1. Go Cold Turkey: this may seem like a strange idea, and while weaning off sugar may help ward off your withdrawal symptoms, it may also increase the amount of time it takes you to go sugar free!
2. Eat More Protein: replace some of your high sugar foods with those high in protein! Protein help you stay full longer, therefore avoiding hunger. This may also help decrease energy lows that would normally have you reaching for a chocolate bar!
3. Increase Dietary Fibre: a diet rich in dietary fibre helps maintain your blood sugar levels. This can help with sugar cravings. A balanced blood sugar may also help limit the nausea, and headaches you might experience when detoxifying from sugar.
4. Drink More Water: Water might help you stay regular - this is important as an increase in dietary fibre can cause constipation. Thirst can also often be perceived as hunger! Drinking water and staying hydrated will help you learn to distinguish these signals.
5. Avoid Artificial Sugars: sugar substitutes - including aspartame and sucralose (Splenda) mimic the sugar signals in our brains. This encourages sugar cravings and can increase your risk for sugar dependence.
6. Manage Your Stress: stressful situations often affect your food preferences. Sugar has calming effects on the nervous system, which is why we often reach for something sweet during times of stress. This can increase the cravings you feel during the detoxification process.
7. Exercise: Not only is exercise a great stress reliever, it can also increase your energy levels. Studies have also shown that doing short bouts (15 minutes) of exercise can decrease your sugar cravings.
8. Drink Some Greens: Just like exercise above, drinking your greens has been shown to decrease sugar cravings.
9. Get Enough Sleep: having insufficient levels of sleep can increase your withdrawal symptoms during detoxification.
10. Eat Something Bitter: the bitter taste shuts down receptors in our brain that make us crave sugar! Therefore, eating something bitter can help you beat that sugar craving. Bitter foods include coffee, ginger, broccoli, and arugula. Bitter foods can also decrease the absorption of sugar, and aid with the regulation of blood sugar levels!
YOU CAN KICK SUGAR FROM YOUR DIET TOO!!!
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