Heath & Fitness: Calling All Sugar-holics



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 I came across an interesting article the other day that really made me think. I was pondering whether I fall into the category of the average American that is consuming too much sugar in their diet.  It's not that I'm a "sweet tooth" type person. It's just that I figured now a days sugar is being added to pretty much everything.  The average amount of sugar (added sugar, not including natural sugars like fruits or milk) that one should consume is about 40 grams (non-diabetics). I'm thinking a lot of processed foods/drinks have half or about this amount in one serving.


I'm not claiming to be an expert or anything but I don't believe sugar should just totally be cut out of our diet. Everything in moderation and just simply read a product's food label and ingredient list. My motto is: "A slice of cake is okay to have every now and again. Just don't eat the entire cake. " None the less, due to the fact that I'm not a "sugarholic" my body lets me know if I had too much sugar for the day/week. I either get a little congested, get a pimple or two, or a weakened immune system soon after (feels like I'll catch a cold).


Believe it or not some researchers are considering sugar to have some of the same characteristics of a drug..uh-oh. So, for those of you who have a weakness for the sweet treats you might want to determine if you're an addict or not. According to the article there are four types of addicts:


Type 1: Hooked on "Energy Loan Shark" Drinks                                    
 If you can't seem to make it through the day without a few cups of coffee or an energy drink or two, then this is you. You're likely also experiencing chronic exhaustion because of the high and low energy roller coaster your on from drinking the coffee and dreadfully sugary caffeinated energy drinks. Usually just plain old sleep, good nutrition, and exercise would be a better replacement.


Type 2: Feed Me Now or I'll Kill You                                                         
If you're just about ready to bite someone's head off when hungry comes a'roaring (hey we've all been guilty of this) then you probably fit into this type. This is likely due to adrenal exhaustion which causes us to crave and eat something sugary to pick us back up.  


Type 3: The Happy Twinkle Hunter                                                            
Remember Home-Ec 101... yeast feeds off of and is activated by sugar? Well, sometimes sugar cravings are due to yeast/candida overgrowth inside the body.  For those with chronic nasal congestion, sinusitis, spastic colon, or irritable bowel syndrome, treating yeast overgrowth is critical.


Type 4:  Depressed and Craving Carbs                                                       
Most women know first hand that sugar cravings are sometimes caused by fluctuations in our hormones (i.e. menstruation, menopause, andropause). So simple yet so true. This is really the only time I crave the sweets... strangely I never ever crave chocolate though.


Signs of Sugar Addiction:                                                                            
(Click on the symptoms below for medical definitions)


Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Fibromyalgia
Sinusitis
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
High Cholesterol
Hypertension
Heart Disease
Yeast Infections
ADHD
Depression
Anxiety
Weight Gain


* some of the information was gathered from Amazing Wellness Magazine (Vitamin Shoppe) Fall 2010 ; Article: "Are You a Sugar Addict?


*medical definitions courtesy of MedlinePlus (Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary)