Sugar Makes Life Less Enjoyable
Our ancestors foraged for berries in a scarce food environment, motivated by survival, storing up energy to protect against starvation during winter and famine. Dopamine was released in reasonable amounts when they found any of the life-sustaining goodness.
Today, we have the same brains as our ancestors, but our food environment is vastly different. Our brain still seeks out sugar for energy and still has the same subconscious fear of starvation, but there is no famine on the horizon.
Our “berry bushes” are now drive-thrus and DoorDash. Instead of picking fruit in season like our ancestors did, we pick junk food off every shelf at every store. Instead of grazing on berries during a short window while they are ripe; we graze on highly palatable, manufactured “bliss point” foods year round.
The famine our brain is trying to protect us from never comes, and we never experience the scarcity that our body is preparing to expend all its energy on, so we get fatter and sicker every year.
Food companies capitalize on our brain’s innate drive to survive. Those gooey, flaky, crunchy, smooth, puffy, bubbly (and whatever else) concoctions that we crave were carefully designed in a lab to be as addictive as possible so we can’t live without them. This “food” was created by scientists who work hard to find the perfect “bliss-point” for palatability and pleasure.
The relatively small reward that our ancestor’s brains experienced when they bit into an ancient piece of fruit has been replaced with a massive reward when we eat these lab created concoctions. Our brain was not designed to withstand this magnitude of stimuli and the results are devastating. When we consume these foods excessively and on a regular basis our brain chemistry dramatically changes.
These changes in the brain occur through a process called “down-regulation.” Down-regulation is when our dopamine receptors thin out so the next time we assault our brain with such a huge amount of stimuli (think a coke and a bag of Cheetos,) our dopamine response will be more appropriate.
On the surface this sounds great, doesn’t it? My brain can just adjust to the huge amount of sugar I’m eating. Now, let down-regulation do it’s thing and let me drink this milkshake in peace!
The problem is, with less dopamine receptors, now I need even more sugar to get the same feeling as before. So, that milkshake I’m downing right now might satisfy my cravings for the moment, but it also ensures that I will need another one tomorrow. And now, thanks to my increasing tolerance, it will take more than just one milkshake to relieve my sugar craving. Because of my increased tolerance, unless I get an even larger hit of sugar I will feel discontent and in a state of craving. Once I get that larger hit of sugar the cycle repeats, requiring even more sugar to get the same level of relief. And the cycle continues, getting worse and worse with time.
Addiction is progressive. But the good news is, our brains can heal, and they can heal quickly!
Fast forward to a random evening recently in the quiet city where we live. Walking with my family on our pedestrian mall, downtown. The sound of my children’s laughter all around me, the feeling of my husband’s hand in mine, the cool breeze on my face, the crispness of Fall in the air.
Instead of craving, I felt content. There was no need or itchiness, No desire for a substance my brain was lacking. On this simple, uneventful evening with my family my pleasure response was robust and healthy. I was able to appreciate the beauty and joy around me because my healthy thriving brain was free from the badgering effects of addiction. My dopamine receptors had healed and my brain reacted appropriately to the beauty of life around me.
This is what God wants for us. He wants us to be awake and present in our lives. Having freedom, joy and peace. No matter if we are in Hawaii on vacation or five miles from our home on a random Friday evening! Life is a gift meant to be enjoyed and felt. If you are still addicted to sugar, do not give up. I am a Food Addiction Recovery Coach and I would love to walk alongside you and help you build a foundation for a lifetime free of addictive and/or emotional eating.
Check out my most popular course here: 30 Day Addiction Recovery Course.
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In Freedom,
Sarah Grace
