No Sugar Challenge for 30 Days!
You may have heard before that a third of all Americans alive today are projected to get diabetes at some point in their life. Isn't that reason enough to try the No Sugar Challenge?
And I think so many of us just don't realize how scary the disease is, if we've never dealt with it ourselves or known someone who died from its complications. Not only does diabetes mess with everything from your kidneys to your eyes, but also your heart. About 25 million Americans currently have the disease, but the really interesting part is that another 57 million Americans are pre-diabetic…Meaning, they can prevent getting diabetes completely with a change of diet and lifestyle!!
To quote Dr.Oz, "No public health problem compares in scale." He even goes on to say that it's costing everybody 175 billion dollars every year to treat diabetes!!
But it's not about money, it's about health. And that's where today's main topic comes in: everybody should try the no sugar CHALLENGE!!
And I get it, it is a challenge!
But what if I told you, not only are you spiking your glucose by consuming so much sugar, but sugar in your bloodstream actually acts like glass scrapingggg your arteries??
This is because of the shape of the sugar molecule – and while your body is working hard to metabolize it, it still has free reign in your bloodstream and the damaging scrapes are creating pockets that plaque buildup get stuck in. If you have smooth artery walls, you're safe from plaque buildup, but sugar is making it far easier for your arteries to get clogged!!
Now, can you undo the damage you've already done? Probably not. But can you swear off sugar starting TODAY??
(Don't say, "Probably not…" 😉)
The no sugar for 30 days challenge, despite how many people have done it, isn't easy. Healthline even has an article about sugar detox withdrawal symptoms, which happens because sugar is an addictive substance just like cocaine! In fact, there was a study done on rats, that is a pretty famous study so you might have heard of it…94% of rats studied, given a choice between sugar and cocaine (that the scientists had made them dependent on), chose the SUGAR!
Some scientists don't think there's a such thing as a sugar addiction, but I would have to disagree! Sugar actually releases what's called "endogenous opioids" in the brain, which are natural endorphins. But of course there are also endorphins that don't involve scratching up your arteries…They're the endorphins you get from exercising!
So of course you're going to feel pretty icky trying to cut sugar cold turkey with the no sugar challenge, even though it's worth it. Since it triggers your body's natural opioids and it also triggers dopamine, symptoms of detoxing yourself can range from…
- being more anxious
- not being able to fall asleep
- getting headaches
- feeling nauseous
- being tired
The Cleveland Clinic says that you'll get better in about 10 days, and they also say that just completely quitting cold turkey helps you beat your symptoms sooner.
So, are YOU ready to take the No Sugar for 30 Days challenge?
