Think addiction’ and alcohol and smoking immediately come to your mind. But what about bingeing on your favorite food/s? Check these warning signs to ensure that you are not in denial?

• You can’t do without it even if you feel sick after bingeing on it.
• You know too much of that food is bad but you ignore that little voice in you that says STOP!
• When you try giving it up, you suffer from headaches and feel depressed.

SUGAR

Why you must give it up: High levels of sugar in the blood, occurs, with the possibility of diabetes and pancreatic problems arising. Bowel diseases, including cancers, constipation and excessive wind are all commonly found in those addicted to sugar along with poor dental hygiene, arthritis and obesity, including the many diseases and illnesses that cam accompany this.

How to give it up? Ironically, sugar addiction results from deprivation. If you deprive your body of its daily sugar requirement in the morning, you will crave it in the day. Instead, have a tea-spoon of sugar in the morning with your bed tea and you can do without it all day long. Switch to complex carbohydrates like wheat, oats or rice to beat the craving. Avoid fruit juices and eat fruits instead.

CAFFEINE

Why you must give it up: Caffeine has a powerful effect on coronary arteries causing a greater flow of blood to the heart muscle, but decreasing the flow of blood to the brain by constricting cerebral blood vessels. Caffeine can cause abnormally fast, abnormally slow and irregular heart-beats. It also wreaks havoc on blood pressure, commonly producing hypertension. Coffee has been linked to heart disease, pancreas and bladder cancer and hypoglycemia.

How to give it up? Prepare for the withdrawal symptoms like headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, poor motor skills and flu-like symptoms, which can begin within hours of your last caffeine drink. Introduce green tea into your routine. 

SALT

Why you must give it up: Salt is in everything that you can possibly eat. Canned vegetables, butter, bread, macaroni and cheese, ketchup, mustard and relish, hot dogs, salad dressing, not to mention the endless list of junk foods, jam packed and stuffed to capacity with salt. Excess intake of salt can lead to imbalance in cell integrity and high blood pressure.

How to give it up? Cut down on junk food as much as possible. Avoid using salt at the table and if you crave that tangy taste, substitute it with lime juice.

MINTS, SUPARI, GUMS

Why must give it up: It leads to unnecessary intake of calories and can lead to overworked salivary glands.

How to give it up? Such cravings are higher on an empty stomach. Try munching on healthy foods such as a piece of carrot/salad or a fruit and such cravings will die out soon.