Content Library Articles The 3 Steps to a Successful Sugar Detox

The 3 Steps to a Successful Sugar Detox

March 21, 2015

If you are overweight, there’s a very good chance that you are a food addict.

Let me stop right there and tell you that I’m not blaming you. You are not gluttonous, nor weak-willed, nor any other self-recriminating belief you may have about yourself and your relationship to food. Your hormones, taste buds, and brain chemistry have been hijacked by the food industry. Not metaphorically, but biologically.

Simply put, you are hooked like a junkie mainlining some of the worst, deadliest drugs on the planet: sugar and anything that turns to sugar in your body.

The one trillion dollar industrial food system is the biggest drug dealer around, responsible for contributing to tens of millions of deaths every year and siphoning trillions of dollars from our global economy through the loss of human and natural capital.

I realize this sounds extreme and overstated, but hear me out. Once you understand the forces at play in food addiction, you will never think the same way again about Snapple, Diet Coke, and processed snacks, cookies, and cake. We need to acknowledge our addiction, face it, and address it head-on, both as individuals and as a society.

But first, you need to take back your own health. And I’m here to help you do exactly that. In order to break free from these addictive substances and reprogram your biology, you need to detox from the drug-like foods and beverages you’ve been hooked on.

Science now proves sugar is more powerfully addictive than alcohol, cocaine, or even heroin (and if you’re thinking about going for diet soda instead, take note: Artificial sweeteners may be more addictive than regular sugar).

When we treat alcoholics or cocaine addicts, we don’t say “Practice moderation” and advise them to cut down to just one drink or one line of cocaine a day. We know they must clear the brain and body of these powerful drugs completely, ideally through a well-designed program that supports the detox process.

That’s precisely why I designed my Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. In just 10 days, you’ll have a whole new level of clarity, both physically and mentally. You’ll know with certainty that you can regain control, feel good, and change your life forever. You’ll finally break free of sugar’s shackles.

What if you’re trying this diet just to lose some weight and make good on your New Year’s resolution? That’s fine. We all want to look good! The magic in the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet is that you’ll end up not just looking fantastic, but feeling fantastic, too—quite possibly better than you ever imagined.

Just to be clear, though, the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet is not a magic cure or a gimmicky weight loss scheme. It is a comprehensive, science-based approach to ending food addiction and creating rapid, safe weight loss and long-term optimal health.

This plan is for anyone who wants to experience what true wellness feels like, and for most people, that realization is just 10 days away. Again, I realize that you may not believe all this is possible. And you don’t have to.

All you have to do is give it a try and see for yourself how quickly the body heals and sheds pounds when it is getting what it really needs. Most of my patients say, “Dr. Hyman, I didn’t know I was feeling so bad until I started feeling so good.”

Rethinking Weight Loss and Optimal Health

Perhaps the most important piece of news when it comes to genes and weight is this: You can put your genes on a diet and program them for weight loss and health.

Yes, you read that right. You can’t swap out the genes you have inherited, but you can literally reprogram your genes to help you get slim and healthy. How? That’s easy: Through food.

You see, food contains not just calories or energy to fuel our cells; food contains information. It is the control mechanism that regulates almost every chemical reaction in our bodies by communicating instructions to our genes, telling them whether to gain or lose weight, and to turn on the disease-creating or health-promoting genes.

This is the groundbreaking science of nutrigenomics. With every bite of food you take, you are sending direct messages to your genes, which control the production of all proteins in your body. And the proteins (hormones, neurotransmitters, and all sorts of chemical messengers) are the very things that control your metabolism, appetite, and health. When you think about it that way, suddenly choosing the right foods seems like a no-brainer!

It all comes down to quality. Whole, real, and fresh: Those are the three key words you need to know when it comes to choosing foods to program your genes for weight loss and health. Everything else should be considered “not food.”

That’s the foundation of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. Rather than becoming another diet you’ll struggle to adhere to, this plan shifts perspective so that you become a qualitarian, not going on a diet.

The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet focuses on real, high-quality, whole, fresh foods to put your genes on a diet and make the pounds disappear. The plan contains three phases, all of which are key to your success. Here’s a sneak preview about what you can expect in each phase as the pounds melt away and you take your health to a whole new level.

Phase 1 – Prep Phase

Here you’ll find everything you need to get started and set yourself up for optimal success, beginning with your pantry and ending with your mind-set. Ideally, set aside two days for this phase before you begin the program, to physically and psychologically set the detox process in motion. During those two days, you’ll gather all the food and supplies you need.

The key to weight loss and health is planning and preparation. The reality is that many people spend more time planning parties and vacations than planning their health. You have to design your life for success and create an environment that directs you toward the right choices automatically. For instance, if you have nuts in your pantry instead of a sheet cake, you are more likely to make a good choice.

Setting up your mind, kitchen, and work or school environment right is essential for long-term health and weight loss. Before you get started on the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet, set aside two days to do the necessary preparation.

To optimize your results and avoid detours and delays, you’ll want to have everything you need ready to go. There are six simple things you’ll do during the Prep Phase, and in my book I’ve provided step-by-step instructions about how to do each:

1. Detox your kitchen.
2. Gather your supplies.
3. Taper off caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
4. Align your mind and intentions.
5. Measure yourself.
6. Join the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet online community.

During the Prep Phase, your Detox Journal is your lifeline to rooting out the mental obstacles, beliefs, and attitudes that can sabotage your success. The goal here is to bring awareness to what stands in your way and consciously shift your focus to what you want and know you can accomplish.

Phase 2 – the 10-Day Detox Diet Plan

Here you will receive a specific directions on what to eat and when during each day of your detox. I’ll also give you everything you need to know to do the essential daily practices, including exercise, the UltraDetox Bath, journaling, and daily relaxation exercises (all of which are critical for healing!).

Each of the 10 days has a specific focus to help you remove the most common obstacles to weight loss success and provide the tool kit to get and stay healthy.

Your template for the 10 days is simple. While the daily to-dos are the same, the recipes and daily theme are customized so you’ll know exactly what to cook, eat, and focus on each day. All you have to do is follow each step carefully and the results happen automatically.

The elements included in the 10-Day Detox Diet are designed to work together to create powerful results. You don’t have to believe or understand them— just do them anyway. They work automatically. Once you do them, you will discover their hidden synergistic powers of healing.

Again, I’ll provide a comprehensive, day-by-day strategy for everything you need to know about how to do each of the practices.

Phase 2 will transform your eating, but it also gives you the chance to connect with yourself— to examine your thoughts and beliefs, and the ways in which you live that don’t support the greatest expression of who you are. Ten days may not seem like a lot, but you will get a taste of what is possible.

Phase 3 – the Transition Phase

This phase gives you a road map for what to do after your 10-Day Detox Diet, and how to transition to a long-term health and weight loss strategy based on my book The Blood Sugar Solution. I know you’ll want to continue feeling as great as you do immediately after the 10 days!

The first two phases give you a small taste of what is possible, and now it’s up to you to decide the path you want to follow to take your health and weight loss to even greater levels.

In Phase 3, I provide three different transitional paths you can choose from: the Super Advanced Plan, the Advanced Plan, and the Basic Plan. Each of these is designed for specific goals, but all are guaranteed to keep the success going. After that, I’ll give you the Blood Sugar Solution for Life, your template for staying slim and healthy forever.

You’ll also do a little mental debriefing and take some final tests and measurements. This will help you to preserve what’s fresh in your mind about your experience, as well as to see the full scope of your results. Simply put, Phase 3 provides the blueprint for a healthy, happy, lean life.

How important do you think preparation and long-term planning are for weight loss? Share your experiences below or on my Facebook page.

Wishing you health and happiness,
Mark Hyman, MD.