Symptom Definition

Sugar addiction can be pathological. Research in rats has shown that sugar is more addictive than cocaine. This effect has not yet been proven in humans and sugar addiction is controversial, but it remains a hypothesis under consideration in the scientific community.

People have a natural craving for sugar and it is normal to consume it because it is essential for the proper functioning of the body. In some cases, sugar consumption can be pathological and lead to weight gain or even obesity, risk factors for the development of certain diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc.). In fact, some studies have shown a link between sugar addiction and obesity, although not all obese people are sugar addicts.

Excessive sugar consumption can be the result of an addiction to sweet taste and cause less visible symptoms than being overweight, such as feeling very tired or stressed.

Causes to be evaluated

Several areas of the brain play an important role in sugar cravings. One part, located in our temporal lobe, is responsible for creating short and long-term memories and plays an important role in reward-seeking behaviour. This part of the brain is called the hippocampus and allows us to remember the great taste of chocolate, for example!

In each hemisphere of our brain there is a caudate nucleus, which influences reward-seeking behaviour, but is also responsible for the formation of new habits - good and bad - such as snacking whenever we have free time, even without being aware of it. These habits are more like a conditioned response, which means that even after half a day's work we crave a snack. The habits formed by the caudate nucleus are difficult to break, but not impossible!

The insula, also present in each hemisphere, produces emotions in response to sensory experiences. A (very famous) soft drink company markets its products by acting on the insula! Their advertising campaigns suggest that we need a fizzy, cool, sweet drink to feel good. The first taste, or even the thought of indulging our cravings, increases dopamine levels in the brain, giving us great pleasure with each sip.

The causes of this phenomenon are:

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Lack of sleep
• Lack of tryptophan, vitamin B3, vitamin B6 and serotonin

Naturopathic Protocol

🍽️ Nutrition

• Eat a diet with a low glycemic index: wholemeal pasta, brown rice, buckwheat, oats, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.
• Look for Serotonin from other food sources: try nuts, eggs, goat's cheese, or exercise more to increase your serotonin levels.
• Look for foods or supplements that contain highly absorbable forms of serotonin:
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Iron
  • Calcium
  • Chromium

🌿 Phytotherapy

Kudzu

• 3 capsules per day
• Duration: 1 to 2 months

Roman Chamomile herbal tea:

• 1 cup in the morning on an empty stomach
• Duration: 1 to 2 months

🌺 Aromatherapy

• Cinnamon essential oil contains active elements that act on our limbic system to block our craving for sugar. The molecules it contains reach the limbic system (the part of the brain responsible for pleasure, emotions, etc.), which causes the release or inhibition of certain hormones. This results in a significant reduction or even disappearance of the feeling of hunger. Cinnamon essential oil can therefore be very helpful in channelling these sugar urges and cravings.

How to use it ?

• By ingestion: you can prepare a herbal tea to which you add a few drops (1 or 2, no more) of cinnamon essential oil, previously placed on a spoonful of sugar or honey. Drink your preparation: your attraction to sugar should disappear in a few moments.
• By inhalation: another idea to overcome the feeling of hunger is to fill your box with the scent of cinnamon. All you need to do is put a cinnamon stick, a vanilla pod, some orange peel and a few drops of cinnamon essential oil in a box. Then, as soon as you feel the urge to snack, open the box and breathe in the scent. This should be enough to drive away your little sugar cravings.

Precautions for use:

• Cinnamon essential oil is particularly concentrated in active ingredients, which explains its effectiveness. However, it also requires some care in its use and an awareness of its limitations and dangers. Cinnamon essential oil should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, or by children under the age of 6. Its pure use in any form (ingestion, inhalation, diffusion and skin application) is strictly prohibited. As essential oils are not mixable with water, cinnamon should be added to a spoonful of sugar or honey before it is added to a herbal tea or ingested. To make the most of the properties of cinnamon essential oil, it is best to dilute it, usually to less than 10%, according to the dosage conditions of the synergies.

🧘‍♂️ Manual Techniques

• Have an alternative the moment you feel the urge to eat sugar: run, walk, cardiac consistency, ...
• Get a good night's sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.