote
the best-selling book on stress “Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers,” explains that
the low blood sugar levels often result in strong cravings for sugar.
Sugar Cravings
Dr. James Wilson, author of "Adrenal Fatigue: The
21st Century Stress Syndrome" notes how, under normal circumstances, a
basal release of cortisol maintains the blood sugar levels within a healthy
range. This does not occur during adrenal fatigue. Sensing unwanted drops in
blood sugar levels, the body produces cravings for quick energy; sugar supplies
such energy.
2.
Sugar is a habit. We sometimes crave sugar because it’s what we
know. Growing up I always had healthy
meals prepared for me but there were also plenty of cookies, chips and cereal
available. These prepackaged cookies,
chips and cereals have haunted me for years. There was a time in my life that these
“innocent” childhood treats became a habit.
They were my comfort, procrastination and go to reward.
Here are some
solutions:
· Take note of
the foods you eat and notice if you eat too much of one food group. How do you feel right after eating? How do you feel an hour after eating?
· Drink more
water.
· Manage stress
through exercise, meditation and talking with loved ones or professionals about
what is stressing you.
· Form new
habits. Stock your cupboards
differently. Find health food stores
that make it easier for you to choose healthy foods.
· Eat more root
vegetables. Eating natural sugars
(fruits and vegetables) are a great way to assist in managing sugar cravings.
Root
Vegetable Soup
Ingredients: Medium to
small butternut squash, 8 carrots, 1 medium to large sweet potato, 1 large
onion, 1 red apple of choice, butter, coconut oil, ginger, garlic, cinnamon,
nutmeg, clove, black pepper, salt
Preheat oven to 350
1.)
Slice butternut squash (the long way down the middle) and
place face down on a tray with parchment paper. Place in the oven and bake for
20 minutes. Take out of oven and let
cool before managing. Once the squash is
cooled use a knife to peel the skin off.
Take the seeds out and slice into cubes
2.)
Peel and slice onion, carrots and sweet potato
3.)
Place onion, carrot and sweet potato in a large pot with 1
tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and sauté on medium high
for about ten minutes stirring frequently
4.)
Add cubed butternut squash
5.)
Slice an apple leaving the skin on and add to pot
6.)
Fill pot with water leaving the tops of the vegetables
slightly exposed (This makes for a thick sweet soup)
7.)
Add the following spices
· 1 table spoon
of sliced fresh ginger
· 2 cloves of
garlic cut in half (Place all 4 slices in pot)
· 1 bay leaf
· ½ teaspoon of
cinnamon
· ¼ teaspoon of
clove
· ¼ teaspoon of
nutmeg
· 1/8 teaspoon
of black pepper
· A few shakes
of onion powder
· 3 small
pinches (a smidge more than 1/8)
8.)
Bring the soup to a boil stirring occasionally and let
boil for 3 minutes and then place on simmer
9.)
Let soup simmer for an hour and a half and add a few extra
shakes of cinnamon and another two pinches of salt, remove bay leaf, puree and
serve!
Love deeply. Eat mindfully.
Kim Gilroy - kimgilroyinsideout
