The Science of Craving
Why you crave what you crave, and how it keeps you hooked
“Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”
-Ogden Nash
In February, as the light returns slowly from the darkness of winter and the deep seeds start to stir in the earth, we all seek a little more sweetness, a little more warmth, a little more love. Those are the Valentine’s Day gifts sobriety offers when you understand why you crave what you crave --a little bit of sweetness!--and how it keeps you hooked.
My Binge-y Valentine
On the Valentine’s Day I remember best, I was newly sober and I had just started dating someone new. Andre was handsome and kind, and he returned from a conference in Zurich with a beautiful box of Teuscher’s chocolates wrapped in a bow--for me! In my past, sugar and drinking often went hand in hand--an extra large Twix from the gas station was often the prelude to a bottle of wine or two. But I was sober now, and each of these intricate chocolates, shining with stripes of silver and gold, was like a delicate little sculpture. Surely I could handle just one! That night, I waited for Andre to leave, and savored just one, delicious hazelnut praline. And then I gobbled down the entire box! Afterwards (surprise! surprise!), I felt like hell. Depressed, anxious, sweaty, and nervous. What was the point of sobriety, if I still felt like this?
It wouldn’t have surprised me at the time if I’d known then what I know now.
The Sugar Cycle
Did you know that alcohol is a kind of sugar? Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, drives our desire to drink and to binge on sugar, and drinking and bingeing on sweets and refined carbs drive our hypoglycemia! (This is why, after quitting alcohol, sugar often becomes the new addiction.)
Here’s how it works: When you eat sugar or refined carbs or drink alcohol (and the poet Ogden Nash was right! When it comes to sugars, liquor is quicker to get metabolized and sent to the brain), your bloodstream floods with sugar and, for a moment, you feel great!
Then the pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin, which sweeps the sugar from your blood and stores the excess in the liver. (Did you know that alcoholism and sugar bingeing both cause liver damage?) When your blood sugar levels suddenly drop, you feel terrible!
This is the first crisis. The second is the remaining high-level of insulin in your blood. Mild insulin shock makes you feel groggy and foggy, shaky and weak, and hungry and depressed. Guess what feels like the only way to fix this terrible feeling? You got it! More sugar! And every time we take another hit, we repeat the cycle.
By the time I was ready to stop drinking, I had become a borderline diabetic. (Read Sugar Blues by William Dufty and you’ll never feel about sugar the same way again!)
Alcoholism and Hypoglycemia
Created by continually triggering an excess of insulin, insulin shocks, and abnormal drops in blood glucose, hypoglycemia underlies alcoholism and gets worse through drinking years. It is one of the primary reasons for relapses and a major obstacle to a healthy recovery. It is compounded by extreme nutrient deficiencies across the board, including zinc, chromium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which are involved in keeping your blood sugar normal.
The Sweetest Thing
Understanding what’s driving you to destruction is the sweetest form of self-love! The first thing you need to know if you’re in this crazy cycle is that it’s not your fault! Hypoglycemia can be caused by genes, by heavy drinking, and even by all the junk food you ate as a kid. Whatever your trigger, there’s a reason you want to keep drinking and bingeing: low blood sugar! Once you know what’s causing your cravings--a physiological need to even out your blood sugar levels-- you know how to stop them! (Hint: It’s not just therapy or prayer. It’s good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle!)
You can heal hypoglycemia, its symptoms, and the addictive tendencies that come with it by eating a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and other nutrients in their freshest most absorbable form.
Today, my partner knows what I do and don’t eat and on Valentine’s Day I get what I ask for: a love letter, a delicious and healthy home-cooked meal, a movie, and lots of cuddling. And sometimes chocolates made without sugar.
Here are some other sweet tips for success:
Sweet Tips for Success
Remember that hypoglycemia is not your fault!
Hypoglycemia is a chronic disorder and causes serious changes in your body that affect your thoughts, moods, and behavior. Also understand that sugar is a chemical and an extremely addictive substance comparable to the refined juice of the poppy (aka opium, morphine, heroin). Empires rose and fell because of it. Sugar was responsible for the fall of the Arabian empire (soldiers were not as edgy and strong after getting addicted to sugar) so what good does it do to blame ourselves for being weak? Who are we to fight this potent substance that was used in minuscule amounts and with great care as medicine in the ancient past? Instead of fighting it with willpower, we need to heal the cravings and treat hypoglycemia the right way. In my experience, quitting sugar cold turkey in recovery is not likely to work.
Eat whole foods high in protein to support organs that regulate sugar balance and to reduce cravings, including:
Whole grains, vegetables, and legumes
Highest-quality animal products in lesser amounts (eggs, fish, chicken, bone broth)
Seaweeds
Micro-algae like chlorella, wild blue-green, & spirulina especially. 1/4-1/2 teaspoon on top of your food or mixed in water will help control cravings throughout the day.
Enjoy small, frequent meals (6-7 a day).
Chew thoroughly and practice simple food combining
(download my free guide to get more on this underreported but awesome practice).
Eat healthy fats:
nuts, seeds, and avocado are great snacks in small amounts between meals.
Only use wholesome sweeteners:
molasses, brown rice syrup, barley malt, dates, real maple syrup, and raw honey. Look for chocolates and treats made with these or best, make them yourself!
Take supplements to help with cravings, mood swings, and to improve energy:
Essential Fatty Acids: EFA Essentials (fish oil) or Flax/Borage Oil (plant-based)
High-quality multivitamin that includes chromium and zinc
Read my article on how to reduce sugar in recovery to wean yourself off sugar gently along with physiological and psychological cravings.
Schedule a free chat with me.
I work with clients to help them create an individualized program around their hypoglycemic symptoms that includes custom supplementation therapy, a unique diet that they can stick to, and building healthy routines like exercise, meditation, and proper sleep to support their optimal wellbeing in recovery.
Finally, set loving boundaries around yourself.
Prepare for Valentine’s Day (and for a life worth celebrating) by thinking about what it is that you really want to receive. Rarely, it’s chocolates or a five-course dinner. We all want attention, affection, appreciation, and acceptance; laughter, intimacy, special time with friends, family or significant other. Be proactive and ask for it and don’t forget to give to yourself what you expect to get from others. It’s empowering and exhilarating to be able to express your needs to others in a gentle way and at the same time be self-sufficient whether it comes to your physical or emotional health.
Enjoy!
I’m Elena Singh, founder of the Sweet Science wellness program. I’m a certified nutrition counselor, science-based health coach, and addiction survivor. I help people in recovery heal their bodies and minds so they can learn to love sober life—not just survive it.
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Some experts label the terrible mood swings of sobriety being a "dry drunk," but did you know these are all really the symptoms of hypoglycemia?
When I was hooked on sugar, I suffered from all of these symptoms and more!
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia
Unstable moods
Insomnia
Shakiness
Irritability
Mental confusion
Panic attacks
Anxiety
Depression
Fatigue
Lack of energy
Emotional instability
Poor digestion
Light-headedness and dizziness
Loss of appetite or constant hunger
Cravings for sweets
Forgetfulness
Sleepiness after meals
Pale skin
Crying spells
Shortness of breath
Headaches
Fast pulse
Muscle pain or cramps
Muscle twitching or jerking
Cold hands and feet
Lack of concentration
Sighing or yawning
Hyperactivity
Dry or burning mouth
Temper tantrums
Blurred vision
Noise or light sensitivity
Loss of sex drive