Dr Corinne: The Sugar Detox Challenge; You Can Do It!
Dr. Corinne Weaver : Jan 10, 2019
Dr. Corinne Weaver
It's hard work changing for the better, and it's going to be difficult along the way, but you won't regret it.
Everyone seems to love challenges. What about a sugar detox challenge? Well, this one doesn't sound like much fun, but this challenge can bring your main priority back to your health. Cutting sugar from our diets can be tricky. It hides in a great majority of our food supply, and when eaten too frequently, it can wreak havoc on our bodies. (Photo: Creative Commons-Pixabay)
I am going to give you some tips to say goodbye to sugar, but before you start, track the amount of sugar you eat. Here's an important secret though: Do not change anything!
It's SO important to know where you're starting. If that means each meal has a dessert, count it. If you're a lover of sweet condiments, don't hold back. Track how much you use. Also, pay attention to how you like your coffee. How much sugar goes into that?
If you are not already in the habit of reading labels, today is the day! Pay extra attention to the sugar sources that are easy to forget, such as:
- Salad dressings
- Ketchup
- Bread
- Soft Drinks
- Cereals
- Yogurts
Jot down the sugar you eat throughout the day share it with a friend. And skip the judgment! I promise you that if you haven't tracked your sugar before, it's likely to be alarming. But you are NOT alone!
Now that you have a better idea of how much sugar goes into a single day, can you try to think of how much of that is just due to sugary beverages?
It's important what you drink
On average, sugary drinks are most often forgotten about because it's easy to categorize them as "not a food." This is a terrible misconception. In fact, sugary drinks, such as sodas, juices, energy drinks, and sports drinks, may very well be the majority of where we get our sugar. Those looking to kick their sugar habit, but neglect cutting these beverages, are left feeling defeated when their cravings don't subside at all. With that being said, today I challenge you to change what's in your cup!
Swap out your sodas and energy drinks for unsweetened teas and your fruit and sports drinks for water. You can infuse your water with cucumber, lemon, mint or any other fruit or herb. Citrus and berries are some of my favorites! Get creative!!
Kick it up a notch and I challenge you to double your water consumption! If you usually drink about 4 glasses of water a day, make it 8!
How do you take your coffee? Light and sweet?
Change up your coffee and/or tea order. Whether it is skipping the sugar entirely and drinking your coffee black, or finding alternative ways to kick-start your morning, like a morning workout or some caffeinated-tea without any sweeteners.
Tips to help you wake up and be active without energy drinks
Other ways to wake you up, without the sugar high, include:
- Expose yourself to sunlight (For example, take a morning walk).
- Practice breathing exercises.
- Get moving. Do a combo of jumping jacks, push-ups, and squats when you first wake up.
- Make a fun music playlist.
- Take a cool shower.
- Give yourself a temple massage with some peppermint essential oil.
Hidden sugar surprises
Your condiments are next on the list. There are TONS of hidden sugar in the foods that you might not usually even consider foods. Let's take a look at the amount of sugar in the 'add-ons' you might be overlooking:
Ketchup -1Tb - 4g sugar
BBQ Sauce -1Tb - 6g sugar
Sweet Relish -1Tb - 4g sugar
Honey Mustard -1Tb - 3g sugar
Teriyaki Sauce -1Tb - 7g sugar
Light or Fat-Free Dressings -2Tb - 6g sugar
(Source: https://bit.ly/2vGSnlU)
Let's be real with ourselves. We hardly ever stick to the recommended serving size for these items either. As you can tell, it all adds up!
Instead, play with DIY recipes, like sugar-free ketchup or salad dressing alternatives, such as olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, and your favorite spices—it's not as hard as you might think!
You know by now that sugar has a way of sneaking into some of the most unsuspecting foods, making something we might consider 'healthy' and 'harmless' better to avoid altogether!
Great swaps for sugar
Here are a few swaps you can make to cut the sugar but still get some yummy meals in:
It's hard work changing for the better, and it's going to be difficult along the way, so be sure that you're taking care of yourself mentally and physically. Stay as active as possible throughout the day, in little ways if necessary. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, park a little further from the door when you go to the store, those little bits of extra movement will make you feel better at the end of the day.
What if I fall off the wagon?
When it comes to mental care, know that if you slip up and eat something with a little bit of sugar, acknowledge it and move on! It's nothing to lose sleep over. Being too careful about what you put in your body can lead to disordered eating, which is awful for your mental and physical health and certainly isn't sustainable.
Sugar withdrawals are REAL! If you've found yourself daydreaming about chocolate chip cookies or an ice-cold glass of soda, you're not alone!
To counteract these distracting cravings, be sure you're getting enough fats—they'll keep you full! It may sound counterintuitive to eat fats, especially if you've been taught all your life that eating fats will MAKE you fat—but there's a difference between good and bad fat, and good fat is something you definitely want to eat more of.
Foods like walnuts, avocados, cheese, salmon, eggs, chia seeds, and coconut oils will keep you satiated and full so that you might not even THINK about sugary sweets.
One way to fight back against cravings and hunger is to fill up on good stuff like veggies! In fact, vegetables SHOULD fill up half of your plate. Are you getting enough?
Stress
Lots of times, we eat out of habit or because we feel stressed, not because we're actually hungry. In order to combat that stress, take measures to keep your mood elevated.
Deep Breathing, a new exercise routine, or taking up a new hobby or habit that makes you feel good are all great ways to combat stress. Another great thing to try? Volunteering!
Tons of studies have shown the mental benefits of volunteering, so if you have the time, or even if you feel like you don't have the time, try to find a way to give back to your community in any way you can.
It's easy to make bad choices when those options are close within reach. If your kitchen pantry is filled with sugary cereals and fruit snacks, swap them out with savory snacks and fresh fruit.
If your office has a habit of bringing in donuts, encourage the buyer to bring in some healthy alternative for everyone instead.
Support is important
If your family isn't 100% on board with going completely sugar-free, explain to them why YOU are making the switch, then ask them for their support by making a few simple switches too. Start small, like by replacing pre-bottled salad dressing with homemade stuff for dinner, or by swapping out soda and juice for water and iced tea.
Having support as you complete your transformation is crucial for success. It can be particularly difficult if you live in a household where you are going sugar-free on your own.
You can also join an online group or talk to family and friends about your struggles. Loved ones are often eager to help but may not know how to do so. Share with them what you need whether it be a supportive shoulder or help to make a new dish.
Your final challenge is to share who your support system will be as you continue your sugar-free journey! (Photo: Dr. Corinne Weaver)
Making dietary changes is never easy which is why having a strong support system in place is so important. I encourage all of you to keep in touch with me and each other as your journey continues.
My office team will be doing a detox group challenge that will help with your sugar cravings. If you would like to do a challenge with me you can.
Order your simple Clear Change® 10-Day Program and join the Challenge with us at https://cweaver.metagenics.com/clear-change-10-day-program-with-ultraclear-renew and enter promo code "detox20" to get 20% off.
The Clear Change® 10-Day Program is designed to enhance the body's natural metabolic detoxification process while providing adequate fuel for both cleansing and other daily activities—providing energy and support for overall well-being.
This is ideal for anyone wanting to benefit from an occasional "Spring Cleaning"!
Our office team will be starting our group detox on January 19th!
Join the detox with us and post on our exclusive Facebook group to get entered into the surprise raffles! Click the link above to request to be added to the group.
Once again, if you ever need any additional guidance or support, don't hesitate to reach out! I am deeply passionate about helping people become the very best versions of themselves. If you need any additional information, help, or questions answered, please email me at Dr@DrCorinneWeaver.com.
If you want more healthy tips you can subscribe to my YouTube channel here https://www.youtube.com/drcorinneweaver. Like and comment on my channel so I will know what tips and topics you want to know about. I am forming a community of people who want to take action in their own health with my social media channels and I want to know what health topics you want to hear.
I hope my column speaks to you and you can wake up each morning with a purpose. What I do every day is a calling, and I give God the glory for allowing His gifts to work through me. I do believe in miracles, because I get to see them every day! For more information you can go to www.nomoremedsmovement.com and sign up for my closed Facebook group #NoMoreMeds-Community for more healthy tips.
Keep Breathing,
Dr. Corinne Weaver
Email: Dr@DrCorinneWeaver.com
Website: www.DrCorinneWeaver.com
Dr. Corinne Weaver is a compassionate upper cervical chiropractor, educator, motivational speaker, mother of three, and internationally bestselling author. In 2004, she founded the Upper Cervical Wellness Center in Indian Trail, North Carolina. Over the last 13 years, she has helped thousands of clients restore their brain to-body function. When she was 10 years old, she lost her own health as the result of a bike accident that led to having asthma and allergy issues that she thought she would always have to endure. Then, after her first upper cervical adjustment at age 21, her health began to improve thanks to upper cervical care and natural herbal remedies. This enabled her to create a drug-free wellness lifestyle for herself and her family, and she also enthusiastically discovered her calling to help children heal naturally.
Dr. Weaver was named one of Charlotte Magazine's "Top Doctors" in 2016 and is now a number-one internationally bestselling author to two books: Learning How to Breathe and No More Meds.
Upper Cervical Wellness Center is known for finding the root cause of health concerns through lifestyle changes, diagnostic testing, nutraceutical supplementation, and correction of subluxation (as opposed to just medicating the symptoms). The practice offers cutting-edge technological care at its state-of-the-art facility, including laser-aligned upper cervical X-rays, bioimpedance analysis (measures body composition), digital thermography (locates thermal abnormalities characterized by skin inflammation), and complete nutritional blood analysis, which is focused on disease prevention. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here