Recently I have been craving chocolate and coffee, especially hot chocolate at night, I have been drinking a few cups every night, and eating chocolate throughout the day. I need to proactively cut down on this as I know it’s not healthy for me to have too much sugar.

I found church thought-provoking today, Rather than pray to God for strength, you should pray for guidance. This made me think, as God cant give you the strength to do things in life, but through prayer, God can provide you with guidance in your daily affairs. The request for guidance will inspire you when facing a difficult decision. We make decisions daily, and sometimes we need advice. We need a higher power to lead and guide us and if we pray for guidance, God can direct us.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight
Proverbs 3:5-6

Also at church today, I mentioned to a fellow alcoholic about my sugar cravings, who said to me that many alcoholics that he knows crave sugar and to watch out for this, as I may replace one addiction with another. Instead of the alcohol addiction, I may get a sugar addiction, which over a period of time, may be dangerous for my long-term health. When I got home, the sugar thing was still playing on my mind, so I decided to look more into it. Turns out to be very interesting, logical and keeping a balanced diet;

• Sugar cravings are common in recovery
• Due to excessive alcohol intake, active alcoholics become intolerant to sugar, resulting in alcoholics craving sugar during early recovery
• Poor nutrition can result in a low mood, making a recovering alcoholic more vulnerable to alcohol relapse
• Like any processed food, it is possible to become addicted to sugar as it triggers the brain’s reward system, just like alcohol addiction.
• During recovery, high sugar intake can be harmful:
  • Addiction transfer – swapping alcohol for sugar
  • Blood sugar spikes – can cause mood changes and cravings
  • Eating disorder risk – eat nutritious food to improve eating habits and benefit recovery

Proper nutrition is crucial, don’t let your body confuse hunger for cravings!