To varying degrees, everyone has a sweet tooth. It’s why the first human beings were drawn to eat the apple (digestible) and not the tree bark (undigestible.)

Today I’m sharing signs that may indicate your sweet tooth has swung out of normal range and into health-destructing territory. Read the article below, or listen to the podcast episode for extra commentary.

Evolutionarily speaking, a sweet tooth serves a purpose.

So this isn’t your fault. But there’s a difference between liking sweet flavors and IT’S 10PM AND SHOPRITE BETTER BE OPEN BECAUSE I NEED PIE RIGHT NOW.

As I write this, we are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. You’ve got 17 parties to attend and the office candy bowl is full of chocolate kisses.

So what’s the difference between a “normal” amount of sweets to keep life fun and celebratory…and a completely out of control sweet tooth that’s kicked you out of the driver’s seat of your life and is headed directly towards plus-sized jeans…or even more troublesome health issues?

Let’s explore.

If you answer “Yes” to any of these questions, you may want to reconsider your relationship with the sweet stuff. But whoa whoa whoa!

1. Does your energy tank in the afternoon?

Level with me here. Have you ever fallen asleep during a meeting? Needed caffeine to keep your eyes open at 3pm? Most of us have felt this way! I used to work on the 18th floor and would use the elevator ride to rest my head against the wall and catch 30 seconds of sleep.

If you’re eating sugary/carb-heavy breakfasts or snacks like I was, expect your energy levels to plummet during the day, along with your mood. And in the long run? Insulin resistance is real.

2. Do you often get sinus infections?

For years I thought I was just an unlucky “sinus person.” I remember sleeping on the couch, surrounded by tissues, losing money because I couldn’t get to work for two whole weeks. It was during that feverish stupor 10 years ago that I decided to change my diet. Since then, I can count the number of sinus infections I’ve had on one hand. See, sugar feeds the fungal yeast which is a root cause of sinus infections. And that’s not all…

3. Are things…itchy?

Let’s talk more about yeast, since it’s such a delightful topic. As you know, an overgrowth leads to problems like vaginal yeast infections and athlete’s foot. When you eat sugar you literally feed the problem. Not the smartest approach.

4. Are you on medication for depression or anxiety?

Ok, I’m NOT saying that a sugar-free life will alleviate the need for medication in all people. But it certainly COULD make a huge difference.

Back when I was still a “sinus person” (see above) I was also what you would call “a nervous mess.” Trust me on this. Sugar was at least partially to blame. I’d estimate 50%. The rest I’ll talk about in therapy, thank you very much.

5. Do candy wrappers mysteriously fall out of your pockets?

People will usually say that they eat a fairly healthy diet. But when I review honest food diaries from my clients, we often notice that candy and other sweets sneak into the picture on a daily basis. All I’m saying is…you may not be aware of how much sugar you’re actually eating.

Please note that ALL sugars are not evil and you shouldn’t avoid carbohydrates completely or jump on some crazy diet bandwagon.

Pssst…by the way.

I am and forever will be a sugar addict. A decade ago it was causing me severe health issues, but not anymore. I got control and so can you.