Survival Guide for Valentines Day

Valentine's Day is just behind the corner and for most of us, Valentine's Day is chocolate day! Whether you are in a relationship or single, thas is the one day of the year when it is very difficult to avoid sweets. Here are some tips on how to "break up" with chocolate.

If you are craving for chocolate it is better to eat it after a full meal rather than eating it with an empty stomach. Go for dark and rich chocolate instead. Dar and rich chocolate can help you take in another bar compared to sweet chocolate like Hershey kisses.

It is also suggested that you keep healthy snacks such as fruits when you are hungry. Control yourself to a number of sweets per day. This will help you reduce your calories.

When craving for an ice-cream, choose a low-fat frozen yogurt instead. This will help you reduce calories 50-70%.


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Sugar Cravings Explained

Holidays are here and sugar is everywhere, and because of that it is indeed very difficult to resist sugar cravings. The truth is, once we start with sugar, it seems impossible to stop.

Sweets provides instant energy. It is also a very emotional food. It can remind us of our childhood or even a past relationship. Parents often use it to reward their children whenever they do something good.

Research has determined that our brains “reward” us by releasing serotonin and beta-endorphins (mood-enhancing hormones) when we eat sugar or other refined carbohydrates that are easily converted to glucose (the simplest sugar). In other words, sugar affects our brain in a very similar way to drugs.

Possible reason for sugar cravings:
* Stress - stressful situation increases cortisol levels, which increases our hunger.
* Hormonal fluctuations - women who experience pre-menstrual syndrome craves for sweets.
* Excess of Acid - forming foods
* Intestinal Yeast or systemic candidiasis - Yeast thrives on sugar. If your intestinal (and vaginal) bacteria are out of balance, they are less likely to keep yeasts like Candida in check.

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