How to Just Say No to Sugar
Sugar is bad news. Why can’t we just say no? If you are hooked on the sweet stuff, as many people are, you know too well how powerfully addictive sugar can be. Too much sugar in the diet can lead to a number of serious health issues including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Saying “No” to sugar is essential to short and long term health of the body—and brain! Quitting isn’t easy, but absolutely worth the work. The trick is to keep reducing your sugar intake and not get discouraged.
Once you get on the path to low sugar, you will notice some wonderful health benefits besides losing weight. Headaches can be reduced or even eliminated, blood pressure lowered, and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Need some help? Follow some of the tips below to break free and get sugar out of your life right now! If you have been on the sugar train for years, you could have insulin resistance, meaning your body cannot clear the sugar out of your bloodstream quickly or efficiently. See a lot of people with a basketball tummy? That’s no doubt insulin resistance. You may say that your glucose number is fine, but that’s not the key lab indicator. A better metric is your fasting insulin number and your HbA1C, which are often not run in routine labs. Keeping your blood sugar and insulin levels stable is a win-win.
- Eat three meals a day, each incorporating protein, good fat, and low carbs.
- Eat whole foods, avoiding processed foods which are laden with sugar. This means eat as few foods as possible that have labels!
- Read labels to check the grams of sugar and choose products with the least sugar per serving. Note that 1 teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to about 4 grams. Be aware of sugar terminology too.
- Drink plenty of water during the day, pre and post meals – not while you are eating!
- Take a multivitamin, omega 3, and vitamin D3 – nutrient deficiencies can cause cravings. Magnesium and taurine may be good to calm the body before bed, for a restful sleep.
- Keep moving to boost your energy and reduce tension
- Ditch the artificial sweeteners. Stevia, monk fruit sugar and coconut sugar are healthier options.
- Be open to explore your emotional issues around sugar – it happens!