Sugar Detox and Too Much Sugar
Are you looking to detox from sugar? Sugar binges are common, and not just on Birthdays, holidays, and Halloween. A demanding day can toss you off your diet regimen and down a spiral of eating candy and sweets. In some cases, diet plans also promote weekly cheat days to keep you on your diet, keeping you healthy six days a week and letting you sugar it up on day seven.
In truth, binging on sugar, even during a diet, is a bad idea. Your body needs a few days to recuperate from too much to get you back to full power, and by the time that happens, it is almost time to cheat once again. Your brain functions will dip, and you will feel body inflammation the majority of the week. You might drop weight, but you will never end up feeling like the clear-headed and energetic warrior you want to be.
Interestingly, sugar restriction is not the answer either, so feel free to enjoy sugar once in a while. Delicious food is one of the best things in life. Plus, letting loose now and then shows you how sugar makes you feel, reinforcing your dedication to a healthier diet.
When you binge sugar and carbs, be sure to use this helpful sugar detox guide to recover faster and get rid of cravings, so you get back to your potential as rapidly as possible.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU EAT TOO MUCH SUGAR? THE SUGAR HANGOVER
Sugar and carb binges make you feel lousy, but if you pay attention, you can learn what systems in your body are having a hard time and help those systems recuperate.
Here are common symptoms that come with too much sugar:
SHORT-TERM WEIGHT GAIN
If you have ever looked in the mirror after a heavy carb day, you know all about this. The weight comes off when you cut back on sugar and return to your normal diet.
CRAVINGS
Sugar lights up your brain like a Christmas tree, which feels fantastic - that is, until the next day when the sugar runs out, and the withdrawals settle in. Sugar hits the very same brain areas as most drugs, and though it may sound over-the-top to compare sugar to cigarettes or cocaine, you will suffer similar cravings as your body gets itself back into balance.
TIREDNESS
In a research study of lean, healthy young males, refined carbohydrates like sugar trigger systemic inflammation.
Inflammation taxes your energy production in two ways:
- Studies on rodents show that sugar hinders mitochondria, decreasing the quantity of energy that cells can produce.
- Your cells need to invest a great deal of their energy dealing with the stress of low-grade inflammation from too much sugar.
In another research study in men, sugar caused a sharp decrease in testosterone, so be prepared for a few days of feeling tired. The fatigue will pass once your body regroups and you get back to consuming better foods.
MOOD SWINGS AND PAINFUL HEADACHES.
Sugar destabilizes your blood glucose levels and triggers withdrawal, leaving you with extreme cravings and decreased energy, but a lot of people get headaches, migraines, and changes mood, too.
HOW TO KEEP FROM CRASHING
Drink Extra Water During Your Binge
When you consume excess sugar, you pack hundreds of grams as glycogen. Your body stores a minimum of 3 grams of water for every gram of glucose you store, showing that you store a lot of extra water with your carbohydrates. This explains the water weight that comes when consuming too many carbs. You will need to drink more during your cheat day or you will get dehydrated, which can lead to headaches and tiredness.
Include Electrolytes
You will get bonus points if you include salt and potassium in your water for a week after bingeing on carbs. When you return to a low-carb diet, your body will burn through your carb storage and get rid of the water it stored. You will lose a lot of salt and potassium with it, so use saltwater and potassium supplements to reduce dehydration-related headaches and fatigue.
Do Not Skip Meals:
Do not fast after a sugar binge. You may feel like canceling out those additional calories you ate and get your system back to baseline, but on days of too much sugar, you are better off eating great deals of food instead of fasting.
Support Your Blood Sugar
Sugar throws your blood glucose levels out of whack, resulting in withdrawal signs like intense cravings and low energy. You will want to consume foods that support your blood sugar to feel better and don't throw you into a second sugar binge.
Adopt an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan:
Your cells will be dealing with chronic inflammation after you overindulge in sugar, and you'll want to help them repair themselves afterward. Read on to learn how to manage inflammation.
Maintain Regular Eating Routines:
If you fast after overeating sugar, you can fall into an unhealthy pattern of binging and fasting. It's important at these times to listen to your body, eating when you are hungry, and stopping before you overeat.
SUGAR DETOX DIET: WHAT TO EAT AFTER A SUGAR BINGE.
You can consume your way back to a more balanced body after a carb binge. Here's the recipe for a sugar detox plan:
QUALITY FATS AND PROTEIN
Eat foods like grass-fed meat, wild-caught salmon, pasture-raised eggs, coconut oil, and MCT oil. These foods fill you up while also fighting cravings. They'll also help replenish testosterone and six additional hormones that suffered from your sugar intake.
FIBER
Eat foods like asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, celery, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes. Fiber brings stable energy and decreases cravings. It also aids with positive gut bacteria that may have been injured by the sugar.
ANTIOXIDANTS
Eat colorful fruits and veggies like red cabbage, Swiss chard, blackberries, and raspberries. Drink coffee and green tea for an extra dose of antioxidants. Antioxidant-rich foods will assist your body in handling systemic inflammation and help it repair itself.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS.
Consume foods like wild-caught salmon, broccoli, avocados, and green tea. Are you seeing a pattern here with brocholi? It is a powerful vegetable for sugar detox.
These anti-inflammatory foods help you recuperate from swelling triggered by a carb and sugar overload. These simple foods help your body recover with minimal capacity for inflammation.
FOODS THAT CURB SUGAR CRAVINGS
Sugar lights up addictive pathways that cause withdrawal and cravings after a binge. Clear your kitchen pantry of high-carb treats to minimize your temptation, and replace them with quality snacks to prevent your next binge. Since sugar cravings are fast and sap your energy, combat this with high-fat treats like:
- Dark chocolate (78% or more)
- Grass-fed hot dogs
- Salami or pepperoni
- Guacamole
- Grass-fed jerky or bars
- Nuts like raw almonds or macadamias
WHY EXERCISE HELPS SPEED UP YOUR DETOX
Even if you feel slow and sluggish, be sure to exercise after overeating sugar. It stabilizes blood sugar and assists you in burning glycogen faster. Emotionally, it helps you get back to your high-performance regimen after you break it.
SUMMARY
Keep in mind that you do not have to eat perfectly. The occasional sugar binge is worth it in some cases, but you won't feel your best for a couple of days later. If you go wild with low-quality food, our guide will get you back on track.
Sugar works like other addictions, lighting up pathways in our brain, and the cravings can be strong. You'll want to consume foods that support your blood sugar to feel better and prevent a relapse into another binge.
Eat at routine intervals with the right quality foods without fasting, so you avoid binging, fasting, and binging once again.