Sugar, the sweet saboteur of our health, often lurks innocuously in our diets, quietly causing havoc within our bodies. The conversation about the overconsumption of sugar has never been more urgent. It’s not just about the immediate rush it provides; it’s about the lasting impact on our health.

Inflammation caused by sugar consumption is perhaps one of the most prevalent issues we face today. It’s not merely about the sweetness on our tongues; it's about the profound effects it has on our bodies.

Many individuals find themselves trapped in a cycle of sugar cravings or even addiction. The solution to this isn’t just about cutting out sugar; it’s a mental shift, a transformation of mindset. It involves recalibrating our hunger signals, nurturing our adrenal glands, and achieving a balance in our hormones.

Picture this: your day revolves around sugar highs and crashes. The cravings persist, perpetuating a cycle that seems unbreakable. Your insulin levels fluctuate wildly, sending your body on a rollercoaster of energy spikes and crashes.

Breaking free from this cycle demands a change in mindset—a shift that might feel arduous initially. Yet, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the journey to wellness often begins with challenges.

Science substantiates what many experience—an addiction to sugar. However, liberation from this lies not just in mental fortitude but also in proper hydration and flooding our bodies with vital nutrients. Nourishing ourselves adequately reduces the incessant craving for sugar and carbs.

The remarkable transformation occurs when your body, now well-fed and cared for, starts to recalibrate its cravings. It’s not necessarily about completely forsaking sugar; it’s about transitioning those cravings by allowing your body to revel in nourishment.

An intriguing observation lies in the way our taste buds transform. Once deeply entrenched in processed foods and sodas, returning to them after a hiatus often reveals an intense sweetness that seems unfamiliar, almost overwhelming. It’s as if our bodies, now accustomed to deriving carbs and glucose from whole foods and fruits, reject the hyper-sweetened nature of processed foods.

This shift isn’t singular; it's a collective experience shared by many. Initially, breaking free from the clutches of sugar addiction seems insurmountable. It’s easy to believe that favorite indulgences like Reese's or processed foods are irreplaceable. Yet, crossing that hurdle and nourishing your body unravels a surprising truth—you begin to prefer healthier alternatives.

It’s about making swaps—opting for a healthier version of that cookie or brownie. Your body’s preference transforms, aligning with the goodness you provide it. The once-beloved cosmic brownie loses its charm when juxtaposed with a gluten-free, nutrient-rich counterpart.

This journey isn’t solely about battling a sugar addiction; it’s about embracing the joy of feeling great. Food isn’t just sustenance; it’s a catalyst for how we feel. Nurturing our bodies becomes a choice, not a restriction.

The crux of sugar addiction doesn’t solely lie in the biochemistry; it’s entwined with the dopamine rush tied to sweet indulgences. Childhood memories of sweets often associate joyous occasions with these treats, creating a formidable bond.

Yet, it’s about rewiring our brains, redirecting that joy towards healthier alternatives. It’s a process of retraining our brains to appreciate and derive pleasure from nourishing foods, making health-conscious choices an inherent desire rather than a forced obligation.

In essence, conquering sugar addiction is more than a physical transformation; it’s a mental journey towards holistic wellness. It’s about redefining pleasure, embracing nourishment, and relishing the incredible feeling of well-being.

Let's embark together on this journey—not because we have to, but because we cherish feeling our best.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Sugar addiction isn't just about the sweetness on our tongues; it's about its profound impact on our bodies, causing inflammation and disrupting hormonal balance.
• Overcoming sugar addiction requires a mental shift and nourishing our bodies with nutrients, leading to a transformation in cravings towards healthier alternatives.
• It's about rewiring our brains to appreciate nourishing foods, redefining pleasure, and embracing the incredible feeling of well-being that comes with nurturing our bodies.

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Transcription

Dr. Latt Mansor: Inflammation from sugar. I think this one is probably the most common out of all the overconsumption of sugar.

Maggie Berghoff: Overconsumption of sugar. And specifically on this one, I find this with people who are craving sugar or they have sugar addiction. This is really important. This is mindset.

A lot of this is mindset change, but then also regulating your hunger cues, regulating your healing your adrenal glands. It's all interconnected. So also like hormone balance is going to help this. But these are people who are really addicted or craving sugars and carbs. And so your insulin levels are just going spiking all day long.

You're having crashes and then you're feeding your body with more sugar, cause that's what you want. And so with this, it's really a lot of mindset. And then this is one of those things that's perhaps much harder before it gets easier. Like you were talking about the no pain, no gain type of.

I feel like sugar is a big one and actually science you could probably whip out some publications that showcase that it is addictive. And so it's a mindset thing for this and then also making sure you're fully hydrated. I feel with this, it's most important also to flood your body with as many nutrients as possible so that you are more fulfilled and nourished so that you crave less of the sugar and carbs because your body is cared for.

Although you're not necessarily quitting sugar all the way, because your body is starting to get, feel what it feels like to be nourished, you start to transition those cravings and help yourself out with all of the cravings around the sugar inflammation.

Dr. Latt Mansor: And one thing I noticed when I cut out like, way back when I lost all the weight when I cut out processed foods and soft drinks or sodas, I do realize Like years later, if I have a taste of soda it tastes way sweeter than I remembered it to be.

It's almost like that's something that I observed. I don't know if it's true for everyone. I don't know if there's science behind it, but that's something that I experienced myself is that after I cut out a lot of these hyper processed sweetened foods, go back, just You know, taking my carbs and glucose from whole foods and fruits and all of this, and then going back just to have a taste of these processed food I feel like they are way sweeter than I remembered it to be.

Maggie Berghoff: And not as good. So when that's the same situation that I've experienced, in addition to many of my clients and friends and peers and colleagues. And it's almost like when you're in the sugar inflammation, you feel like there's almost no way out. It's addictive. You feel like you're you could never not have your Reese's or your processed foods, your favorite things.

But if you get through that hurdle and your body is actually nourished, I assure you, when you try those foods again, you actually prefer the healthier versions. And I talk a lot about swaps. It could be that you're still eating a cookie, but it's a healthier version cookie. It's that swap.

And your body would prefer I just, sometimes it, it's hard to imagine that you'd ever be like this, but I promise you will prefer the gluten free, higher quality, better made brownie than the whatever cosmic brownie or whatever that you're used to having. Now, your body will prefer that and the other things will taste weird now when you regulate your taste buds and your your cravings and you feel better too.

It's a. Sugar is an addiction, but so is feeling great. I love feeling great, and I don't like feeling bad. So I know that food makes an impact in how I feel. So I want to be nourishing my body so that I can continue to feel really good. Because I like the way that feels. So it's, but you do with this one, it's just the most mindset one, because you have to get over that hurdle in order to experience what's on the other side.

And I think

Dr. Latt Mansor: the great point is that most of the sugar addiction is that you're not addicted to, biochemically, yes, but you're also addicted to dopamine that is tied to that sweet thing, right? Like a lot of people, especially when we were kids, when we have sweets and we have, sweet things, it's usually a good occasion.

You tie that to that memory. And I think, yeah. It's rewiring that to what you just said to the good feeling that you feel with a healthier version and retraining your brain, rewire your brain to understand that and also appreciate that that really helped me sticking to what's healthier because then it's no longer a restrictive lifestyle.

It's something that I want to do rather than I have to do.

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