10 tips to Quit Sugar For Good

Cutting out sugar from your diet is an amazing decision! Sugar consumption has become so normal that most people don't consider the health impacts that sugar may be having on their bodies.

Yet, the reality is that sugar can be detrimental to your health. It is also highly addictive.

In October 2022 I decided to take a big pivot in my health and become a gut health coach through GAPS International. This was the turning point for me to quit sugar forever.

Dr. Natasha is an amazing doctor, speaker, educator, and has been the leading pioneer for the study of the human MICROBIOME that has led to discoveries behind complicated health problems like depression, allergies, and various autoimmune symptoms that are caused by leaky gut.

Sugar is one of the culprits of causing leaky gut.

I present a challenge to you! You can quit sugar forever!!

I can offer support as you overcome this hidden giant that is preventing you from living in better health. I offer a 30-Day No Sugar Challenge that you can join and have daily encouragement and support as you learn to eliminate sugar for good!

Here are some of the things I did to quit sugar:

Tip #1: Whenever you have sugar cravings, add more fat into your diet!!

If you would like daily encouragement on your journey - I can support you for 30 days as you learn to eliminate sugar for good!

Blood sugar imbalances cause a constant wave of cravings. This is NOT NORMAL. Societies around the world that are not tainted with processed foods do not have all of the symptoms of blood sugar imbalances because they have a high consumption of animal foods and FAT.

GAPS nutritional protocol teaches you to immediately add more fat into your diet. You will feel more satiated and your blood sugar will not have highs and lows.

One way we do this is to immediately, on DAY 1, make yourselves plenty of FAT BOMBS.

What is a fat bomb??

A Fat bomb is a simply a spoonful of honey & butter OR honey & coconut oil.

How? Simply mix together equal parts of honey and butter or coconut oil into a jar. Every time you feel a craving, take a small bite. You can do this all day. After a few days, you will need less and less.

**local raw honey is best!**

Honey appeases the sugar craving and the healthy fat keeps your blood sugar stabilized and keeps you from crashing later. Also the healthy fat is nourishing for your organs and skin. Honey is antibacterial and anti fungal. 

Add cinnamon for variety if you like!

It is extremely challenging to find products without added sweeteners. You have to be diligent to check all labels and avoid all artificial sweeteners including white sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and any corn syrup.

The natural sweeteners that are the best alternatives are honey, maple syrup, and fruit (fresh, frozen, or dried WITHOUT added sweeteners).

You will experience a change in your taste buds as the natural flavorings of foods will come alive again.

It is helpful to build a list of "go to" snacks and meals. Also go through your pantry and throw away foods that will be a temptation. I offer many recipes here and am adding new ones weekly!

Tip #2 Define your "Why":

Through my training with GAPS International, I was given the assignment to read each of Dr. Natasha's books.

There are 5 books!

I have never had a more intensive health education and I am so grateful. I have always been confused and uninterested in the way that food interacted with my body on a biological level. I really didn’t care!

But the more I learned the more I had wished I had learned these things so much sooner.

One thing that I wish to share with you is how sugar interacts with your body and how it affects your overall health.

When we eat sugar, blood levels of glucose rise rapidly. The body releases a dose of insulin so glucose can enter the cells and give energy. Insulin is the key to letting glucose into the cell. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas.

However, there is only so much insulin that the cell will allow. 

Once there is too much glucose in the blood our cells become “insulin resistant”. This is our body’s way of telling us we already have enough glucose. 

Today we know that the peaks of insulin stimulate the growth of cancer cells. {AntiCancer, David Servan-Schreiber, MD,PHD)

The link between blood sugar levels and inflammation is evident as well.

Back to the old “me” that didn’t care about food and its impact on my health?? I remembered a quote I have embraced by the inspirational poet Maya Angelou:

“When you know better, do better.”

As I went through this journey of health, I also reflected on my foundation of faith in my life. If God made my body operate the way that it does, then what I put into my body can be a way of honoring Him as Creator.

For years we prayed for health for our daughter. But how could we continue to pray for her without considering the foods we are feeding her?

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.”

He created this world so abundant with good foods. However, it was MAN that created food PRODUCTS. 

I was starting to see the foods around me in two different categories. 

Food vs. Food products

Food FreEnemy is a lesson I have used to teach teens about organizing food into 3 categories: whole food, processed food, highly processed food

Food vs. Non-food advertised as food.

What percentage of your daily sustenance is FOOD v. food products? 

As a goal, try and incorporate more FOODs and replace the items that are food products. Even just swapping out 1-2 things today can change the trajectory for the rest of your life!

May we thank God today for all the wonderful foods He has provided!

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Ps. 34:8-10

Let's be honest. The treats we grew up with as kids- the ones we loved and the memories we have tied to them - these treats have led many of us to sugar addiction. We have many childhood memories with loved ones taking us to fun places and filling us with loads and loads of sugar. 

Though sugar has been a faithful friend to us, we can be eager to forge a new relationship with REAL food.

What have you been running to? Food for comfort? For friendship?

Or is food a TOOL for my body? A way to sustain, heal, and provide vitality?

Can I run to God for my comfort and friendship? Can I replace my thoughts about food? 

As I continue to learn about the health effects of sugar, I am more and more compelled to tell others. And I am convinced to continue to keep sugar out of my life.

Tip #3 : Realize that changes mean IDENTITY changes.

Who are you becoming? Are you becoming a person that isn't just trying a short-term solution, but are making life-long changes?

Your identity can be a person that lives to daily FEED your body.

NOT a person that surrenders to cravings.

As you remove sugar, your microbiome is changing. The microbes that are in your digestion that survive on sugar are slowly starving. This is POWERFUL.

These sugar-hungry critters that are demanding the sugar will no longer be taking up residence in you. They will no longer be driving your cravings. These are the destructive microbes. 

Tip #4: Find healthy substitutes

Most recipes that you are now making or eating CAN be substituted.

The best thing you can do to reduce cravings is increase fat. What is a good fat? Coconut oil, organic butter, and animal-sourced fats. 

FEED your body.

Sugar was once called the 'white death'. It deserves 100% of this title.

The consumption of sugar in the world has grown to enormous proportions and it is a highly processed substance. Sugar is everywhere and it is hard to find any processed food without it.

Apart from causing the blood glucose roller coaster and having a detrimental effect on the gut flora, it has been shown to have a direct damaging effect on the immune system.

On top of that, to deal with the sugar onslaught, the body has to use available minerals, vitamins and enzymes at an alarming rate, finishing up being depleted of these vital substances.

For example, to metabolize only one molecule of sugar the body requires around 56 molecules of magnesium!!

Consumption of sugar is a major reason for widespread magnesium deficiency in our modern society.

Some possible symptoms of magnesium deficiency:

1. headaches

2. poor concentration

3. nervousness

4. irregular heart beat

5. uterine cramps

6. calf muscle cramps

https://magnesiumguide.com.au/magnesium-deficiency-symptoms/

Dr. Natasha says: "That spoonful of sugar is not as innocent as you may think! The excess glucose in the bloodstream adds another major damaging factor to our list of damaging factors that injure and cause lots of damage in the body.

God has made our bodies so complex. These modern foods are not the foods He provided for our bodies.

When I became a certified health coach, I looked for the Lord. This was so hard. And controversial. The fact is, there’s not a lot of christian resources out there that are informative about faith and health combined.

But in my heart I felt the Lord leading me.

He has made this world to have certain laws. Like gravity. And there are foods that are nutritious to our bodies and there are foods that are damaging. Like sugar. 

What if we were allergic to sugar?

In a way, we really are “allergic”. If you already have a food allergy, then you understand how necessary it is to avoid certain foods. We can do the same thing with sugar. We can avoid it and all its adverse effects.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

“It is a fact that grains and sugar are addictive. Sugar is, arguably, the most addictive substance on this planet! Many people in our world are addicted to bread, pasta, cakes, chocolates, soft drinks, snacks, and other foods and other processed carbohydrates. But, because ‘everybody is eating them’, people don’t realise that these foods are addictive. On top of that, many processed foods, snacks and treats contain addictive chemicals, which are deliberately added to make these foods ‘irresistible’. Apart from producing opiates and endorphins to make your brain addicted to carbohydrates, pathogenic gut flora produces a plethora of other chemicals that affect your whole body. These chemicals make your brain ‘foggy’, so you cannot concentrate well enough to realize what is happening to you. They affect your mood and emotions, making them unstable. They can cause anxiety, depression, obsessions, oppositional-defiant behaviour and any other form of unstable or abnormal mental function, clouding your judgement and ability to perceive the state your body is in.”

Foods that are nutrient deficient will keep you hungry.

When your body has been fed high nutrients, it will feel satisfied.

Tip #5: Keep it simple.

Find a handful of stand-by recipes that your family loves. You do not have to cook a wide variety of foods for them. Focus on the time together and not just the food. Use fun dishes. Learn to make great condiments with a personal flare. Use fresh herbs. Decorate with edible flowers. 

Start creating your list of favorite, nutrient dense foods. Keep the list on your fridge. Make extras and keep in your freezer. Throw away any foods that are tempting you. Tell your family and friends what and why you are doing this challenge.

Tip #6: Consider your habit:

We all know that a big part of our eating style is ingrained in our habits. When you pour your cup of coffee in the morning, that is a habit. Do you add anything into your coffee? As you go about your day, your routines, your schedule - what are the foods you navigate to? 

What are some that you have and what are some that you would like to have?

Creating habits around your goals is important in order to help yourself to become successful. If you want to eliminate sugar from your life - long term and permanently - you will need to replace the old habits where sugar is found. 

Do you have a “normal” treat {habit} when you go to the movie theatre? What can you pack to take along with you instead?

Do you have a reputation of bringing a special dessert to family functions? Is there a new dessert you can replace and can still be a special dessert?

To be successful and to be a permanent way of life for you, it will take a big change in your habits.

Today, create your own “if-then” plans for a no sugar life. This way, you anticipate habit challenges that may arise, so you don’t make decisions in the heat of the moment - you’ve already decided how to behave.

Tip #7: Understand that your body will change.

It takes 3-10 days for your body to detox completely from sugar. Once it is removed from the body, the repair begins. You may notice once you begin a healing journey in your body that you will feel more sensitive to inflammatory foods. I have heard it described as a drunkard whose body has become so accustomed to alcohol that it takes more and more to feel the effects on his body. The same is with inflammatory foods. Your body is numbed to the damage it is constantly causing. Once you allow it to begin healing you may notice some new sensitivities to ingredients that you didn’t experience before.

This is a combination of a few things:

1. You are developing an ability to listen to your body and how it is communicating to you.

2. Your body is transforming in a healing process.

Dr. Natasha explains that healing happens in layers - like an onion. It takes time and the body will heal from the inside out. As you continue on your healing journey, the last thing you want to do is revert back to your old ways. You have already begun a good work in your mind, body, and soul. It is up to you to continue the transformation!

As your physical body transforms through your healthy choices, remember to listen to the One who made your body and all its functions and also can change you emotionally and spiritually. 

Tip #8: Normalize the health trend.

Why is it so difficult to prioritize our own health? I know as a mother of 7 kids and a busy working husband, that my biggest challenge is having time to myself to reflect and evaluate. What direction am I heading? What habits are creeping into my life that are causing pain or are unhealthy?

We cannot be effective as parents, spouses, leaders in ministry, and humans when we are overwhelmed by “dis-ease” that is primarily diet-induced. Think of how much more effective we can be in our relationships when we feel well!

Make it a priority today, friend! You matter and taking time for yourself is a gift to your family and friends!

Tip #9: Let sugar elimination become a catalyst for other health improvements!

Let’s be honest - taking sugar out of your diet is so important, but there are other foods to avoid that could arguably be more important. I think of eliminating sugar as a starting point and that is why I chose to offer this challenge. If you can eliminate refined sugar and overcome its pull on your life, think of what you could do next?

It would also be a waste to eliminate sugar only to fill that void with other nutrition-lacking substances. Always think of nutrient-density.

Refined sugar and sugar-replacements are not food. They are substances that are highly addicting and damaging.

By educating you about sweetening options, alway think “good, better, best”.  The best would be to not rely on sweets at all. Widen your palate to eat other flavor profiles. But when you do prepare sweet foods, think of nutritious ways to do it.

Everything we are and have is a gift from God.

Changing our dietary habits is hard. But prayer makes it easier.

If you are still struggling, set your intentions for today! What part of your day do you struggle most? What is one substitute you can plan on at that point of temptation?

Tip #10: Build your list of resources and inspiration!

Sugar Fast is a great devotion-type book that can bring an element of spiritual reflection into your journey.

Knowing that you have someone that “gets you” is so helpful when you are making big changes! I love to keep myself encouraged by building resources around me - people and organizations that align with my convictions.

Here is a small list of resources for you to refer to as you continue your health journey specifically by keeping sugar out.

https://www.gaps.me/faqs.php

https://wendyspeake.com/40-day-sugar-fast/

Sugarfreemom.com

https://lifeunbinged.com/

https://www.revelationwellness.org/challenges/sugar-fast/

https://onethingalone.com/tips-sugar-fast/
And as you already know, I am available as a resource for you as well! I would love to stay in touch and encourage you as you continue your journey of health!

Much love!