You have heard it over and over.  You know it’s true—Sugar is harmful for diabetics!  You are working so hard to keep your blood sugar stable!  You have been so disciplined for days.  Then the candy bowl appears!   One piece wouldn’t really hurt!  Then one piece turns into two or three or four–  And then, oh well, what the heck!  You’ve already blown it and before you know it the whole bowl is gone!

When you eat sugar or a high-carb meal, your brain is stimulated to create endorphins which are feel good hormones that cause an opiate like effect.  The brain is very sensitive to an increase in blood sugar and with this increase in brain glucose, you feel great.  Since the brain has no way to store glucose, it quickly uses up this surge in blood sugar only to cause a sudden drop in these “feel good hormones” leading to depression.  Then comes the self-loathing, the discouragement, and the feelings of

Inadequacy.  Be patient with yourself!  You will get it!  You can do this! 

It is imperative to keep your insulin level down to avoid the effects that can come from diabetes.  Sugar and high carb foods raise insulin! 

Are you addicted to sugar/ carbs?  Do you see yourself in the illustration above?  Maybe it isn’t candy, but soda, alcohol, cake, bread, pasta, or mashed potatoes.  An occasional conscious choice to eat a small amount of a sweet at a special celebration if you can indeed stick to that one small amount would not be considered an addictive problem.  If however, that treat leads to days of indulging because you took that first small amount, consider an addiction.

Make sure you eat plenty of high-quality protein and healthy fat at each meal.  Read my free guide “Diabetic?  Lower Your Blood Sugar AND Lose 20 pounds in 30 days….Naturally.” for ideas.  For the next ten days, eliminate all gluten and all dairy! Pastas and breads are metabolized just like sugar. I know that sounds very hard!  Remember, it’s only 10 days.  You can do anything for 10 days! Do not drink your calories!  Consume no sweetened coffee or tea.  Do not drink sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks.    Flavor your water with a few slices of cucumber and a sprig of mint leaves.  You can learn to love it!

Make up your mind that you really want to get over the sugar addiction and that you are determined to do so!  Think about why this matters to you and write it down!  Maybe you want to be around to enjoy your grandchildren, maybe it’s traveling that you have saved up for.  Perhaps you have always wanted to learn to climb a mountain or scuba dive—some of the things you have always wanted to do and didn’t have time for.   Keeping your physical body strong as well as keeping your brain bright and active depends on keeping your insulin low. 

You are the only you there is!  The world needs the gifts you still have to give!

Following are7 tips to help you overcome a sugar/carb addiction in 10 days!

  1. Choose new ways to create endorphins. There are many healthy ways to encourage endorphin release.  Make a list of endorphin releasing activities to put up in your kitchen in case you are feeling vulnerable to sweets.  Maybe you better carry a copy of that list with you all the time.  Have a friend or two on standby.  Someone who will take your call and talk you into trying something from your list instead of grabbing that high-carb food.

Healthy ways to encourage endorphin release include: exercise, sunshine and nature, laughing, meditation, dark chocolate (only if you can eat only 1 0z. of 80%), playing or singing music, playing a game, learning a new hobby.  If you can dream it, you can do it!  And it will make you just a little bit happier! Instead of gaining your feel good hormones from food, look at the ideas below for some different ways to become a little bit happier!

  •  Go for the Green—Being out of doors especially where there is green to look at, will help you be a little bit happier.  Recent research has shown that people who live near green spaces, or near a park suffer with less depression.  If you have a green yard, be sure to enjoy it!  Otherwise, bring in some house plants or go to the park!
  • Exercise—Strive for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise every single day!  Exercise has been well researched as a way to create endorphins.  There are many benefits for exercise, it lowers insulin, increases our happiness, helps us sleep better, wards off depression, and increases our confidence.  All these things and it is good for our hearts, muscles, and strengthens bones.  Set the goal to exercise every day—and then never miss two days in a row!
  • Laughter is great medicine.  Find something to laugh about.  There are plenty of funny movies, stand-up comedians on You Tube, or funny animal videos.  How about one the many videos of a baby laughing?   Laugh at yourself.  Never take life too seriously.  After you laugh for a while, you will forget the sweets craving.  Best of all is finding someone to laugh with!  Laughing with a friend or loved one is better than any sugary food!
  • Help someone who can’t repay you.  Helping someone who can’t help back is a great day to encourage those feel good hormones.  There is always the need for people who care.  Help at a food bank or a soup kitchen.   There are always ways to help from home, offer car rides to people who need transportation to doctor appointments, write to shut ins, sew face masks, or baby clothes or blankets.  Many people need help with yard work.  The sky is the limit as to what you can do to help another.  As you help someone else, your feelings cant help by be elevated!
  • Talk to a Friend—Have a friend who is a confidant—someone who will encourage you to stick to this 10 commitment to better your health!  Choose a friend with a positive outlook.  Someone who can lift you as your lift them.  Laugh together, cry together!  You will end up feeling a little bit happier!  So will your friend! 
  •  Get a good nights’ sleep—Sleep is the time for our bodies to rest and recuperate.  Without a good sleep, cortisol is increased and we are in fight or flight mode constantly, and our determination is down.  Our blood sugar will be higher in the morning when our sleep was less than optimal—which leads to cravings and desires for sweets.  When we sleep well, we wake feeling ready to conquer the world!  A few favorite sleep tips include:
    •  Go outside early in the morning.   When we get the early morning daylight in our eyes, it sets our circadian rhythm.  In the evening dim the lights, get off the digital devices at least an hour before you want to be asleep.
    • Set up a nightly ritual.  You decide, maybe some gentle yoga positions, meditation,  deep breathing exercises, or journaling.  Your nightly ritual might be as simple as washing your face, brushing your teeth, laying out your clothes for tomorrow.  Whatever your ritual becomes, do it night after night trying to make it as close as possible to the same time each day. 
    • Once in bed, give yourself permission to let go of the things of the day.  Remind yourself you have earned a great night’s sleep and expect it. 
    • If you have trouble falling asleep try the following simple breathing technique.   Breathe in for a count of four, hold that breath for a count of seven and breathe out for a count of 8.  Repeat that sequence for 4 – 10 repetitions.  Likely you will drift off quickly after that.

Taking to heart just a few of these steps will likely be all you need to do for the next 10 days to feel in control of yourself and your eating habits.  You will be well on the way to getting and keep your insulin low and your blood sugar stable.  That candy bowl will no longer have hold on you!  You can be in charge of what you eat and when!  Remember, you are the only YOU there is!  The world needs your talents and gifts!