Cut Out Sugar
You can make a massive difference in your health and wellness with “one easy trick!” You really can! That “easy” trick to improve your life is reducing or eliminating added sugars from your diet. You might be a NO SUGAR believer, or you might be skeptical, but here are ten strong reasons to quit sugar:
1. Protect Your Heart: Consuming high amounts of added sugar is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that individuals with high sugar intake have a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
2. Prevent Diabetes: Excessive sugar consumption leads to insulin resistance and overproduction, a precursor to type 2 diabetes and obesity (and lots of other problems!). Reducing sugar helps maintain healthy blood glucose levels and lowers your diabetes risk.
3. Reduce Inflammation: Chronic, low-grade inflammation is a silent killer contributing to cardiovascular disease, cancer, pain, depression/anxiety, and type 2 diabetes. Sugar increases inflammation in the body, so cutting it out can help reduce this risk.
4. Maintain a Healthy Weight: Sugary foods and beverages contribute to weight gain: they are empty calories that do nothing necessary for your health. They trick your body into turning off its appetite-control system, they are easily stored as fat, and they lead to further overeating and obesity as insulin later causes glucose to crash.
5. Boost Your Liver Health: High sugar intake can overload your liver, converting sugar into fat, leading to fatty liver disease and high triglycerides (liquid fat). By reducing sugar, you can protect your liver and improve its function.
6. Enhance Energy Levels: While sugar can provide a quick energy boost, it’s often followed by a bigger crash. But as an addictive chemical process, it tricks the mind into thinking more sugar will make the crash better, only to worsen the cycle of boom and bust. Whole foods, especially proteins and fats, offer a steady supply of energy without the crash.
7. Improve Dental Health: Sugar is one of the main causes of tooth decay and cavities. Eliminating added sugars can significantly improve your oral health, and excellent oral health improves overall health. Plus, we love dentists, but not dental bills!
8. Lower Blood Pressure: High sugar consumption is linked to increased blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Reducing sugar intake can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
9. Support Brain Health: High sugar diets are linked to impaired cognitive function and memory issues. Reducing sugar can support better brain health and cognitive function.
10. Improve Mood and Mental Health: Sugar consumption and the insulin response can cause mood swings and anxiety. Additionally, an unhealthy gut biome is fed by sugar and affects mental health. A whole food diet with minimal added sugars supports a more stable mood and greater mental and emotional wellness.
Tips for Getting Started
Some people need to cut back all carbohydrates dramatically, getting the body to burn fat for fuel, and this is called ketosis. But for people who just need to get started on healthier eating, cutting out sugar can be transformative! Making big dietary changes can be challenging, so here are some practical tips to help you reduce your sugar intake and enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle:
1. Read Labels Carefully: Sugar is added to everything! Check food labels for added sugars, which can appear under various names such as corn and other syrups or concentrates, high-fructose corn syrup, and sucrose. Aim to minimize foods with these added sugars.
2. Choose Whole Foods: Carbohydrates are not necessary (a topic for another time) but If you’re going to eat carbohydrates, focus on whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy. These foods do contain natural sugars but also have essential nutrients and fiber. Honey and agave aren’t really much better, in my opinion, than sugar, and concentrated syrups aren’t either.
3. Limit Sugary Beverages: Avoid sugary drinks like soda, energy drinks, and fruit juices. Instead, opt for water, herbal teas, coffee without sugar, or sparkling water with a splash of lemon or lime.
4. Cut Back Gradually: Unless you need a ketogenic diet, which can be AWESOME, you can reduce your sugar intake gradually to avoid the common period of cravings. Start by cutting out obvious sources of sugar like candy, cookies, ice cream, and sugary beverages.
5. Find Healthy Alternatives: Satisfy your sweet tooth with healthier alternatives such as fresh fruit, yogurt with berries, or a small piece of dark chocolate.
6. Plan Your Meals: Prepare meals at home where you have control over ingredients. This helps you avoid hidden sugars in processed and restaurant foods.
7. Track Your Intake: Use a food diary or app like Cronometer Pro (free to our subscription patients) to track your sugar intake. This can help you stay aware of how much sugar you're consuming and identify areas for improvement.
8. Seek Support: Engage with family and friends for support and encouragement as you make these changes. Work with Shane to develop a formal wellness plan with regular check ins to help get you on track.
9. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help reduce confusing cravings (am I hungry or thirsty or bored?) and support overall health.
10. Be Mindful of Portion Sizes: Practice portion control to avoid overeating, especially when it comes to foods with natural sugars like fruits and dairy.
Cutting out sugar is a powerful step towards improving your health and well-being. At Re:Generations, we’re here to support your wellness and help you reach your health goals.. Remember, small changes can lead to significant improvements in your health over time.
