Sugar Cravings

"When any carbohydrate is eaten, it is broken down into glucose by the body and is known as blood sugar. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that takes the glucose from the blood and brings it into the body’s cells where it can be used for energy. However, if there is too much glucose in the blood from eating too many refined carbohydrates, then the body’s cells can stop responding to the insulin. This is called carbohydrate intolerance or insulin resistance.

"The problem does not stop there, because the glucose can not get into the cells for energy and the cells essentially starve. This has profound effects on the body, especially the brain, whose only source of energy is glucose. If the brain is not getting the necessary energy, it signals the body to crave more dietary carbohydrates. This begins a vicious cycle of low energy, sugar cravings, and increased consumption of dietary carbohydrates.

"But poor nutrition is not the only cause of this cycle. Chronic stress is also responsible. When the body is under continued stress, the stress hormone cortisol is continually produced. One of cortisol’s effects is to increase insulin production. This produces the same effect as eating too many carbohydrates.

"Carbohydrate intolerance can directly lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease or stroke. But the good news is that the vicious cycle of carbohydrate intolerance can be broken through dietary and stress management."
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