So you know that you’ve got a sweet tooth, but what’s the problem? If your weight is in check, some sugar can’t hurt you, right? Yes and no.
A very small amount of sugar isn’t terribly damaging, but if you happen to be eating more sugar than you realize you could be setting yourself up for the dreaded inflammation, triggering everything from headaches and increased pain to a decreased immunity, heart disease, and more. It may be the time for a sugar detox.
And that’s not to even mention what excess sugar does for your skin! At Healing Lifestyles & Spas, we’ve found that these three ways not only help reduce the amount of sugar we’re eating, but also the cravings that come with sugar by doing a sugar detox.
- Decide for yourself. Cold-turkey or gradual weaning. I have a client that if told she can’t have something, will just go out of her way to find a way to have it anyway. Is this you? Then gradual weaning is the best approach. Look at your overall sugar intake and start to decrease it week by week. Cut out the sugar in your coffee this week, and any added sugars in your beverages; next week decrease the sugar in your morning routine, i.e. yogurt, cereal, etc. And then maybe the following week look at your dessert intake and see if you can find natural ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. Remember the goal is to get your sweet tooth to stop speaking up so frequently. If you’re more of an all or nothing type person, than going cold turkey is going to be your best bet. After 4 weeks without added sugars, you’ll find that you won’t have the cravings for them to begin with. But stick it out. Two weeks won’t be enough. You need to give yourself a month for the taste and cravings to go away.
- Eat enough. Returning to my client I mentioned above, when I asked her about sugar intake I found her breakfast to be sorely lacking. You want to fuel your body with protein, fat and healthy carbohydrates. If your diet is really heavy on quickly-burning fuel (i.e. simple carbs), you’ll be hungry and will reach for anything quick and satisfying. Add Greek yogurt to your breakfast, or an egg; try some extra beans or chicken at lunch, and add some avocado, olive oil or coconut oil to your dinner. You’ll feel more satiated and less likely to reach for dessert after your meal.
- Try going natural. If you’re really itching for something sweet, try a banana; or even put the banana in a skillet with coconut oil and let it carmelize. You can do this with apples + cinnamon; peaches and nectarines and even pineapple (which is very sweet naturally). This isn’t meant to be an exercise of punishment; instead try to see if something more nutritious and satiating can satisfy your sweet needs!
With way you cut it – the sugar that is – you should be feeling much more up to par on every level. The key next is to keep the sugar gone, it does little good to rid your system for a short spell, except to show you what a difference a sugar detox really makes!
With her love of health and writing, Melissa has written for such publications as Shape, Natural Solutions, Yoga Journal, Self and Pilates Style, and has created recipes and food-oriented stories for such publications as Delicious Living and Cooking Light.
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