Help defeat a sugar addiction with herbs?

karenjanicki
karenjanicki Posts: 947 ✭✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in General Health

I'm a sugar addict. A real junkie on this stuff. I hate it. I know it is terrible for you in so many ways but I really struggle with it. I started taking the class here at TGN on the 14 day sugar detox and today is my first day. Can anyone recommend any herbs that would be allies in this battle, to help squelch the cravings and encourage success? Thanks in advance for any advice.

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  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,395 admin

    @karenjanicki This course will give you lots of support as you go through it. Have you downloaded the recipes in Module 1? Check out the Guide to Healthy Snacks. I find that the suggestion of a spoonful of nut butter is very helpful. The Chococado Pudding should help satisfy a sweet tooth.

    Cinnamon is sweet and has the benefit of helping to modulate blood sugar levels.Try the Cinnamon Butter Bites recipe. Sprinkle it on oatmeal or yogurt. Put it in teas. My husband gets a half teaspoon in his morning hot chocolate super blend.

    In Module 6, there is a 14 day food journal. I think it should have been at the beginning cause it really makes you pay attention to what you are consuming. Good for many things in addition to watching sugar consumption.

    Licorice root is very sweet. You could try chewing on a stem. Be careful with hypertension.

    Frozen fruit, just slightly thawed is great for snacks. I like berries.

    Becoming more accustomed to the taste of bitter will actually take away some of the desire for sweet but it is a slow process. Start adding small amounts of bitters to your food or eat more bitter foods. Add dandelion, arugula, sorrel and other bitter greens to your salads. Bitters made with vinegar can become the bases for salad dressings. @judsoncarroll4 has been posting quite a bit about bitters and there have been some recipe suggestions.

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  • karenjanicki
    karenjanicki Posts: 947 ✭✭✭✭
    https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/875871#Comment_875871

    Ok that sounds good. I did the first several lessons but today is my first day. We make an anti inflammatory tea from ginger and turmeric. Tonight I think I'll add in some crushed cinnamon. I don't have any issues with hypertension that I'm aware of. So licorice can be chewed straight? Thanks for the info!

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  • herbantherapy
    herbantherapy Posts: 453 ✭✭✭✭

    @karenjanicki a cup of heavy whipping cream WHIPPED with a sprinkle of cinnamon saved me in the beginning of my no sugar journey. It feels like dessert, it’s creamy, it’s fatty and sweet-ish.

    And I allowed myself as much fruit as I wanted. Whole fruit is very sweet most of time especially the further you get from a processed sugar and some take time to eat or prepare so it takes your mind off tipping open a package and getting an instant fix.

    Also strangely enough a cup of broth (beef or chicken) really cut those cravings for me! I think my body WANTS fat but THINKS sugar.

    Good luck!

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  • realhealthsolns
    realhealthsolns Posts: 3 ✭✭✭

    The go-to research blood sugar regulators are berberine & gymnema.

    The issue is not just an addition in the brain but your dysbiotic microbiome overgrown with sugar lovers who send chemical messengers to your brain to feed 'them'!

    On top of that, as they start dieing off, they release toxins that can overwhelm your liver leaving you feel in sluggish, tire, irritable,...Biggest help here is charcoal to suck up the toxins.

    Next is what to do about the immediate cravings - the answer is fat! Not a big fan of cow dairy as I have issues with it but coconut cream, coconut milk, coconut oil, & MCT oil are great options. Best recipe is 'golden milk' w/warm coconut milk w/turmeric & cinnamon & can do a few drops of liquid stevia - hits all my cravings at once.

    Gratitude, Jacquie

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  • karenjanicki
    karenjanicki Posts: 947 ✭✭✭✭
    https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/875934#Comment_875934

    Thank you for the info! That's fascinating how the brain gut signaling works. I will have to look into that further. Thanks again!

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  • karenjanicki
    karenjanicki Posts: 947 ✭✭✭✭
    https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/875922#Comment_875922

    I have made that before, the whipped cream. It's so good! I have noticed that upping my fat intake has seemed to help with the sugar cravings. Thanks for the tips!

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  • brownjoelle
    brownjoelle Posts: 23 ✭✭✭

    interesting approach. So many flavors to choose from too... I would add many fresh herbs from my garden in my salad. It gives a fuller flavor.

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  • ltwickey
    ltwickey Posts: 369 ✭✭✭

    All great ideas. I have that class on my to-do list, but to be completely honest am also scared of the "withdrawal..."

    Thank you all for the tips and ideas. This gives me courage to start this detox soon.

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  • karenjanicki
    karenjanicki Posts: 947 ✭✭✭✭
    https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/876114#Comment_876114

    I'm on day 4 and so far I feel ok. Achy. My muscles ache and I feel a little mucousy but otherwise I'm ok. You can do it!

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