by Kristy Murphy

I have a sweet tooth problem, or, more accurately, I had a sweet tooth problem. It was something I’ve struggled with for as long as I could remember. I can also admit that I’m vain enough that my weight is important to me - so in order to make allowance for my sugar cravings without gaining massive amounts of weight, I made diet changes to restrict calories from other food sources by eating salads, veggies, avoiding juices or soda, avoiding fast food, etc.

The problem with this was that I would naturally cheat (What can I say - I like to EAT!), and my weight would go up. As soon as my pants started to get too tight, I would resort to a crash diet like a juice fast, an ultra low-calorie vegetarian diet, or just plain starvation. I would also increase my exercise program - working out at least 5 days a week and making sure at least 2-3 of these included HIIT or other mega-calorie burning programs like spin classes.

Deep inside, I knew it wasn’t healthy to be eating all that sugar. In fact, I’d successfully managed to quit sugar a few times for a couple weeks and once - for a whole month. Each time was extraordinarily hard (an understatement). But, after a few weeks I would slowly bring it back into my life by eating a cookie or a small slice of occasional cake and would once again it reawaken my old sugar habit and it wasn’t long before I’d put back on the weight I’d worked so hard to drop. Then, the cycle would start all over again.

Then, something changed. A little over a year ago I started a new supplement program from Juniper Life called the Transformation Program. It came into my life during one of my “feeling desperately fat” moments and it seemed like it could speed up my results.

I liked Juniper Life’s approach, that it could not only improve my health by reducing inflammation and strengthen my immunity, but also help burn off some fat. Obviously, I didn’t expect it to do anything all by itself and I resolved to also improve my exercise and diet while on it.

Just before I had received the product, I got sick. The lingering kind of sick that sticks in your lungs and refuses to budge for weeks. Because of that sickness I decided to start taking it easy on my body and rather than work out 4-5 days a week, I would shoot for 2 and occasionally, on a good week, I’d do 3. I felt like my body was wearing itself out and it needed a break - as I would often get sick when I did strenuous workouts (which would always set me back because I would have to take a break and it wasn’t always easy starting back up). Plus, it was nearing the holidays and I knew things would get busy. I thought that after a few months break I could return to a more consistent routine.

When I first started taking Juniper Life, I noticed a huge increase in energy. The first week on it, I had very little appetite. Food had lost its appeal - even treats. It was easy to resist snacking and at meal time, because my cravings were no longer controlling me, I was able to make smart decisions about what I ate. In fact, the only things that really sounded good to me were protein and salads. I distinctly remember being at the grocery store when I was hungry and roaming the aisles for something that I wanted to eat. I came home with a rotisserie chicken.

I went two straight weeks without sugar without batting an eye. It was easy to say no. Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went - and I would eat a small slice of pie or a little bit of candy on occasion because it was a social event or because I was feeling particularly down. Even though I no longer craved the taste of sugar, I would still turn to it occasionally for emotional support - I’d always been a stress eater. However, it wouldn’t take much before I would feel physically ill - my body was quick to tell me it didn’t appreciate the extra sugar. It was the first holiday season I’d even gone through where I didn’t gain any weight. In fact, I’d lost some - even with the reduced exercise.

I’ve just gone through my second holiday season on Juniper Life - I have lost several inches and gained muscle since last year - without any significant effort in dieting (my diet did change - but it came naturally as a result of craving healthier things) and despite less exercise. This is also the second straight holiday season where I came out a little bit thinner than I was at the start of it. The best part is that over a year later, sugar has not reclaimed its hold on me - even though I would spurge on occasion for birthdays or on vacations, my sugar habit never fully returned. Instead, the longer I was on Juniper Life, the less reliance I had on sugar - even when I was feeling down or depressed. That has never happened for any significant length of time for me before and I am ecstatic!

Interested in the science behind the cravings, I researched how the gut affects our cravings. This is what I found:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270213/

In particular, a fungus known as Candida, which at normal levels in our body helps aid in nutrient absorption and digestion, can change shape and become invasive when sugar levels in the body are high. When Candida becomes invasive it is known as Candida overgrowth. Studies have shown that high blood sugar levels can protect Candida from our immune system’s attempts to control it. As a result, Candida overgrowth can result in increased sugar cravings.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4162151/

With the Candida growth under control, it also leaves room for friendly bacteria to grow. Juniper Life can help beneficial bacteria thrive by reducing inflammation, supplying them with prebiotics (which acts as a food source or fertilizer for good bacteria), as well as helping to improve the strength of the gut lining.

The reduction of Candida and growth of friendly bacteria are key towards stopping sugar cravings in their tracks. I think this is why the effects got better over time for me. As the Candida presence diminished and the health of my gut improved, the fewer signals I got to help refuel the Candida.

One other reason JuniperLife's Transformation Program works so well, was that it has ingredients in it to help prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes. This can also help reduce cravings and reduce snacking:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/

Plus, there were other significant benefits I noticed while on it - I had more energy (I started to look forward to my HIIT workouts cause it helped me rock them), I had better focus, my mood was better, and I haven't gotten sick since I started it - even when I traveled or had no sleep. I struggle with insomnia so when I have a few sleepless nights - they are less stressful on me. After a dose of Juniper Life, I am good and can function so much better than I used to.

Kristy Murphy
Independant Nutrition & Diet Contributor