General8 Ways to Fight Sugar Cravings While in Recovery

Drug addiction and sugar cravings do not appear to have any connections, but they do. In fact, they have much more in common than you may think.

If you or anyone you know has a history of substance abuse, it’s best that you know that consuming too much sugary foods to satisfy your sweet cravings might have a detrimental influence on your recovery. We’ve put up a guide with all the information you need about sugar addiction and how it can affect your recovery efforts. We have also included some techniques to avoid your sweet cravings.

Why Do I Have a Sugar Need When in Recovery?

Addiction is a disorder that alters the chemical makeup of the brain. Commonly abused substances like alcoholic beverages and drugs activate the brain’s reward system and increase the production of dopamine – the hormone that regulates pleasure in the brain. The usage of the drugs mentioned above causes abnormally high and euphoric rushes that the brain becomes accustomed to and craves in the long run. Also, addiction renders people mentally hooked on drugs and alcohol to achieve that euphoric feeling.

Because you are trying to be sober during recovery, you may discover different methods to meet your psychological needs. Eating sweets, like taking addictive narcotics, offers the brain the same happy experience, but not as intensely. It raises levels of dopamine in the body and stimulates the reward system in the brain, which can lead to increased cravings and, in some circumstances, sugar addiction. This is the link between addiction and sugar cravings.

Why Is It Necessary to Break Sugar Addiction Cravings During Recovery?

Consuming too much sugary foods during addiction recovery has several negative implications. It is critical to prevent it at all phases of recovery for the following reasons:

1. Risking developing a sugar addiction.

One of the reasons why addiction rehabilitation and sugar eating do not combine is the increased risk of trading addiction. Even if you avoid drugs and alcohol, you may become dependent and addicted to sugar if you consistently give in to your sweet-tooth urges.

2. Affecting both physical and emotional health.

High sugar consumption causes various physical health difficulties, including dental problems, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, certain malignancies, and liver illness. It has also been related to several common mental health issues, including depression.

3. Impairing sleep quality.

Although sugar can decrease orexin, a hormone responsible for enhancing alertness, it results in lower sleep quality later in the night, making it challenging to sustain deep sleep.

How to Get Rid of Sugar Cravings

Sugar cravings are usually at their peak during the first six months of recovery. As listed by experts for addiction recovery in Nashville, here’s what you can do to keep them under control:

1. Eat often – in small amounts.

Breaking up meals is one method for controlling sugar cravings. For breakfast, you may eat two pieces of bread, a glass of milk, and a cup of yogurt. To minimize significant gaps between meals, reserve the cup of yogurt for a mid-morning snack. If you wait too long, you may develop a sweet tooth to satisfy your appetite.

You may also divide your lunch and other snacks, so you have something to eat whenever you have a sweet tooth. To maintain a constant blood sugar level, experts advise eating every three to five hours.

2. Satisfy your cravings for just a bit.

Fighting your urges does not imply that you will not consume any sweets. If you have a cookie hunger, take a tiny mouthful to satisfy yourself. You can also have fun-size candy or chocolates on occasion.

3. Mix and match different types of food.

It might be difficult to resist sugar cravings at times. During times of high cravings, you can combine small servings of sweet meals with healthy options. For example, you may combine chocolate chips with almonds, macadamia nuts, and peanuts. This way, you still get the nutrition your body requires while recovering.

4. Select quality above quantity.

If you must consume sugary foods, pick the healthier ones. Rather than eating a few pieces of sweets, why not get a bar of dark chocolate and include tiny quantities into your diet? There are also plenty of healthy alternatives, such as yogurt and snack bars.

5. Consume foods that combat sugar cravings.

Some meals might help you combat cravings by making you feel fuller. To mention a few:

• Meat, poultry, and seafood
• Chia seeds
• Legumes
• Trail mixes
• Whole grains
• Fermented foods
• Eggs
• Sweet potatoes

6. Stretch and do some exercises.

Distracting oneself with other activities is an excellent strategy to avoid urges. You can take a brief stroll, stretch, or do light exercise. These tasks might distract your mind from yearning for sweet and sugary treats. Other activities include gardening, meditation, and reading.

7. Choose fruits.

Fruits are both tasty and nutritious, and an excellent sweets substitute. They contain minerals and fiber that can assist your body in recovering from the effects of years of substance misuse – this while still providing you with that yummy treat to satisfy your sweet cravings.

However, some are also heavy in sugar content, so it’s best to consume in moderation. Here is a list of the sugariest fruits:

• Mango
• Grapes
• Cherry
• Pear
• Watermelon
• Fig
• Banana

Some low-sugar fruits include:

• Avocado
• Strawberry
• Cantaloupe
• Raspberry
• Guava

8. Chew some sugar-free gum.

Chewing gum has been shown in several trials to lower food cravings. You can avoid sugar by chewing sugar-free gum.

Key Takeaway

If you stick to these precautionary measures, you might be able to indulge in a “treat” now and again. Just remember that a slip is not a failure. If you slip, don’t beat yourself up; brush yourself off and get back in the saddle. However, if even a tiny amount leads you to lose control, it’s preferable to avoid it entirely. And our final sugar-free pleasure recommendation is to remind yourself to seek and pursue “sweet fulfillment” in healthy activities other than eating.

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