Sugar- An American Addiction

Good Morning, Lovelies! Today, I am bringing you some awesome info in a newsletter kind of format!

You would have no reason to know this, but I am addicted to sugar. There. I admitted it. 1 step down, 11 to go! 😉

I have spent years enslaved to anything sweet. Even being gluten-free, I still managed to over-indulge on sugar every chance I got: chocolate, ice cream, GF goodies, whatever. Even though I know better and know how to eat right, it held some strange power over me! And the sad thing was, no matter how much I consumed, it was never enough. But… things, they are a’changin’!

In this epic battle with sugar addiction, I have uncovered some valuable resources that I want to share with you!

Sugar, We Have a Problem

1. The American Parasite

We all know that the consumption of sugar is directly related to being overweight and susceptible to disease. But there is another problem with too much sugar consumption that goes beyond obesity and diabetes.

This remarkable YouTube video explains what it is in great detail. I promise, if you start watching this, you won’ be able to stop until its over! If you don’t have time to watch now, bookmark and come back to it later.

2. Sleep Deprivation

Numerous studies have been done on the benefits of enough sleep, and, conversely, the ill effects of insufficient amounts of sleep. You can see in this article that…

Researchers found that when the men were sleep-deprived, they chose bigger portions of food than when they had a full night’s rest. They also reported feeling hungrier, and had increased blood levels of the hunger-stimulating hormone, ghrelin.

Ways to fight a Sugar Addiction

The obvious answer is making healthier choices. Some of the ways I’m going to try to accomplish this are:

3. Drink Smoothies

I am late to the party in the smoothie department, but this craze is sweeping the country. And for good reason! It is a way to quickly and deliciously consume a large amount of nutritious fruit and veggies. Most include- as a base- a dark leafy green, such as spinach or kale. It would take a while (for me) to consume 2 cups of spinach that could go into a smoothie along with some yummy fruit! A wonderful resource that I’ve discovered has some great advice and recipes is Simple Green Smoothies.

4. Buy, and eat, fresh produce… join a Co-op!

This week I found out that my area has a produce co-op! I am soooo excited!! Co-ops are a great community resource, as you can usually get some very good veggies and fruit at a bulk price, because you are teaming up with others in your community. What a fun way to get healthy! This is an example of the one I belong to: Plentiful Produce.

5. Use Essential Oils.

OK. I know. Are there any other skeptics out there? Believe you me, I am an extremely hard sell! I’ve been hearing about essential oils for years and more or less put them in a category somewhere between witch doctoring and health nut fanaticism! It honestly hurts to say that, because I’ve got some great friends and family who have been believers much longer than me. But in my research, I found that there are some fabulous oils that can aid in living a healthier lifestyle, along with weight loss! Lemon oil is one of them, so I’m all about it!!

So, there you have it. My first ‘better-letter’ of sorts! I truly hope you will find this information helpful as you pursue better living and perhaps conquer a sugar addiction of your own!

Healthy Blessings to You Today!!