Re: Could sugar addiction be real?...

[Guest guest]

Anyone who knows me personally knows I've been a lifelong self-proclaimed

chocoholic. While standing in a pharmacy line, I was reading an interview with

Dr. Oz. He said something which I've been wondering about because my own love

affair with sugar has seemed to evaporate in the past couple of months.

He made the point that the body is always wanting to nourish itself, that when

you eat junk food, even if you fill up your stomach, your body has not received

the nourishment it needs, so it contiues to seek nourishment, thus you keep

eating more and more junk food because your body never does get nourished. But

when you fill your body with whole foods, it receives nourishment and your

hunger declines.

Since I've been eating to honor my body, also focusing on getting a variety of

of nutrients, especially lots of fruits and veggies, I have been amazed that

I've gone for days without chocolate or other sugary treats, and then when I get

them, they are somewhat tasteless and not what my body wants at all. I would

NEVER have believed I'd have gone this long without chocolate, or at least not

much of it anymore.

This IE thing seems to have 2 parts: One, that you eat everything you feel

you've been deprived of on diets, and two, that once you are past feeling

deprived, you begin to really be able to listen to what your body wants rather

than what your mind wants. At this point is when I began to lose my need for

chocolatey and other desserts as well.

Sara

>

> I've been working on IE for several months now and honestly don't feel any

further ahead than when I started. I have gone through so much chocolate that

you'd think I'd explode only to wake up the next day w/ the same craving for it.

I don't think I'll ever get sick of it and just not want it. I read something a

long time ago that said " your body will never stop craving sugar as long as you

keep it in your system " . What if this is true? I know diets aren't the answer

but I just want to eat healthier so I feel better but just can't stop eating

chocolate which I know makes me feel tired, groggy, and just plain blah. If I

know something is making me feel that way then why can't I stop it? Could there

really be an addiction?

>

> Barb

>

[Guest guest]

For whatever reason, I was " hooked " on a particular type of chocolate bar.  But I hardly ever think of it anymore.  The last time I had one it didn't taste as good as I remembered.  It took me a while and quite a few candy bars though to reach that point.  Sandy

 

The sugar thing is a hard one. I know some people feel very strongly that highly processed white sugar triggers obsessive impulses in the brain. But then, what is the solution? Banning it only brings on further cravings. As frustrating as it is, I think you are doing the right thing by continuing to give yourself permission. However, your frustration with yourself and your taste for chocolate could be somewhat influencing the strength of your desires. I wish I had a concrete suggestion. I think this is a road you might have to travel to get to peace.

 

Mimi

Subject: Could sugar addiction be real?...

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Monday, January 9, 2012, 2:07 PM

 

I've been working on IE for several months now and honestly don't feel any further ahead than when I started. I have gone through so much chocolate that you'd think I'd explode only to wake up the next day w/ the same craving for it. I don't think I'll ever get sick of it and just not want it. I read something a long time ago that said " your body will never stop craving sugar as long as you keep it in your system " . What if this is true? I know diets aren't the answer but I just want to eat healthier so I feel better but just can't stop eating chocolate which I know makes me feel tired, groggy, and just plain blah. If I know something is making me feel that way then why can't I stop it? Could there really be an addiction?

Barb

[Guest guest]

For whatever reason, I was " hooked " on a particular type of chocolate bar.  But I hardly ever think of it anymore.  The last time I had one it didn't taste as good as I remembered.  It took me a while and quite a few candy bars though to reach that point.  Sandy

 

The sugar thing is a hard one. I know some people feel very strongly that highly processed white sugar triggers obsessive impulses in the brain. But then, what is the solution? Banning it only brings on further cravings. As frustrating as it is, I think you are doing the right thing by continuing to give yourself permission. However, your frustration with yourself and your taste for chocolate could be somewhat influencing the strength of your desires. I wish I had a concrete suggestion. I think this is a road you might have to travel to get to peace.

 

Mimi

Subject: Could sugar addiction be real?...

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Monday, January 9, 2012, 2:07 PM

 

I've been working on IE for several months now and honestly don't feel any further ahead than when I started. I have gone through so much chocolate that you'd think I'd explode only to wake up the next day w/ the same craving for it. I don't think I'll ever get sick of it and just not want it. I read something a long time ago that said " your body will never stop craving sugar as long as you keep it in your system " . What if this is true? I know diets aren't the answer but I just want to eat healthier so I feel better but just can't stop eating chocolate which I know makes me feel tired, groggy, and just plain blah. If I know something is making me feel that way then why can't I stop it? Could there really be an addiction?

Barb

[Guest guest]

For whatever reason, I was " hooked " on a particular type of chocolate bar.  But I hardly ever think of it anymore.  The last time I had one it didn't taste as good as I remembered.  It took me a while and quite a few candy bars though to reach that point.  Sandy

 

The sugar thing is a hard one. I know some people feel very strongly that highly processed white sugar triggers obsessive impulses in the brain. But then, what is the solution? Banning it only brings on further cravings. As frustrating as it is, I think you are doing the right thing by continuing to give yourself permission. However, your frustration with yourself and your taste for chocolate could be somewhat influencing the strength of your desires. I wish I had a concrete suggestion. I think this is a road you might have to travel to get to peace.

 

Mimi

Subject: Could sugar addiction be real?...

To: IntuitiveEating_Support Date: Monday, January 9, 2012, 2:07 PM

 

I've been working on IE for several months now and honestly don't feel any further ahead than when I started. I have gone through so much chocolate that you'd think I'd explode only to wake up the next day w/ the same craving for it. I don't think I'll ever get sick of it and just not want it. I read something a long time ago that said " your body will never stop craving sugar as long as you keep it in your system " . What if this is true? I know diets aren't the answer but I just want to eat healthier so I feel better but just can't stop eating chocolate which I know makes me feel tired, groggy, and just plain blah. If I know something is making me feel that way then why can't I stop it? Could there really be an addiction?

Barb