Holiday pie, New Year’s Eve party drinks, cookies, candy……

Your blood sugar has likely been on a roller coaster ride.

You’re not alone…… did you know that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) claims that the average American consumes roughly 156 pounds of sugar a year, or 34 teaspoons of sugar a day more than our bodies need?

And what goes up must come down!

Crash! Ouch…. Sugar blues, not sleeping well, fatigue, sluggish in the mornings, holiday weight gain, afternoon slump no energy, reaching for coffee and more sugar to make it through the day……?

Not a great way to ring in the New Year.

You don’t have to have diabetes in order to be strongly affected by sugar!

So you may have a little holiday binge guilt…. I don’t want to add to any regret; that won’t help at all…

However, I do want you to better understand the impact on your body and brain so you can make better choices moving forward.

So what does all that sugar actually do to your body and brain?

  1. Drug-like effects in the reward center of the brain (screws with your neurotransmitters)
  2. Suppression of your immune system so that you are more susceptible to colds and flu
  3. Impaired cognitive skills
  4. Decreased self-control, so you are more impulsive
  5. Increased risk of developing diabetes
  6. Increased risk of developing insulin resistance
  7. Hormone imbalances
  8. Mood imbalances such as anxiety attacks, depression, and anger
  9. Sleep disturbances and fatigue
  10. Weight gain
  11. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar because it drops so low after it spikes from sugar)
  12. Spikes dopamine levels in your brain so you crave more unhealthy substances.
  13. Brain and gut inflammation and decreased absorption of nutrients
  14. Memory loss

I don’t want to be a Debbie downer (no offense if your name is Debbie, I love you), so here is the good news…..

You can turn it all around!

Binge Recovery Plan

  1. Balance your blood sugar by eating small amounts of protein more often and cut out the high starch and sugary carbs and replace them with the high fiber kind
  2. Don’t skip meals
  3. Avoid alcohol
  4. Avoid artificial sweeteners
  5. Exercise, cardiovascular exercise is best for this, but all movement is helpful-Dance!!
  6. Exchange sugary treats for low-sugar fruits and vegetables
  7. Become a label reader to avoid processed chemicals that trigger cravings
  8. Avoid sugars like fructose, dextrose, honey, raw sugar, sucrose, corn syrup
  9. If you have strong will-power, consider intermittent fasting
  10. Drink more water than you think you need. Take your body weight in pounds, divide by 2 and this is the number of ounces you need if you are a couch potato (if you move or go to work, then you need more)
  11. Set a powerful intention to upgrade your nutrition and life
  12. Prioritize acts of self-care: water, food, rest, exercise, owning your power, and laughter.
  13. Get a support buddy to help keep you accountable
  14. Take a hot bath with essential oils, candles, and your favorite music: this tricks the reward centers of your brain and gives you a natural dopamine boost
  15. Cuddle with a loved one or pet (dopamine and oxytocin booster)

Therapeutic Modalities to Help

  1. Acupuncture
  2. Neural therapy and IVs of procaine
  3. Craniosacral therapy
  4. Yoga and Gyrotonics
  5. Massage
  6. Breathwork
  7. Foot reflexology
  8. Yoga Nidra meditations (look on Youtube)
  9. Binaural brain wave music (look on Youtube)
  10. Deconditioning therapy and Family Systems Theory work
  11. Take supplements to help with your detox
  12. Mediation
  13. Time in nature
  14. Cold plunges

Herbs to Curb Sugar Cravings

  • Gymnema Sylvestre
  • Cinnamon bark
  • Berberine
  • Fenugreek
  • Garcinia
  • Cambogia
  • Curcumin (turmeric)
  • Licorice (avoid if you have high blood pressure)

Alternative Sweeteners to Consider

  • Stevia
  • Monk fruit (I prefer pure)
  • BochaSweet (alternative sweetener made from squash, zero glycemic, zero calories)
  • Lacuma which is from the Pouteria lucuma tree native to South America, very nutritious (from a low glycemic fruit)
  • Jerusalem artichoke syrup
  • Coconut sugar or syrup (not zero sugar but a healthier alternative, much lower glycemic)
  • Erythritol (an alcohol sugar that can cause gut issues)

This is just a small slice of information. In my first book Holistic Keto for Gut Health; A Program for Resetting Your Metabolism, I have an entire chapter on how to curb sugar cravings.

Check out the recipe section on my website, it’s been upgraded with new categories, so you can easily find what you’re looking for. I have desserts that are so healthy you can have them for breakfast. You need not be deprived to be healthy and need not binge to have fun.
Check these out!

Blessings of Vibrant Health,
Kristin Grayce