Sugar, sugar, sugar.

Most of us have a love/hate relationship with sugar. We LOVE to eat it and it hates us and makes us gain weight. Most of us have a sugar addiction – and for good reason. Sugar does crazy things to our body that make us want more of it.

Sugar makes us mildly euphoric because endorphins are released when we taste it and those endorphins in the bloodstream lead to the release of the feel good chemical serotonin. The serotonin has an immediate calming effect and relieves tension. That calming effect helps explain why we reach for sugary treats when we are stressed or tensed. A piece of chocolate or cake takes us out of the stressful situation and calms us down.

So, its not our fault, right?!? The chemicals made us do it. Right? But wait! There are other reasons we reach for sugar.

The learned associations and happy memories associated with sugar reinforce the psychological effects. When our moms gave us popsicles and cookies as treats for being good children we learned that sugar was a treat and something we get during happy times. Celebrations almost always involve a cake. When we want to show someone we care we buy them chocolate. Sweets are used to augment happy times.

Often we reach for sugar because it makes us feel good for these reasons instead of fixing what is wrong in our lives. No one needs to eat as much sugar as most of us do (sooo guilty with my sweet tooth).

So how do we stop the sugar cravings? How do we lessen the amount of sugar we crave? I have a few different ideas that have nothing to do with what you are putting in you mouth.

How To Resist Eating Too Much Sugar:

• Make your job more harmonious. This will relieve stress so you won’t reach out for sweets when you have troubles at work.

• Examine and fix relationship conflicts. Same principle as with your job, making things sweet with your sweetie will help relieve stress.

• Spend some time outside. Bright sunshine boosts your serotonin levels. Spending a few minutes outside will help lift your mood.

• Go cuddle with someone. Levels of oxycotin, the “cuddle chemical,” elicit a similar experience to the calming effect provided by serotonin. Physical affection makes oxycotin levels spike, so go cuddle!

• Go hug someone. Even if you are lacking someone to cuddle with you can find someone to hug! That physical contact will calm you and make you less likely to reach for something sugary. You get the same benefits from a hug that you would from a doughnut.

Basically to slow down the sugar cravings you need to do things that will eliminate stress and make you happier. Simple things like getting some sun and giving a hug are easy and effective. Don’t believe me? Test the theory and go give some hugs.