Sugar Sugar....Sugarhead

How many times have we heard older African-Americans refer to themselves (or others) as having "the sugars" when referencing Type II Diabetes? I remember hearing that term a lot growing up. Unfortunately, in my family, its a frequent saying as several of my family members have been diagnosed with either Type II or Type I Diabetes. It is another disease that plagues the African-American community in startling numbers. It can lead to loss of sight, appendages, and a slew of other debilitating conditions if left untreated.

That being said, my sugar addiction scares the crap out of me because I see myself spiraling down a dark rabbit hole that leads to a not so wonderful land of insulin shots and strict (er) diets. While I was pregnant I was nervous that my overly heightened sugar addiction would lead to gestational diabetes and complications in my pregnancy (including a baby with a high birth weight). Fortunately, I didn't have it. Yet, I am still genetically prone to being diagnosed with it. The hardest part of this whole health process is cutting out the sweets. Here are a list of my repeat offenders:

BIRTHDAY CAKE! (I always seem to know someone whose birthday falls in every month and I'm sure to call and say, "Happy Birthday" and get a cake. Even if they live miles away. It's the thought that counts. ). I even love bad birthday cake. With the horrible dye and sprinkles and hokey toys on top.

Oreos. Chocolate with cream in the middle. Enough said.

Bread. I love it with a big slab of butter and something saucy or soupy to dunk it in. My favorites are my Aunt's rolls, Red Lobster biscuits, and banquet rolls.

These seem to catch me up all the time. My doctor said it simply, "Barbara, you consume too many carbs and too much sugar. Cut it out, and the weight will come off."

He's right. I had to cut it totally. When I looked back at my diary, I had at least two separate forms of carbs that convert to sugar (i.e. bread, pasta, processed food, or sugary sweets themselves). It was eye opening.  PLUS, sugar in my drinks (i.e. pop, tea, and the biggest offender JUICE!...the Juice was loose in my diet. )

So here's what will help YOU to purge the sneaky sugar.

1.You're not crazy; you might actually have a sugar addiction. Sugar gives us an emotional and physical lift. It stimulates the brain to release endorphins and raise the "feel good hormone" serotonin. Because of this we eat sugar when we're stressed, sad, PMSing, or want to feel happy or celebratory (Happy Birthday!). But, as all good things come to an end, it wears off and leaves you feeling bad, heavier, and sluggish.  From an evolutionary standpoint, it's what helped us decipher good food from poisonous ones. Well, it's come to that again. For your survival, you need to know that sugar can kill you. It's a radical thought, but it helps to gage it and keep it in check.

2. 25 grams of sugar is ALL the sugar women should get in one day. To give you perspective, you usually clear that in on 8oz glass of juice or pop. As, I sit in Starbucks right now, I could have easily cleared it with my Grande Skinny Carmel Macchiatto (had I not asked for it to be sugar free). That one drink had 35grams of sugar in it.

3. Reach for Healthy Substitutes
I'm no fool. An apple in not gonna cut it when I want something that was baked, frosted, and sprinkled. But it will help to take the edge off. Nicorette for smokers, grapefruit and strawberries for sugarheads. Those fruits still have natural sugars, but they are also packed with nutrients that can fill you and an apple has fiber so it won't leave you feeling hungry like that piece of cake will.

4. This seems to be the rule. Cheats or OK. It's too much sugar overtime that will cause the problem. So, birthday cake is good, so long as it's your birthday, which rolls around once a year. (Duely noted.)
Besides according to integrative physician Jacob Teitulbum, M.D., 80 percent of the pleasure that comes from eating something sweet occurs within the first two bites. So take a bite, and another, then share the wealth. With me! (or someone else..) If no one else is around, just toss it.

I hope these tips help. This is a very personal battle to me and can cost me so much in the long run. Wish me luck. If you are battling a sugar addiction, take a look below to see what it might cost you.


Happy Eating!
Ciao!
Barbie

P.S.
FYI- The Cost of Too Much Sugar

-Anxiety
Sugar wreaks havoc on your nervous system by spiking blood sugar, leaving you on edge.
-Depression
Eating sugar laden foods instead of nutritional ones leads to Vitamin B deficiencies, which exacerbate the blues
-Type II Diabetes
Your body can be overwhelmed with the need to process all the sugar and lead to insulin resistance and weight gain.
-Fibromyalgia

Sugar suppresses the immune system. One can of soda can weaken your immune function for up to 3 hours!

-Migraines

A drop in blood sugar after a sugar "high" can cause tension headaches and worsen migraines.

-Sinusitis

Too much sugar causes yeast overgrowth, which may trigger an inflammatory reaction in the nose.

Sugar Ray :)

Black Woman's Kryptonite

The root of ALLLL evil...not really. Enjoy responsibly.