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Take Back Control of Sugar Cravings  

There are copious suggestions on controlling sugar cravings.  Some are very useful and others are, well, impractical, like taking a shower.  Not very feasible when you're at work and want to inhale your coworkers' leftover Halloween candy.  Tackling this desire is easier when you know what is driving it: psychology or physiology. 

Psychologically driven cravings are a bit simpler to recognize.  Seeing the sweets, or anything carbohydrate-loaded, can trigger the desire for the item.  You start thinking about how good it tastes and even how good you can feel after eating it, because of the spike in the neurotransmitter, serotonin.  According to PsycologyToday.com, "The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) puts the amount (an individual consumes) at 27.5 teaspoons of sugar a day per capita, which translates to 440 calories-nearly one quarter of a typical 2,000 calorie a day diet."  Most of this is "added sugar" in our processed foods--cereals, breads, soups, yogurts, various beverages, etc.   These added sugars pose a bigger problem by causing an addiction.   

Your brain does use glucose to function.  Its cells require twice what the body's other cells need, but too much sugar causes lowered chemical production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).   This protein is crucial for forming new memories.  Individuals with diabetes, depression and dementia, have tested poorly for BDNF.   The excess sugar you could be getting, without a candy or dessert indulgence, can also prevent you from recognizing when you are full, by interfering with the brain's anorexigenic oxytocin system.  

Many physiological reasons can cause sugar cravings: changing to a low-carbohydrate diet, cutting back on alcohol, seasonal affective disorder, hormonal changes, fatigue, dehydration, hunger, and increasing physical activity.  Some of these are still being tested, though low serotonin levels are linked to many.  Rather than reaching for something sweet, Livestrong.com suggests eating, "turkey, chicken, salmon, avocado, baked potato, walnuts, chickpeas, lentils, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds".  Also, getting in more sunshine can help if the short days are causing a problem for you.  If possible, take a walk on a lunch break or right after work before the sun sets.

So how can you tell if you're in a vicious addiction cycle or it's something else? Try Reader's Digest helpful quiz and their tips to kick the cravings.  Taking control doesn't have to mean eliminating all sugar/carbohydrates from your life.  Read food labels, eat treats in moderation, limit alcohol, eat at regular times, keep fruit and vegetables available, don't buy what you have no will power to avoid overeating, and don't shop hungry.  If you are hungry, have a balanced meal or snack.  Over time, you will find your tastes changing and any discomfort like headaches and mood swings, addictions cause, disappearing.  

Join Us at Our New Downtown Utica Location!

Bachelorette parties can become awkward when perfect strangers are tossed together and everyone is unsure how to break the social barrier.  These parties can divide into cliques and leave a person or two feeling like the one training wheel left on the bicycle.  Here are simple ways to prevent this from happening:    

When you laugh at an inside joke with another attendee, share the story with the others, so they will not only be included, but encourage them to share similar experiences.   If the hostess doesn't introduce everyone, take the initiative and say hello.  Ask them how they know the bride, after all, you at least have that in common.  Be gracious and patient with anyone you may not care for.  This is the time to celebrate and not berate behind someone's back, also you're only allowing them to ruin your fun.  Ask the hostess for a task, it can help ease you into socializing and give you something else to focus on, relieving anxiety.  Activities, like our pole dancing parties, are the best for making strangers fast friends.  The shared experience instantly gives everyone common ground.   

Of all the events you will attend in your life, this one should be the least stressful on the social scale.  See it as an opportunity to make new friends, connections, and memories.  For more on mingling, check out SucceedSocially.com.   

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