Dec 3

Dec 3 Top 5 Benefits of A Sugar-Free Life

Hi, I'm Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.

Many of my clients seek coaching because they want support around letting go of sugar and processed foods, and they want a wellness coach who knows both the challenges and multiple benefits of living this clean, healthy lifestyle.

I have been sugar and processed food free for over three years. Yes, this is my 4th holiday season without candy, cakes, pies, cookies, etc. It's possible, I do not miss it, and in fact, I feel fantastic! For me, the benefits outweigh any perceived drawbacks. If you are interested, check out my blogs and videos about my current nutritional lifestyle choices and what I eat on a typical day.

Why do my clients want to give up sugar, and why do I suggest you perhaps consider it as well or, at least, consider taking a break from it for two weeks or a month?

Well, let’s explore the top 5 benefits of a sugar-free life:

More Energy. Sugar consumption directly impacts our blood sugar, and our blood sugar directly affects our energy levels. When you eat a large amount of sugar, your body reacts by producing insulin to metabolize the sugar in your blood. This high influx of sugar gives you a quick boost of energy, followed by a dramatic dip or crash once the sugar has been removed from the bloodstream. This constant disruption in blood sugar will not only leave you feeling tired during the day but cause you to crave more sugar to bring your energy levels back up. Over time, this cycle becomes exacerbated, and you require more and more sugar for bringing up your energy.

A Strong Immune System Every time we eat something sweet, the pancreas releases insulin to reduce the elevated blood sugar and delivers it to the cells. Insulin inhibits the release of human growth hormone, which depresses the immune system, making us less equipped to fight off infections and viruses. (Not so good as we are worried about staying healthy during the Covid pandemic.) So, over time, excess consumption of sugar can weaken the immune system making us more susceptible to cold and flu season, and in the very long-term, can leave us more vulnerable to disease, auto-immune issues, and, worst-case scenario, cancer, particularly breast, colon, pancreatic, colorectal, and endometrial cancer.

Weight stabilization. Every time you eat sugar, you trigger insulin release in the bloodstream, and insulin is a fat-storing hormone. Insulin’s job is to tell the body to convert the sugar you have just eaten into stored energy to be used later in the form of body fat. The problem is that excess sugar consumption leads to insulin resistance; this means that more and more insulin is needed to get the job done. Therefore, the more sugar you eat, the higher your blood sugar, hence the higher your insulin levels, and consequently, the more you will store fat, specifically in the abdominal region.

Younger, healthier-looking skin. Skin is an elimination organ, and it is a representation of what is going on inside the body, precisely the balance of bacteria in our gut. A disrupted microbiome or poor gut health caused by sugar intake can have negative impacts on the skin. Not to mention, consumption of sugar has been shown to trigger inflammation and hormonal disturbances impacting skin issues such as rosacea, acne, and premature aging. The rise of insulin levels in the bloodstream, caused by excess sugar consumption, has been shown to increase the activity of oil glands in your skin and increase inflammatory processes triggering acne and pimples. Moreover, when consumed in excess, sugar attaches to collagen protein in glycation, creating a new substance called AGEs or advanced glycation end products. AGEs are incredibly destructive to your body's natural proteins and have been shown to break down elastin and degrade collagen in the skin, causing wrinkles and premature aging.

Improved mental health. Not only does eating too much sugar impact our insulin, which can impact other hormones and neurotransmitters, including dopamine, but our gut is considered our "second brain." There is a direct relationship between mental health and gut health thanks to the gut-brain axis, and 80% of your serotonin, another mood-boosting neurotransmitter, is housed in your gut. Therefore, overconsumption of sugar not only affects the spikes and dips in our energy, impacting our mood, but sugar is continually impacting our gut health, which directly impacts mood, as well as anxiety and depression.

In sum, the top 5 benefits of a sugar-free life are more energy, a robust immune system (pretty crucial during Covid), weight stabilization, younger healthier-looking skin, and improved mental health.

I get that my no-sugar lifestyle isn’t for everyone. Then how about a two week or one-month temporary break from sugar? During which, I’d suggest keeping a journal to record your detox symptoms, if any (and, hey, you don’t need to detox from broccoli or other healthy food choices, right?) Also, perhaps keep a record of your energy level, mood, and the scale number before and after your break from sugar.

Remember, taste buds regrow every ten days to 2 weeks. For instance, when I quit sugar and then ate a red pepper two weeks later, I was amazed at how sweet it tasted. Furthermore, we were given five senses to enjoy our life and experience this beautiful world, and taste is only one of the 5 senses. And lastly, if a two week or one-month break from sugar feels daunting, particularly during the holiday season, how about at least start crowding out the sugar and processed food with more fruit and vegetables.

I’m Liz Moser, a Mayo Clinic and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and thank you for reading this blog about the top 5 benefits of a sugar-free life. If you have any questions about this blog, about health and wellness, or wellness coaching with me, please reach out via my website at lizmosercoaching.com