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Published on June 28th, 2017 | by Franca Di Lisio

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The 10-Day Sugar Detox

We are killing ourselves slowly by consuming high amounts of hidden sugar. Despite 40 years of brainwashing America into thinking that fat is bad, it turns out that sugar, not fat, makes us sick and overweight.

Sugar is the root cause of our obesity epidemic and most other chronic disease. Heart disease, cancer, dementia, Type 2 diabetes, depression, infertility, impotence and even acne are caused by sugar. The average American consumes about 150 pounds of sugar a year, which equates to about 22 teaspoons every day, and children consume even more, at 34 teaspoons per day.

Flour is even more of a health concern than sugar. The average American consumes about 150 pounds of flour a year, which raises blood sugar even more than table sugar. Studies have shown that sugar is eight times more addictive than cocaine. Being addicted to sugar and flour is not an emotional eating disorder; it’s a biological disorder driven by hormones and neurotransmitters that fuel sugar and carbohydrate craving, leading to uncontrolled overeating. This is the reason 70 percent of American adults and 40 percent of American children are overweight.

In a Harvard study, scientists found that a high-sugar milkshake (compared to a low-sugar version) not only spiked blood sugar and insulin and led to sugar cravings, but also caused changes in the brain, where sugar activates the addiction center in the brain. We need a clear path to detox from sugar and to break the addictive cycle of carbohydrate and sugar cravings that robs us of our health in 10 days or less. We need science, not willpower, to reverse this.

1. Make a decision to detox. Most symptoms such as belly fat, obesity, sugar and carbohydrate cravings, high triglycerides, low HDL, addictive eating, bloating, gas, reflux, irritable bowel, joint or muscle pain, brain fog, memory or mood problems, sinus or allergy symptoms and more can be alleviated by a good detox.

2. There is no way to handle a true physiological addiction except to quit cold turkey. Stop all forms of sugar, all flour products and all artificial sweeteners that cause increased cravings and slow metabolism and lead to fat storage. For 10 days, avoid everything that comes in a box, package or a can. Give up all grains for 10 days also.

3. Don’t drink calories. Any form of liquid sugar is worse that solid sugar and will lead to belly fat. It is the single most prevalent source of sugar in our diet. This includes sodas, juices, sport drinks, sweetened teas and coffee. One 20-ounce bottle of soda contains 15 teaspoons of sugar. A bottle of Gatorade contains 14 teaspoons of sugar. A single can of soda a day will increase a child’s chance of being obese by 60 percent, and a woman’s chance of getting Type 2 diabetes by 80 percent.

4. Power the day with protein, especially at breakfast. This is the key to balance blood sugar and insulin and cut cravings. Start the day with farm-fresh eggs or a meal replacement protein shake. Use nuts, seeds, fish, chicken or grass-fed meat for protein in every single meal. A typical serving size is four to six ounces or an amount about the size of the palm.

5. Eat an unlimited amount of vegetables, but make sure to consume the non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, asparagus, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, fennel, eggplant, artichokes and peppers. Avoid starches and starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash and beets during the sugar detox. Also skip grains and beans for 10 days. It will supercharge the results so we lose weight and feel great.

6. Fight sugar with fat. Fat doesn’t make us fat, sugar does. Fat makes us full and balances our blood sugar. It is necessary for fueling every cell in our body. Along with proteins, consuming good fats at every meal, as well as snacking on fat-rich nuts, seeds, avocados and fats from fish, is one of the best things we can do for our body.

7. Be ready for emergencies. Be prepared to avoid winding up in a fast food restaurant while our blood sugar is dropping due to hunger. A good emergency life pack contains items such as artisanal nut butters, coconut butter, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and salmon or turkey jerky.

8. Swap distress for de-stress. When we get stressed, our hormones go crazy and the body’s cortisol level increases, which makes us hungry, causes belly fat storage and can eventually lead to Type 2 diabetes. Studies show that taking deep breaths activates the vagus nerve and shifts the metabolism from fat storage to fat burning, which quickly moves us out of a state of stress.

9. Put out the fire of inflammation. Studies show that inflammation triggers blood sugar imbalances, pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. The most common source of inflammatory foods other than sugar are flour and trans fats; other common culprits are gluten and diary. We often crave foods that we are allergic to. Avoiding them is not easy, but after a few days of abstinence, the body develops renewed energy and a release from cravings, as well as the disappearance of many common food-borne symptoms related to allergies.

10. Get plenty of sleep. Less sleep drives sugar and carbohydrate cravings by affecting our appetite hormones. We require more energy when we don’t sleep enough, which typically causes cravings for quickly absorbed sugars. Sleep is the best way to fight against the drive to overeat. We can literally sleep our cravings and extra pounds away.

Franca Di Lisio, DC, owns and operates a wellness center at 201 Lower Notch Rd., Ste. 2B, in Little Falls. For more information, call 973-938-4400, email dislis7@aol.com or visit ThinMeUpDoctor.com


About the Author

Franca Di Lisio, DC, owns and operates a wellness center at 201 Lower Notch Rd., Ste. 2B, in Little Falls. For more information, call 973-938-4400, email dislis7@aol.com or visit ThinMeUpDoctor.com.


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