Are You a Drug Addict?

Are you addicted to drugs? You're saying, "of course not....I have the occasional drink, but that's all. And I may have smoked something green and funky back in the day, but in no way am I an addict."  So you're not a drug addict, right...but have you ever found yourself intending to eat 1-3 cookies and then a few minutes later you've inhaled the whole sleeve of Girl Scout Cookies? Or have you started your morning with a bagel with cream cheese and then in the afternoon had an unrelenting taste for potato salad, or mac n cheese, or pound cake? If you're like me, you may not have even noticed the connection.

You, me, and most Americans are actually addicted to a drug. A legal drug you call SUGAR! Recent studies show that sugar has very similar addictive properties as alcohol and cocaine. You literally can't eat just one of anything with a ton of sugar or processed flour in it because your brain won't let you walk away. We are CRACKHEADS for sugar and flour....I can't lie...once in a while I catch myself doing a little two-step when I'm devouring a soft chewy cookie. I don't even dance when I get my paycheck...but I dance for cookies? WTF?

Why do our drug dealers AKA food manufacturers add so much sugar to our foods. I'll tell you why...MONEY. The American culture is trained to believe that lighter and whiter is better. But guess what, the real sugar cane is BROWN, the real wheat flour is BROWN, the natural desserts come in all SHAPES and COLORS just like the American population...apples, pears, strawberries, plums, bananas and grapes. Have you ever really seen a piece of WHITE fruit?? If you have, please show it to me. Our dealers didn't think Americans would buy BROWN stuff probably because BLACK and BROWN just weren't acceptable colors way back when. So our dealers processed the natural food stripping the fiber and healthy stuff, and adding more addictive chemicals so you'd keep buying their products over the competitors. And you're left with fat rolls you can't seem to shake, a weird obsession with sweets and carbs, crazy mood swings, fatigue, and a personal shame as if it's your fault.

Well its not your fault. We are the victims here and the best way to shake the addiction is to AVOID the WHITE stuff. Let me reiterate WHITE is BAD and COLOR is good...yes I said it. And this rule does not pertain to the color of the sugar packets in the office kitchen. The PINK packet (saccharin), BLUE packet (aspartame), YELLOW packets (splenda)...are seriously the devil in disguise. They cause all types of problems including headaches, menstrual irregularities, dizziness, MS, and fibromylagia. Have you ever noticed that people drinking diet sodas are usually overweight? You are better off having a regular Coke or Pepsi.

If you are participating in sugar binges on a regular basis, I suggest the following:

• Remove all the white sugar and white flour from your home, and replace with Stevia and whole wheat flour. Stevia doesn't impact your blood sugar levels. Stevia is natural and extracted from the Stevia herb.
• Remove white rice from your home. Replace with brown rice, quinoa, millet, barley, aramanth.
• Remove all diet sodas from your home. 
• If you eat carbs (potatoes, whole wheat toast), pair the carbs with a protein (chicken, fish, eggs, beef) to keep your blood sugar levels stable.
• If you eat a sweet potato or white potato, make sure to also eat the skin...you can mash the potatoes with the skin...it's just as good and you get the fiber that's in the skin. 

Suggested reading:

Potatoes Not Prozac: Solutions for Sugar Sensitivity

Sugar Addiction: A Step-by-step Guide To Overcoming Sugar Addiction

Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling

I'm just getting started on the dangers of sugar. I have a lot to say on high fructose corn syrup!! The ultimate devil hiding on the grocery store shelves. 

Take good care of yourself.