Sweet sugar can derail the best of intentions

I've talked before about the over-consumption of sugar. But what happens when over-consumption becomes a full-on sugar addiction?

This is happening not just with our kids, but with us, too. We derail our good intentions to eat better because of our socially acceptable addiction: We're sugar junkies.

It's easy to brush this one off. It's not nearly as unacceptable as alcoholism.There are no 12-step programs dedicated to getting you off sugar. Its addictive traits are pictured beautifully in magazines, on television commercials and on the wrappers of the food itself: luscious-looking cinnamon buns with icing dripping down the sides, glossy chocolate bars waiting for us to sink our teeth into. It's overpowering and intoxicating!

But we have to understand this: Sugar is most likely at the very heart and soul of our body clutter.

No matter what form it takes, whether it be in the simple carb form of white rice or white flour, or something more obvious like ice cream, pie and chocolate, it has the same deleterious effect on our bodies: It makes us feel good for a while, but then it tears us down to the ground — just like an addict needing another fix.

I'm here to tell you, it's time to get real and call food a drug when it acts like one. A Princeton study found that fast food and sweets can be nearly as addictive as heroin because they set off hormonal changes in the body. They found eating a lot of foods high in fat and sugar can activate your brain the same way drugs can. That's scary!

But it doesn't have to be that way! You can make some simple changes that will set you free from this bondage.

And once again, it starts with baby steps. Here is a simple list to help you: 1. Eat good quality protein sources with each meal. Making sure you have protein will help stabilize your blood sugar. Stable blood sugar means you will feel better and are less likely to develop the cravings that pull you down.

2. Make an easy exchange. White flour, white sugar and white rice do nothing for you nutritionally. Change them out for whole wheat flour, xylitol (see www.xylitol.org for info) and brown rice. It's easy, and you will notice a dramatic difference.

3. Supplements may help, specifically, vitamin C, a B-complex, calcium with magnesium and chromium picolinate. Please understand. This is information I have gathered. I am not diagnosing nor prescribing! Please don't e-mail me asking me how to use these supplements or which ones to get.