Samantha Adams - Sugar Detox Diet: Ultimate 30-Day Meal Plan to Restore Your Health with Delicious Sugar Free Recipes

When was it that sugar became our enemy? Oh, sure, back in the good old days our parents might have warned us not to eat too much candy, or all our teeth would fall out. And in our teens we were told that too much soda would make our face break out and we would get fat. But then we would get a lollipop if we were good at the doctors office, and our dentist would reward us for a good checkup with a certificate for a free ice cream soda. Talk about mixed signals!

Nowadays, though, dentists reward their stellar patients with a free toothbrush and a pack of sugar-free gum, and pediatricians will hand out super hero stickers. But there are still some old-school docs who continue to offer the good old lollipop as a reward (or consolation) to a child after a checkup and a shot. Well, its only one lollipop, after all, and it does help little Johnny feel better. Again, mixed signals. No wonder so many adults have sugar issues.

Over the past few decades, since about the 1970s, people in the U. S., as well as most of the Western Hemisphere, have been showing signs that there is too much sugar in their diets. In fact, the average man/woman on the street usually takes in about 126 grams of sugar on a daily basis. When you consider that the American Heart Association recommends a maximum of 37.5 grams, or nine teaspoons a day, for men, and 25 grams, or six teaspoons, for women, its plain to see that many of us are going way overboard with our sugar intake.

Our love affair with sugar has led to some very undesirable side-effects. The truth is, recent statistics show that 69% of Americans are overweight. Thats more than two out of three! You can see the results of this growing (pun intended) problem everywhere you look. People are finding it more and more difficult to button a shirt, zip up a pair of pants, or bend over to pick up something they dropped. And, lets face it, it can be very painful when you have to buy a size (or two) larger.

With the continuing concern about our national pastime of eating too much sugar, the sugar police have sprung up everywhere, alerting us to the evils of refined sugars and processed foods, and flashing their warnings about the health problems associated with these evil food villains. These warnings carry a crystal clear message: sugar can have all sorts of negative effects on our bodies. Here is just a partial list of some of the many health issues that sugar contributes to:

• Weight gain (thats a no-brainer)
• Diabetes (ditto)
• Heart disease
• Digestive problems
• Inflammation
• Chemical and mineral imbalances in the body
• Fatty liver
• Metabolic syndrome
• Nourishment for cancer cells
• Higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL)
• Sugar cravings, even addiction
• Lower energy level and fatigue
• Brain fog
• Risk of developing or worsening depression
• Sagging skin and greater tendency toward wrinkles (aka aging)

Thats a long list, and it could be even longer. But it certainly does make a point: by cutting down our consumption of added refined sugars in our diet, we can crush our sugar demons and live a healthier, happier life. To help people reach the goal of controlling the amount of sugar they consume, a sugar detox diet is the best way to cleanse your body of the popular but problematic ingredient.

On an intellectual level, most of us understand that wed be so much better off without sugar in our lives, but detox is such a scary word. It implies having to deal with cravings, withdrawal symptoms, deprivation, and other nightmarish associations. But remember, a sugar detox diet is temporary. You basically reprogram your sugar consumption so that you can continue on a path to a healthier lifestyle.

By completely eliminating sugar, as much as possible, for a specific length of time, our bodies gradually reduce the craving for sugar. Some programs recommend as little as twenty-one, ten, even three days without sugar. This book, however, will focus on a thirty-day detox, based on the premise that it takes more than three, ten, or twenty one days to completely recalibrate your system and your taste buds. After these thirty days, you will no longer be a slave to sugar, and you can more thoroughly embrace a lifetime without cravings and sugar-related health problems.

Of course, its not going to be easy. Indeed, it is very likely that at certain points there will be withdrawal symptoms: headaches - especially if youre also having to give up sodas with caffeine, cravings, achiness, crankiness, perhaps even shakiness. But once all that toxicity is cleaned out of your system, you will clearly see that it has all been worth it.