Well, that’s a Triple. Last night I was confronted again by an open bottle of Pinot Noir sitting on the kitchen counter and a wall of ice cold beer at CVS. Not to be deterred, I purchased a Twix ice cream stick. I figured it would be okay to swap sugar for alcohol, and substitute one dopamine rush for another.
However, I’m well aware that swapping sugar for alcohol is no long term fix. I’m not fixing to gain twenty pounds as a result of my sobriety transformation. Sugar is next on my list of no-no’s to get under control. But one vice at the time. No need to overwhelm myself here.
I suspect, as far as vices go, sugar will be easier to deal with than alcohol. I’ve kicked sugar before using techniques I learned in the Plant Paradox. Essentially, once I kick off the 3 day cleanse and transition to Phase 2, I’ll have killed off most of the ‘bad’ sugar loving bacteria in my gut. The sugar craving should die with them. Maybe the alcohol craving, too. I plan to implement this over the next few weeks.
For now, swapping sugar for alcohol is the crutch I need in the short term as I gain strength and grow my determination to heal.
They say it’s not the destination, but the journey that counts. I realize there’s no rush and progress, no matter how small or slow, is still progress. So, swap sugar for alcohol, I will, for now.
Why Swap Sugar for Alcohol?
Let me begin by saying that I’m not suggesting you run out to the nearest candy aisle and binge on Milk Duds until you’ve given yourself diabetes (though a few pieces of candy might scratch that itch). Piece of advice: You should never change your diet except under the professional direction of a dietician or your doctor. Okay, now that my lawyers are off my back, let’s continue.
I’ve read that in early sobriety, your body is working hard to find equilibrium. When you remove alcohol from your ‘diet’ (strange to refer to it this way, but it is what it is), with it goes the constant stream of sugar your body has grown accustomed to. When we drink alcohol, it briefly raises our blood sugar and causes the release of serotonin and dopamine. These are the ‘feel good’ chemicals that make our brains happy.
Less sugar from alcohol can mean less feel good chemicals.
Sugar also releases these same happy chemicals. Once you remove alcohol, your brain literally screams for relief. Your brain demands that if you aren’t going to drink alcohol, you consume something that will provide a similar effect. What does this? Carbs and sugar of course!
Other less desirable options include caffeine, nicotine, pot, and painkillers. While a cup of coffee is a good option, the rest should obviously be avoided. I, for one, am not planning to go back to smoking pot any time soon, if ever. The balance are entirely off the table for me. So I guess I’ll be swapping sugar for alcohol since it’s the lesser of these evils (except coffee).
My research has also led me to evidence that chronic alcohol use can lead to a condition known as hypoglycemia – aka low blood sugar. When we’re in this condition, not only do we crave more sugar and alcohol, we’re moody, shaky, anxious, and irritable (sound familiar?). When we change out sugar for alcohol this action is associated with something called ‘addiction transfer‘.
With addiction transfer, not only are we trading one bad habit for another (hopefully less harmful) bad habit, but we are also trading one way of self medicating for another. Makes sense, since both behaviors accomplish the same thing: the release of serotonin and dopamine.
For more about swapping sugar for alcohol, here is an excellent write up on the topic with 9 (afterall it is Day 9, for me) ways to ease these cravings. Many of the suggestions deal with controlling blood sugar levels, getting proper sleep, taking supplements, and not being too hard on yourself. Worth a read.
Ease the Transition
Now that I better understand concepts like addiction transfer and the roles serotonin and dopamine play in alcohol dependency, I am okay changing out sugar for alcohol to help ease my transition. But only on a temporary basis. Afterall, I’m not out looking for a new monkey to ride on my back or my ever expanding belt line.
We have to be careful with sugar intake because sugar can harm our recovery in several ways:
- Addiction transfer: Swapping one substance addiction for a sugar addiction could contribute to a relapse. This is called addiction transfer, as sugary foods can trigger the reward centers of the brain in ways that are similar to drugs and alcohol.
- Blood sugar spikes: Eating sugary foods causes spikes in your blood sugar and insulin response. This is linked to both mood changes, cravings, and weight gain which may hamper your recovery.
- Eating disorder risks: About half of those struggling with addiction also have an eating disorder. Eating nutritious food can create healthy eating habits and may benefit recovery.
Today’s aspiration – Go for the Quartet AND eat a little less sugar!
Jump to the Day 10.
Ultimately, happiness comes down to choosing between the discomfort of becoming aware of your mental afflictions and the discomfort of being ruled by them.
– Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
