Think You Can Go 30 Days Without Any Sugar?
Think you can go 30 Days without Sugar?
Most people don’t think that they can, but a sugar free diet is a great way to give your health a boost and extend your life. If you were thinking about joining an expensive weight loss program – where you are stuck buying their food – I have a better (and healthier) option for you.
Sugar is harmful: Despite what the sugar industry and medical associations are saying, sugar is harmful. It is harmful in three ways:
- Adds Weight: As discussed above, sugar adds pounds to our bodies. This causes harm to our bodies because being obese or overweight increases a number of diseases: diabetes , stroke, heart disease, certain cancers and many more diseases. Obesity cuts life expectancy by as much as five years.
- Insulin Insensitivity: Consistently high blood sugar lead to the cells throughout the body becoming insensitive to insulin. This insulin insensitivity is at the heart of diseases such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Having diabetes, by the way, can clip as many as 10 years off your life and, maybe as many as 18 quality years off your life.
- Toxic: Sugar is toxic to our blood vessels, much the same way that cigarette smoke is toxic to our lungs. As sugar flows through our blood stream, it destroys the very blood vessels that carry the sugar throughout our bodies. This destruction is easily seen in people who have poor blood sugar control (like diabetics) who have high rates of eye disease (retinopathy), kidney disease, heart disease, nerve disease (neuropathy), and strokes, all caused by the destruction of blood vessels. The destruction also occurs in people who don’t have diabetes, only at a slower rate.
There are many reasons why you will want to join us on our sugar free adventure:
- Sugar is addictive: For many of you who read this blog regularly, you know just how powerful sugar addiction can be. Sugar often feels like it has the power to control us instead of the other way around. Sugar addiction shares common traits with all addictions, including: hoarding, binging, using the addiction to change moods, and many other addictive-like behaviors. Seeing sugar as an addiction explains a lot of how we act around sugar and is likely the reason why so many of us yo-yo diet. If you really don’t think sugar is addictive, try staying away from it for a few days and see; most people become acutely aware of just how addicting sugar can be when they remove it from their lives.
- You Want to Feel Better: Kicking sugar and eating a sugar free diet will be hard at first. But most people who are on the diet report that they feel better, have more energy, and even sleep better. Many people also report the almost magical disappearance of stomach problems, fatigue, depression, sinus infection, skin problems and more.
- Weight loss: Sugar has more to do with weight gain than you might have been led to believe by medical and nutritional professionals. Sugar does contain empty calories, but sugar is also special in its ability to add to your waistline. Your body has certain energy needs and once those needs are met by what you are eating, any excess sugar in your blood stream is going to be stored as fat. Excess sugar is very common when you are eating sugar and foods that act like sugar on a consistent basis. Keeping sugar out of your diet keeps your blood sugar low and, consequently, keeps your body from storing fat.
- You are curious: The last reason you may want to join us on our 30 Sugar Free Days is that you are curious to find out if sugar is addictive and can change your weight. Believe me when I say that those answers will become very clear for you if you join the 30 Day challenge.
Break the Habit, Break the Cycle
Breaking the sugar habit can be hard, but I am here to provide you with the support that you need, including meal plans, recipes, a newsletter and the ability to contact me with your questions; all at no cost.
Taking the 30 Sugar Free Days challenge is a step towards your better health. So many weight loss programs are designed to help you shed pounds, but do nothing to address your health. Why not have both good health and weight loss?
If you think you can go 30 days without sugar, please join us. You can sign up to receive our newsletter by clicking here: 30 Days Sugar Free.
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Aliza,
The best thing for you to do is to read the e-book and take some time to prepare for the 30 Days program. You will find it difficult, but much easier than you think.
Good luck!
Dr. Scott
Our body is highly dependent on blood sugar (glucose) as an energy source, so normal blood sugar balance is essential to maintaining optimal health. Imbalance can lead to serious health problems, such as:
Hypoglycemia, (low blood sugar) fatigue, overweight and poor adrenal function.
Diabetes mellitus, (high blood sugar) abnormal thirst or hunger, weakness, fatigue, frequent urination……………..
herbs-wholesale’s last blog post..Sulphur
If I eat sugar like chocolate, I can’t stop and I fall asleep exhausted and wake up feeling hung over, I feel this with white rice also. Alcohol used to make my brain think weird thoughts after only a couple of drinks, so I guess I am sugar sensitive? I so love white bread, and white rice – is polenta a sugar producing grain as well?
Yes, you are sensitive to sugar, but you are not alone! Many people report the same thing. Yes, almost all grains act like sugar in your body.
I am coming up on three weeks with NO sugar. I feel much better and my clothes are not so tight. I’ve had no issues with hypoglycemia which is HUGE!
My problem is usually not with myself (although I still struggele a bit) but with other people. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “just try a little piece” or “just one bite won’t hurt you”. I’ve learned to be creative with my responces! Thank you again!
Jess, I agree, funny how people try and tempt you. Would love to hear your replies.
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I am just writing to thank you so much for your 30 Sugar Free Days programme.
I know it has changed my life.
I had begun to wonder if I was a sugar addict some time ago and was often heard to quip about “mainlining sugar” and “sugar fixes” etc. but like so many other people I really didn’t think sugar and carbs etc. were a serious addiction issue so I dismissed the idea every time it came up.
Last year (2009) around November I was at such a low ebb again that I couldn’t see a future and I just wanted to “give up”. I cried a lot and found it really hard to function. I just couldn’t understand why I felt so bad. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired!
On a hunch I started to Google sugar addiction to see if there was anything to my suspicions -I was rocked by what I read. That was the answer – I KNEW, without a shadow of a doubt, I was a sugar addict and if what I read was true, it was causing a lot of my problems.
I found Dr Scott’s 30 Sugar Free programme and began it at the end of December 2009. I “One day at a timed it” and I have completed the 30 days and a few more and I feel fantastic. I feel strong, in control and so hopeful. I even feel excited, lean and clean inside and outside. I can almost feel my body rejoicing at being fed good food not toxic sludge, and to top it off I have lost over 10lbs without really trying.I have had quite a lot of fun making up new recipes and sifting through the Oragnic shops too.
I did have a few days of headaches and mild nausea to begin with and it took quite a while for the “hungries” to go but I kept on each day “just for today I will not eat any sugar“ and I made it and there is no way I am going back again. I KNOW this is the right way for me to eat.
Thank you so much Dr.Scott for so generously providing this help.
Thanks for your kind words! It is amazing how great you feel when you kick the sugar habit.
Best wishes on the rest of your journey.
Scott
I have become absolutely addicted to sugar and once I have one bit, I immediately need/want more. My best friend and I are doing this 30 day no sugar diet so that we can hopefully re-set our bodies to know what it needs/wants. I feel disgusting and gross after I eat the sugar, because I was always a healthy person, didn’t eat much sugar. Now I can’t seem to get enough. I really hope I can do this, I know it’s going to be hard, but I’m hoping with my friend’s support, this blog, and just a daily reminder that I can do it, I CAN do it. Thank you!
Good Luck Kara! Sounds like you are headed in the right direction.
Hi! I am the friend that Kara is referring to in the post above. Over time I have realized that I am without a doubt a sugar addict – some people can have a little here and there, but once I start I become ravenous for it and any food. When I consciously go without sugar, I inevitably feel so much better and lighter but it never lasts long before I give in to something sweet. I am really excited to start this 30 days with the support of my best friend as well as your daily emails (they really do help to keep you motivated). I want to break the cycle of having to pay for my sugar splurges and develop an eating lifestyle that works best for me. Hopefully once I kick the habit, I will be able to have the occasional chocolate chip cookie and not let that completely derail my eating. Do you think that is possible Dr. Scott, or do you really have to stay away altogether? Since it is an addiction after all….Thanks for all your help! Hi Kar!
Samantha,
I think that people understand that sugar is an addiction, but maybe don’t realize just how serious. It is an addiction just as strong as addictions to hard drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. You wouldn’t recommend that an alcoholic, once they quit, have a drink every once and a while and expect that to stick. Whenever people stray from their sugar-free path and eat something sweet, it typically falls apart and they binge on a bunch of sugar (this, by the way, is typical addictive behavior).
Having said that, I would say that the consequences of eating sugar are a lot less lethal than, say, shooting heroin; the damage that sugar does is slow and steady.
Not to give too much away from the e-mails you are getting, but the issue is really not about sugar but about a large amount of sugar entering your blood stream at one time.
So, this is a long-winded way of saying: yes, you might find that you can eat the occasional piece of something sweet and maintain your health and weight, but you may not. I like to think of our health as a path and not a destination. I hope that the 30 Sugar Free Days teaches you a lot about your body and what works and doesn’t work for you, but (if you are typical) there are going to be times in your life where you eat well and other times when you don’t. My hope is that you (and everyone reading this) picks themselves up when they fall down and start again the march toward better eating and better health.
Scott
HI All,
I just stumbled right on this site after I typed in 42 days without sugar. YES! I have been 42 days with no sugar or white flour. I would eat sweets everyday at times all day. I still to this day have craved sweets but by the Grace of God He has helped me to overcome. It is a day by day process. I have been blessed with losing 15lbs and inches since I started this. The first week 24 hours was horrendous because of the pounding and I mean pounding headache I had. I have also 1quit caffiene because without my sweet creamer it tasted blah to me. The Lord has blessed me with a Tea called Good Earth Sweet & Spicy caffiene free tea. It is delicious. Never was a tea drinker but now I am. To God the Father, Son & Spirit be all the glory. I am doing this for weight loss and health. I hope to be 150lbs in 6 months. God bless you all in Jesus name, amen:o)
I stopped eating sugar just because i was told that i have dense blood
so i decided to find out what was the reason for my blood to be dense and one of the reasons was sugar
i also read that coffeine causes blood density but i cant refuse coffeine – but i avoid sugar
after reading to your articles i’m sure i did a right choice really – thanks for additional reasons ti give up sugar consumption
I have gone without sugar for close to 60 days. I do have blueberries, raspberries and occasionally strawberries, 1/4 of an apple in my tuna salad once a week etc. The past 2 days I’ve been feeling very tired – is my body deprived of sugar?
hi! i consume LOTS of sugar on a daily basis. Sometimes when i ont get something sweet- i get irritated and i start feeling weak and shake. But I def want to switch to healthier life style and I do realise how much harm I cause myself by all the sugar my body gets. I am scared of diabets or other bad stuff. Do you think if I wake up tomorrow and go all sugar free for 30 days ,won’t it be a bit of a shock for my body? Or should I do it gradually? What if I dont eat any sugar except for sugar-free chewing gums or mints because I always look after my breath due to my job where I always deal with people and there’s no way I will stop on mints to refresh my breath now and then.
I would really love to hear your opinion!
Mary, sounds like you are doing great. Sounds like you are getting enough sugar in your diet. You are probably feeling tired for other reasons. Occasionally, when people get healthier, they go through what we call a “healing reaction” where people feel as if they are getting a cold or flu (and feel tired). I wouldn’t worry about it and wait a few days. If you still feel off then go see your local doctor.
The best way to start the program is the way that makes sense to you. I think the best way is to stop everything at once, but some people find they can gradually change over time. Will your body react to you stopping sugar suddenly? Yes! For some people it is mild, for others it is severe. If you have any worries that you might be diabetic, you should go to your doctor and get checked out.
Good luck!
Dr. Scott
I have a lot of the problems you’ve mentioned… headaches, stomach problems, skin problems, and fatigue. Right now I feel like it’s so difficult to cut out all the sugar and I would love some suggestions for alternatives. I’m a decaf coffee drinker and use sugar free creamer and stevia (sometimes I use agave nectar) in my coffee. I’m not a big fan of plain water so I drink A LOT of Crystal Lite. Is that something I need to discontinue and if so what do you recommend? I also eat a lot of Greek yogurt and fruit for breakfast (or I make a protein shake) and that doesn’t look like something I should be eating either. What breakfast items do you recommend?
v/r,
Angel
Angel,
A lot of these questions are answered in the free e-book, the e-mails and the FAQ page, but let me give you the short version:
I don’t believe in using sugar substitutes, the often are worse than using white sugar. Agave is also not an answer because it is essentially just high fructose corn syrup. If you want to kick sugar, you are looking at radically changing what you are eating. For breakfast, most people stick to low-glycemic index fruits or a breakfast burrito or they eat something like dinner for breakfast. It is hard to give up the habit of having something sweet all the time, but once you struggle through the change, you will be surprised how sweet something like a carrot can be.
I hope that helps!
Dr. Scott,
I signed up for your site last week, and have since bought and read your book Sugarettes. All great information. I have a question about how long the withdrawal symptoms might last and how severe they are. I am now a full week into the 30 days program, and since Day 3, I’ve had really awful withdrawal symptoms. POUNDING headaches and a pretty high fever. I knew there would be withdrawal symptoms, but I’ll be honest, I was not prepared for this level of uncomfortableness. I thought I might drag a little and have mild headaches, but I’m full on sick. In the past 2 days I’ve felt A LITTLE better, but I’ve had to stay home from work most of last week, and my fever only breaks when I pump myself full of cold medicine. I don’t want to quit, but at the same time I can’t afford to take any more days off.
If my symptoms don’t improve, I was wondering if I should maybe incorporate a SMALL amount of the “no” foods back into my diet. Like maybe some whole grains, or small amounts of juice? Also, maybe eliminating sugar AND caffeine is making things worse (I was a heavy soda drinker)? I can’t say I’ve had any really strong cravings for sweets, but that may be because I haven’t really had a desire to eat anything. Maybe Im just sick and it’s a coincidence? I really don’t know and it’s tough not having an idea of how much longer I will feel like this.
Thanks in advance,
Chris
Hi Chris,
Occasionally when people start eating healthier, the go through what is called a healing reaction and this may be what is going on with you.
When you eat a lot of junk, your body has to do double-time getting rid of the junk. When you start eating better, your body takes this opportunity to get rid of everything. I’m not sure adding back in a small amount of “no” foods will help, but it is certainly worth a try. I would choose more fresh fruits and, yes, maybe a little bit of caffeine.
Good luck!
Thanks for the reply! That day, I wound up having some green tea (caffeine), a piece of whole grain toast, and small glass of juice. The next day was the first day I woke up without a fever. I’m not sure if it was because of what I ate or not, but I’m just glad to be feeling better.
Either way, I feel that my physical dependency on refined sugar is gone, as I’m now on Day 9. The first few days, 30 days seemed like a long time, but now it seems easy. I’m also enjoying fruit more than I ever have before, and in general, I find less of a desire to overeat at meals. Those 4 days of being sick were pretty terrible, but I’m happy I stuck with it. I feel much better already.
People are very intrigued/confused by my decision to cut out sugar, so I point them here when I can. Hopefully more people will open up to the idea.
Thanks again!
Great to hear that things have turned around for you Chris! Good luck on the rest of your challenge!