A lot of   people I spoke to on Monday last said that the one thing they struggle with most is avoiding refined sugar and dealing with the sugar cravings.  It can be so difficult if we have been used to eating the chocolates, cakes  and biscuits and suddenly stop.  Our blood sugars should gently rise and drop naturally throughout the day  and a diet high in refined sugar as well as stimulants tea, coffee and alcohol can cause extreme peaks and  drops in our blood sugars, leaving us irritable, tired, with headaches and mood swings.   As I constantly say to clients, go easy on yourselves. Sugar cravings are a deep physiological response to our bodies deep desire for sugar  and  like an addiction you need some tricks up your sleeve to get  you over this initial hurdle to  achieve what nutritionists call blood sugar balance.

sugar cravings

So my tips to get off the sugar rollercoaster and stop sugar cravings

 

  1.  AVOID ALL REFINED SUGARS AND ADDED SUGARS or keep to an absolute minimum (6 teaspoons a day).  These are quick releasing carbohydrates which trigger instant spikes on  our blood sugars and set us off on what we call the blood sugar roller coaster which you want to avoid.
  2. EAT LITTLE AND OFTEN – try to eat every 3-4 hours, avoid long gaps between meals, never miss meals especially your breakfast.  We need to BREAK our FAST at breakfast time.
  3. REPLACE REFINED FOODS such as white bread, pasta and rice or processed meals with plenty of fibre-rich whole foods, such as wholegrain bread, brown rice, oats and whole-wheat pasta.
  4. INCLUDE A GOOD QUALITY PROTEIN at every meal, such as fish, meat, eggs, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds.  Protein helps to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates.
  5. LIMIT INTAKE OF STIMULANTS such as caffeine (tea, coffee, chocolate, energy drinks), alcohol or nicotine. They may contribute to a rise in blood sugar.
  6. INCREASE REGULAR EXERCISE – physical activity may help to regulate blood sugar levels.

 

We are running an 8 week BLOOD SUGAR BALANCING PROGRAMME which:
1. Identifies hidden sugars in your family’s diet,
2. Offers advice on reading and understanding food labels
3. Offers advice on food swaps for cutting down on your sugar intake
4. Provides details on nutrients and food to support a healthy blood sugar balance
5. Identifies your barriers to a healthy blood sugar balance
6. Puts diet and lifestyle plans in place to support you and your family through change
6. Addresses any concerns, issues and challenges you may have.
We will also run a full health review for all participants.
Drop us a line at helen@help2healthnutrition.ie for more information or give us a call on 086 8067832.

Best of luck

Your Nutrition advisor and health coach

Helen