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Help Sugar Cravings During the Holidays with Gymnema Sylvestre
Paula Gallagher on
'Tis the season to be attending holiday parties and trying to abstain from eating the yummy baked goods that are constantly around! According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the holidays probably account for much of a person’s annual weight gain over the course of a lifetime. The average American gains one to two pounds from Thanksgiving to New Year's. That doesn't sound like a lot, does it? But think about 10 years from now. That one to two pound weight gain has now turned into 10 to 20 pounds of extra weight around the belly, hips and thighs.
Goodies brought in by well-meaning co-workers are the hardest to resist. They are everywhere, and seem especially appealing when that 2:00 afternoon slump occurs. However, that momentary sugar high may make you feel better for a little while, but when your glucose levels soon take a dive, you will be back at the sweet table grabbing another sugar cookie with sprinkles.
So what can you do? Exercise and healthy diet are always important, however, you may get some extra help from the Ayurvedic herb, Gymnema sylvestre.
Gymnema sylvestre has been used for over 2,000 years to treat diabetes or blood sugar levels, according to Karta Purkh Singh Khalso, author of The Way of Ayruvedic Herbs. Gymnema sylvestre has shown positive clinical results in both type I and type 2 diabetes. It can also help defeat sugar cravings. How, you ask? If you open a capsule and put it on your tongue, it alters the taste of sugar for about 15 minutes. However, taking a supplement that contains gymnema sylvestre and other blood sugar support nutrients may be what you need to stop yourself from grabbing another holiday cookie or candy cane and avoiding the holiday weight gain.
Tips to Help with Holiday Weight Gain
1. Increase your fiber
Increasing your fiber is a good place to start. Fiber is very difficult for the digestive system to breakdown, but it tries nonetheless! In the process of trying to break down these hard-to-breakdown plant fibers, digestion slows. Fiber also slows the rate at which these sugars are being released into the bloodstream. This prevents spikes in blood glucose as well as large bursts of insulin, which inevitably will cause us to store fat. Because fiber slows things down a little, it helps us stave off hunger, leaving us feeling full longer, an added bonus to anyone looking to lose weight.
High-fiber diets include plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans and whole grain products. Aim to get anywhere from 25-35 grams of fiber per day. Increase fiber slowly and be sure to increase your water intake at the same time to help things move.
2. Eat more protein
Protein is made of amino acids that build the brain chemicals that stop sugar cravings. When those chemicals are at optimal levels, we also think clearly and resist cravings more easily. Protein promotes release of the hormone CCK (cholecystokinin) as it enters the small intestine. CCK is a gut hormone that is released after a meal, which helps digestion and reduces appetite. CCK reduces our desire for carbs in general. So a low-protein diet means lower CCK and lower levels of key brain chemicals. That leads to strong cravings for carbs, especially sugar.
Some healthy protein choices are fish, chicken, beans and tofu. Whey protein in your morning smoothie is an easy and tasty way to start off a protein-rich day.
3. Exercise
If those sweets and treats are still hard to resist, add more exercise to your routine. Walking briskly for 20 minutes can burn up to 200 calories. (And it's a good distraction from eating sweets!)
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