Are You a Sugar Junkie?

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Much like street drugs, sugar triggers the release of chemicals that set off the brain’s pleasure center, in this case opioids and dopamine. Some studies have suggested sugar is as addictive as cocaine. 

And, as they do with street drugs, people develop a tolerance for sugar — meaning, they need more sugar for a feel-good “fix”.

It’s a perpetual cycle:

1️⃣ You eat sugar.

You like it, you crave it.
It has addictive properties.

2️⃣ Blood sugar levels spike.

Dopamine is released in the brain = addiction.
Mass insulin secreted to drop blood sugar levels.

3️⃣ Blood sugar levels fall rapidly.

High insulin levels cause immediate fat storage.
Body craves the lost sugar “high”.

4️⃣ Hunger and cravings.

Low blood sugar levels cause increased appetite and cravings.
The cycle is repeated.

In rat studies looking at sugar addiction, when animals binge on the sweet stuff, they experience chattering teeth, tremors, shakes, and anxiety when it’s taken away. 

“Sugar is associated with many chronic problems that include decreased immunity, some chronic infections, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, diabetes, pain syndromes, irritable bowel syndrome, ADD, chronic fatigue, and candida. Research suggests that one of the main causes for decreased immunity is that sugars inhibit the entrance of Vitamin C into white blood cells, which then inhibits immunity. The more sugar, the less productive your white blood cells are and thus, the less immune you are. Furthermore, sugars stimulate insulin secretion in the pancreas, which in turn stimulates the liver’s triglyceride production. Triglycerides are linked to stroke, heart disease and obesity. The list goes on and on.”

~ Dr. Frank Lipman

Eating too much added sugar can have many negative health effects, and it’s predominantly the effect sugar has on your hormones that makes it dangerous in excess.

If you’re a sugar junkie, commit to kicking “the habit”.