I’m not sure what happened. But as soon as I returned back home from vacation, all of my sugar cravings just stopped. The first few days I thought it was just jet lag, but then my first day back at work happened and still nothing. The weekend came around, my mom made some ridiculously good looking homemade Indian desserts, and nothing again. Now it’s been a week and still nothing. You see this is a pretty crazy feeling for someone like me. I love to eat something sweet at the end of a meal and I love dessert! On vacation I had my fair share … And I managed to take a picture of almost all of them…here they are…

Chocolate & Banana Crepes for snack near Ginza in Tokyo

Little Balm Cake from Tokyo, I shared with my husband on the plane ride to BaliEvery afternoon at the W in Bali, they have tea time, with ridiculous cakes like this. Seriously strawberry shortcake topped with dragon fruit and mango? Am I dreaming?Uhhh you might be thinking “this isn’t desert,” but I disagree – Wheatgrass is incredibly sweet This. was. heavenly. Chocolate Souffle at Sarong in Bali with homemade pistachio cream to top it off with. Vegan and Raw Triple Chocolate Mouse at Clear Cafe in Ubud, Bali.
This is an empty glass. duh. Sorry – I meant to take a picture of it full.  This was a delicious milkshake make from fresh coconut cream, raw cacao and nut milk in Ubud.The bomb.com – Goji berries made into “Fruit Roll Ups” in Bali  :)After our dives, we were always presented with something yummy to drink.  I sneaked back in the kitchen on our boat in the Maldives to see what kind of hot chocolate they were using – I was happy to see Cadbury – no trans fat or artificial flavors like Swiss Miss! Dessert was even served at lunch on the boat – I would have some everyday with Ginger tea to aid digestion.  This was housemade pistachio ice cream with strawberriesGreen Tea Mousse from the Four Seasons Explorer kitchen one nightDate tart with Cardamon Ice Cream on the boat – 2nd favorite dessert of the trip, Remember my absolute favorite from this post?

Even after posting and looking at all these pictures, I still don’t have a craving. And I’m sorry if I caused a craving in any of you I have some hunches on what changed in my life recently… This is what I found after I conducted some additional research to validate my claims.

First off, there are a billion articles on how to stop sugar cravings and most of them are all pretty basic. Eat breakfast, eat at regular intervals, make sure you get enough sleep, avoid artificial sweeteners, etc…etc… the same information that has been printed over and over again in magazines like SELF, SHAPE, Men’s Health, Fitness, etc. over the last decade. I think the reason they keep printing this information is because the majority of Americans skip breakfast, forget to eat at regular intervals, don’t sleep the amount their bodies need, and consume a ton of fake toxic sugar. So fine, I get it. But, let’s go a step further here. I never skip breakfast, always eat at regular intervals, really really try to get the sleep my body loves, and do not consume artificial sweeteners ever – So if this is you, then this information I am about to provide will be extremely valuable in unlocking one further step to reduce your sugar cravings. If this is not you, then I’d go check out one of the magazines I mentioned above and I’m sure one of them this month has something on the initial steps to reduce your sugar cravings

After my research and my own experience I’ve come to this conclusion – If you are craving something, you are not getting enough of something else – figure out what it is! And don’t stop until you do.

It is absolutely life changing to be so in tune with your body that you immediately know when you’ve ingested too much sugar, a processed chemical, additive or been exposed to something toxic. To be so in tune with your body that you know exactly how to feed it for its optimum energy and vitality. To be so in tune with your body that no matter how many people around you are eating nutritionally dead foods like Chick-Fil-A, you don’t even get the slightest bit tempted because you know what that will do to your energy, your liver and your well being. To have this insight, is such a great gift. I hope everyone can find this. Feeling this way makes me so happy. I now look in the mirror and can see this glow that was never there during years where I didn’t love my body or myself. Miracles can happen, when you take care of yourself.

Check out some ideas that might help you seize your sugar craving once and for all!

1. Supplement with Superfoods – Along, with my regular juicing (which initially decreased my sugar cravings) I started taking ”Vibrant Health Green Vibrance” which is a concentrated dried superfoods powder you mix with liquid. I initially bought this for our vacation, because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to get as much green juice as I do back home, but I have continued taking it post vacation. A dose of Green Vibrance includes several nutrients and minerals the modern diet is lacking. There is many studies that are being conducted linking depletion of minerals in our soil to the health in our bodies. Several scientists believe there is evidence that this is causing a chemical imbalance in our brain linking back to sugar cravings and other issues. This wonder powder also contains a ton of antioxidants, probiotics, wheatgrass and chlorophyll! Remember from my Wholy Wheatgrass post – Wheatgrass is pretty incredible and has been proven to reduce sugar cravings too.

2. Go outside without sunscreen! On vacation I got loads of Vitamin D from the Sun. There were several days I did not wear sunscreen, and in the winter, I NEVER wear sunscreen. You must get sunshine! The sun’s rays are pure wonderful energy your body needs – spending a small amount of time in the sun without sunscreen will not give you skin cancer! However, the media and sunscreen companies will have you thinking differently. When Vitamin D levels are low, the hormone that controls appetite stops working. You eat and eat and eat, and never feel full when this happens. The sun contributes significantly to the daily production of Vitamin D, and as little as 10 minutes of exposure a few times a week is thought to help prevent deficiencies. Furthermore, Vitamin D helps boost serotonin levels, your happy hormone – when serotonin levels are low, most people immediately turn to simple carbohydrates like sugar and chocolate. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of vegan sources of Vitamin D, except the sun of course. Drinking fortified nut milks and non dairy yogurts can help. If you don’t eat a lot of dairy or meat, there is a good chance you could be low. Check it out. It just might be the answer.

3. Change up your routine - I got out of my daily routine – Every night before my vacation, I would always end it with something sweet or chocolatey. Not having a routine on vacation, broke the habit and erased it from my mind – so I started fresh when I got back. Try going on a vacation or do a “staycation” where you totally switch up your routine and see what happens. Also try switching up your meals – Parfait Porridge is a great breakfast for some people like my husband, but I like it for my afternoon snack. This has worked much better for me and keeps me full until dinner time without mindless snacking or that 3pm chocolate I used to want.

4. Try Acupuncture – One of the ongoing treatments I am doing with my regular needle Acupuncture, is figuring out all of my allergies and then using laser acupuncture to eliminate them. I found out I was incredibly allergic to refined sugar. About 3 months ago I was treated for this – it doesn’t mean I can eat all the refined sugar I want now, rather it means that my body can tolerate it better. This type of treatment is said to help with sugar cravings. I immediately noticed a difference after I was treated. When I had a dessert, after the 3rd or 4th bite, I didn’t want anymore.

5. Get Happy – I recently became incredibly aware of how happy I actually am with my life – No sugar in the world can make pure happiness any better. Was I using sugar as a happy fix before I realized this? My acupuncturist said that craving Chocolate is a symptom of wanting more love in your life. If that’s true – Love yourself as much as you can and you will find people who love you back. Find out what makes you happy and then do it.  Put everything else aside until you find it – including fear! Before embarking on this post, I thought about the only other time I stopped craving sugar.  It happened about 4 years ago when I was going through a very difficult time in my life and experienced extreme anxiety which eventually led to depression.  My anxiety had gotten so bad, that I completely lost my taste for sugar, months went by with no fruits, dessert or anything sweet. I had bowls of cheerios and peanut butter sandwiches for every meal for weeks. I also lost my ability to concentrate and thus lost the desire for cooking and my other hobbies too. I know that isn’t happening to me now. Thank God.  Luckily, I have rebounded completely from that period in my life. I am grateful for the experience nonetheless, as this is where my holistic nutrition and alternative medicine journey began. And I am absolutely elated to be sharing all the knowledge I have gained and my personal experiences with you!

Good luck in your journey! I’d love to hear from you on how you deal with cravings, being it sugar or something else. Write to me! Hearing from you here or on my Fan Page is an absolute JOY in my life!

XOXO,
Food Babe