Stress & Sugar? "Sugar, Ahh Honey-Honey:" Stress-Relief Expert Susie Mantell's Thoughts on Sugar & Stress (I sure hope you read this one...)
By award-winning author and stress-relief expert Susie Mantell
I really, really hope you read this one...
Do you experience depression or irritability? Or episodes of binge eating? We live in a culture plagued by stress-related illness and illness-related stress. My observations of sugar's potential impact on both of these are based upon both personal experience, and my work with thousands of people who come to me seeking help in preventing, reducing and releasing the physical, emotional symptoms typically associated with stress. (e.g. anxiety, depression, insomnia or excessive sleep, muscle tension and pain, control issues, fears, unsatisfying relationships, among many others.) While I am not a physician, in my experience as a stress-relief facilitator there are few subtle risk factors for stress about which I feel more strongly than sugar. Even at sub-clinical diagnostic levels, I believe that for some people subtle sugar-sensitivity is an often misdiagnosed, or completely overlooked problem that can in some cases wreak havoc on physical and emotional well-being, self-esteem, mood shifts, relationships and perhaps even immune function. For many, sugary foods can unquestionably be mood-altering substances, can sap energy, create cognitive fog and forgetfulness, exacerbate inflammatory pain, weight gain and water-retention, then to add insult to injury. . .create cravings for more. As if those were not stressful enough, once the cycle is in motion, self-esteem plummets as one repeatedly swears off sweets but "falls off the wagon," wondering why. In a culture with so many at risk for diabetes and/or heart disease, we read nutritional labels and find the seemingly ubiquitous High Fructose Corn Syrup--even in non-sweet foods. Do you suffer from recurring yeast infections? Sinus trouble? Digestive difficulties? All of these can be exacerbated by sugar in some cases. If you struggle with any of the symptoms mentioned in this paragraph, try this:
Are You Sugar Sensitive?
1. For two weeks, eliminate all foods and beverages that contain sugar in any form. (Also including honey, molasses, brown sugar, etc.)
2. If any sugar-y ingredient appears above the 6th, skip this food.
3. Words ending in: "ose" are some form of sugar. (e.g. glucose, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, etc.) Reminder: "Natural" does not mean "Healthy." Ask anyone who suffers from Hay Fever!
4. Take a look at the Glycemic Index and The Glycemic Load of specific foods. See which fruits are highest in sugar? Are you a big fan of bananas? Grapes? It would be advisable to also eliminate flour and white carbs during this trial to get a more accurate sense of how sugars do, or do not, impact your stress levels and overall sense of well-being.
5.Regarding alcohol: If you can take it or leave it--leave it during these 2 weeks. If you can't--that's a different problem, and you may want to look at the role alcohol plays in your life.
I see many people with binge eating disorders. Many find that two culprits that tend to trigger cravings and binge episodes are sugar, and flour, often combined of course, but they need not be. If you experience episodes of binge eating, try 2 weeks off all baked goods, cold cereals and flour in all forms, including pasta. In just two weeks, many people see a pronounced decrease in cravings of any kind, an increase in energy and improved mood in just days. What have you got to lose?
Your long-term goal may not be 100% elimination by any means. But this simple two week experiment will show you the role and impact, if any, of sugar in it’s many forms, on your personal stress levels and well-being. This could be one of the greatest gifts you'll ever give yourself!
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Award-winning stress-relief expert Susie Mantell ...is the author of the deeply soothing relaxation CD, "Your Present: A Half-Hour of Peace,” clinically approved for symptoms associated with stress and sleeplessness, depression and grief, anxiety, P.T.S.D., Fibromyalgia, caregiver stress, cancer, pain, divorce and addiction recovery. Featured in The Los Angeles Times, NBC, ABC, CBS-TV, Town & Country, The American Pain Society, Hazelden and The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, listeners include The Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, The Betty Ford Center, V.A. Hospitals,and Canyon Ranch (#1 Spa.) Customizing stress-reduction for Fortune 500 companies, distinguished hospitals and spas, Mantell has facilitated thousands in relieving health-related, work-related, chronic or traumatic stress. Her multi-sensory, mind-body techniques appear in national media, medical and corporate publications. Susie Mantell's Stress-Relief & Wellness Tips are intended as an adjunct to, not a substitute for, professional health care. Order “Your Present: A Half-Hour of Peace” and find more of Mantell’s stress-relief tips at www.relaxintuit.com