Monthly Archives: July 2018

Sugar is downright addictive stuff. It's no wonder many of us find it SO tough to shake its hold on us. But tough doesn't have to mean unachievable. In fact, with a little support and self-awareness, you can slay your dependency on the sweet stuff once and for all. 5 SIGNS OF SUGAR ADDICTION Sugar addiction is very real. It has to do with a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine promotes a sense of wellness. When there's plenty of dopamine floating around, you feel good. And guess what? Whether you abuse drugs like cocaine and heroin or binge on sweets-the brain is flooded with dopamine. You may be a sugar addict if: You make excuses for your sugar. To satisfy your sweet tooth, you make special trips to the store or coffee shop. For motivation, you reward yourself with something sweet. You have a secret sugar stash, or you binge on sugar when you're alone. You have tried to stop eating [...]

The truth is, sugar exposure only causes tooth decay when the mouth has an abundance of cavity-causing bacteria that can process that sugar into enamel demineralizing acids and/or sugar is consumed in large amounts frequently throughout the day. Individuals that do not have a high bacterial challenge or a high quantity of cavity-causing bacteria on their teeth are at lower risk for sugar consumption causing cavities. So... how do you eat sugar and avoid cavities? 1. GET TESTED Many dentists now have the ability to test for the magnitude of cavity-causing bacteria on your teeth using the CariScreen Caries Susceptibility Test. If you test high, eating sugar can mean your teeth are exposed to more acid than if you test low, you want to starve the strep mutants to death, don't feed them sugar. The dentist can also recommend ways to lower the number of bad bacteria on your teeth. 2. LIMIT FREQUENCY Every time we eat our teeth are [...]

Avoid Processed Foods. Did you know that sugar and processed foods are as addictive as heroin or cocaine? In a 2013 study from Connecticut College, researchers confirmed that Oreos could be as addictive as cocaine, after observing how the popular cookie affected lab rats' behavior and brains. Eating sugar artificially stimulates a region of your brain called the nucleus accumbens to produce dopamine, the pleasure neurotransmitter. Soon, dopamine levels drop, and we start to feel "flat"... or a bit "down." We crave this pleasant, feel-good feeling again, so sugar leads to addiction. Boost Your Serotonin. Serotonin, a.k.a. the "happiness hormone," can be raised through diet, exercise, and the right sleep schedule. When you have plenty of serotonin, you are less likely to have cravings for sweets. Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Naturally. The all-natural sweetener Xylitol is naturally occurring in many of the fruits and vegetables we eat on a daily basis. Once extracted and processed it yields a white, crystalline [...]

Sugar does not have an established recommended daily value, but it is recommended that you limit your daily consumption of it. This can be difficult to do, especially if you aren't sure how much sugar is in the foods you are eating. While most packaged foods come with a nutrition label that indicates how many grams of sugar are in that food, other foods you eat may not have this label. By learning how to obtain the sugar content of any food, you can feel confident in your ability to keep track of your daily sugar intake adequately. Step 1 Keep a notebook or pad of paper handy. Jot down the amount of sugar in each food or beverage you consume. Step 2 Check if there is a nutrition label. The amount of sugar found in the food is listed under the carbohydrates section of the label. Remember that the values shown on the food label are based on one [...]