Detoxing Your Body: Why Sugar is the True Enemy

How are you feeling?

If you’re anything like most people, you’re tired, sluggish, and just not feeling like yourself these days. While there are plenty of reasons why this could be happening (stress at work, the holidays looming near, etc.), it might be a good idea to start with your diet. It might seem like a relatively harmless practice, but sugar can wreak havoc on your body if consumed in excess or as part of an unhealthy diet.

Sugar is everywhere

It’s in our ice cream, pasta sauces, cereal, protein bars—the list goes on. Oftentimes, a lot of people don’t realize how much sugar they consume. The easiest way to tell if you have too much sugar in your diet is by checking your blood glucose level.  A normal reading should be between 70 and 100 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). If your reading is higher than that, chances are you have an unhealthy amount of sugar in your diet.  

Keep in mind that these numbers can vary based on age, gender, weight and height. But high levels can lead to many problems such as diabetes or heart disease. There are several ways to get rid of excess sugar from your body such as consuming more fruits and vegetables with each meal What I usually choose, is to go through a detoxification program like juice cleanses or colon cleansing to reboot my system at least 4 times a year. 

The negative effects of sugar on the body

As simple as it sounds, sugar negatively impacts a wide range of body systems. For example, eating too much sugar messes with blood glucose levels, which can affect energy levels and insulin sensitivity. 

It also elevates triglycerides in your blood, which is dangerous for your heart. And then there’s all those pesky dental problems associated with eating too much sugar—dental caries, bad breath and gingivitis among them.

 Of course, these are just some of the short-term effects; long-term effects include obesity and diabetes. The good news? You don’t have to give up sweets entirely to be healthy; you just need to make smarter choices about what you eat. In fact, giving up processed foods could do wonders for your health.

Ways to kick sugar

We’ve been talking about eliminating sugar from your diet as a primary means of detoxifying your body. But if you’re already eating a healthy diet and just need to cut out excess sugar, you can start by cutting back on liquid carbs (juices, soda, etc.) and other treats containing added sugars. 

Experiment with adding less sweetener to your beverages and slowly reducing portion sizes until you find what works for you. 

Kicking sugar to the curb doesn’t happen overnight. If you do fall off the wagon, know that it is only human and will happen sometimes. But never give up on trying!

What is a sugar detox?

What does it mean to detox? Detoxification is an umbrella term used to describe removing toxic substances from your body. It could include fasting, purging or consuming only healthy foods for a set amount of time. 

A sugar detox isn’t like detox from alcohol or hard drugs. You don’t go cold turkey with sugar—that would be disastrous for your health. When people refer to a sugar detox, they mean weaning themselves off sugary treats over a longer period of time, then adding them back in slowly, if at all. This can improve many aspects of health.  

Is Detoxing right for me?

Many people believe that detoxification or cleansing (detox) diets are effective for losing weight and increasing their energy. However, our bodies already do a pretty good job of detoxifying themselves by releasing toxins through our lungs, intestines, and skin. The liver also helps cleanse harmful chemicals from your body. 

Choosing to follow a detox program will do you a world of good. In fact, many of my clients have reported achieving fantastic health results even on a 10-day detox plan. However, if you are ready to receive even bigger health results, opt for our 28-day detox plan. 

These kits include natural, organic and vegan supplements you require during the detox and a detailed step-by-step guide to ensure you follow a process for optimal results. Not sure what’s right for you? Here’s a link for an online consultation with Karyn so that you can learn more about the possibilities available to you.