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Wean yourself off sugar in seven steps

Sugar can disrupt the immune system

Are you addicted to sugar?

Today sugar is consumed in vast quantities.  Sugar can compromise the immune system, contribute to cancers [2] and disrupt your skin.  Sugar upsets the collagen.  That’s reason enough for me to reduce sugar, which I did a few years ago and feel great.

The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day [1] but in a study conducted in 2008 by Economic Research Service for the USDA that figure was even higher at 30tsps a day! WOW! [2]

You don’t have to have absolutely no sugar in your diet, that is practically impossible these days.  What you need to be aware of it just how much and ask yourself if that is serving you well?

These seven (actually 10!) steps are sure to help you kick the sugar habit:

Probiotics can assist with sugar cravings

Lactobacilli bacteria have been shown to increase nutrient assimilation, including calcium.  Lactobacilli bacteria can strengthen the immune system and reduce unhealthy bacteria in the gut.  I take InLiven certified organic probiotic every so often and I rarely eat sugar.  If I have eaten foods with sugar in I will take a tsp in a glass of filtered water.  Your gut working well is key to absorbing food, having clear skin and feeling energetic. 

Seek real flavours

Enjoy genuine flavours (not ones listed on the box!) but flavors such as fresh herbs, spices, Celtic sea salt, pepper, fresh fruits and vegetables and garlic.  You don’t need sugar to add interest to your food, honest!  Sugar and sweeteners are the game of food processors to hide less than optimal ingredients.

Read labels  

Obviously stay away from sugar if it is on the ingredients list of a food.  The trouble is HIDDEN sugar in foods isn’t always obvious.  Remember the artificial sugars- aspartame- look out for aspartame and avoid it!

Remember savvy women read labels carefully!

Sign up for my questionable ingredients card which I give to new newsletter subscribers- get my newsletter.  It helps you read a label and work out how much sugar is in foods- handy!

Remember sugar can be found in soft drinks, sweets (candy) obviously.  But sugar is hidden in bread, spreads, ‘healthy’ snack bars, tinned vegetables, sauces for pasta and the list goes on.. and on.. and on.  Reading labels is the only way to know what is in your food!

The average American consumes 22 tsp of sugar a day, that is roughly 110 grams… 0.24lbs!  Daily! [1]

Sugar can upset the skin, it causes glycation which damages the collagen in the skin.  If you want to look radiant and prevent wrinkles, giving up sugar is a great first step.  Probiotics can help get your gut working efficiently and give you the vital beneficial bacteria that can stop you craving sugar.

Drink water

Often dehydration can make you ‘feel’ like you are hungry and want sugar when in fact you are just thirsty.  Many so called ‘waters’ available today actually have huge amounts of sugar.  Stick to a glass of filtered tap water.  Water is favourable to diet or sugary fizzy drinks.  It is much cheaper too.

Dehydration can be the cause of many niggling issues in the body.  So choose water.  Most coffee shops will give you a glass of water, just ask!   Fizzy drinks can be $$ pricey so getting a water filter will save you money and mean you are no longer the filter.  If you don’t filter your water, your body has to!

Fall in love with your plate.

Devote time solely to enjoying the pleasures of eating, think how the French, wisely, put a priority on sitting down and enjoying their food.  Eating on the run creates stress & that’s the last thing you need. Eating stressed can lead to poor digestion and only creating more gut problems.

Take time to sit down and enjoy your food rather than wolfing it down.  Really chewing your food is a great way to slooooow down, it helps your body to absorb the food too!

The Habit: Wean Yourself Off SUGAR

It is a habit and habits can be broken, honest.  You can succeed in weaning yourself off sugar!  How do I know?  I have broken the sugar monster.  If you want help then consider hiring me.  I can coach you to start on the right path.  It isn’t easy but is craving sugar?  You are in the right place if you want help- virtually speaking-  it is worth it!

Craving sugar is a sign that your bacteria in the gut is slightly out of balance.  Nothing to be upset about, it is fixable and I know as I have done it.  The key is getting good probiotics into your diet, keep reading..

No more skipping meals! 

Try eating three regular meals a day, sitting down to lunch means you are far less likely to want to snack in the afternoon.  If travelling, remember to take your own snacks with you; some nuts, an orange in a tub, slices of cheese (we need fat contrary to popular belief & it actually helps you feel full!), nut butter on pumpernickel bread (rye bread), figs, dates- just a handful and take a selection of foods.

My ebook (available soon) shares great travel snacks, more ways to stop the cravings and tons of information on how removing toxins in your life improves your radiance.

Bonus: Be gentle on yourself!

Finally, be gentle on yourself, modern commerce food marketing is designed to get you addicted and keep you that way.  Addicted to sugar… but with these steps hopefully you can be armed and ready to take on the sugar monster!

GET SOME SLEEP!

Researchers [4] from Sweden, the UK, Switzerland and Germany discovered the role of sleep in food consumption some fascinating findings.  Their conclusions was this “These results provide evidence that acute sleep loss enhances hedonic stimulus processing in the brain underlying the drive to consume food, independent of plasma glucose levels. These findings highlight a potentially important mechanism contributing to the growing levels of obesity in Western society.” 

This study poses an interesting question, are we eating more due to being tired?

Do we consume food even when not technically hungry as we are just exhausted and sleep deprived?  Ooh a juicy subject to comment on!

Have you quit sugar? What did you do to wean yourself off sugar?  What advice to you have for others wanting to kick the sugar habit?

References:

[1] MSN Cut back, way back on sugar says heart group

[2] Dietary Assessment of Major Trends in U.S. Food Consumption, 1970-2005 by Hodan Farah Wells and Jean C. Buzby

[3] Mercola More evidence sugar feeds cancer

[4] Acute Sleep Deprivation Enhances the Brain’s Response to Hedonic Food Stimuli: An fMRI Study. Journal of Endocrinology.

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