Are You Addicted To Sugar (Carbohydrates)?

PaulChasinDreams

Are you addicted to sugar (carbohydrates)? Did you know the human body has a ZERO essential need for even a single gram of carbohydrate for your body to run at 100% efficiency and 100% health levels. That's right....ZERO need for carbohydrates yet your body ESSENTIALLY needs fats and protein to survive and be healthy. And what's worse is that your brain might be wired to be greatly addicted to sugar (carbohydrates). The same way and same brain receptors make some people more susceptible for heroin, cocaine, tobacco and alcohol addiction... It's called the DRD2 dopamine receptor. It has been proven to be a common abnormality in obese people around the world after studies have been done on their genetic profiles and gene testing... An article about it here: https://drhyman.com/blog/2011/02/04/stopping-addiction-to-sugar-willpower-or-genetics/ and a good youtube video describing it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5rLnG-We4A

PaulaKro

I can go cold turkey to kick bad habits. But because you can't quit eating, it was always hard to diet. As an overweight teenager (1960's) I remember desperately wishing I could just stop eating - but always cravings would raise their nasty little heads.

It wasn't till much later I realized that the only food I needed to eliminate was carbs. So now my childhood wish is achieved. I have gone cold turkey on my carb addiction and kicked it. So nice not having to fight myself constantly anymore.

Violet_Flux

Interesting stuff. I didn't watch the video but I read the linked article and then found a list of the SNPs for DRD2. We've had our DNA sequenced so I checked all the SNPs listed, and most of them are normal. Just one came up with a risk of decreased dopamine receptors, the rest were 'normal'.

In experience, we do have a craving for sweets / carbs, but it's... variable. Like it only manifests under certain circumstances. So likely not a physical addiction, per se.

Anyways, for any of this genetic stuff, I think a person's DNA only sets up possibilities. I think there's still a large part played by other factors.

kpk54

I coincidentally happened to see (just the other day) the longer video from which this clip was made (can be found on you tube). It's only 39 minutes in length and was interesting in it's entirety though the 4 minute version does perhaps capture the portion most relevant to the forum and perhaps the masses who have engaged in seemingly uncontrollable bingeing.

The DRD2 mention led me down a bit of a rabbit hole when the 1st article I read mentioned Myoclonic Dystonia and Parkinson's. I'll not elaborate as this has little interest to others but will share the food "cue" mentioned by Heber and the need to eliminate it for those who engage in "sweet bingeing" is relevant as is the benefit of distraction (at minimum).

I've frequently mentioned the book "The Hungry Brain" by Dr. Stephan Guyenet, PhD. It may be a valuable read to others who are heavily influenced to overeat in our current world of food cues.

A paraphrase from another Heber article: It's not the fish but rather the aquarium....

rsclause

I always joke that you could remove the sugar bowl from my house and I would never know. That said however I could snack forever on some granola clusters and take a bag of potato chips out in one sitting. Those are ll in the past now.

PaulChasinDreams

kpk54 wrote: »

I coincidentally happened to see (just the other day) the longer video from which this clip was made (can be found on you tube). It's only 39 minutes in length and was interesting in it's entirety though the 4 minute version does perhaps capture the portion most relevant to the forum and perhaps the masses who have engaged in seemingly uncontrollable bingeing.

The DRD2 mention led me down a bit of a rabbit hole when the 1st article I read mentioned Myoclonic Dystonia and Parkinson's. I'll not elaborate as this has little interest to others but will share the food "cue" mentioned by Heber and the need to eliminate it for those who engage in "sweet bingeing" is relevant as is the benefit of distraction (at minimum).

I've frequently mentioned the book "The Hungry Brain" by Dr. Stephan Guyenet, PhD. It may be a valuable read to others who are heavily influenced to overeat in our current world of food cues.

A paraphrase from another Heber article: It's not the fish but rather the aquarium....

I think you may be referring to this video; a very good one in it's entirety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciXtqYUl2_4

kpk54

Yes. That's the one @PaulChasinDreams.