How to Stop Sugar Cravings

It takes both time and effort to change any bad habit that you may have. A sugar craving can be very difficult to break but if you are determined, you can do it. Most bad habits, if you remain focussed, can be kicked in about 30 days. As with any bad habit though, the first step is to acknowledge that you’ve got a problem. Just like drinking or smoking cigarettes, overdoing sugar, caffeine and other common ingredients in our diet is bad for out health and must be changed in order to better our health.

An increasing number of people are suffering from diseases which are preventable; diseases largely caused by their diet. Foods which are high in sugar, fat and cholesterol are making us sick and are even killing many of us! There is plenty of information available about the horrible consequences which an unhealthy diet has on our bodies – just read some of the many reports from the CDC or the AMA and learn for yourself. I’m not trying to spread fear here, but it may be good to be a little frightened of an unhealthy diet. A lot of heart disease is preventable through diet, as is diabetes and obesity for the most part.

To change any bad habit, you, and only you, first has to decide that a change is needed. It’s a decision only you can make, plain and simple. It’s not going to be easy; changing your sugar consumption habits can be as hard as quitting smoking, since sugar is semi-addictive in nature and like other addictions, can cause some serious damage to your body.

Sugar is actually a toxin! Bet you didn’t know that; that’s why eating too much sugar can be so hazardous to your health. What we’re speaking of here is mostly refined sugar, which is not a natural product. In fact, before anything goes in your body, you should ask yourself whether it is or is not natural. If not, think twice before ingesting it.

Practice is really the best way to train yourself to resist your sugar cravings. When you find yourself hankering for sugar, try waiting five minutes before giving in. Try to take your mind off of the craving by doing something else. More likely than not, you’ll be over the craving after the five minutes have passed. Five minutes at a time, you’ll eventually manage to beat your cravings.

Set small, achievable goals for yourself. If you think you can’t do without those four sugars in your coffee, try waiting an extra hour, even two before you have it. Try this every day and it will become easier as you go. Of course, you can have that cup of coffee sans sugar; if this will help you get past the cravings, go ahead.

With determination and the decision that this habit needs to be changed, you can do it. Remember - you control your cravings, they don’t control you.
 

Vital Nutrients for People Over 50

As we get older, our bodies need more nutrients to stay healthy. Getting a healthy, balanced diet and supplements as necessary can make sure that we stay in the best possible health even as we age. However, the American Dietary Association reminds us that older people need more nutrients but fewer calories, since the metabolism tends to slow as we age.

Every person has a different level of physical activity and a different metabolic rate, so the exact number of calories needed depends on the individual. However, everyone needs about the same amounts of seven essential nutrients; so without further delay:

• Vitamin A – We all know that vitamin A is good for our eyes, but it also is healthy for the skin and for immune function. Carrots, cantaloupe, summer squash and green leafy vegetables are all good sources of this vitamin.
• Vitamin B12 - Vitamin B12 helps give a higher energy level and nervous system health, which helps establish mental and emotional clarity and stability. Meat, eggs and dairy products are good sources of B12.
• Vitamin C – This vitamin boosts the immune system, can help alleviate cold and flu symptoms and is a powerful antioxidant. Many older people suffer from iron deficiency, which can be helped by having vitamin C along with your food – the vitamin helps your body absorb iron from your food more efficiently. You can get vitamin C from citrus fruits and juices, as well as from some vegetables.
• Vitamin D - Vitamin D helps you to absorb calcium more efficiently, keeps your skin healthy and is essential for bone health. You can make Vitamin D on your own – you just need 20-30 minutes of sun two to three times weekly. You can also get Vitamin D in your diet from eggs, tuna, enriched milk and mushrooms.
• Protein – People over 50 should have at least five ounces of protein daily. Meat, eggs, beans and dairy products are good sources of protein.
• Folate - Folate helps your blood to bring more oxygen to the body. The best sources of folate are spiach, kidney beans, strawberries, peas, romaine lettuce and broccoli.
• Calcium - this is one of the very most important mineral nutrients, especially for older people. Those over 50 should have at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day. The richest sources of calcium are dairy products, but calcium is also found in green leafy vegetables, cereal and some enriched juices.

If your diet is coming up short in terms of any of these seven nutrients, you may be in need of supplementation. High quality nutritional supplements are available which can help your body get what it needs to stay in peak health.

No More Energy? It’s Time to Fill Your Tank!

If you’re anything like me, you’re always on the go. You’ve got a lot going on each and every day. You want to do it all and do it to the best of your ability. You just don’t have the time to get sick or become exhausted. However, your body will eventually get tired and force you to rest. How can you tell if you are nearing the point of exhaustion? Fatigue is the signal that you may be getting close to burning out.

Being fatigued is your body’s way of telling you that you’ve been overdoing it or not getting enough food or sleep. Of course, there are also many medical conditions and diseases which can also cause fatigue, so it’s probably a good idea to ask your doctor first if you are suffering from severe or chronic fatigue. However, if it’s just your over-scheduled life that’s causing you to feel a little lacking, the cure is pretty simple. You need to focus on sleep, nutrition, relaxation and hydration.

These are four very important things for your overall health and they don’t come in a bottle. Well, water can of course and people will try to sell you special beds, but you really don’t need these; you do need sleep and water though. While this may seem such a common sense thing that it doesn’t bear mentioning, think about it for a minute. How often do you actually drink two liters of water in a day? How often do you get a full eight hours sleep? And when it comes to nutrition, you probably hear a lot of half-baked diet advice about avoiding some foods and loading up on others, rather than the much healthier habit of eating, small, frequent meals which are varied and nutritionally balanced.

Another thing you no doubt hear a lot about is the enormous number of energy drinks, bars and supplements out there. All of them are extensively advertised; and all promise to give you a higher energy level if you’ll only buy them. Now they can’t all be telling the whole truth. Think back to the basics of nutrition. You can make energy from three things and only three things – proteins, carbohydrates and fats. That’s it; all other nutrients just help you to use the energy made from these three primary sources. This means that no pill or energy drink can give you the same kind of energy as you get from food. Guarana, caffeine and all of those other energy boosting supplements are just stimulants; the effect is only temporary and we all know about the crash that comes later.

To put it simply – energy means calories. If there’s no calories, it’s not real energy. While there are no supplements which can offset unhealthy lifestyle habits, by just adopting a healthier set of habits, you’ll have no need for these energy supplements. Now it may take some doing to adjust to living a healthier life, the results will be more than worth the effort.

If you’re in need of more energy, the first step is to start keeping an energy log. Track the following for two weekdays and a weekend – when you eat (it doesn’t matter as much what you’re eating, but keep track of the time), when you sleep and for how long, what beverages you consume and how much, any and all relaxation taken that day and a record of how much energy you had – track highs and lows. Now start your log and we’ll compare notes in two weeks. At that point, we’ll talk about your results and how you can increase your energy level.

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