How to (Moderately) Get Your Sweet On

By Donna Stark

It's the season of celebrations and sales of desserts are soaring! Chocolates, cookies, pies, and cakes are just a few of the items you will be seeing on the dessert tables at all the events you attend, and while all of them offer their own delectable qualities, they all have one thing in common ... sugar. Do you know what too much sugar can do to an already stressful time in your life? It can lead to stomach aches, trouble sleeping, mood swings, and cranky children. Clearly, that's not the path anyone wants to go on, but what can you do? Well, your local chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic have some suggestions. Take a look at them below.

Look for Alternatives

If you take the time to look, you should be able to find some healthier alternatives to those overly sweetened treats. For example, instead of grabbing a slice of the double-chocolate triple-layer cheesecake, maybe you could head to the chocolate fountain and enjoy some chocolate-dipped fruit. Or you could choose a small serving of gelato over a triple-scoop sundae.

Make Your Own

You can also be the one that offers to bring the dessert. This way, you can modify the recipe and reduce the amount of sugar it calls for. Or you can replace the traditional ingredients with healthier ones. There is often plenty of room in a recipe to simply cut back on the amount of sugar it calls for and there are several ways you can swap out the sugar and replace it with something else. Try using honey, date paste, agave syrup, or applesauce the next time you are baking.

Limit Your Indulgences

OK, OK, if you just have to try your friend's famous dessert, go ahead and indulge. But plan for it and limit some of the other treats you would normally consume. Skip the fancy coffee drink that day or avoid going to the vending machine for a soda. Actually, you should avoid soda as often as you can, but you get the point, don't you? The key to a healthy season isn't deprivation. It's choosing your treats in moderation.

How to Get Your Sweet On

Don't focus all your energy on how hard it will be to reduce your sugar intake during all your celebrations, because it won't be. There are plenty of ways you can get your sweet tooth satisfied without consuming a ton of refined sugar. Just follow the suggestions above!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Riverview, Fla.