Sugar and Sobriety

Sugar and Spice and all things nice ......... 

Often , when we reduce alcohol or stop drinking altogether we crave sugar . This is something that is very normal and does pass. 

Let me just repeat that , It DOES pass. I know the advice I always give is deal with one thing at once. So , does it really matter if  you eat a chocolate bar if you say no to the glass of wine ? 

That said though , it can be crippling for people , it can lead to a fall back to the bottom of the bottle. Nobody wants to give up drinking alcohol and find themselves feeling over weight , unattractive and out of control . It is so important when going sober we get to see the benefits and cravings for food can get in the way .

Lets look at why we crave sugar then in sobriety . 

When you have a drink of alcohol , it causes the brain to release dopamine which causes us to feel good. When we stop drinking alcohol , our very clever brains start to try and find this feel good chemical elsewhere. The nearest place to find it is through sugar . Our bodies and minds know that through eating/drinking high sugar content we can get the same hit . Sugar is also like alcohol , in that over time , it requires more to reach the same high ! 

Another reason we crave sugar may be that there is a lot of sugar in alcohol ! So we miss the sugar content . We are trying to replace it.

There is no magic wand , and honestly , I would rather you reach for a bag of sweets than reach for a drink. There are a few things you can do to help yourself .

1/ Drink lots and lots of water. 

It sounds so obvious but when we give up the booze our bodies are dehydarted. Being dehydrated causes sugar cravings , so drink lots of plain water. It aids our bodies and mind to recover .

2/ Exercise 

Sounds boring and simple and it is ! But it helps our minds release feel good factors and helps us to feel happier. Start small, a twenty minute walk round the block . 

3/ Food 

Is so important. Eat for health and recovery . Definately do not diet at this time , but focus on health . Lots of healthy fats , nuts and seeds and proteins. eat three meals a day and snack . Fruits contain natural sugar , ok its not the same as a piece of chocolate cake , but its going to give you a sugar hit non the less .

4/ Distract yourself 

Do something with your hands, anything .People often complain of boredom when giving up alcohol so do something to take your mind off the biscuit tin .

5/ Meditate . 

There is so many mediations and there are meditations on cravings. Practice , try  . 

Remember , be kind to yourself . It will pass . It will get better . You are doing the most wonderful thing , going sober . That is to be celebrated , You got this.

Much love Jo xx