Mar-17: FOOD AND HEALTH
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in 2017, Consumer Alert, March
How to recover from a sugar binge
One moment you are high, the next you’re heading for the couch! Your body goes on a physical and emotional roller coaster after a sugar binge. You may feel physically uncomfortable, bloated, irritable, have a headache, feel wired, or sleepy. If you have overindulged your sweet tooth, get off the guilt bandwagon and follow the tips given below to feel better.
Don’t starve yourself the day after a sugar binge. Since your sugar stores are high, drastically cutting calories by skipping meals will only send your body into survival mode, causing it to hold on to these stores, rather than letting them go.
What to eat: The next meal should be low in carbohydrates. A high-protein, moderate-fat meal is imperative after a sugar overload. Foods like spinach, broccoli and cinnamon will help improve your body’s ability to burn carbohydrates. Since magnesium is essential to process sugar, eat foods rich in magnesium such as almonds, bananas, spinach and oats. Eat raw vegetables as the high fibre in them levels out the insulin spike that follows a sugar binge.
Have tea and sufficient water: To help your body detox, try having a cup of mint tea to soothe your digestion. Also, drink adequate water as it can actually help flush out some of the extra sugar you’ve eaten. Moreover, you need water as your sugar binge will leave your body dehydrated and acidic as it attempts to process the excess sugar.
Get moving: Take a brisk walk, climb stairs – resist the temptation to nap. Exercise can decrease your appetite and reduce your cravings for additional sugar. Walking will also get your blood flowing (which is very cleansing), boost your metabolism and burn calories.
Soak in the sun: Research shows that exposure to sunlight can improve alertness– something you may be lacking once that blood sugar crash kicks in.
Sleep well: When you are well-rested, your body rarely craves sweet and starchy foods. Sleep is the best way to fight the drive to overeat. Sleep deprivation increases the level of hunger hormones in the body.
