How Can I break My Addiction to Sugary Foods?

By: Jo Johnson - Updated: 5 Jan 2013 | *Discuss

 

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Q.

I have been diagnosed as a manic depressive. When I had my 2nd little girl I had was very ill. For a short period I smoked and then gave up, since then I have replaced smoking with the need for very sugary foods every evening. I desperately want to break this habit as I have put on some weight. What can I do to stop this habit?

A.

Hello there, I am sorry you have been feeling so under the weather recently. Unfortunately when we experience upset, anxiety or are scared, we often turn to substances and foods around us to help us feel better and cope with the situation.I'm glad that you didn't smoke for very long but it isn't very advantageous to turn to sugary food either as you know.

It is thought by experts that people become addicted to certain foods (particularly fatty or sweet foods) because of chemical reactions in the body. Studies have found that when we are subjected to these food groups our brains release chemicals that give a natural high and also cause us to become addicted to them, meaning that we cannot perform to the same degree without them and start experiencing the effects of withdrawal. When this happens, we can become 'used' to the substance meaning we need more and more of it to reach the same high as before which can seriously damage our health.

In order to beat your sugar addiction, there are a number of steps you can take, firstly by exchanging sugar for sweeteners. This will help reduce the damage to your teeth and help even out your blood sugars which are probably in a state of overdrive which is also very bad for health.

If you really can't face stopping sugar altogether straight away, why not reward yourself with a sugary treat near the end of the day as a reward for not having any other sugary products during the day?From your description however, I would imagine there is an underlying problem that has caused you to develop this relationship with sugar and this should be addressed. Have you ever wondered if you have post-natal depression after the birth of your daughter? Have you had an emotional upset that is still causing you problems? If this is the case you may benefit from some counselling which can be arranged privately or through your GP.

Taking too much sugar in the diet is extremely detrimental to your health and sets a bad example to your children and steps should be taken now to rectify the problem before any lasting damage is caused.Good luck in finding a solution to your problem; remember, you should control the sugar, not the sugar controlling you.

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