Break Your Sugar Habit

It’s time to break-up with Sugar.

Yeah, I know it tastes amazing, but it doesn’t love you back the same way you love it.

Sugar is a top contributor to all cancers, especially female cancers–in particular breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Diabetes is the leading contributor to heart disease–and heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women.

A recent study in JAMA Oncology (2016) showed that in breast cancer survivors ages 27 to 70 years old, those who fasted less than 13 hours a day had a 36% increased risk of breast cancer reoccurrence. The research showed that for every 2 additional hours of fasting, a woman’s fasting blood sugar went down.

This led the researchers to share what we already knew to be true: obstaining from food for longer periods of time reduces blood sugar levels. Less sugar = less food for cancer.

Sugar is also highly inflammatory to our bodies–it is a large molecule, difficult for our kidneys to expel. It is shaped like shards of glass and damages the lining of our blood vessels creating inflammation that contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. It is toxic to our brains and nervous systems–it actually acts as a neurotoxin (this is why some people get headaches or feel terrible when they stop sugar or sodas–it’s withdrawal symptoms). It is highly addictive, more so than illegal drugs (sugar is much more addictive than cocaine). And it stresses our liver system, which messes with hormone metabolism.

High blood sugar levels lead to high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high LDLs, and high insulin levels. All are contributing factors for heart disease, and often lead to the prescription use of medication to lower cholesterol.

A study showed the long-term use of a prescription statin (ie Lipitor/Atorvastatin is one of the common cholesterol lowering medications in the statin family) increases the risk of breast cancer substantially, in many cases more than 40%. If you ask those around you, I think you would find that many women are taking a statin-type medication for a cholesterol problem which is more truly a blood sugar problem.

Adult onset diseases like high blood sugar, high insulin, and high cholesterol/triglycerides/LDL can be reversed with a few simple lifestyle changes.

I say simple, when you can get past your sugar addiction.

If you crave sugar, need sugar, dream about sugar, or can’t go a day without sugar or a diet soda, you could be addicted to it.

Sugar addiction can lead to serious health concerns which we have already addressed.

The addicition is real, and the addiction cycle can be difficult to break.

Here are my top 5 tips to break the sugar addiction cycle:

Remember, breaking any addiction cycle takes time and perserverance.

You need to give yourself at least 5 days to break the cycle, so commit to a better you and hang in there!

1. Avoid sugar, sodas (including diet), highfructose corn syrup, and all artificial sweeteners, except Truvia/Stevia. Sugar and artificial sweeteners create inflammation in the nervous system (they are called neurotoxins). As the toxins leave your system, you can feel uncomfortable with a wide range of symptoms that are different for every person: this is called detox, and this is normal. Read more about the dangers of sugar to your health HERE.

You can eat fruit: clean, whole, real fruit.

Remember: you are removing toxins from the body, so be patient with the clean-up process your body is going through. Dont give up. And nourish your body with clean, whole foods. You might experience tiredness, headaches, dizziness, and overall not feel super great. This is what is feels like when toxins leave the body. Visualize it as a good thing, drink more water, eat more clean whole foods, rest,  and hang in there.

2. Drink Lots of water with lemon, throughout the day. Divide your weight in half, and that’s how much water you should drink in ounces, over 24 hours. (if you weigh 180 pounds, that’s 90 ounces of water).

Read more about the benefits of lemon water HERE.

3. Increase your omegas–healthy essential fatty acids that help boost mood, energy, and help fight inflammation. Think avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, flax, chia, sprouts, etc. I prefer to enjoy sprouted seeds, which have up to 700% more nutrition than regular seeds, and fewer calories, plus more protein and fiber. Omegas are great for mood, heart health, and reducing inflammation.

4. Increase your protein. If everything has a yin/yang, then protein is the yang for sugar. Add a scoop of plant based proteins to your morning smoothie. Add spinach, kale and leafy greens to your salads. If you eat animal protein, keep it: organic, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, free range, grass fed, nonGMO fed, wild caught, etc. Read about my favorite sources of plant-based proteins here. and enjoy clean, whole recipes high in plant proteins, too.

5. Learn Self-care and how to Love Yourself without Sugar –it can take several days for the toxic addiction to run its course. While you are waiting out the detox from sugar, take time to learn good self-care. Take my self-care challenge HERE. And learn the basic daily principles to help your body break the addiction cycle while you learn to love yourself.

And if you want to take it one step further, deep dive a little more, boost your energy and optimize your weight loss, then try my DIY Vibrant and Slim Weight Loss 14 day program.

You’ve made it 5 days without sugar!

Great job!

Now what?

After the 5 days, you need to decide if you can control your sugar intake.

Are you an 80/20 person? You can eat 80% clean whole foods, and 20% fun?

Or a 90/10? You can eat 90% clean whole foods, and 20% fun?

Or are you so addicted to sugar, that like an alcoholic, one bite takes you down?

Figure out your sugar tolerance, and overall remember: sugar in highly addictive, so dont play with fire.

And everyday is a new day–a new chance to start over again.

Keep this in mind, too: You are doing something important for you, your health, your hormone balance, your weight, your energy and your aging process.

Break the sugar addiction cycle.

You are worth it.

Make it happen for You.

Live Life Optimally,

Kristie

*As always, consult with your primary care physician before beginning any lifestyle change. Refer to site disclaimer.

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