How to Give Up Sugar and Reduce Candida Symptoms (Part 2)
Is your sugar craving telling you something about Candida?
In our last post, we talked about our New Year’s Resolution (well, mine): to step away from the sugar!Remember that uncontrollable sugar cravings may be telling you something. A constant craving for sweets is a common symptom of Candida yeast overgrowth.
(Review our Candida Symptoms List and take our free doctor-written tests here.)
In the meantime, here are a few “hacks” to help you back away from this addicting substance:
After you eat something with a strong flavor, like garlic or the “umami” taste of red meat, you will often crave something sweet. (Oriental medicine calls these strong flavors yang – which create a desire for yin (sweet) – to balance them). Wait. Tell yourself that in 30 minutes, you can have that cookie or piece of candy or bowl of ice cream if you still want it. Chances are your system will balance itself, you will forget about it and the craving will subside.
Have something sweet, but not too sweet.
Eat a piece of fresh fruit. Or make a baked apple and top it with cinnamon and a little butter.
Put a drop or two of honey or rice syrup on your tongue and savor it.
Freeze ripe bananas and then toss them in the food processor: banana sorbet!
If you like yogurt but plain is a little too . . . plain, add a teaspoon of your own fruit jam to plain yogurt. It is still a fraction of the sugar in the sweetened varieties.
When I am craving chocolate, I sometimes sprinkle unsweetened cocoa powder on a plate and dip a banana in the powder. It’s not a banana split, but it’s pretty good!
Eat lots of vegetables. (I’m not sure why, but when you eat a lot of green veggies, you don’t seem to need the sweets as much. Maybe the nutrition and the fiber satisfy?)
Don’t let yourself get hungry. When your blood sugar drops, your reptilian brain says, “SUGAR. NOW”! Keep healthy snacks in your fridge (hummus, cut veggies, plain yogurt) and nut butter and fresh fruit on the counter. Running errands? Keep a few nuts or sunflower seeds in your glove compartment. Remember, hunger is the gateway to a candy bar at the HandyMart.
Don’t fear fat. A moderate amount of “good” fat: nuts and seeds, avocado, olive oil, or coconut oil, will make you feel full and satisfied, keeping sugar cravings at bay.
Handle stress in your favorite (non-sugary) way: exercise, meditate, listen to music, take a warm bath, breathe deeply, read, spend time with your friends (but not at the cupcake shop!). Less stress, less need to reach for that cupcake!
Remember, one mistake means nothing more than Start Over.
No self-bashing! Just because you were stressed and hungry and went face-down in a nougat-filled, chocolate concoction at the grocery checkout counter, does NOT mean that you are bad or that all is lost.
If you slip, take a big breath in, let out a big sigh, and start over again!
And, if you want to know what level of Candida you have so that you can get the right Candida treatment for you, please checkout our free doctor-authored severity test.