It’s Day 10,

It’s not uncommon for people to replace one bad habit with another. Giving up drinking only to replace it with a sugar addiction is no exception. Don’t be shocked if you get some sugar cravings during this 30-day break from drinking.

Why does this happen? Well, alcoholic beverages can contain a lot of sugar, so naturally, when we quit drinking, we’re changing that intake of sugar that our bodies and brains are used to.

Yes, that’s right - our brains.

See, when we ingest sugar, our brains get a signal to release a chemical known as dopamine. This chemical (dopamine), tricks our brains into thinking that we need this substance (i.e. sugar) that gave us that rush for survival. Studies have even paralleled the dopamine effects of sugar with that of heroin and cocaine.

Another reason we look toward sugar is that we, as drinkers, frequently ‘reward’ ourselves with a drink at the end of the day. If we’re on a break from drinking, we may substitute that drink for something sweet instead. In moderation, there’s nothing wrong with that. However, if it becomes extreme, then we’re really just trading one unhealthy habit for another.

One of the tools to being successful is to be prepared. Make a list of things that you could have or do instead of gorging on sugar. Maybe keep something light, yet sweet with you just in case. Or maybe a piece of fruit would curb that craving. Perhaps a fruit-infused water will quench not only your thirst, but your sweet tooth as well.

Remember, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”