How Sugar Affects Body, Mind, And Overall Health

Sugar Can Cause All Sorts Of Disease

One of the major concerns about sugar is it can promote unhealthy weight gains. But there are many other concerns about sugar in the diet, like increasing the risk of high blood pressure, slowing the immune system and the possibility of developing diseases such as diabetes. A diet heavy in sugars can also increase the risk of age-related cognitive decline, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, coronary heart disease, and some types of cancer. Sugar is not a dietary requirement and has no nutritional value. Sugar is just an addictive chemical individuals can quit like any other addiction.

Fighting Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings can come by seeing, smelling, or thinking about sweets, but how can we fight those cravings? One of the first ways to mitigate sugar cravings is to eat every three to five hours to keep blood sugar stable. Foods to have handy to fight sugar cravings are fiber-rich foods, foods high in carbohydrates, and fruits.

Some other ways to fight the cravings are to go for a brief walk to take the mind off of sugar, chew a piece of gum, and to quit sugar cold turkey. Although quitting cold turkey may be difficult for the first two to three days. Each small craving usually only lasts three minutes. However, cravings may take a few days or weeks to subside completely.