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Writer's pictureVolker Patent

Eating to Live or Eating to die? Dealing with Sugar cravings and addictions

Sugar addiction is more than just a sweet tooth; it's a significant health hazard that can lead to a range of chronic conditions.


Here is an example:

Pippa, a 45-year-old marketing executive, habitually consumes sugary snacks and beverages to cope with her sedentary office job while working in a new job from home three days a week. Her daily routine includes a caramel latte, chocolate muffins, biscuits, sugary sports drinks, and chocolate bars. She gained weight over the year since starting the job and often feels fatigued. A visit to her GP reveals she is prediabetic due to high sugar intake and is advised to reduce her sugar consumption. She was advised to reduce her sugar consumption but Pippa finds it hard to reduce her love of sugary biscuits, and once she has one, she often ends up bingeing on other sweet things. She is aware of the risks of diabetes and feels anxious and depressed about her weight gain and her sugar levels moving into diabetes II territory. She is feeling worried and hopeless about being able to change her habits.


When we indulge in sugary snacks, our bodies experience a rush of dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter, which makes us crave more. This can lead to overeating and, eventually, significant weight gain. This cycle is not just psychological but also has physiological roots. The body's demand for insulin to process the excess sugar can lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes​.


Obesity, fueled by sugar addiction, is also a major risk factor for heart disease. Research in the Jama Internal Medicine Journal (Yang et al., 2014) found that people who consumed high amounts of added sugars had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases compared to those with lower sugar intake​​. Excess sugar contributes to high blood pressure, inflammation, and elevated triglycerides, all of which strain the heart leading to shortening of the life span.


Moreover, sugar can be a hidden enemy to liver health. The liver processes fructose, a type of sugar found in many sweetened beverages but also fruit, and excessive consumption can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This condition can escalate to more severe liver problems if not addressed​.


The dental and mental health impacts are also notable. High sugar intake is a leading cause of cavities and tooth decay. Additionally, fluctuating blood sugar levels can result in mood swings and even depression.​ People often take sugar to gain an energy boost; however, this is usually short-lived and leads to a rash afterwards and the desire for more sugar,


Breaking free from sugar addiction involves more than just willpower.


There are many different approaches for reducing cravings for sugar, such as gradually decreasing sugar intake, replacing sugary food with natural sugar alternatives like fruits, and eating balanced, nutrient-rich meals to curb cravings. However, the roots are often psychological and heavily involve different brain systems (see the diagram below). Human brains have evolved to like and want high fat and sugar for energy because, in ancestral times, finding and consuming high-energy foods helped humans survive. Still, our needs today are different from those of our pre-primate ancestors. Every time we consume sugar, our reward centres in the brain make us feel good, regardless of whether it ultimately harms us.


Because sugar addiction is, to a large extent, the outcome of neurophysiology and psychology, sweet tooth habits are often difficult to change. As you are attempting to reduce sugars, your brain remembers feeling good about taking in sugar - at times of emotional turmoil or stress, your emotional arousal network in the brain will be looking to the reward network and the sensorimotor network to produce the expected change in emotions once you consume sugar. Your cognitive brain will hardly get a look in. This process is subconscious and outside your conscious control, thus hard to resist.


Adapted from Guerrero-Hreins et al (2022) Disordered eating pathways in the brain


Even people who are strong-willed often struggle because sugar triggers the release of dopamine, creating pleasurable sensations similar to those produced by addictive drugs. This biochemical response can override even the most disciplined intentions, making it difficult to resist cravings. Additionally, the ubiquitous presence of sugary foods in everyday environments and their convenience further compounds the challenge, making abstinence a constant battle​ . These factors highlight the necessity for a multi-pronged approach working on different layers of the problem ranging from the physical and physiological, the neuropsychological, the emotional, the cognitive and the environmental.


In my work with Hypnosis, I have seen incredible results with people who struggled with their sugar addictions. After just a few sessions of focused Hypnosis with some therapy have regained control over their sugary habits, they are firmly moving out of the prediabetic risk zone, feeling better, having more energy and, as a result, being less anxious and depressed about their health.


If you are struggling with sugar, consider getting more than just dietary information. Getting psychological help using tools and approaches from psychotherapists and Hypnosis can produce the lasting changes you want to make. If you want to discuss your issues with sugar with me at no obligation, contact me, leaving information on how and when to reach you by phone and email.



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References:


Guerrero-Hreins, E., Foldi, C. J., Oldfield, B. J., Stefanidis, A., Sumithran, P., & Brown, R. M. (2022). Gut-brain mechanisms underlying changes in disordered eating behaviour after bariatric surgery: a review. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders23(4), 733-751.


Yang, Q., Zhang, Z., Gregg, E. W., Flanders, W. D., Merritt, R., & Hu, F. B. (2014). Added sugar intake and cardiovascular disease mortality among US adults. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(4), 516-524.



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