Sugar Busting Plan: Cravings Strike
What to do if cravings strike
While this suggested eating plan should kill off all your sugar cravings, some people will still develop the odd urge for something sweet. Here's what to do if, one day, that happens to you.
Take some rhodiola. This is available from health food stores. Used extensively in Russia, this herb is from a family called the adaptogens, which help balance your body against stress fatigue. In trials, it has been shown to increase levels of serotonin in the brain by 30 per cent and to balance blood-sugar levels.
Do some exercise. Ten minutes of exercise at a moderate rate (until you are slightly out of breath) are enough to improve both your mood and your energy levels. If a sugar craving strikes, go out for a walk. Sniff some vanilla. Studies at St George's Hospital in London have shown that the scent of vanilla reduces sugar cravings. Eat something. If you really are desperate to have a sweet snack, then eat something. One piece of chocolate does not break a diet - only the second one does that! Try taking gymnema sylvestre.
This is available from health food stores. It is the right supplement for you if you're actually giving in to sugar cravings. Known as the 'sugar destroyer' in Indian medicine, it acts on the tastebuds that normally detect sugar and make it tasteless. The effects last about two hours, so it's best used if you know that cravings usually come at a certain point in the day. Try drinking one cup of the tea or take one 100mg supplement.