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Try a sugar detox
Eliminating sugar from your diet isn't easy, but may be what your body craves
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By
Sylvia Williams
Nurses understand how their internal organs function, but that doesn't mean they know how to make theirs function at optimal capacity. Nor does it mean they can’t benefit from a little help in learning how to release toxins and lose weight permanently, especially since high-stress jobs — like nursing — often lead to unhealthy diets, like the popular processed sugar diet.
Despite the negative impacts on health, nurses often find it more convenient to snack on salty chips and a sweet beverage. According to the book "Salt, Sugar, Fat," by Michael Moss, “food giants” attract us to unhealthy food and beverages by, for instance, making sure sugar-based beverages like soda are sold only after lab tests ascertain they’ve reached the ‘bliss point’— that tingly taste you crave for on a hot day when what you really need is a tall glass of water. The same is done with fat and salt, which together with sugar in processed foods form the unholy trinity of the food world. A detox is necessary if you’re to regain control over your body from the inside out.
Myths and fears about detoxing
Understandably, if you're looking to go through a detox for the first time, the thought alone can be daunting. Most people associate detoxing with voluntary starvation, which doesn’t encourage anyone to give it a go. But a detox should allow you to explore regular delicious meals as alternatives to harmful food. Considering Americans consume about
19.5 teaspoons of sugar on a daily basis
, it is easy to assume that starting on a detox path will leave you worn out and feeling very tired — but the opposite is true. Instead of relying on processed sugar sources of energy that burn up fast, you will discover energy sources that will leave you feeling rejuvenated even after considerable stretches of work. The detox tips below will help quell your fear about detoxing and will work in less time than you think it would take to start feeling better. Even if you feel in shape and in control, if you wake up feeling tired instead of refreshed and ready for the new day, a sugar detox can help you. Even your peers will start to notice the spring in your step in less than two weeks of making food choices that eliminate processed foods, adding organic options to your diet, concentrating on hydration, doing light workouts and cutting down on sugar.
The painless detox
Start enjoying natural, simple and delicious food –
Swap your greasy burger and chips lunch for fresh vegetables. Before you know it, they will start tasting arguably as satisfying as the junk food you're accustomed to eating.
Avoid toxins and drugs –
Largely a lifestyle decision in the right direction. If you normally add sugar to your coffee, try honey for all the natural benefits and great taste it packs. Better yet, try green tea, which is packed with natural polyphenols that support the body's normal detox system. A nice cup of tea is also relaxing, to boot!
So many good reasons exist for detoxing and taking a wellness path that starts with just 14 days of deliberate action. Doing so can help you discover a version of yourself that is charged up instead of feeling like a phone on low battery.
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
Sylvia Williams (Coach Syl), is an AFPA-certified holistic nutrition and fitness coach, and author of the new book,
“The 12 Hour Shift Slimdown - Ten Fat Loss Prescriptions Every Nurse Should Know: Lose 20-100 Lbs, Gain Energy, & Feel Healthy Again.”
The book provides details on “The Method Approach: 14 Day Slimdown,” a detoxification process developed by Williams.