We all know how good sugar tastes, but have you ever considered all the disorders and diseases that this product can cause? Heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, Cleveland Clinic, acne, and dementia are some of these unpleasant health conditions that can be caused by sugar. According to some statistics, an average American takes about 150 pounds of sugar per year.
The same statistics state that the average American woman weighs about 167 lbs. That’s 26 lbs more than the weight of the average American woman in the 1960s. The situation is similar when it comes to men – 195.5 lbs compared to 167 lbs in the 1960s. These numbers are shocking.
If we convert 152 pounds of sugar to teaspoons, that’s about 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. What is even worse, children consume about 34 teaspoons, so 25% of teens are pre-diabetic. Refined flour and sugar result in inflammation increase the levels of blood sugar and don’t bring any nutrients into the system.
A recent study from Harvard confirmed that a milkshake rich in sugar increases blood sugar levels, stimulates insulin production, and triggers the sugar craving centers. Thanks to a brain scan they’ve noticed that sugar has activated the addiction center.
The Big 10 Ideas
About 600 people have practiced the diet created by Mark Hyman, M.D., and lost a total of 4,000 pounds in just 10 days. Do you remember following a diet that has allowed you to lose more than 7 pounds in two weeks?
In addition, do you remember how difficult those diets were? This special diet guarantees no tasteless food, no food and sugar cravings, and deprivation. The main focus is the changing of your mindset at least when it comes to good.
Dr. Hyman has created this diet with one main objective – introducing foods that will help you eliminate sugar addiction and foods that will reset both your body and brain and stabilize blood sugar levels.
10-Day Sugar Detox Diet
This is a list of the top 10 big ideas for detoxification from refined carbohydrates and sugar that will provide results in just 10 days.
1. Do you need to detox or not?
Mark Hyman has written a book in which you will find a questionnaire that will help you find out whether you need detoxification or not.
If YES is the answer to only one of the questions, this detoxification can help you improve your health and lose weight smoothly.
2. Cut your sugar addiction right now
According to Dr. Hyman, there is only one good way to stop this physiological addiction and that’s to stop right now. Just think about it. A person suffering from alcoholism needs to cut all the drinking in order to overcome their addiction. The same goes for sugar addiction. Just stop consuming all types of sugar, flour products, and artificial sweeteners because they disrupt the metabolism, encourage cravings, and store unnecessary fat.
If everything goes well, after ten days you will be able to stay away from all the foods that come in a package, box, or label with many ingredients. You should consume whole, fresh foods.
3. Solid foods are not the only source of calories and sugar
Dr. Hayman says that any type of calories that come from liquid sugar is way more dangerous than solid food with flour and/or sugar. Drinks drive sugar directly into the liver without being even slightly processed. Sports drinks, sodas, sweetened coffees, teas, and juices are rich in sugar calories and many people consume them in large amounts.
Only one can of soda per day increases a child’s chance of becoming obese by about 60% and a woman’s chance of developing type 2 diabetes by about 80%.
4. The power of protein
Protein contributes to the stabilization of insulin and blood sugar levels because this is a source of energy without carbohydrates. Take a protein shake or organic farm eggs early in the morning. Eat fish, eggs, seeds, nuts, grass-fed meat, or chicken in order to get protein. Protein will make you sit for a longer period of time because the body processes these foods slowly and gets the necessary energy.
5. Consume “good” carbs
There are many vegetables that are actually carbs. You can consume them in large quantities but stay away from the starchy veggies like beets, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and potatoes. Use these 10 days to eat kale, mushrooms, tomatoes, artichokes, and broccoli.
6. Use fat to fight sugar
Contrary to popular belief, fat doesn’t actually make you fat, it only makes you full. In addition, it helps the cells and stabilizes blood sugar. Use foods that contain good fats like seeds and nuts, fish and avocados, and forget about sugar.
7. Be prepared for emergency situations
It is very difficult to stay away from all the vending machines and fast-food restaurants around us especially when we start to feel these cravings. According to Dr. Hyman, it is the best idea to keep an Emergency Pack close to you. This is a small serving that can help you beat these cravings.
For example, it can contain almonds, packets of coconut butter, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, turkey jerky, and a can of sardines.
8. De-stress or distress?
Cortisol is a well-known stress hormone that makes people hungry, creates belly fat storage, and even contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes. Numerous studies have confirmed that practicing deep breaths triggers the vagus nerve which changes metabolism from fat storage to accelerated fat burning and gets people out of the stress state.
Dr. Hyman has created a Five Deep Breaths exercise that can help you. Take five slow and deep breaths. Count to five while taking a breath and count to five when exhaling. Perform this procedure five times in a row.
Do it before each of your meals.
9. Douse the Fires of Inflammation
Inflammation leads to many problems like insulin resistance, blood sugar increasing and dropping, and type 2 diabetes. Dairy products and gluten are two very common food sensitivities that many people have. However, most of these people are addicted to these allergens. It is very difficult to stop consuming these foods, but you should definitely try them and check whether your energy levels are going up.
10. The importance of sleep
A scientific study that included college students has confirmed how important sleep is. The students were “forced” to sleep 6 instead of the recommended eight hours per day. This practice resulted in an increased level of hunger hormones, a lowering of hormones that suppress appetite, and increased cravings for both carbs and sugar. Good sleeping habits will give you a chance to control cravings.
Another way to get rid of the sugar habit is to fulfill your sweet cravings but with other healthier alternative food sources. You can definitely use plant-based replacements that contain nutrients too. Follow these links to learn more about these foods.