I'm just naturally sweet

Hi there wellness warriors!

I wanted to take the information from my newsletter a step further and talk about a few sugar alternatives. If a sugar craving hits and you're unable to conquer it with the tips I mentioned, try to eat something that is sweetened with something other than refined sugar. Since refined sweeteners have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they can spike blood sugar, which can actually exacerbate your cravings later instead of fulfilling them! Some refined sugars to look out for are refined table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, NutraSweet, saccharin and Splenda. Using naturally and minimally processed sweeteners instead of a refined sugar can help reduce your cravings for those sugary devils.


Here are a few natural sweeteners to substitute in drinks, food and baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5 times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. You can find them in most supermarkets or natural food stores. When replacing sugar with liquid sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids.

Raw Honey
Everyone seems to love honey, one of the oldest natural sweeteners on the market. Honey will have a different flavor depending on the plant source. Some are very dark and intensely flavored. Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins.


Agave Nectar
Agave is made through the extraction and purification of the juice of the agave cactus. It does not stimulate insulin secretion as other sugars do, so it does not create a "sugar rush." It has a delightfully light and mild flavor. There has been a lot of controversy over Agave Nectar lately, so I actually tend to lean towards Raw Honey or Maple Syrup instead of Agave. If you want to read more and decide for yourself, you can go here: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/is-agave-nectar-safe/


Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is the concentrated extract of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks. Make sure to look for 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As with all sweeteners, organic varieties are best.


Happy sweetening!
Katie

Adapted from "The Cane Mutiny," New Age Magazine, March/April 1999.

Conquering Cravings - a pre-release of November's newsletter!

So you've got a sweet tooth, eh?

The body is an amazing source of intelligence. Does your body ever forget to pump blood, or do your eyes ever forget to blink? I know mine sure doesn't. So is this reliable, intelligent bio-computer making a mistake by craving ice cream or potato chips or chocolate? Are cravings due to lack of will-power or discipline? I've been told that being a vegan takes pretty strong will-power..so are my cravings just a sign of weakness? I'd like to suggest that cravings are nothing of the sort - actually, they are little hints that tell us what our bodies really need.

The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too restrictive and your cravings are a reaction to your feeling of deprivation. Perhaps boredom or stress are the cause of your cravings. If something in your life is unbalanced, your body tries to correct that imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water or more love in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand it and deliver what your body really needs.

I've definitely noticed that when I come home from a particularly busy and stressful day of work I crave really smooth things, and if I'm not careful I'll end up eating a whole tub of hummus or ice cream. Instead of reaching for those foods, I'll drink a glass of water, pull out my journal, put on some soothing music, and use writing as my meditation before bed.

The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of a weakness. Instead of reaching mindlessly for that chocolate bar, try these tips to respond to your body's signals:

· Have a glass of water and wait 10 minutes.

· Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit or sweet vegetables - such as sweet potatoes, which are in season right now!

· What is out of balance in your life? Is there something you need to express, or is something being repressed? What happened in your life just before you had this craving?

· When you eat the food you are craving, enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its effect. Then you will become more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.

Keep an eye out for my next post about some alternative sweeteners that you can use when you've tried everything else and you just need to get your hands on some (healthy) sugary goodness!

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Big Changes

This week has been a week of exciting steps! I'm working on a newsletter that I'll be sending out on the 15th of November. (I'll also potentially post that content here) Tonight I registered the domain name wellnessuncorked.com, so please go check that out! I'm still editing my website, but it's a good starting off point. I added my website to my email signature and my facebook as well. I'm actually starting believe that I'm a small business owner!

After I post my newsletter about conquering cravings, I'll write a blog about some good sugar alternatives that I like to use. Until next time!

Peace, love, and veggies
Katie