Do You Have a Sugar Addiction?

Are you one of the thousands of people who start every New Year off with a hearty resolve to lose weight – this time for good? Have you attempted more than once to lose weight because your previous attempts were either unsuccessful, or you eventually regained the weight you had lost? Many people who are unsuccessful at permanent weight loss blame themselves for not having enough willpower, but they are mistaken. Their struggle with “willpower” could actually be a struggle with a sugar addiction.

Most people think of addiction in terms of substance abuse, but science shows that food (namely sugar) can also be addictive, in terms of how it affects the brain and behavior.

Sugar is similar to drugs in terms of its effects on the brain:

• Both drugs and sugar produce a dopamine release in the brain, which gives the user a “high”.

• The dopamine release produced by both drugs and sugar cause the user to seek more of the substance in order to experience more of the
  “high” (more dopamine release).

• With continued use, the brain and body become accustomed to both drugs and sugar, so larger and larger quantities are needed in order to experience the same “high”.

• Withdrawal symptoms are similar in both drug and sugar addiction: nausea, sweat, headache, and irritability.

• The Goodness can help you break your sugar addiction with some knowledge, tips, tricks and most of all lots of healthy alternatives!

Enjoy reading the rest of this article – in Issue 4 (Oct 2014) of Healthy Mama Magazine.

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